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Uhu_Rodion · Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:36 pm Post subject: Bad news for modellers

Just received this from Hannants:

We do not know if or when we will ever get another delivery of Airfix, Heller or Humbrol so we suggest you buy whatever you think you may want in the future as soon as possible.

If what you want is not on our website that means it has already sold out and is not currently available or expected so has been removed from the website.

Marco

C_Sherman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 590

31 redundancies out of 41 employees? That's left a cleanup crew to empty the files and sell the furniture. Any smart ones among those remaining will be headed for the doors forthwith! Too bad, really. I've not used their paints much, and it's been years since I built an Airfix kit, but I know there are folks who swear by both products.

C

Russ_Buchan · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 67

Ouch!

Does that mean that the Heller brand will no longer be sold? Their Napoleonic stuff was the bee's knees!

There's this Gypsy-wagon I've been kicking around, and it will depend on Heller's horsedrawn vehicles....

Vigilance!
Russ

Shades · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:02 am Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

Been in the news for a few days in the UK.
Sadly kids today have Playstations and find them a lot more exciting than glueing bits of plastic together.
And the kids are where the money is for this market.
Who hasn't built an Airfix kit, when they were younger, and then used Humbrol paint to finish it?
Sad

Uhu_Rodion · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:42 am Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

When a child, I had tons of Airfix plastic soldiers and built both Airfix and Heller kits, eventually painting all of them with Humbrol enamels - the news is somehow like putting a tombstone upon memories of a past time. Crying or Very sad

The weird thing is that I'm still using Humbrol paints at present, and that this is the most diffused brand of enamels available here in Italy. I hope they'll try to save at least this production line, and possibly drag Airfix into the process.

Heller was in bad waters since years, and I guess the incorporation was not at all a good affair, and accelerated the worsening of things.

Yeah, children nowadays don't bother anymore building plastic kits, too much waste of precious time and unavailable patience, but there's little to complain: our generation is responsible for this, so if there's somebody we have to be angry with, that's us.

Rolling Eyes

Marco

Kitform · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:47 am Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

When I was a child, I built Airfix kits and as an adult I helped my children build model kits (a few years ago now :)).

Technology moves on and leisure time interests move with it,. Although the news about toys/models that occupied my time as a child are sad, we shouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t get too upset about it.

We accuse kids these days of being Ã¢â‚¬Ëœcouch potatoesÃ¢â‚¬â„¢, stuck in front of computer screens and not getting enough exercise. (Just like all of us here :))

Yet thirty years ago we were probably blaming Airfix for the demise of the Ã¢â‚¬ËœHoop and StickÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ factories. Kids sat in the house building models instead of running about outside.

Lastly, if it wasnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t for the kids playing with computers fifteen or so years ago, we wouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t be sat here now playing Jops or FS9.

In thirty years time we probably complain about kids not using a computer enough to develop hand/eye co-ordination.

(Now, whereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s me glueÃ¢â‚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦.sniffÃ¢â‚¬Â¦sniffÃ¢â‚¬Â¦)

Shades · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:22 am Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

<<< Couch-potatoiest

Shadow_Bshwackr · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

LOL Shades, I just noticed your new avatar...lol Great job!

Shades · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

heheh - ty.
Thought I'd delay it a bit, so it wasn't as noticeable.
Only took you minutes though (s.o.b! lol).
Wink

I'm working on the next one already.
It's totally different from anything I've tried before and rather time consuming.

Hangman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Nov 19, 2004 Posts: 449

lol @ shades...nice work..I'm a bit concerned as to what you could be coming up with for your next one though...please say it has nothing to do with a skwirrell possibly humping someone who shall remain nameless's leg now does it???..lmao..I just had to ask..

Shades · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:57 pm Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

lol
Nope.
No skwirrells (except in the name) of that one.
Although I'm still fantasizing about her legs.
heheh
Wink

A1Trigger_Happy · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

down shades down! yeah i remember building models when i was younger. gotta have lotta paitence and time for it.

RAF92_BattleHawk · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 1:45 am Post subject: Re: Bad news for modellers

I am still technically 'a kid' and I still make models just none of em are very good so I usually destroy them after 6-7 months.

Adrian_Wainer · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jun 03, 2006 Posts: 255

The modeling business contrary to the doom and gloom in some circles is actually quite healthy with some really beautiful kits, Roden World War 1 aircraft are quite spectular. Airfix have a particular problem in that they were very much a mass market kit producer rather than the very high quality end of the industry and presumably have been hit particularly hard by the loss of young people to computer games. That said, the prospects for this company might be okay, in that that they might be able to piggyback on the current anger in the UK about political correctness and with the forthcoming Peter Jackson film "Dam Busters" there just has to be a special edition Airfix Lancaster for this film!

modelstories.free.fr/h..._Lanc.html

hsfeatures.com/feature...iiar_1.htm

modelingmadness.com/re...onlanc.htm

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer

Shadow_Banshee · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 03, 2005 Posts: 575

Well rumors have it Hornby models are intrested in picking the bones of airfix, so maybe theres hope yet,
i personaly blew all my airfix models to bits "hanging from washing line"at the age of 13 with my new air rifle, my Hms Victory met a simular fate on the local canal complete with balast only this time i used lighter fuel too.

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