Fireball XL5

[Carl Veevers]

This gets my vote.

[Bacillus]

 

I hope this post is not off topic but there's another possibility for a resurrection of the Airfix Stingray.  I understand that the tooling was 'lost' many years ago. Now, I also understand that the idea behind KitStarter is to gauge the interest in pre-ordered sales of a reissued kit from existing tooling and I really like the potential of this. But the Stingray is a non-starter if the previous sentence is proven to be true - it can never be reissued, an important piece of Airfix history is lost, and we all feel glum.

I saved up my ice lolly wrappers and sent off for both the XL5 and Stingray back in the 60s, lost half the parts over various house moves over the years but tracked down the missing bits eventually and now have a complete (rebuilt) XL5 and almost complete Stingray again. The earlier pics in the thread of the ad and box are mine. I'm just missing the two small rear tail fins and most of the other parts are in very good condition. Lucky me.

And it's 12" long, Spike.

But I have a problem: since the advent of 3D scanning, I've suffered from a sense of responsibility about rebuilding the Stingray and feel I should get the parts scanned before doing so - but don't possess the equipment and can't afford to have it done professionally. Should it be true that the moulds no longer exist, scanning the parts may be the only chance to resurrect this kit (and I'd be happy to supply the data to Airfix) but it will then require new tooling to be produced from the data, which I expect will not be cost effective and is beyond the remit of the KitStarter idea anyway.  Zzzt! Seize!!!

I'm not getting any younger - any ideas or advice?

[Russ1707821018]

 

I hope this post is not off topic but there's another possibility for a resurrection of the Airfix Stingray.  I understand that the tooling was 'lost' many years ago. Now, I also understand that the idea behind KitStarter is to gauge the interest in pre-ordered sales of a reissued kit from existing tooling and I really like the potential of this. But the Stingray is a non-starter if the previous sentence is proven to be true - it can never be reissued, an important piece of Airfix history is lost, and we all feel glum.

I saved up my ice lolly wrappers and sent off for both the XL5 and Stingray back in the 60s, lost half the parts over various house moves over the years but tracked down the missing bits eventually and now have a complete (rebuilt) XL5 and almost complete Stingray again. The earlier pics in the thread of the ad and box are mine. I'm just missing the two small rear tail fins and most of the other parts are in very good condition. Lucky me.

And it's 12" long, Spike.

But I have a problem: since the advent of 3D scanning, I've suffered from a sense of responsibility about rebuilding the Stingray and feel I should get the parts scanned before doing so - but don't possess the equipment and can't afford to have it done professionally. Should it be true that the moulds no longer exist, scanning the parts may be the only chance to resurrect this kit (and I'd be happy to supply the data to Airfix) but it will then require new tooling to be produced from the data, which I expect will not be cost effective and is beyond the remit of the KitStarter idea anyway.  Zzzt! Seize!!!

I'm not getting any younger - any ideas or advice?

 

 It should be possible to not only scan, but 3D print the parts to make a complete new kit.

 

[Peter Randall]

Steve Zodiac was my boyhood hero! Love kitmaster and would really love to have one will definatly buy one!

[Jeff Holt]

Here's hoping the post by 'Admin' is an official Airfix comment? - if so: This post confirms the Fireball mold is lost but not the Stingray one?

[portland182]

Yes please! I'd love a copy (or 2 or 3) of Fireball XL5

[Spike Douglas]

That's a real shame if it's lost. :-(  How do you lose molds? Normal way like I do my keys? Or are they stolen/melted down etc?

[Spike Douglas]

The earlier pics in the thread of the ad and box are mine. I'm just missing the two small rear tail fins and most of the other parts are in very good condition. Lucky me.

And it's 12" long, Spike.

Thanks for confirming that. Bigger than I thought. 

Sad it's lost, but then I was always a Space Patrol fan. Don't think *anyone* made Galasphere 357 or what ever it was.

[darren_robson]

I'd buy a couple at least

[Robert Schofield]

If tooling is available, more than one copy for me (2)

[Gadfly]

If tooling is available, more than one copy for me (2)

The tooling isn't available Airfix have confirmed this....

[mike_arnold]

Strange how the Angel jet is still around and seems to have survived the cull of models!

[Watcher]

 

I hope this post is not off topic but there's another possibility for a resurrection of the Airfix Stingray.  I understand that the tooling was 'lost' many years ago. Now, I also understand that the idea behind KitStarter is to gauge the interest in pre-ordered sales of a reissued kit from existing tooling and I really like the potential of this. But the Stingray is a non-starter if the previous sentence is proven to be true - it can never be reissued, an important piece of Airfix history is lost, and we all feel glum.

I saved up my ice lolly wrappers and sent off for both the XL5 and Stingray back in the 60s, lost half the parts over various house moves over the years but tracked down the missing bits eventually and now have a complete (rebuilt) XL5 and almost complete Stingray again. The earlier pics in the thread of the ad and box are mine. I'm just missing the two small rear tail fins and most of the other parts are in very good condition. Lucky me.

And it's 12" long, Spike.

But I have a problem: since the advent of 3D scanning, I've suffered from a sense of responsibility about rebuilding the Stingray and feel I should get the parts scanned before doing so - but don't possess the equipment and can't afford to have it done professionally. Should it be true that the moulds no longer exist, scanning the parts may be the only chance to resurrect this kit (and I'd be happy to supply the data to Airfix) but it will then require new tooling to be produced from the data, which I expect will not be cost effective and is beyond the remit of the KitStarter idea anyway.  Zzzt! Seize!!!

I'm not getting any younger - any ideas or advice?

 

 It should be possible to not only scan, but 3D print the parts to make a complete new kit.

 

 

[Watcher]

Just for the record, I'd also be interested in a Stingray and Fireball XL5 kit.  As has been mentioned already, once the 3d scans are available, it is a simple matter of getting the parts printed out, companies exist if Airfix isn't interested in doing it.

Also I read somewhere about a Gallisphere toy, available in the states back in the day!

[Kinverkid]

It seems like there is a market for all the Gerry Anderson machines. I don't know how many potential sales Airfix needs to make it worth their while but I would certainly buy most of them. I've only got an Angel Interceptor at the moment but now I'm retired I've re-kindled my boyhood interest in Airfix models. Was a little disappointed when I couldn't find an Airfix version of the Fireball XL5.

[OldBob]

It seems like there is a market for all the Gerry Anderson machines. I don't know how many potential sales Airfix needs to make it worth their while but I would certainly buy most of them. I've only got an Angel Interceptor at the moment but now I'm retired I've re-kindled my boyhood interest in Airfix models. Was a little disappointed when I couldn't find an Airfix version of the Fireball XL5.

Its not a plastic kit but resin but i recenlty found this

https://www.timeless-hobbies.com/store/p4643/UNCL_Fireball_XL5.html