Airfix 1/700 Titanic

Steven Pietrobon · Airfix 1/700 Titanic

The Airfix 1/700 Titanic (ex Academy) has been out for over a week, but there has not been a peep from us ship builders. Is the lack of excitement due to

a) Not interested in the subject
b) Not interested in the scale.
c) I can get the kit cheaper from Academy

I know its b) for me. Airfix should have issued the much better 1/600 kit from Academy.

wookie

To a degree it's 'a' but for me it's mainly 'b'. I've never understood the fascination with 1/700 (or smaller for that matter).

Obi-Jiff Kenobi

I would like one, but as it's been available from Academy it's not that exciting. As you've said, the 1/600 version would have been a better fit for the Airfix range. If they'd issued that one, I might have got a bit more excited.

BAC

Here's the sprue shots....

Here's some pictures taken on a recent visit to Margate,

1912?

The box.....

Although 1.700 isn't everyones cup of tea I think this is a pretty good kit of the Titanic -certainly better than Revell's 1.570 (?). Okay, so it doesn't 'fit' in the range of Airfix's 1.600 or 1.400 but I think this kit might appeal to more than the 'serious' modeller. Many people are interested in the Titanic story and this kit being a giftset with paints etc I hope will be a good seller for Airfix -especially with the run up to Christmas. Also with the sprue colours you could get away without having to paint too much of it. The hull is in one piece and the superstructure that glues to it is in white.

Cheers!

Brews

1:600 rules.

Beaufighter

This seems to me to be chasing a trend that’s already moribund. Pretty much everything ship modellers want in 1/700 has already been done. Instead of duplicating or reboxing existing kits, I think Airfix would be best advised to jump straight to 1/350 and offer subjects the usual players will never kit.

Modern RN subjects would fit this description, and would also be of manageable size on a shelf when completed. HMS Amazon, for example, would be only 11” long in 1/350 scale. HMS Fearless or Intrepid would be 17” long, the same as a 1/600 Hood.

I’d prefer more 1/600 subjects, though, because the fact that they are Airfix is what would sell them. The 1/600 Bismarck still sells because of what’s on the box, not what’s in it.

The HMS Fearless website claims Airfix still sell 3,000 1/600 Fearlesses a year. I have no idea what this claim is based on. But if it's true and they can shift that many units of a kit that is so old (i.e. we've all built it already), how many Bismarcks do they shift and how many retooled Bismarcks would they shift??!

Jonathan

Ratch

Wrong scale

although I doubt I would want it even in 1:600

Flash Flash

I didnt even know it was out!

BAC

Here's a superb website for Titanic builders and anyone interested in the ship.

Home page

http://titanic-model.com/

Paint colours...

http://titanic-model.com/articles...int%20Reference%20Main%20Page.htm

Rigging....

http://titanic-model.com/articles...ic_Rigging_Reference_MainPage.htm

B&W photos...

http://titanic-model.com/photoarchive/titanic/photos/index.html

A superb 1.144 scale model! (from a forum thread)

http://titanic-model.com/dc/dcboa...d=1553&mesg_id=2403&page=

feanor

Ayup...

That 144 is just Bonkers ! Brilliant, and Just plain Bonkers...

What a fantastic Model.

dancho

feanor

Ayup Dan...

Yeah, Right... LOL.

That's one of the most outstanding Models I'veever seen in my life. Notwithstanding that it's one of my favourite Ships and/or pieces of technology ever created by man. (Saturn V and LM being another two).

THAT kind of Model's something you don't want to have AMS over...