jopres57

It definitely builds into a nice kit, even the tracks look quite good considering they're rubber bands. Airfix were really doing well with the 1/76 military series when this first appeared back in the mid seventies. It's a pity that the Guideline missile moulds from that time have been lost, but a return of the Sheridan tank would be welcome.

I've always liked the Corsair from my first bagged Airfix kit way back when. As mentioned by Ratch and Adrian the Airfix kit is quite old now and hasn't been issued for some years. Revell produce the type in various versions. I've seen the Revell kits for sale online for less than ten quid, that's good value because they have a fairly good level of detail. Still, the Airfix kit brushes up OK and hopefully we'll see it again as a 'Vintage Classic' sometime in the future. Below are examples of the Airfix (top) and Revell (bottom) kits.

I'm impressed by the mottled paintwork Sailorman. It's amazing how good even the oldest kits can be made to look with some effort. I've built this model a few times over the years in both schemes. I know that yellow 14 was from Jg53 in Sicily but I wondered, as a matter of interest, if anyone knows what unit this particular machine was from? I think its always been described by Airfix as being from 'Home Defence'.

Some nice looking Yak 9D's there. This is the Yak 3, its an Airfix re-boxing of the Heller kit that was only released once, in 1990. Its one of the 'Aircraft of the Aces' series, featuring the mount of Georgi N. Zakharov. The ‘Aircraft of the Aces’ kits seemed like a decent idea, it may be good to bring some back. I don’t know much about Yak fighters but I understand the Yak 9 wasn’t a direct development of the Yak 3, but a development of an offshoot. They clearly both originate from the same design team. There seems to be some debate on the Internet as to which of the two was the best aircraft.

I can remember paying 2/3d ( that's 11 pence in funny money ) for my first Airfix series one models a couple of years later. That's why I sometimes think twice about paying the asking price for some kits these days, although that's mainly from foreign manufacturers. Prices have gone up a lot more than inflation, although the quality of the kits now could only have been dreamed about back in the day. I think it would be a good idea though to have some cheaper, simpler kits for beginners, as mentioned elsewhere on the forum.

Bolton IPMS seem to be a well established club, I've been considering joining myself for a few years but haven't got around to it. They have a model show every January, most recently at Bolton football ground.

Its a good idea to have some kits that don't have state of the art detail and are a bit simpler to build and less expensive. I think that's a good way to have more new releases, which given the number of kit requests in the 'wishlist' section will be well received. State of the art kits are really good but it seems like they can't be developed fast enough to give us a regular supply of new planes, vehicles and ships as in previous years. Other manufacturers seem to get away with producing good kits with fewer parts so Airfix could. Perhaps we could have more like the Vintage Classics but better moulded.

Nice job. The County class were fine, futuristic looking ships that were retired too early. I think that Airfix made a good decision to re-release the kit, let's hope HMS Leander and HMS Amazon are next. I hear that plans are afoot to buy back Falklands veteran HMS Alacrity from Pakistan and have it as a museum ship. Let's hope they succeed, it was shocking what happened to HMS Plymouth.

I've just used the Winsor and Newton’s Galeria Matt varnish for the first time and it seems really good when applied by brush. I'm glad I saw it mentioned on the forum. I find other matt varnishes either dry satin or soon become a bit treacly when brushed. Thanks for the tip.

I can't help but notice that the standard of model displayed in Airfix Model World is very high. You've done well to have yours added. The Mustangs in their 1/72 variants are good kits.

I'm thinking of building one of these Ratch, for the first time in quite a while. I just wondered what colour you had planned for the inside of the Morris cab. The only one of these I have seen in a museum had the interior painted silver, which I thought was only used on armoured vehicles. I'm thinking of building a replica in a middle east scheme, so I was thinking the vehicle interior would be the same colour as when it left the factory, possibly green or khaki green. I have a picture of a Morris in a warm climate with the side doors kept open, possibly tied back unless there was a lock of some kind. I assume the inside of the doors in this case may be painted in an external cammo colour.

I don't think the parts have ever changed on this kit Rod. When it originally appeared in the mid sixties it was a step up in detail from most earlier kits. The only difference over the years has been in decals and packaging.

The first issue Airfix Sea King was a really good kit in its day and would still make a good, colourful replica now. The original markings depict 'Old 66', probably the most famous Sea King, used for astronaut recovery in the Apollo space missions. If you change your mind about your colour scheme several replacement decal sheets for this machine are available, a decent one is from 'starfighter' decals.

Hannants are one of the biggest model kit retailers in the country, a visit to their North London shop may be worthwhile. I understand that the Guards museum in central London has a large collection of built model soldiers.

With modelling clubs people usually tend to bring their own kits and share skills and experience so they could be allowed to just get on with it. It may be an idea to contact another nearby society to check out any possible legal requirements and find out if any modelling outlet is doing discounts for clubs.

Thanks for the feedback. I think the aircraft Rod is referring to is the famous 'Black Mike' from the late eighties, now replicated by Airfix. I made a model of this many years ago using a Matchbox kit and markings from a Modeldecal sheet, and happily it's still going strong. The kit itself is fairly basic and hard to find these days, it certainly couldn't be seen as a competitor to Airfix so I think I'll get away with posting a picture of it.

From my earliest days of throwing Airfix kits together I have always been a fan of aircraft in a black colour scheme. Seeing the new Xtradecal sheet for the Typhoon display aircraft 'Blackjack' the temptation to dig out one of the model Typhoons in my stash became too great. I've never built this kit before but it went together smoothly (for me), and the decals were a good fit and adhered well. Put with my old Hawker Hunter, a long time favourite, it provides a decent shelf display. All I need to do now is to finish my all black Airfix club model of the Hawk.

I agree with this. Most Japanese aircraft and vehicles in general have always seemed to be fairly neglected in kit form by main manufacturers. Models from Japanese firms are a bit expensive these days and not always a decent quality. It would be good if Airfix could come up with a twin engined follow up for the Nakajima Kate.

My choices would be ( all 1/72 unless stated ): New Kits: Lincoln, Skyraider. Recent models upgraded: F4B Phantom USN, F4C Phantom USAF, Mosquito fighter bomber, Late version Skyhawk, Mig 15 with kit errors corrected, Early version Sea King USN, Sherman tank - Korean War, 1/35 Ferret Mk 1/2. Recent kits with new decals: Nakajima Kate, Eurofighter Typhoon in display colours, BAC Canberra B1(8), EE Lightning F6 in colourful squadron markings. Vintage Classics: 1/600 HMS Ajax, 1/600 HMS Iron Duke, Vosper MBT, 1/12 Richard 1, 1/12 Black Prince, Cessna 02, F86D Sabre, Puma, Gazelle, Roland, Hanover, 1/76 Chieftain, 1/76 Centurion, 1/76 Scorpion. I could easily triple the vintage classics list because there are so many I would like to see again.

In my previous post I was actually referring to Airfix Model World magazine, rather than Airfix magazine. I tend to think of them as being the same although obviously they aren't.

I buy my Airfix magazine from Tesco, it usually arrives on the last Thursday of the month, so the new issue is due at the end of this week.

Quote - Here is an old hero from Airfix, the Saracen (ex JB) oin the Antar tank transporter made by Airfix lightyears before: Matthias If that's the Poly kit of the Antar you've made a good job of finishing it. I think this is the first time I've seen one of the old Poly kits taken seriously as a modelling subject.

Kits of Saracen and Saladin were issued by JB models and then by Airfix, but not the Stalwart. I remember that Airfix did issue a Stalwart in their old Poly range many years ago, along with an FV432 carrier, Abbott SP gun and Bedford RL truck, unfortunately that's where their interest in the vehicles ended. Pity that, because they're all neglected subjects.

I agree that the Cold War is a neglected area, especially in the 1/72 military vehicle area. The British Army has been largely sidelined by the mainstream modelling manufacturers, but there are also no plastic kits of some Warsaw Pact and NATO equipment that has served for years. I'm sure replicas from this era would generate sales.

Some good choices Paulus66. The Champ has been a bit forgotten and deserves a kit, I don't think there's a plastic one by anyone else. The Hippo was in service for donkeys years and needs recognition. An artillery version of the Milly could be depicted with a variety of guns. A new kit of the Stalwart would be welcome. It might be too late for next year but here's hoping for the future.