Would you pay more for an Airfix kit with etch and masks? this is what you said...
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- I was interested in your view, should Airfix include seat harnesses in aircraft and mask sets too? even if it would cost more? Now I share what you think and what I think too.
You can support future videos here:-
paypal.me/JasonPort
Quite an interesting feedback and conclusions, producing a separate 'upgrade' pack is a good idea, especially if they market it as a bundle, eg buy the kit, and get 10% off the upgrade if you buy it at the same time.
Thanks Jason, intetesting feedback and result. I'd like to think it would give the business marketing and development guys @Airfix a little pause for thought and consideration. Cheers.
I’d pay good money for a re-tooled 1/48 Halifax without a mask or etch set.
For the cost of the duration of the site visit to the Museum in Ontario to do the necessary…is that the driving force?
The example in Yorkshire UK may be slightly incorrect since it has been restored with wing components from a Hastings.
Great video, i hope Airfix are watching.
Hi Jason, another great video. I like the conclusion that was presented. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Jeff
Actually when I look at it closely I can sometimes end up paying more for the aftermarket than the kit, especially when shipping is factored in so that's a big revenue option for Airfix and if it gives me more confidence of fit plus some potential savings then having an Airfix upgrade kit would be a brilliant idea.
2
(Continued)
Even more, I would like to see models routinely come with aftermarket sets. More precisely, that kit designers/makers incorporate into their designs the so-called aftermarket processes, methods, materials, etc. Already have we begun to see this, especially with kit makers who create photo-etched sets expressly for their own products; these essentially are just another sprue (oh, don’t fret! I know the correct word!) of parts, which the instructions booklet actively incorporates into the assembly.
One aspect of the generations-old cottage industry aftermarket that might be problematic is the process of making molds to cast parts out of a two-stage resin. First, the soft molds, whilst allowing for far crisper detail than most injection-molded polystyrene methods, I understand can endure perhaps seventy (70) castings. Would they be able cost-effectively to crank out in assembly-line efficiency fifty thousand or more of them? If my numbers are correct, that would require well over 700 molds (making allowances for the premature wear of some of them), which I anticipate would be terribly work-intensive, negating the primary advantage of modern-day manufacturing. Second is the issue that many have come to recognise, that the resultant dust of preparing resin parts for use-sawing, filing, grinding, sanding, etc.-is highly toxic, often precipitating serious pulmonary pathology (though I admittedly do not know the details). Lead is another example of this urgent health issue.
We fortunately have what looks to be a spectacularly astounding new option: 3D printing of plastic sub-assemblies. I recently saw on a TH-cam channel close-up high-resolution digital photography of a 3D-printed plastic 1:32nd-scale replica of a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp, radial, 18-cylinder, twin-row, air-cooled, water-boosted, turbo-supercharged, 2,000 hp (1,491.4 kW), 2,800 cu in. (45.9 L), reciprocating piston aircraft engine (readers, please help me with fact checking my numbers here; I am a word nerd, NOT a maths whiz!). It was as flawless as humanly possible!
I do have one objection (if I understand correctly the matter): the process for making items such as this creates it all of a piece, including the exhaust pipes, wiring, etc. This, it seems to me, would make painting it unnecessarily difficult for the inordinate intricacy of it all. For the sake of practicality, I would like to see the stacks, the wiring, the support arrangement, etc., initially as separate parts that one after applying the colours could attach as appropriate for proper assembly.
Also, in a related sense, is the spark plug wiring scale correct in cross-section (diameter)? Now, I realise that to assess all these, one would have to look upon the item-in this case, the engine reproduction; my queries in this matter therefore are academic. I very much like using fine wire with its sheathing in various diameters, and of various materials, textures, colours, etc., using roughly 3 or 4 mm of the wire at either end as an anchor to insert into a thin hole at the proper attachment points on the cylinders and the harness at the other end; if boots would be involved in this sequence, one would include them at the proper point as the assembly instructions would explain. The directions would provide the precise lengths and locations. In this general area I have seen smaller lengths of fine wire, which the instructions precisely would explain in correct measurement, location, etc. I understand that a specific “firing order” requires one to attach this wiring in a specific arrangement. As Wikipedia explains (not being the technical sort, yes, I enquired!), “The firing order of an internal combustion engine is the sequence of ignition for the cylinders. In a spark ignition (e.g. gasoline/petrol) engine, the firing order corresponds to the order in which the [distributor operates the circuitry] of the spark plugs” (source: Wikipedia, “Firing Order”).
3D printing already has begun to resolve innumerable problems of precision definition, fineness of detail, accuracy of shape, correctness of components, etc. I look forward to seeing what kit-makers will be preparing for us.
Indeed, 3D printing may augment the injection-molding process such that it produces parts of unusual shape, reducing the complexity of mold-making-even with slide-mold features. Kit designers and manufacturers would be able to implement this new way to simplify their efforts. With any new system, a question I would have is what kind of production rate would commercial- or industrial-capacity 3D printers be able to provide in comparison to current equipment and methods?
I also hope that such increases in efficiency would result in economies of scale, wherein a company can produce at such a greater rate that their pricing can be more competitive, even as their quality, flexibility, and adaptability improve, offering them-and us!-significantly swifter development of new kits; also, offering more options to create, for instance, different variants of combat aircraft, other models of automobiles (including pickups, SUVs, etc.).
Disregarding PE, resin, etc. for the moment. If you consider extra schemes and decals which you mentioned, that's potentially reducing the long term retailing of that tool - we know how Airfix like to release new schemes every few years. Just a thought.
hi jason, interesting answer to an interesting question, I believe in the reality of your conclusion and own answer to the question is the right one both for Airfix and the Model builders, I hope, like you, that Airfix's solution with the Lifeboat is the way they will go forward.
Thought should be given to 3D printed parts too
Hi Jason, good debate and some good observations and conclusions.
Me personally I think if they went down the Eduard route ie a weekend and a Profi option using the same artwork, possibly with a sticker to differentiate between the two it could be potentially an option.
At the end of the day there are great third party options as we know so fortunately if Airfix don’t go down the route there are options out there.
Canopy masks shouldn't be extra. It should be standard at this point.
For other extras they should just make two versions as other pointed out, or provide upgrade kits.
The box arts doesn't have to be different. The upgrade version can have a sticker on it. Done and dusted.
Also you mention the extra cost of repackaging. Well the separately released upgrades need packaging as well. That costs money as well and probably in terms of packaging and distribution might cost even more than two types of designs on the same paper box.
Hi Jason,
I enjoyed the debate,I don’t have an opinion on the subject so I didn’t comment.
Hope you are feeling better!
1 Reading between the lines it appears some people will not pay extra if only masks are in the kit, some will not pay extra if there was only photo etch.
2 Airfix could use one box for both kits but just a sticker put on kits with aftermarket.
3 I am also wondering if they will buy in an off the shelf photo etch, with the fit issues. or design there own photo etch and some one else to make their design
Adding a sticker to the box is very expensive both for the sticker and the sticking it onto the box
I like aftermarket stuff as I can produce a kit different to many others. I’m happy for them to include and increase the price or market the parts separately. I guess they have to think about production. Do they produce the fooling via a company abroad themselves or just sell the Eduard stuff or get Eduard to leave their name off and replace with Airfix. So there are several ways they could produce them.
Just to let you know I have ordered my Master series chair, from Boulies, the Max version and hopefully delivery will be this week as I really cannot sit in my existing chair at all now as it’s coming apart now. I went for the slate blue water repellent fabric .
Thanks for your help on that one. I’ve suggested to Boulies they consider marketing the chairs to the modelling community as well as gamers.
Jason in think i’ve said this on your channel, but for extra details they should start with the back catalogue and up detail all the old 19xx models, which are pretty accurate shape wide, but often lack finesse.
Fascinating debate, Jason on a very good question, My only question is what is your sample size? Can you transfer your results to the wider modelling population? I would love to hear a response from Airfix giving their thoughts on the topic.
sample size is 10k subscribers who are a cross section of the hobby
Hi Jason, I think you're hit the nail on the head. Airfix should do the extras as a supplementary item that you can choose if you want to add it to the kit. I believe they have done this with either the Victor or Valiant kits in the past. Have a great week and see you soon. Gaz
Good conclusion Jason, rather than the two different boxes an option to purchase masks, photo etch and maybe wooden decks for ships from Airfix would be a good option.👍
Nice job there Jason, a very interesting question and very interesting conclusions. Not surprisingly, the outcome was as complex as the question! It was interesting to see the variety of views from everyone. Thanks for throwing the question out there. Will Airfix watch this video and comment, I wonder? 🤔Have a great week. Cheers Bob 👍
Thank you Jason for another great video
I think the idea of being able to purchase sets to upgrade the basic model would be a good option rather than producing separate kits
I agree, but then Eduard and all the other guys will eventually go out of business
I make one comment having missed the original question. Your sample is likely to be of modellers who enjoy detailing kits etc. I have no idea what proportion of Airfix customers fall into that category.
My other concern is photo etch (which i hate) is old tech and old approach. I think 3D printed cockpit decals (Quinta, red fox) and 3D printed high resolution parts are the future for adding detail
@@nickbrough8335 Hi your first comment is speculation and I did cover it off in the first video, and your second point may be true but your missing the whole point of the debate which is most people invest in some form of aftermarket etch is just an example used as it is so common
@@ModelkitStuff Jason its not speculation. Its a fact. The nature of any of any yt Poll is that it will be biased by personal interest (to watch and then get involved in answering). That doesnt undermine the point being made, just how representative the results are.
Nice summing up of your results. As others have said, there would be minimal cost to add a sticker to indicate version, and business wise, much cheaper than offering separate Airfix aftermarket options.One thing I hate when sourcing aftermarket is supplier may have masks but not PE for seatbelts etc. whilst another might have the PE but not masks and so forth. Add on separate multiple P&P and it makes it expensive. There would be no guarantee add on packs would be available separately when buying the Airfix kit, whereas bundled with the kit it is guaranteed and no additional P&P.
Shame the debate is not about Billing Boats kits. You pay loads and bits are missing. But the icing on the cake are the photocopy plans showing parts that are not even in the parts list.
See airfix put up a video on a summer surprise release....once again NO Tornado or Jaguar....it is yet ANOTHER Spitfire in 1/24
People's Budgets !!!!!!!!!!!
would you like to explain your comment?