History of Airfix

steven_pietr · January 12, 2023

The History of Airfix section has some common factual errors.

https://uk.airfix.com/community/history-airfix

"The Golden Hind was released in 1952 marking our first ‘true’ Airfix kit and sold in Woolworth’s for two shillings."

The 1952 date comes from Arthur Ward's books, but there is no factual evidence to support that date. The Airfix Golden Hind is in fact a copy of the Gowland & Gowland kit, which was first released in 1952. That Airfix would be a able to make a copy in the same year as the Gowland & Gowland kit seems unlikely.

The Golden Hind had pattern number 1264. The next two ships Airfix released were the Santa Maria and HMS Shannon in 1954, with consecutive pattern numbers of 1265 and 1266, respectively. These two kits are also copies of Gowland & Gowland kits, with HMS Shannon being a copy of the USS Constitution. Pattern numbers were used in approximately sequential order, so its seems that most likely the Golden Hind was issued in 1954, although 1953 can not be ruled out.

Note that the early Airfix ships were waterline models. These were later retooled into full hull kits. The Tool Drawing Log that is used to date the early kits is from October 1953 to October 1955. The log is not complete, as it is also missing the tool for HMS Victory and other Airfix toys.

The top photo is the Type 2 Airfix kit, with the Gowland & Gowland kit below. The two L shaped parts (which Airfix also copies) are used to mount the kit onto a wall.

peebeep · January 12, 2023

"Jeremy Brook's book 'Sixty Years Of Airfix Models' states that the kit may* have been issued as early as late 1952 although the date cannot be confirmed."

*My italics.

I'm not sure which book was published first, Jeremy or Arthur's, whatever one may have been referencing the other. I understand that Jeremy has lots of archive material available and he is widely regarded as the guru of all things Airfix.

Ratch · January 12, 2023

Arthur's book was published first. I have both.

steven_pietr · January 13, 2023

Here's another common error from the Airfix History page.

"The famous ‘BTK’ Spitfire was launched in 1953, the first in a long line of Airfix Spitfire kits. The ‘BTK’ was replaced by the Spitfire IX in 1959, it would remain in the range until 2005."

The 1953 date again comes from Ward. There is plenty of evidence to show that this date is incorrect and that BTK was issued in 1955. The BTK is a scaled down copy of Aurora's 1/48 British Spitfire kit, which was first released in 1954, so it would have been impossible for BTK to have been issued in 1953!

The Tool Drawing Log gives strong evidence that BTK was issued in 1955. Here is the log entry.

Tool No. of Comp Made Drg.

Drg.No. Shts Description Drg.No. By Date

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

T1124 36 Imp. Spitfire Kit (2 off) A/F. 14/9/55

T1125 12 Imp. Spitfire Stand (4 off) A/F. 20/9/55

The Imp. stands for Impressions, or the number of parts produced by the mould. The BTK kit has a total of 18 blue (for the first kits) or silver (for later kits) parts and three clear parts (one for the canopy and two for the stand). Thus, 2 off 18 = 36 Imp. and 4 off 3 = 12 Imp. That is, the BTK mould could make two kits at a time and the clear mould could make parts for four kits. The stand is also a copy of the Aurora stand. I have two BTK kits, with the sprues being slightly different to each other, which supports that this was a dual mould. The stands were also used for later Airfix aircraft kits, which must have produced many spare Spitfire canopies! Later, the stand was changed to the oval type.

Other evidence for 1955 is that the BTK pattern number of 1316 is preceded by the 1911 Rolls Royce with a pattern number of 1315, also issued in 1955. The next kit was the Gloster Gladiator Mk.I with pattern number 1335, which was issued in 1956. The first published reference for BTK that I could find is from the Trade Notes of the April 1956 issue of Aeromodeller on page 205, which I reproduce below:

“The rapid introduction of plastic kits, mainly for model cars and galleons, has caused a minor trade boom in some parts. First indication of home production of plastic aircraft line came with a visit to the local Woolworths. There we noted an excellent representation of the Spitfire, bagged in a polythene packet, and moulded in blue plastic. The price is very low 2/–. These kits, manufactured by Airfix, are now distributed through the model trade and we are told that the Spit will soon be followed by a Gloster Gladiator, which should be a most popular subject.”

For more information on the BTK kit, please read my article at the link below.

http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/models/spitfire/

Below is a photo of the my silver BTK, which is missing the two part stand.