How Airfix has changed over the years

[Sailorman]

 It's interesting to see the improvement in mouoldings over the years.   Look how much they have improved.  These are 3 different releases of the 1/72 Airfix P51D. The first is the 1960's kit which I completed as Lou IV, the second the Seventies release painted up as a checkertail and the last the red tail issue painted up as Jumpin' Jacques.  

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[NWR-Gordon-4]

Yes, you can plainly see, just by viewing these three images, how mcuh better the kits are nowadays, than they were in the past.

 

GNR-Gordon-4 (AF)

[Ratch]

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The 1957 tool Tiger Moth

and the new tooling

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[NWR-Gordon-4]

Are we coming kits from different ages, that are the same scale?

 

Gret images, Ratch.  😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4 (AF)

[Sailorman]

Yes, the Mustangs were all 1/72.

I was comparing the old moulds with the new ones.

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Thank you fr confitming about the scales, PC.  😀

 

GNR-Gordon-4 (AF)

[david_hughes2]

Not sure if un-started kits count (because I have far more of these)

I beleive that A50113 was originally tooled in 1969, despite me buying this in about 2010.  A55307 was tooled in 2015.

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A much better tooling.  Far less rivets though.

[Ratch]

The history of the Sea King is a complicated one. The original SH-3D 1969 tooling was modified in 1984 to make the HAR.3, which was listed variously as HAS 5/AEW.2, AEW.Mk2/ASaC.Mk7, HAR.5 and AEW before it was replaced in 2016 by the HAR.3 (A55307/A04063).

[Peter s]

I bought an old tool 1/72 Stuka by mistake thinking I was getting a new tool at £5 less than normal price. Its marked 75th anniversary of the battle of Britain so much be about the final red box issue of the old kit. Its actually still pretty good. I've a lot of fond memories of that kit as it was the first one I built as a kid aged about 7. I've bought the new tool and both are unbuillt and ready to start this weekend. I'm trying to do the entire battle of Britain in 1/72 while in "sort of lockdown" so I'll post pics of both builds side by side (I've had to add a few Matchbox kits to cover a few minor players but everything else is Airfix, mostly new tool). I think the important thing with old tool airfix is to avoid the baby blue plastic Palitoy issues. I've done a couple recently and not enjoyed the experience. 

[peebeep]

I bought an old tool 1/72 Stuka by mistake thinking I was getting a new tool at £5 less than normal price. Its marked 75th anniversary of the battle of Britain so much be about the final red box issue of the old kit. Its actually still pretty good. I've a lot of fond memories of that kit as it was the first one I built as a kid aged about 7. I've bought the new tool and both are unbuillt and ready to start this weekend. I'm trying to do the entire battle of Britain in 1/72 while in "sort of lockdown" so I'll post pics of both builds side by side (I've had to add a few Matchbox kits to cover a few minor players but everything else is Airfix, mostly new tool). I think the important thing with old tool airfix is to avoid the baby blue plastic Palitoy issues. I've done a couple recently and not enjoyed the experience. 

 

I think the Stuka kit you refer to is the first re-tool from the original 1957 kit that was released in 1978. There were two releases, one in Series 2 and another in Series 3. The Series 2 kit was basic with one decal scheme, the Series 3 could be built as a Ju 87B or R and had extra detailing and optional schemes. By the standards of the day they were pretty good and even now I think they'd be worth a build. Your point about Palitoy plastic is a good one, sadly there were a number of negative things about the Palitoy era. 

[Peter s]

I bought an old tool 1/72 Stuka by mistake thinking I was getting a new tool at £5 less than normal price. Its marked 75th anniversary of the battle of Britain so much be about the final red box issue of the old kit. Its actually still pretty good. I've a lot of fond memories of that kit as it was the first one I built as a kid aged about 7. I've bought the new tool and both are unbuillt and ready to start this weekend. I'm trying to do the entire battle of Britain in 1/72 while in "sort of lockdown" so I'll post pics of both builds side by side (I've had to add a few Matchbox kits to cover a few minor players but everything else is Airfix, mostly new tool). I think the important thing with old tool airfix is to avoid the baby blue plastic Palitoy issues. I've done a couple recently and not enjoyed the experience. 

 

I think the Stuka kit you refer to is the first re-tool from the original 1957 kit that was released in 1978. There were two releases, one in Series 2 and another in Series 3. The Series 2 kit was basic with one decal scheme, the Series 3 could be built as a Ju 87B or R and had extra detailing and optional schemes. By the standards of the day they were pretty good and even now I think they'd be worth a build. Your point about Palitoy plastic is a good one, sadly there were a number of negative things about the Palitoy era. 

Its got drop tanks and a choice of a 1940s (France based) aircraft or Italian fascist markings so I'd assume the series 3 version. I can copy the exact serial off the box when I do a "build"

Some of the Palitoy kits gave me a long lasting prejudice of airfix kits. When I was a kid I basically spent my pocket money on 1/72 planes. The matchbox were generally good (there's a few like the Lysander hold up OK by series 1 standards today) The airfix seemed so variable. Either (at the time) great like the Stuka or truly impossible for a kid with basic equipment to put together. Jump from early 80s to 2010s and I get back into planes after doing some commercial modelling. I avoid airfix until I took a chance on a zero (which was a new tool although I didn't appreciate that at the time) and the difference in quality blew me away.  I've rattled through the range and found most new tools better than any comparable manufacturer globally. Last year I built a baby blue 1/72 Firefly..... not good. i've just finished the old tool JU-88. That was tricky to do a good job on and the clear parts show their age but like the JU87 considering the kit is a few decades older than me it holds up OK. 

[peebeep]

It's chalk and cheese now, although the early efforts after Hornby took over were hit and miss. Looking back, this was understandable in that they inherited a tired old catalogue due to the failure of Humbrol to invest in new tooling, especially toward the end of their tenure. Airfix under Hornby had to generate new products and rapidly. Nowadays when a new kit is issued you can buy with confidence, although I wish they'd get the QC sorted at the factory in India.

[Russ1707821018]

It's chalk and cheese now, although the early efforts after Hornby took over were hit and miss. Looking back, this was understandable in that they inherited a tired old catalogue due to the failure of Humbrol to invest in new tooling, especially toward the end of their tenure. Airfix under Hornby had to generate new products and rapidly. Nowadays when a new kit is issued you can buy with confidence, although I wish they'd get the QC sorted at the factory in India.

There were a few clunkers in those first Hornby released kits: 1/72 Hurricane Mk.II, 1/72 Bf 109G-6, 1/72 Mig-15, 1/72 Canberras (although I think they were designed under the previous regime).

The Canberras can be made into something passable with a little effort. The others, the basic shapes are so inaccurate there's not much you can do with them other than make them look cosmetically more accurate.

[peebeep]

There were a few clunkers in those first Hornby released kits: 1/72 Hurricane Mk.II, 1/72 Bf 109G-6, 1/72 Mig-15, 1/72 Canberras (although I think they were designed under the previous regime).

 

They were some of the kits I had in mind. The Bf 110 is another, it wasn't bad but spoiled by the incorrect nacelles. One thing I would say is that ignoring the accuracy issues they're fun builds. I had a hoot doing the MiG-15. I'm planning on doing the 109 as a G2, because once you've removed the silly cannon bulges it's not actually that bad (at least according to the drawing references I have). I'm still trying to work out how the Hurricane rear fuselage might be fixed to look better than it does. The prop needs replacing, but the spares box comes to the rescue. One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is that the Airfix decal sheets are now amongst the best that you're likely to see in a kit from anywhere. Seeing as I have a couple of 109s there's no need to buy aftermarket for the AZ 109G joypack that I have. 

[Tweezers]

 

 

They were some of the kits I had in mind. The Bf 110 is another, it wasn't bad but spoiled by the incorrect nacelles. One thing I would say is that ignoring the accuracy issues they're fun builds. I had a hoot doing the MiG-15. I'm planning on doing the 109 as a G2, because once you've removed the silly cannon bulges it's not actually that bad (at least according to the drawing references I have). I'm still trying to work out how the Hurricane rear fuselage might be fixed to look better than it does. The prop needs replacing, but the spares box comes to the rescue. One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is that the Airfix decal sheets are now amongst the best that you're likely to see in a kit from anywhere. Seeing as I have a couple of 109s there's no need to buy aftermarket for the AZ 109G joypack that I have. 

Agree with the Me Bf 109G-6 comments, add no cockpit detail and bizzare bomb shape

[peebeep]

Agree with the Me Bf 109G-6 comments, add no cockpit detail and bizzare bomb shape

 

LOL, the bomb does look bizarre, although I have a faint recollection of seeing Luftwaffe weapons that look like that. The gondolas, mortar tubes and fuel tank are passable. Hannant's have an Airwaves PE set that has enough parts to dress up the cockpit a bit.

 

[Peter s]

I do like the concept of the Hurricane II though. What was released as part of the operation Torch club set is one of my favourite kits. A choice of cannon or machine gun metal wing, 2 tropical filters and the option to have a hook (or not) means 1 kit can be done in so many ways. I always find it strange how many re-boxes of the same kit Airfix do. The blenheim is crazy. All the parts for the bomber or fighter version are in the box so why issue a fighter version then next year a bomber version? I wonder if people seeing the fighter held off buying because they wanted a bomber? 

Totally agree on the quality of Airfix decals. Also easy to use as well as looking good.

I built the new and old tool Stukas at the weekend. I think the model gods smiled on me as a kid. That old tool stuka still builds up into a very nice model very easily. No flash on the parts and not a speck of filler needed. The new tool is obviously better but it also needs a lot more skill to do well. I've started taking some pics so I'll post when I'm finished (which at this rate won't be long... I started filling a form in for permission to go back to work at least on a limited basis but I'm still not short on model time)