Hi everyone,

I've brainstormed up a campaign over on Aeroscale that should really be opened up to all Kitmaker builders.

Here's your chance to revive the feeling of those long-gone days when Airfix kits were the name of the game for modelling. Feel again the thrill of coming home with your latest kit hot in your hands. Relive the stories that wonderful box art told you to expect. Experience once more the fist-sized rivets, the oddly flat crew members, the subjects that nobody else dared to produce.

Airfix were well known for their 1/72 aircraft, but that didn't stop them from doing ships, cars, military vehicles, buildings, birds, rockets and even Science Fiction kits. Whatever the interest that brings you to the Kitmaker network, there's an Airfix kit for you.

At the moment, it looks as though this campaign would begin in September of 2012 so there's lots of time to decide which kit to build.

Who would like to join in the fun?

Hi Jessie,
September is good. An OOB build? Or, doll it up by putting lipstick on an old pig. The LHS has some ancient bagged armor kits. I think even with a dio base.
Thanks for getting the ball rolling on a little fun & mayhem.
Tom

I'd like to stay with the OOB flavour, but limited scratchbuilding or aftermarket to correct glaring errors would be allowed. Here's draft #2 of the proposed rules:

The Rules and Regs
1. Your kit must have originaly been issued before 1976. Re-issues are allowed. If the moulds were modified after 1976 that's okay; they were still produced before then;
2. Any scale, any era, any subject;
3. Some Airfix kits were reboxed by Heller. Those will be permitted since the plastic remains Airfix;
4. Your build should have the "Out of the Box" flavour, but some scratchbuilding or aftermarket to correct egregious shape errors is permitted;
5. The kit decals should be used if possible, but may be beyond help, so alternate markings are allowed. “What if” markings may also be used;
6. Build as many kits as you wish, but only 1 ribbon will be awarded per person;
6. Minimum of 2 progress shots in the official campaign thread plus minimum of one shot of the completed build in the campaign gallery;
7. Dioramas welcome but not required;
8. Most importantly have fun, enjoy your build, and share your progress with us all.
Contest Element
There will be a beautiful shiny ribbon for those who finish their builds within the time frame of the Campaign.

Discussion?

this would be a good one for me, i just started on a quite old F-105F Thunderchief by Airfix, not sure if my skills are back up to scratch though...still, plenty of old airfix in the old mans stash to choose from for next time

We've had enough interest to qualify for a sumbission. I'll post news as it happens.

And that quickly the campaign has been approved! Sign up here!

Wow, that was fast. I signed up. I am planning to do some of the old Airfix multipose 1/32 figures. The closest I can come to an original release date is mid 1970'ties. Is that acceptable for this campaign?

Also researching the internet it seems like the cut of date of 1976 for this campaign leaves out some interesting kits. Maybe 1980 would allow more modellers to join without compromising the intent of the campaign? Just a thought.

I thought long and hard about that. My reasoning is that by the mid 1970s, Airfix kits had lost that quality that makes the older ones so "unique". They were starting to have reasonable detail right out of the box and good fit, something the earlier kits were lacking. The other reason is that Warreni has a 1976 catelogue, and thus can verify whether a kit was in production or not.

I suppose I'd be willing to make individual assessments on a case by case basis, but I don't want it to be come contentious.

Sounds like fun... I'm up for it!

I just finished an E-Boat where a stamp on the inside of the hull indicates the molds at least are from 1975.

Jessica, I have looked at the list posted elsewhere in this forum. It seems like the figure sets where produced in 1977, but that that was not the first release.

Could Warreni or you confirm that the multipose figure sets would be OK for this campaign?

See my profile note about vow to finish 30 year old stash... so here is another opportunity.

BTW, ivanhoe6, if your LHS has bagged Airfix kits, i.e. in stapled poly bags with paper tops, as opposed to the ones in the acetate type blister packs, they can be worth a bit.

I checked my stash and the kits I have are actually from 1975 and 1976, so they both qualify.

Looking forward to get started. It will be fun.

You can't get better confirmation than that
I was trying every combination of keywords, but Google failed to give me anything on when they were first produced.

I did learn that you can make Star Trek figures from them, though.

You know Jessie , this is a damn good idea !

Couldn't just part with Airfix's kit of the Hannover CL Blister-pack and compelete , decals are shot however .....

When the time arrives , if the schedule is empty , even though I told my self NO MORE GB , kinda hard to pass up the opportunity you have presented Jessie .
We shall see in a few months time !



Terri

Well, they did just re-issue the Hannover, and re-issues are within the rules. Just think: fresh decals, you keep your collector kit...

Can't you hear it sitting lonely and unloved on the hobby shop shelf? It's calling to you: "Buy me, Terri, take me home with you!"

I've done a quick rules modification based on a happening in the Matchbox campaign. Old kits often have parts that have gone walkabout. Aftermarket replacements or parts robbed from another kit will be acceptable; the goal is a finished model after all : )

Draft #3 of The Rules:

The Rules and Regs
1. Your kit must have originaly been issued during 1976 or before. Re-issues are allowed. If the moulds were modified after 1976 that's okay; they were still produced before then;
2. Any scale, any era, any subject;
3. Some Airfix kits were reboxed by Heller and MPC. Those will be permitted since the plastic remains Airfix. If you can prove a reboxing by another company, it'll be allowed;
4. Your build should have the "Out of the Box" flavour, but some scratchbuilding or aftermarket to correct egregious shape errors or replace missing kit parts is permitted;
5. The kit decals should be used if possible, but may be beyond help, so alternate markings are allowed. “What if” markings may also be used;
6. Build as many kits as you wish, but only 1 ribbon will be awarded per person;
6. Minimum of 2 progress shots in the official campaign thread plus minimum of one shot of the completed build in the campaign gallery;
7. Dioramas welcome but not required;
8. Most importantly have fun, enjoy your build, and share your progress with us all.

It's time to bump this back up top to keep it visible

I just returned from the LHS with one of those bagged with a stapled paper top Airfix kits. It's a OO Scale Churchill Mk. VII tank. Decals look in pretty fair shape with a tank name of Apollo. Anybody have any idea how old this kit is ?
Matthew, you said these kits "might be worth a bit". Would you, yourself, get a re-pop Airfix kit for the campaign or build the Churchill ? The LHS has 2 more Churchills should I get them? And would anybody have interest in all 3 bagged kits?
Tom

Airfix bagged kits are definitely collectable. Especially if they've re-issued the kit in a box, do not build them. Check the old model kit websites to get an idea of how much they're selling for.

Thanks Jessie ! Any idea of any sites that deal in old kits ? Thanks! Tom

Google says oldmodelkits.com is likely a good place to start...

Thanks Jessie !

*Bump*
4months to go. There's still lots of time to find a kit and sign up

Bump.