Airfix – anyone able to help the RAF Museum?

re;

[QUOTE=J

Finally, a minor pet peeve is museums displaying not-well built models.
I’ve seen some well-known collections in the US guilty of that (as well as a couple of small enthuiast rum collections in the UK..but they’re small and well intentioned, so I can certainly overlook that failing).
/QUOTE]

I have a dozen of mine on display in a suburb museum…

… in the other cabinet are ones which considering they are made by RAF guys you would expect them to be a bit better – no varnish, faded paint and yellow decals! I never thought mine were anything special, but when I saw them in the cabinet under spotlights, it boosted my confidence a lot.

I have just seen a box full of abominations in a junk shop, they wanted £10 for them – a Mossie in hideous brown and sand with ww1 American roundels, a couple of P1127s in the same, a basset in the same and a Halifax which could easily have been done up – but i wasn’t paying that much for a box of spares!

Talking of spares, are Aidfix the only ones to do a spares service?

… they also had a B-17 windscreen on display, about half of its considerable depth was breached by a enemy round.
Again, anyone recall that?
…

Yes, I remember that.

Speaking of models at museums, allow me to ask a question.

During a visit to the IWM at Lambeth Road in the mid-70s, they had a large display of an American daylight bomber raid made up of a couple dozen Airfix B-17s arranged into a combat box, showing the different flights at different altitudes.

Anyone else remember that?

.

‘

Ahhh, I remember “that” display so very well !!!!!!!!!!!!

My Dad first took me there in early 1971 & I visited several times thereafter, even taking a camera with me on my 1981 visit with my Fiancee & also my ol’ mate, Matt Dove.

The display in question was there thru MOST of the 1970’s & although I was desperately looking forward to seeing it again on the ’81 visit, it was obviously (by then) “time expired” & no longer visible (sadly).

Now this might surprise you, but I can promise you 100% that it was a display cabinet FULL of 392nd Bomb Group (2nd Air-Division)
Airfix Consolidated B.24 Liberators !
(& not the B.17’s you thought they were, time plays tricks ! :D)

I distinctly remember that whoever had conjured-up that cracking display was OBVIOUSLY basing it on the Airfix box-top artwork from the “then” (earlier) B.24 release ~ pre 1973 ~ as pictured here….

[ATTACH]212272[/ATTACH]

Whoever made the display had even shown a lone Me.109 rising to meet the Wendling based box-formation (as it shows on the box-art, behind the tail of the main subject), as well as additional ‘artistic licence’ with a B.24 ahead (& therefore theoretically, to the right of the box-art & outta sight), streaming a trail of flak-damage & smoke behind one of it’s four motors !

Still to this day, my favourite ever sighting of an Airfix inspired ‘diorama’ 😎

By the time I first ever clapped eyes on ‘that’ IWM display, I’d already built two of those Airfix B.24’s from the same (type.3) box, before Airfix went along & “spoiled it” ~ packaging it up it with a newer type box art with Pacific theatre markings showing, plus a 445th B.G. (Tibenham based) bird as the ‘alternate’ set of markings……..

(the ‘original’ had decals, or “transfers” for the 392nd B.G. only, plus the instructions were written FULLY in English !)

Here’s a scan I did of my (yuk) alternate, circa 1975 box-art Airfix B.24 that replaced the original…..

[ATTACH]212273[/ATTACH]

Nostalgia being what it is, meant that some 12-14 years ago I just HAD to acquire yet another pre-1973 boxed ‘Olive-Drab’ Airfix B.24 = (in mint condition, naturally :D) & it came rather all too easily at my own IPMS club’s annual show, known as ‘Southern Expo’ (at Hornchurch)

A meagre £4.00 for a mint late 1960’s/early 1970’s original, that I rather do treasure (stashed away amongst various MUCH newer Tami-Gawa-Eduard kits !),coz it takes me ‘back’ to my childhood (building ’em) & that lush IWM display cabinet you spoke of 😉

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Finally, a minor pet peeve is museums displaying not-well built models.

Trouble is, they don’t normally start out that way – it is sometimes the museums fault for not taking care of them – careful dusting etc.

The model club I frequent is based in Bristol (UK) – so we have done a collection of Bristol types – from the Boxkite to Concord via the Brabazon, Britannia, Beaufighter, Brisfit etc.

They were all well made accurate representations of types representing Bristol’s aviation history – but after a few museum moves they are in need of some TLC.

Ken

They should send someone down to Shoreham on Saturday 6 April…;)

They may find all they need!

Speaking of models at museums, allow me to ask a question.

During a visit to the IWM at Lambeth Road in the mid-70s, they ahd a large display of an American daylight bomber raid made up of a couple dozen Airfix B-17s arranged into a combat box, showing the different flights at different altitudes.

Anyone else remember that? IIRC, they also had a B-17 windscreen on display, about half of its considerable depth was breached by a enemy round.
Again, anyone recall that?

Finally, a minor pet peeve is museums displaying not-well built models.
I’ve seen some well-known collections in the US guilty of that (as well as a couple of small enthuiast rum collections in the UK..but they’re small and well intentioned, so I can certainly overlook that failing).

Most cities have IPMS chapters and they’d probably be happy to help out a museum.

re;

a friend of mine is **** a hoop as he has a metal P51 – that for the price of it i could buy 4 airfix ones! When the weather is lousy, money tight and nowt on the TV I can dig my paint box out and dig into my stash of kits… bliss!

Flanker_man;

That’s priceless! Understandable if he was a mere sprog though. I got into model making in the late seventies, so Frog had nearly vanished by that point so my introduction to Frog was via nasty Russian re-pops from Novo.

Sadsack;

Totally agree about the diecast ready made stuff…no fun in that at all (although some are beautifully done these days). Glad to hear that there are some proper model shops still around. I remember the amount that were in Southend back in my youth…must have been over a dozen “proper” model shops. There may only be a couple now.

I think the missus tolerates my plastic fondling, but she would go spare if she knew what I spend on the hobby sometimes….£100 yesterday for a 1/32 resin Henschel Hs-123 for example!!! Still, it keeps me off of the streets and she knows where I am at all times!

Regards;
Steve

re;

[QUOTE=

‘m still building the stuff now…never been able to grow out of it!

Regards;
Steve[/QUOTE]

Same – the missus gets her pick of the TV and I get to build models – bliss!

If anyone’s in the Grimsby area they have 3 superb model shops – the sort you can still buy wood, plastic strip etc, not rows of ready built metal ones – they are just ridiculous. wheres the fun in paying £70 for a model that’s been built?

Now, how about an exhibition for Frog and Matchbox kits?
Regards;
Steve

Appropos of nothing in particular – but I thought it amusing……

Some years ago I went into Debenhams in Bristol – where the top floor was occupied by a branch of Hamley’s – the toy people.

I was browsing along the shelves of model kits when I was approached by a young ‘suit’ – all eager and enthusiastic.

“May I help you sir?” he asked…..

“Yes, have you any Frog kits?” I asked.

He thought for a moment – then replied……..

“No sir…….. but we do have some Airfix Dinosaurs” …. 😮

Bless him – he looked as if he was only about 12 years old……

Ken

Some of these old Airfix kits are seriously valuable nowadays.

For example, an Airfix 1/32 Vauxhall Victor Estate sold on Ebay recently for £500. In fact, all of the “Modern Cars” series, such as the Maxi, Victor, Marina etc fetch three figure sums.

I’ve got quite a stash of Airfix kits, catalogues and books from the 1970’s, but these are a bit late for what they are looking for. I’ve got the rare 1975 calendar which is a beauty, reproducing some of their best artwork in a large format.

I’m still building the stuff now…never been able to grow out of it!

Now, how about an exhibition for Frog and Matchbox kits?

Regards;
Steve

The internet never ceases to surprise…we’re now restoring Airfix models….:)

I’ve got two kits of the BT-K Spitfire – sadly they’re modern repros….

Late last year I posted about Airfix appealing for anyone who had any of their original box art who would be prepared to loan it for an exhibition at the RAFM. Looks like they have decided to expand this to include the actual kits as well.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=119177&highlight=airfix+box+art

Think I had all the ones they’re looking for :rolleyes:
Looking back, I built so many of the range there can’t be many I didn’t have. So long ago now…

Just given away a `Cutty Sark` from 1958…………

Has anyone contacted the Airfix Tribute Forum – set up specifically for such thing….??

Ken

I had the Oliver Cromwell air fix model, it either got thrown away or was used as target practise can’t remember which.

“eight-year-olds who were shockingly proud of them, but which were actually dreadful.”

Mine are still rubbish now and i’m 40!!