Model Forum / General / Models / September 2006

Hi all,

Excuse me if I'm re-starting an old topic, but I have been very
occcupied with work lately, so I haven't looked at this site for a few
months.

I was motivated to write this because I was perusing Ebay earlier today
and noticed an Airfix TSR-2 kit which had attracted 9 bids and a top
bid of about AU$70!!!

I can understand that if Airfix/Heller/Humbol goes down the chute, then
many of the older moulds may never see the light of day again. Many of
their older subjects (for which Airfix was the only game in town for
years) have now been surpassed by newer, more accurate, more detailed
and better engineered model kits by other manufacturers. Even if Airfix
manages to resurface, or if their assets are passed on, the older
moulds may never resurface because the market just doesn't need them.

In the worst case however, I would have thought that one of the other
manufacturers will pick up the moulds of some of the newer or more
unusual subjects and churn them out again. It therefore seems hard to
justify such a high price for such a new kit, even if it is the last
boxing to have the famous Airfix logo on the lid. I know that Airfix
claimed that the TSR-2 was to be a limited release, but my
understanding is that the kit is not, by definition, "limited run" (ie.
it is made with steel moulds).

I'm not a TSR-2 fan and I'll probably never build (or collect) one of
these kits, even if they are re-released at a realistic price, but the
subject provides food for thought...

Any comments?

James.