Airfix Magazine

[Stephen-377309]

I was recently able to buy a copy of an old Airfix magazine which had a letter submitted to 'Letters To The Editor' by me back in August 1966 !! I was 17 at the time and won a free Airfix kit of my choice for having it published. I seem to remember choosing one of the big sailing ship models.

Now all these years and dozens of Airfix kits later I am eagerly awaiting my pre ordered Ferret Mk2.

[jopres57]

I still have some Airfix magazines from the sixties. They were good value in those days, with plenty of information packed into some fairly small pages. Conversions with plastic card, balsa wood, and other bits and pieces were usually featured. Nowadays virtually any model can be built from a kit and sometimes with after market accessories. I prefer the latter method but I know that some people think that home made conversions are the sign of a real modeller. It's just good to have the choice.

[Sailorman]

While it is true you can built a kit of almost anything these days, you'd be surprised how many of us find they are unable to find kits of the subject they want in the scale that they want. My own preference is 1:600 ships. I started with the Airfix range when I was young then proceeded to the liners. Having all these ships to 1:600 I would now like to add more liners. There are only two more 1:600 liners that I know of from Revell.

The chances are I won't be seeing any new liners released in this scale ..... but I live in hope. As a result of this I am having to scratchbuild, more as a result of necessity rather than choice.

[jopres57]

While it is true you can built a kit of almost anything these days, you'd be surprised how many of us find they are unable to find kits of the subject they want in the scale that they want. My own preference is 1:600 ships.

That's a good point, 1/600 scale ships seem to have been almost forgotten over recent years. It looks like there's some disappointment in the latest Airfix offerings but at least the re-release of HMS Ajax and HMS Iron Duke is good news. Lets hope we see a new tool 1/600 kit soon, its well overdue and I'm sure people will buy it.

 

 

[Ian-358801]

I much prefer the old Airfix magazine to the current Airfix Model World.

The old magazine was full of Airfix models and projects well within the skills of an average modeller, for example the one I did of converting the Polish lancer to a WW1 German cavalryman.

The new one, not produced by Airfix, features mainly non-Airfix works of art produced by skilled modellers using a wide range of expensive products and tools - all very interesting but of limited value to my modelling. I feel like a basic paint-by-numbers guy watching Rembrandt at work.

if there was a magazine for more basic modellers like myself then I’d subscribe but they all seem to be aimed at far more skilled and committed modellers than me.

[Ratch]

The new one, not produced by Airfix, features mainly non-Airfix works of art produced by skilled modellers using a wide range of expensive products and tools - all very interesting but of limited value to my modelling. I feel like a basic paint-by-numbers guy watching Rembrandt at work.

if there was a magazine for more basic modellers like myself then I’d subscribe but they all seem to be aimed at far more skilled and committed modellers than me.

 

 

That was why I stopped subscribing, Ian. I did have a build published in the first year - a pre-production sample of HMS Illustrious. I probably got that because there wasn't a tame shipbuilder at the time.

[jopres57]

The new one, not produced by Airfix, features mainly non-Airfix works of art produced by skilled modellers using a wide range of expensive products and tools - all very interesting but of limited value to my modelling. I feel like a basic paint-by-numbers guy watching Rembrandt at work.

if there was a magazine for more basic modellers like myself then I’d subscribe but they all seem to be aimed at far more skilled and committed modellers than me.

 

 

A while ago I used to read a couple of aviation modelling magazines that now seem to have ceased publication. One of them used to have regular reviews of new kits by readers, accompanied by a couple of pictures. Sadly an editorial mentioned that people had complained about some of these reviews because the completed models weren't up to standard. I think this attitude is just sad because it discourages people from enjoying the hobby.

[Ian-358801]

I subscribed as a Christmas present, and my 2nd issue, dated March 2024, has just arrived.

It has 6 full build articles, only one of which is Airfix plus 5 in-box reviews and 21 quick reviews, none of which are Airfix. However, that article - how to improve the accuracy of the Airfix Black Buck Vulcan - was just the type of thing I’d like to see.

Without the Airfix on the outside I would never have thought it had any pretence to Airfix, except perhaps as a synonym for ‘plastic modelling’ that oldies like me grew up with.

oh, such is life. Perhaps I’m just getting old.

[Sailorman]

I've always gone by the principle that if you want to improve look at someone better than you. Having said that I wish Airfix Modelworld had more marine related articles. There are so many planes and tanks.

I also miss having drawings.

The Airfix Magazines used to have loads of scale plans for one to refer The original Airfix Magazines changed a lot over the years too. The first magazines - early sixties - used to include a number of articles - monthly round ups and very little modelling. They were very heavily into trains and balsa as a modelling medium. They moved more towards kits and plastic in the late sixties.

I also subscribed to Scale Models. They too were very diverse and interesting but in time moved very heavily to motor vehicles and motorcycles. That's when I gave up buying it. It seems all magazines develop over the years. I suppose different editors have different ideas about what to include.

[peebeep]

Having said that I wish Airfix Modelworld had more marine related articles. There are so many planes and tanks.

I also miss having drawings.

 

 

I think you'll find the problem for editors is actually getting their hands on articles suitable for publication and the articles they do get are a reflection on what modellers generally are building. The most popular genres? Probably aircraft and AFVs. Ever thought of authoring ship articles? You'd probably get your arm ripped off if you were to offer something suitable.