Behind The Scenes at AIRFIX

Thanks to ‪@OfficialAirfix‬ for having me for a great day out at the Hornby and Airfix HQ
Airfix
uk.airfix.com/
Model Minutes
/ modelminutes

[@ScaleHangar182]

It was very good day at Airfix HQ and it was really nice to see you again as well as other content creators.

[@lpjmodels]

Was great to see you again !

[@bretonnian6844]

Grew up with Airfix as a kid and did a few models during COVID. Hope they survive and the youngsters get hooked!

[@lpjmodels]

Lockdown helped but I think a lot of that was folks returning to the hobby. Never a bad thing though

[@ianpettman7482]

Brings back memories from the late 70's when I worked there.

[@lpjmodels]

Did you enjoy your time there ?

[@ianpettman7482]

Not really as I was 15 and just left school. I was waiting to get an apprenticeship.

[@steveg3981]

Brought up with Airfix over 60 years ago. Will always be my favorite. Its traditional.

[@lpjmodels]

I like the heritage and the fact we still have a UK manufacturer, I started as a kid with airfix kits in the 90s so it also has the nostalgia factor.

[@StaplesandVine]

Great to see so much behind the scenes. Thank you James, thank you Airfix. 🙂

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Sera 🍻

[@captainjayc9217]

Love to see that Airfix is still alive. I enjoy a lot of their box art drawings -- they are beautiful.

[@allgood6760]

Awesome!... thank you 👍🇳🇿

[@saburu79666]

Lucky bastard! What an awesome opportunity! 🙏 It's nice to know they're aware of you and your awesome channel. ✌😎

[@lpjmodels]

Cheers Sy hope you're all good 👍

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Thanks for window into how our favorite hobby is put together.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks for watching Wade !

[@voodoonights1671]

Great vid. Keep up the great work.

[@lpjmodels]

Thankyou 😀

[@johnalecsscalemodeling]

This was really educational James. Looks like they took a lot of time prepare this for you all. Subbed to all those folks, how awesome that must have been. Nice gifts. Thanks for sharing.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks John much appreciated mate

[@mpersad]

Terrific video, here from " Max's Models". Have a new sub!

[@joec1576]

Very informative vid. Thank you....

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Joe

[@lesthiele7645]

Hi James, that was excellent , it is nice also to put a face to the voice, I thought the Avro Anson looks very interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@modelnut]

Hi James, thanks for the tour of Airfix HQ. Can't wait for the Anson to be released it should be a great kit along with the Buccaneer. All the best.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Mark !

[@richardpetts5149]

Superb video James and really lovely to meet you with everyone else at Hornby HQ yesterday.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Richard! I was wondering being Arty as well if you ever came to my old workplace in Barnstaple, I worked in the local art shop for about 8 years.

[@jmc7034]

I bet that was one fascinating day

[@lpjmodels]

It was indeed

[@jontaylor1652]

WOW, very interesting, well done James and thanks for this.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks for watching Jon 😀

[@gazradford2557]

Very interesting video James I must say the up and coming releases look superb mate. I do like the idea of a 1/24th scale MK IX Spit but for me it has got to be that K2 closely followed by the Anson and the Bucc in 48th for me. You look like you really had a good time James, well done and thank you for shearing your experience.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Gaz ! The Anson looks great, it's one of those quirky designs so of course I'll like it :p.

[@RaduB.]

Hi James! Thank you for the tour at Airfix!... I would have liked one too, if I lived near... 🙂 I think they are on the right track! Especially with the laser scanning of the real thing. Hopefully they will keep up the good work! 👍 That Flying Annie looks great! And I must admit I have a soft spot for the Buccaneer... I've bought both of them already! 😏

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Radu ! There was an interesting snippet re the lidar scanning, you can't trust it 100% there is a he111 in Norway (? Maybe) that looks amazing, but the frame is all wonky , and sometimes things get dinged in museums that you can't tell by looking at the AC.so they need to be used as a base framework alongside plans and archive material. It's really interesting.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yeah, that Matt from Model Minutes is great! Haha. Good video bro! I hope you enjoy building all those kits they gave you :)

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Matt !

[@ModelOfficer]

Cracking run down James and thanks for the shout out

[@lpjmodels]

No problemo James great to meet you!

[@freezatron]

I like these behind the scenes videos, I hope you upload the full length seminars ! :) One thing I would have suggested if I was attending would be for them to create some upgrade kits for their old 1/24 kits which should include decal sets for the instrument panels and cockpit placards, plastic for the wheel wells and some additions to the cockpit and engine bay, including a wiring loom etc. seat belts at this scale would also be a nice touch too...

[@lpjmodels]

@freezatron , if you head over to MOS6510 Models he has uploaded the entire R&D chat

[@ModeliteDiorama]

Very interesting video!

[@merlinharley77]

thank you for this reportage ! Airfix : the brand of the beginning of my loooong journey of 56 years of modeling ... ouch....😅 😜 . Greeting from Belgium.

[@lpjmodels]

It's where I started too.... not as long ago though 😆

[@merlinharley77]

@@lpjmodels 🤗😄👍

[@ModelNerd]

Great video - you got some really nice footage there. It was a really informative event and great to meet all the other modellers and KZbinrs.

[@lpjmodels]

Great to meet you @Model nerd !

[@plasticalchemist]

Great video buddy. Love it.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Mate😀

[@Hafer_]

Pretty cool. Had no idea the Airfix staff would be so small, it's impressive actually

[@lpjmodels]

It was eye opening !

[@liamgray9805]

This is great James, what an insight, cheers.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Liam ! Keep your eyes peeled for the other tubers vids they may go into much more detail

[@liamgray9805]

@@lpjmodels cheers James a few guys have posted already - really good stuff, and the gift bag is very generous

[@lpjmodels]

@@liamgray9805 it was very generous, I wasn't sure whether to show it, for one I didn't want to brag, or people to think that my opinions were persuaded. May have been better to show it in hindsight. But it didn't influence anything. I'm most looking forward to putting the new paint to the test, humbrol have a bad rep with their acrylics.

[@paulshapland1647]

great vid james

[@andygorman858]

Mate that was awesome! It’s always interesting to see the company in person (well, via your vid anyway…), and really puts into perspective what goes into a kit. I was lucky enough to go to the Tamiya factory in Japan, I wasn’t really prepared for the shear size of the company (it has 3 seperate buildings each 1 city block large and about 3 stories high!). Can’t wait to see that Buccaneer! Thanks for sharing!!

[@lpjmodels]

Wow that sounds huge ! It's like another level to the companies we have over here

[@andygorman858]

@@lpjmodels it’s more intense for sure….they even have their own competition grade rc track for people who either belong to the club or have just bought an rc car and want to try it out! I think after Hornby bought out Airfix it started heading in the right direction both production wise and quality wise. The first time I built one of the ‘new’ Airfix kits (the Hurricane I think it was), I was totally blown away with the quality and the fit of parts! Having built the odd Airfix kit since the late 70’s (I was about 8 or 9 then), and comparing them to todays offerings there is no comparison. Now, if I can just get my hands on the Airfix 48th scale tiger moth I will have it in 3 different scales! Have you built that one yet? Reckon you’d do a mint job on it eh….hint hint 😉

[@lpjmodels]

@@andygorman858 it's heartening to see the increase in quality. I won't touch the older stuff.. Tiger moth.. could work, kept seeing one fly over during the heatwave.

[@andygorman858]

@@lpjmodels the older stuff is fun, lots of sanding and filing….and sanding, undercoating, sanding….you get the idea 😉 it must be sign….to build a scale model Airfix 48th scale tiger moth!

[@decam5329]

Max sent me here.

[@SprueFascinationChannel]

Lovely presentation, James 😊👍

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks my freind !

[@maxsmodels]

wonderful

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Max 🍻

[@pauladams286]

It would be great to see the 1/12th scale figures back in the range - I do not recall ever seeing these kits in New Zealand, so I missed out back in the 1970s.

[@lpjmodels]

Maybe new tool ones would be cool

[@Xonneca]

airfix, frog, revell... those were the good times.

[@lpjmodels]

Give me new tool kits any day !

[@TheHarvHR]

Interesting stuff. Airfix aren't my first or second choice for a lot of reasons (very expensive compared to other brands, poor quality control), but seeing how kits are designed is always interesting. Hopefully the Bucc coming in harder plastic will fix the quality control issues I run into, it seems no two Airfix kits build the same with each having slightly different fit and issues.

[@Jackdaw5]

Yes, the fit issues, soft plastic and occasional poor quality control have put me off Airfix's newer kits a bit, but I still like buying some of the Vintage Classics for the nostalgia hit. Great video though. Thanks for posting it.

[@lpjmodels]

I think a lot of it depends on whether the factory are rushing. If the cooling or pressure isn't right that can affect things down the line. We spoke about this, and one of the problems was end cost. The more people that touch the sprues the more the final cost will be so sometimes things slip through the cracks. * ahem* like the short shots on the sea fury.

[@robin---]

👍👍👍

[@ThePhosphater]

I would love to see a K2 in 12/48th scale

[@lpjmodels]

That would be cool !

[@Simon_Nonymous]

Great video - hope you had a great day! Oooh I think the Anson might have to be preordered by the way! Final edit - yes, I think we would love to see all the talks published by someone, even if it's a coop and you all publish one or two each?

[@lpjmodels]

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to see what the others put up, at present the audio isn't amazing, even with some noise reduction e.t.c if nobody puts them up in the next week or so I'll get mine up

[@marvinbanka7592]

I really like the new Airfix. Have many of their kits. Now I'm just waiting for a 1/48 Fairey Battle.

[@Simon_Nonymous]

Even a 1:72 would make me smile - let's hope we are both lucky

[@lpjmodels]

It would be cool, it's an interesting aircraft for sure.

[@njmayhew]

this sort of thing is always interesting, thank you for the vid. I think Airfix has a huge deficit to make up in quality of production but most people in UK just don't want to hear that. Hopefully the Buccaneer in 1/48 will showcase how much the company has improved? Their new 1/24 Spit will be benched against Tamiya's 1/32 offering; just being 'big' won't be enough given the rep the Typhoon (which I have) and the Hellcat have for poor mould quality and poor fit.

[@lpjmodels]

During the casual chats around the room it seems like they took a good look at the Tamiya spit. Looking at in it person the only fit problem that might present itself is just fore of the canopy, but the build might have been done in a hurry to show us. I agree with you. They have been lagging behind for years, but I got the impression that there is a lot of passion in the design team. The kits have been improving at a steady rate and I hope they continue to build up the quality.

[@MOS6510Models]

Great video matey..

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Mos, great to meet you 😀

[@MOS6510Models]

@@lpjmodels it was great meeting you too over a Toby breakfast :)

[@metromoppet]

I knew a girl who thanked me or having her in a great way and wearing her out, once.

[@crazyharkonnen]

Airfix should produce Merkava Mk.I in 1/72, before Takom does it. Spitfires are excellently covered by Eduard.

[@lpjmodels]

The Eduard spits are exquisite 👌

[@ScaleModelIncLIVE]

cheques in the post mate! hahaha

[@lpjmodels]

Lol 😆

[@jonflanagin6682]

We need more 1/24 scale WW2 armor.

[@calessel3139]

Yes, definitely.

[@lpjmodels]

It's not a widely established scale so I doubt we'll be seeing more

[@O5o787]

As long as they keep making more helicopters then I’m good 👍

[@lpjmodels]

Yknow I havent done a helo yet. They are all spindly and scary.

[@O5o787]

@@lpjmodels Why not pick up there newly re released Lynx and give it a go?

[@MrVolvobloke]

can someone clarify what was being said at 8:12 ? Sounds like 'Airfix was partnering with -??? Academy? Can't quite make it out.

[@guypenrose5477]

He said Academy for the Armour.

[@MrVolvobloke]

@@guypenrose5477 Thanks!

[@lpjmodels]

That's the ticket

[@jamescharlton924]

Didn't see you on the Twitter pic il look again. Wish I knew you were about would have met you for a pint

[@lpjmodels]

Ah cheers James ! It was a bit of a flying visit perhaps next time if they host another one

[@thomashaupt79]

I wish that any plastic Kit modelling company would start creating cool train models in a bigger scale. I would pay quote some money to have some Iconic Steam engines in 1:48 scale or bigger. All you get for Trains is stupid war realted stuff in 1:35 scale. Please Airfix give me the Mallard, Flying Scottsman or anything in 1:48th scale or bigger!

[@calessel3139]

Yes with all the wide variety of model kit types ever made - cars, airplanes, tanks, ships, dinosaurs, knights, monsters, etc - its odd that plastic models of commercial trains never took off other than a few odd kits here and there. It seems it would be a very rich domain for a model company to explore. And personally I would love to have a 4-8-8-4 Union Pacific Big Boy in 1/48 myself!

[@lpjmodels]

I feel your pain, I mean it's not a subject I'm interested in but it's good to get representation if you like something

[@iangascoigne8231]

Dahhhn to Margate.

[@doublebyte01]

How many employees does Airfix have? You said it’s small … is that 10, 50, or 100 employees?

[@lpjmodels]

You're looking at less than 15 ish, humbrol is just 2

[@sneakyfildy]

@@lpjmodels 😳

[@skylongskylong1982]

It’s a shame nothing is manufactured in the U.k anymore. Airfix kits are now made in India.

[@lpjmodels]

The new 1/24 spit is a uk tooling, surprisingly it's the cost of packaging that pushes the process abroad

[@myplasticmodels]

Any new WW1 biplanes in 1/72?

[@lpjmodels]

They are very tight lipped about future releases, so not sure I'm afraid: (

[@wkelly3053]

Go Airfix!🙂

[@davidliston5002]

Shame they cannot bring back manufacturing back to margate instead of China and India.

[@lpjmodels]

From the discussions I had, it's the packaging that's the killer, I think I remember rightly that the buccaneer is tooled in the uk ( because of the container problems ) and the tool is similarly priced. The price of the packaging however is the problem in the UK.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

The research is not always that good. Hornby are producing a Railway Operating Division locomotive in khaki when they were only black or grey. They are just copying others that made the same mistake.

[@lpjmodels]

This is an entirely different department to hornby trains. These guys are purely plastic kits.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

@@lpjmodels They work for the same boss and to the same policies

[@markuspemler3489]

High price mid quality and the worst customdr service experienced in 45 years of modelling....

[@babylonsburning1]

Unfortunately Airfix seem to have a team that are not typical of their customers. If they just asked the model buyers what they wanted, in what scale and then produced the the favourites then they would be on a winner everytime. Your talk of the Buccaneer speaks volumes. It's not my cup of tea, so I won't be buying either.

[@lpjmodels]

It's a lot more complex than people think. From what I gather they will look for gaps in the market as well as asking whether a certain kit fits the brand. At the end of they day they want to make money, and what someone thinks will sell may not actually do well.

[@babylonsburning1]

@@lpjmodels That is why they need to talk to their buying public. Their are a lot of Tanks that are not available, Cruiser Mk1, MK2 etc. Good Matildas or Valentines. But there are so many Tigers on the market, who's buying them? How many have Dragon released? I want all the British WW2 Tanks in 1.35 scale. Can I buy them from Airfix? No. They are missing a trick. WW2 is still the most popular, I'm sure, in the UK. But it isn't fully covered, unless it's Shermans and variants. Instead of chasing the market by upsizing or multiples of the same. Create the market by provide a full range, British, German, Soviet, US, Italian.

[@lpjmodels]

@@babylonsburning1 I get that 100%. But don't forget that they have only recently ( relatively ) breached the Armour market properly by partnering with Academy, and released most of the back catalogue of theirs under the Airfix Brand, while having only the cromwell as an active collaboration so far ( to the best of my knowledge) . From the sounds of it they are all about British subjects, but why not release a tiger if there is no sunk cost in development. For the cost of licensing its almost a free release for them . No time was spent by airfix on designing those kits, all they needed to do was design some boxes and instructions. Their bread and butter In sales is aircraft, the market is a lot bigger than us enthusiasts. They said themselves they sell a *lot* of spitfires.

[@lpjmodels]

@@babylonsburning1 oh and the Ambulance .

[@TheHarvHR]

@@babylonsburning1 The issue is making a kit that 1. doesn't exist and 2. has the market for it. Would a Cruiser Mk I or Mk II be worth the costs in terms of sales? Probably not. I could see a Matilda or possibly Valentine being a more reasonable ask. Also, considering the small team at Airfix, any kit made is a big time and resource sink and Dragon may have more staff. I don't build armor, but I see similar things with aircraft. Every company has a Spitfire, every company has a Mustang, you could ask 'why bother if someone else sells it' and you'd be right, but those popular vehicles (such as Tiger) are guaranteed sellers. Aircraft like the Avro Anson are niche, but fit into Airfix's tactic of selling largely British aircraft which goes in hand with aircraft like the Tiger Moth and Chipmunk. Maybe we'll see them make more British tanks in the future but for now it seems a lot of their ground vehicles are reboxes, not new products. Also to be totally honest I wouldn't trust Airfix to make a tank and not have quality control issues, half of the time the small parts on their aircraft are mismoulded.

[@nanorider426]

A very good video. Thank you. I came here from maxsmodels.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Nano, I just went and thanked Max

[@nanorider426]

@@lpjmodels My pleasure. I have gained a new subscriber. ^^