ian_rutland

The Liberator looks good. Also looking forward to the Bulldog and Chinook. I'll be getting some of those new starter kits, too. The kids will love them. I like some of the re-decalled kits, so they'll go into the stash, as will the new lifeboat. Lovely to see the Guards figures out again. Plenty to keep me going. You don't need to worry about the decal schemes, as Xtradecal will have half a dozen sheets available by the release date. Looking forward to some surprise issues through the year.

Airfix do a Centurian Tank and a Black Buck Vulcan, already. Pretty sure they did a Wasp, too. I thought they did the Chieften tank too, but I might be wrong.

I think you missed my point. The only tool likely to be still around is the one for The Mayflower. The Fergie and Spitfire will be long gone, so new tooling could incorporate a new feature to stop those folks who sell newer issues of old kits in original boxes. This could actually just be the plastic colour, or texture. These would be Airfix Heritage, rather than Classics. They could be enclosed in one of the current end opening cases, and even include paint, cement and a brush, rather like starter kits. “Take a trip back to the ‘50’s with our heritage models.” Beamish is opening the new ‘50’s street next year. This includes Romer Parrish Toy Shop. A very well known North East store. This will have to include some toys, games and models from the period, which could include the early Airfix kits. Being able to actually sell some of these items would certainly add to the visit to our past. Hornby had the link to NRM York with its Flying Scotsman in TT120, so why not a similar link with Airfix and Beamish Museum.

That looks superb. Lovely work.

Just a thought. How many of us would buy replicas of the little Ferguson Tractor, Spitfire BT K, and The Mayflower? Each replica a direct copy of the original kits, in plastic bags with glossy paper headers. There could be a small booklet issued with each, showing the original kits, short history etc. I’m sure Airfix could make small changes to the tool, so that you could distinguish them from originals. I think the tools are still around for the latter kit. I still reckon that the original 50’s Mayflower is a beautiful little model.

The Classic Kit issues are doing rather well. Still a few more to hit the market with, yet.

The Wallace and Grommet Austin Van did very well, and I see lots of these at shows, built up in numerous ways, so I reckon a larger scale Morris Minor Traveller would be a really popular addition to the range. They are still so popular, and actually quite common at car shows. In 1/24th they would be great for detailing. In 1/48th they would be excellent for little vignettes with some other Airfix kits, such as the Tiger Moth and Chipmunk.

This would be expensive to produce, though AIRFIX could reissue the Paras, a jeep, and a Horsa if they still have access to those tools. Plenty of German figures and vehicles, and the C-47 could get new decals. As for a bridge, this was, and still is, a very large structure. This could be provided as a simple download to use as a background picture, plus a basic vac-formed base. You would then add two packs of figures, and a couple of German tanks. All our armour was used further south. They never got to Arnhem during the battle.

My Dad made models with me in the 50's. None survive. Most of the models I have have been built by me, or are old classics that I have been collecting and rebuilding. In the garage, I have a number of kits from the collection of a friend that died. I have kept then in good order and neatly boxed. I suppose that these are the only Inherited kits. On another forum, the question was raised about what will happen to our models when we check out. It has been in my mind for some time, as I am knocking on a bit. I started writing about a similar situation and ended up writing a short children's book for my grandchildren. It's about a young boy who discovers a Little Airfix Tiger Moth in his Grandfather's attic. As he explores the dusty boxes, he finds a whole airfield and all the models that once populated it. His Grandfather has died a few years back, but the boy starts to know him from the models and books that he left. I'm just waiting for a friend to do some artwork for me and I'll get the book published. In this story, the models have a happy ending. For so many more modellers, their collections won't be so lucky. The Bin, a skip, the kids next door, maybe dumped in a dark corner. Maybe they'll end up on Ebay, at model shows, in charity shops, an auction, or even donated to museums. Who knows. It would be a nice thought to see a National Model Museum that would take these collections, but that will cost serious money. I can't see it happening.

Yes. I had one back then. I still have one, but can't remember where I put it. I was just painting it and tucked it away. Now, it's vanished. I take it that they still have the tooling? The Cutty Sark and HMS Victory keep popping up, and they are not really accurate, or in a usual ship scale, so why not HMS Shannon, Trincomalee, Surprise and Unicorn? In a case like this, it doesn't really matter so much about the scale etc, as long as people can have a little reminder of their visit. For the rest of us Classic British Kit fans, it would be lovely to have one for the collection.

I had two of the original BT K Spitfires built. Unfortunately, I gave them away. Only the wing of a third survives. Since then I have had multiple buys of all the Spitfire releases from Airfix.

I wonder what happened to Airfix's lovely little model of HMS Shannon? Did you know that she was one of the initial Leda Class Frigates? Two others in the first batch were HMS Trincomalee and HMS Surprise. HMS Unicorn was from the modified Leda Class. Unicorn still exists, as does Trincomalee. Have Airfix missed a trick here? Surely, reboxed kits of HMS Shannon as HMS Trincomalee, could be sold to visitors at the Historic Dockyard at Hartlepool. Here is a list of the 1st Batch. Leda Pomone Shannon Leonidas Briton Tenedos Lacedemonian Lively Surprise Cydnus Eurotas Niger Meander Pactolus Tiber Araxes Tanais Diamond Amphitrite Trincomalee Thetis Arethusa Blanche Fisgard This Surprise didn't have such an adventurous career as the one in the Master and Commander Books. The second Batch. Venus Melampus Minerva Latona Diana H*be Nereus Hamadryad Amazon A*olus Thisbe Cerberus Circe Clyde Thames Unicorn Daedalus Proserpine Mermaid Mercury Penelope Thalia (Two names had to be modified, as they are Banned Words. The E has been removed.) Maybe we'll see HMS Shannon also released in the original Box Art version. I would certainly buy a few of these. What about it, Airfix?

Great idea. I have picked up loads of old Lilliput Lane buildings from charity shops for pennies. You just need to consider the weight when adding to a layout. They will certainly add a lot of charm, though you will need to incorporate this style throughout the whole layout. Thanks for giving me the idea.

Scalescenes are downloadable models. They are available in various scales, so you could easily re-format them for use in TT120, as well as the older TT3 range.

A bit of brainstorming here . . . . Bear with me. I've been at this kit lark since my first Airfix kit, HMS Victory, in 1956. I have bought the recently released simplified kits of the Hawk and Spitfire V. They are actually decent little kits, so I may be looking at getting the Sherman and Tiger, too. Now we have the F-35B and Spitfire set, so that's going on the list. I have three grandchildren that are enjoying building with LEGO Tecnix and Airfix Snap Together kits. As they get older, they seem to be getting interested in making things, so these kits will just hit the spot. What I would like to suggest to Airfix, is an ongoing range of these simplified models for kids to cut their teeth on. Some of the starter kits available now are not really suitable. If we are to see a new generation of modelers, then we need to see some kits that are simple to build, without looking naff, popular subjects, and a low price. Keeping the prices under £9.99 is a MUST. The current Airfix Red Boxes are super. They stand out on shelves. Give them good box art and a new name for the range, and away you go. Including a cardboard base in the box and a small cut out back scene would also add to the appeal. It all adds value. Don't fill starter kit boxes with tricky builds. Keep it simple, keep the cost down, and use the box art to draw the eye. Add ons' would be great, allowing the new modeler to build a scene. This could be a download from the Airfix Web Site. They just print them off and build them up. Another addition could be a handbook / Comic that includes info on building your models and bases, some photos, sketches and details about what they are making, and maybe an illustrated story featuring the model. Remember those Combat Picture Library books that we all bought in the 60's? There could also be On-Line pages where they could submit photos of their models sitting on their bases. Extrapolating out on the comic theme, how about selling them as a sort of Part work in supermarkets, art shops and craft stores. Every month you buy the Magazine, which comes with a blister packed kit. Those blister packs were iconic packaging when my kids were growing up. You could see the kit inside with it's decals. The magazine would carry the features mentioned above, Tips and Tricks, Paint guides, Potted Histories, a nice sketch page, and the Graphic Novel / Comic. The magazine would also have a card insert with a base and building printed onto it. This would serve to stiffen the package. The box art would be the Magazine cover. The rear would have the paint guide. Keep this down to £9.99 and you could have the equivalent of the old Two Bob Kits in Woolies. A range of extras could be included to order direct. Just a flight of fancy by an old modeler. Hope you find it of interest. Feel free to contact me.