SPA Modeler

I was wondering... What's everyone's favorite Airfix kits from back in the day? Not talking about this new stuff..has to come from molds cut in the last century

I personally have enjoyably built their 1/72 fw190D (not the first molding--the one that was tooled in the 70s..

I have several of their 1/72 Fw190'F' kits which I have not built but look great in the box. These were also reboxex by MPC as just Fw190A.

The mk Vb spitfire I like as well.

One kit I was surprises by is their 1/72 TBD Devestator. It looks pretty decent in the box. Might could do with a new engine face, but shape and fit look good.

I also like their 1/72 F-14A. I have built the MPC redox. The kit is solid fun. Sure it has some issues but nothing that would stop me from building it. I have one in The stash. If there is ever an old Airfix GB, I may be tempted to build it.

Lastly, I recall building their P-38F as a wee lad, which I recall being decent. I believe it was also a MPC rebox with markings for Japanese Sandman II -- always my favorite markings since then!

Airfix wasn't on my liminted radar back then.

Tough call on that. Although I didn't realize it at the time, all those MPC 1/72 kits that I used to build were Airfix... and I built many of those. Then of course Airfix and US Airfix kits were also easy to come across at the different shops here. I did like their few 1/32 armor kits as well. Too bad that they didn't team up with Monogram and keep up in that against Tamiya in the 70's. Their original 1/48 stuff sure is nice too. Of those, so far I'd have to call their 109F my favorite so far. But the Mosquito FB VI and Ju-87B look quite nice as well. Not to mention their Spitfire VB. Id like to have another go at their original 1/48 Hurricane I someday. I wouldn't mind trying one of their old 1/24 kits as well. Perhaps the Harrier...

LyleW wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:59 am Airfix wasn't on my liminted radar back then.

Same here. Most kit brands growing up during youth years in stores like Kmart, Woolworth's, Stars/Tars carried mostly Revell, Monogram, AMT, MPC. Maybe an occasional Johann kit.

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:53 am

LyleW wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:59 am Airfix wasn't on my liminted radar back then.

Same here. Most kit brands growing up during youth years in stores like Kmart, Woolworth's, Stars/Tars carried mostly Revell, Monogram, AMT, MPC. Maybe an occasional Johann kit.

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:53 am

LyleW wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:59 am Airfix wasn't on my liminted radar back then.

Same here. Most kit brands growing up during youth years in stores like Kmart, Woolworth's, Stars/Tars carried mostly Revell, Monogram, AMT, MPC. Maybe an occasional Johann kit.

All of those MPC military kits were Airfix molds… those MPC three option kits in a white box- Airfix molds. Those MPC diorama kits? Airfix molds and figures…

Love the marketing of the MPC profile series boxings. Stay away from the fw190D profile series though...that's the 1960s mold...unless you just want the box..

Yes it was a great marketing g ploy on the part of both companies…

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q ... =%22MPC%22

There weren't any Airfix kits on the left coast when I was a flea, so I don't have recollections about them except for seeing ads for them is some old RAF Flying Review magazines I somehow acquired. One of the first ones I may have had was the B-1 and I was not impressed with it in comparison to the Monogram kit in the same scale. I was also biased because I mainly built in 1/48 or 1/32, so I didn't pay much attention to 1/72 scale. I preferred the better detail in the larger kits of the day, though with current molding tech 1/72 appeals to me much more. The only early Airfix kits I have built are the Westland Whirlwind from a bagged kit, and the DH-125. I do have quite a few in the stash, many from the 60's but mostly more recent. These include all but the Harrier in 1/24 scale.

They were/are big on airliners. I have this one in the stash which will be done in the movie 'AIrplane' livery