Airfix GB feeler.

Scorpiomikey

So if i say pre 1970's airfix? Or should i just open it up to airfix in general? Everything from 1950's 72nd to new millennia 24th?

no please ! the only kit that met this requires are the sm-79

I have the old Gloster Gladiator to throw in the pot, if the build gets going, also a couple of the Hurricane Mk I's.  I'd planned to do them up with the Battle of Britain sheet that came out last year from Xtradecal.  They've been reboxed, of course--but they are the old molds, with huge rivets and all.

Scorpiomikey

So if i say pre 1970's airfix? Or should i just open it up to airfix in general? Everything from 1950's 72nd to new millennia 24th?

Pre 1970 could be limiting.  According to this site there were many reboxings so we may have one from the later producers that was produced as late as 2000.  In my stash (all re-releases from 80's or later):

• Lancaster B.I (1958)
• Wellington B.III (1959)
• Seahawk (1959)
• Firefly FR.5 (1966)
• Stirling (1966)
• He-177A-5 (1967)
• P-61 Black Widow (1967)
• Ford Tri-motor (1968)
• TBD Devastator (1969)

I did that Wellington as a kid...it's bubbling to the top.

Tim

Hmm, ill think on it overnight. Keep putting forward your recommendations and ill sort out a proper GB thread tomorrow.

Greenshirt,

Re: your Lancaster B.I,

If you got this in the 80's, it may be the retooled/new tool version from about 1980-ish. The older one was pretty crude and was covered in a forest of rivets. I believe the later version was much nicer and had raised panel lines. To confuse matters, both the old and the new had the same box art and same markings. (AR-G - 460Sqn RAAF)

Scorpiomikey

Hmm, ill think on it overnight. Keep putting forward your recommendations and ill sort out a proper GB thread tomorrow.

You can post more galleries section of finished model by molds period , 50-70  80-00 or something like this

someone have the '53 spitfire?

ps

surfing on youtube i found a band called "airfix kits"!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn6aL6VrzG8

This may help people determine the date of origin of their kits: http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/Aircraft_Military_about1675.html

Perfect link Phil

then in my stash the westland scout 1966 will be perfect

out of the scout, the 71 viggen , the '80 mig-23 and the newest super etendard (1990)

edit:

Scorpiomikey sign the westland scout for now in all cases meets requires (or not )

I think my Airfix stash is all 70s-vintage:

• Heinkel 177 (series 2?) (wow - lots of plastic for a 1/72 kit!!)
• Saab Draken (series 2)
• Saab Viggen (Series 3)
• Kamov Ka25 (newer re-box??)

I may have another further down that I've forgotten about, but I'm happy building any of these. I'd suggest "anything that isn't a new-tool" (the real new tools from the past several years).

Vance, I would categorise the He-177 as a series 5, it's a huge beast. I love the little glide-bombs that came with this one.

Phil_H

Vance, I would categorise the He-177 as a series 5, it's a huge beast. I love the little glide-bombs that came with this one.

Ohhhhh - so the series is more to do with the size/skill level? I was thinking it was a release-date indicator. (See, I need an Airfix expert on this one!!) It's this boxing:

Yep - pretty much based on size and number of parts.

Here's an idea. How about "Airfix - models from last century" and have the cut-off as pre-2000?

VanceCrozier

Phil_H:

Vance, I would categorise the He-177 as a series 5, it's a huge beast. I love the little glide-bombs that came with this one.

 

Ohhhhh - so the series is more to do with the size/skill level? I was thinking it was a release-date indicator. (See, I need an Airfix expert on this one!!) It's this boxing:

That's a re-release of a 1967 kit.

For ScorpioMikey:

I spent some time last night trying to find some sort of demarcation.  It appears at one point Airfix went out of business and was bought by Humbrol I think around 1980, and then again by Hornby around 2000.  Many of the releases in the '80's were Humbrol owned (check the very very fine print on the box) so maybe "Orignal Airfix GB -- pre-Humbrol tooling but re-releases are okay".  I may be wrong on this, but the kit opportunities opens greatly if you include the 1970's.

Tim

Phil_H

Greenshirt,

Re: your Lancaster B.I,

If you got this in the 80's, it may be the retooled/new tool version from about 1980-ish. The older one was pretty crude and was covered in a forest of rivets. I believe the later version was much nicer and had raised panel lines. To confuse matters, both the old and the new had the same box art and same markings. (AR-G - 460Sqn RAAF)

I've considered that.  It's got heavy rivets and looks like a classic Airfix kit.  At one point, before the plethora of newly tooled Lancs in the last few years, I tried to figure out which is was as I had read the later release was pretty accurate.  My plan was to convert it to a Manchester (I have a very old vac conversion set for it) but I've never gotten around to either finding the provenance nor tackling the conversion.  Now there's a thought...

Tim

Tim,

Actually, Airfix was acquired by General Mills (parent company of MPC) in 1980/81. Ownership then went to Humbrol in 1986.  Humbrol folded in 2006 and Airfix was acquired by the Hornby group in late 2006.

Phil, thanks for clarity.  I missed that MPC part somewhere! 

Tim

Greenshirt

I've considered that.  It's got heavy rivets and looks like a classic Airfix kit.  At one point, before the plethora of newly tooled Lancs in the last few years,

Tim,

Sounds like the older kit then - I think I last saw that one about 35 years ago. Do the pilot figs look like they're undersized, hunched in the seats with the right arm and the right leg extended forwards? That would be an indicator of the old tool kit, along with (I think) movable ailerons and elevators. 

EDIT: PS: I believe the newer tooled kit includes a bomb-bay interior - the older kit does not.

VanceCrozier

 

Phil_H:

 

Vance, I would categorise the He-177 as a series 5, it's a huge beast. I love the little glide-bombs that came with this one.

 

 

Ohhhhh - so the series is more to do with the size/skill level? I was thinking it was a release-date indicator. (See, I need an Airfix expert on this one!!) It's this boxing:

greif!! i hope you build it!!

Hi guys. I would just like to confirm then - the new "red box" Arfixes are not allowed for being to new?

I have the 1/72 BAE Hawk 120 and Spit mk9 but both are the new red box issues.

Theuns

bsyamato

 

VanceCrozier:

 

 

Phil_H:

 

Vance, I would categorise the He-177 as a series 5, it's a huge beast. I love the little glide-bombs that came with this one.

 

 

Ohhhhh - so the series is more to do with the size/skill level? I was thinking it was a release-date indicator. (See, I need an Airfix expert on this one!!) It's this boxing:

 

 

greif!! i hope you build it!!

It's the one I seem to keep opening the box for, so it probably is what I'd build for this. Theuns, there are some red-box kits that are just re-boxed versions of the older kits. I'm guessing those may be allowed, but I think your Hawk & Spitfire IX are both new-tools.

There seems to be alot of confusion as to whats a classic airfix and whats a retool etc etc. so how do people feel about just opening this up to anything airfix?

I'm with scorpio.

Phil_H

 

Sounds like the older kit then - I think I last saw that one about 35 years ago. Do the pilot figs look like they're undersized, hunched in the seats with the right arm and the right leg extended forwards? That would be an indicator of the old tool kit, along with (I think) movable ailerons and elevators. 

EDIT: PS: I believe the newer tooled kit includes a bomb-bay interior - the older kit does not.

Now that I'm home, I opened it up.  Dated 1979, USAirfix #50020.  According to The Airfix Tribute Forum (here) this should be the newer old tooling from 1980, however it does not have the bomb bay but does have movable control surfaces and the pilots, while small, are not hunched with the right arm/leg extended.  Almost seems like an interim tooling...

Tim

Scorpiomikey

There seems to be alot of confusion as to whats a classic airfix and whats a retool etc etc. so how do people feel about just opening this up to anything airfix?

i agree i'm on in all cases as speak above, plus i reminded i have a "full of rivets"  ov-10 bronco

Yar I'll be in, I have a CLASSIC HS123! I also got a modern new tool Bf 110E Trop..

Scorpiomikey

There seems to be alot of confusion as to whats a classic airfix and whats a retool etc etc. so how do people feel about just opening this up to anything airfix?

Either way is fine with me, I've got some old-tool and new-tool kits - but I think I've already settled on that old He177.

I'm in with the Wimpy.

Tim

Here's mine, kit 01007 circa 1973 or so.

A present from "Summit".

Cool, i start up a proper thread for the GB.