Airfix new 1/24 Spitfire MkIX - to be made in U.K.

[BarryWilliams]

In recent years Airfix have manufactured their kits in India.  In my view they have fallen well short in quality control.  Their horrible soft plastic, so prone to warping, is unfit for LSPs and the moulds are not as crisp and clean as a modern kit should be. 
 

Now they have announced that the new tool Spit will be manufactured in the U.K.  

 

So does this mean a better quality plastic, cleaner moulds and better QC?  Is this an attempt to bring their manufacturing up to the standard  needed to reflect the excellent design we have seen in their new kits?  
 

what do you think?

[Rick Griewski]

Shorter supply chain.  More jobs at home. 

[themongoose]

Too hard to get parts from overseas. Supply chain totally unreliable. Shipping costs escalating exponentially. Can’t tell you the number of times lately I’ve been ‘Monday morning quarter-backed’ about how I’m responsible for suppliers that miss a delivery or default on an order at the last minute. Time to bring it home again. Those higher costs of labor are worth it when you know the parts are in your control.

end result, i bet we get a better model 

[Tony T]

I hope the 1/48 Buccaneer will get home grown treatment too. It deserves it. 

[Palm-tree]

This is good news and it seems appropriate to have a model kit of the iconic spitfire manufactured in the U.K.

Edited May 23, 2022 by Palm-tree
Spelling edit

[Artful69]

Finally we see economies of scale and comparative advantage go full circle and reach the conclusion: "There's no place like home!"

 

Rog

[MikeC]

I well remember when "outsourcing" (I was in information systems) and later "offshoring" became popular, as did long supply chains and "just in time" systems. I hope I may now be permitted a quick "I told you so", and granted forgiveness for potentially pulling this off-topic.

[cbk57]

Airfix had no problem making low quality kits in Britain before outsourcing the work, does not mean they have not changed.  I vividly remember buying the Belfast when I was about 8 and the kit was so malformed it was impossible for me to assemble at that age.  I do hope this kit is a success for them.  I am not interested but only because I have built multiple Tamiya MK IX already.  I know this kit will be amazing but I may never build another Mk IX for the reason already stated, not because it is airfix or anyone else.

[BarryWilliams]

1 hour ago, cbk57 said:

Airfix had no problem making low quality kits in Britain before outsourcing the work, does not mean they have not changed.  I vividly remember buying the Belfast when I was about 8 and the kit was so malformed it was impossible for me to assemble at that age.  I do hope this kit is a success for them.  I am not interested but only because I have built multiple Tamiya MK IX already.  I know this kit will be amazing but I may never build another Mk IX for the reason already stated, not because it is airfix or anyone else.

Except Airfix are now owned by Hornby and actually have some talented designers.  There has been a massive change since those days.   Their weaknesses in recent years, at least in respect of their new tools, are primarily in manufacturing and that poor quality plastic which was done in India. 

[Rick Griewski]

An after Brexit adjustment?  (Not trying to start a political row).  Businesses have their own strategies depending on the pressures.  

[Bradleygolding]

Anything has to be an improvement over that dreadful flour and water mix they call plastic!

 

Steve.

 

[cbk57]

15 hours ago, BarryWilliams said:

Except Airfix are now owned by Hornby and actually have some talented designers.  There has been a massive change since those days.   Their weaknesses in recent years, at least in respect of their new tools, are primarily in manufacturing and that poor quality plastic which was done in India. 

I kind of meant Airfix is better now than they used to be, but at the same time their is nothing preventing them from making the models in Britain and using the same poor quality plastic people are complaining of.  It remains to be seen whether making the kits in Britain will bring about any improvement in quality no matter how good the engineers.  I do respect modern Airfix though, they have improved a lot.

[BarryWilliams]

2 hours ago, cbk57 said:

I kind of meant Airfix is better now than they used to be, but at the same time their is nothing preventing them from making the models in Britain and using the same poor quality plastic people are complaining of.  It remains to be seen whether making the kits in Britain will bring about any improvement in quality no matter how good the engineers.  I do respect modern Airfix though, they have improved a lot.

You are right that the old toolings can only be relatively poor kits compared to todays standards, regardless of what plastic quality is. The hope must be for the newer kits manufacturing to live up to the excellent design standards they now have.  

[Palm-tree]

Airfix do seem to have reinvented themselves over the last few years.

There have been some interesting documentaries on Hornby and also the Airfix side of the business recently.

Good to see the new projects being released with some great new subjects this year.

[The Phantom]

Make at home, Jobs at home, no matter what the cost ill buy.....