Now that the Matchbox campaign is about to begin, how about turning to another giant of our formative years? Who else fondly remembers saving up their pennies to bring home one of those exciting little bags or boxes? Who else remembers hurriedly gluing together the latest acquisition to add it to the collection? Who else remembers that vivid art, each box top telling an evocative story of the airplane concerned?

Let's relive those halcyon days, when references were unheard of, fist-sixed rivets were the order of the day, and our imaginations were sufficient to overcome the fingerprints glued into the surfaces of the parts.

I propose a build of any Airfix kit produced before 1975. It can be a more recent re-issue as long as the moulds were cut before 1975. Aftermarket decals will be permitted, especially in the case of original kits where the decals may have been lost to the ravages of time. Aftermarket parts and/or scratchbuilding will be permitted, expecially where necessary to correct Airfix' occasional egregious shape errors, but I'd like to keep the flavour of the build closer to 'out of the box' as opposed to 'total rebuild'.

What say ye, Aeroscalers? Do we have any interest?

I am on! It is going to be great fun!

Wow, great idea. Looks like I have at least 17 victims er, candidates for this one. I jumped into the Matchbox early with fewer options. Count me in, now let's see if I can actually finish one this time....

I first ran into Airfix kits when I was about 14 years old at the old Valley Plaza Hobby shop in North Hollywood, CA. IIRC, they were the Craftmaster boxings. Quite a change from the Revell, Monogram, Hawk kits I'd seen back in Dallas. They were all in the same scale! The only one I recall building was the 1/72 Scanlon(?) Tank Transporter. Boy, 1/72 scale trucks are tiny...

Mark I think your talking about the Scammel tank transporter which is still available.

I think I'm in, I'll need to check when I get home and see the mould dates but I think the HP-42 may be in.

I am all in, though I have so many gbs coming on line thus year is going to be nuts. I think that it should be opened to all for Airfix made a lot of stuff. Armour, planes,ect.

That is well in Luciano.

And Airfix are re-releasing many of their old kits again.. Grumman Ducks, Vought Kingfishes, Ford Trimotors and many many more.
Does anyone have a catalogue from back then? I have one here from 1976 (the HP.42 is in their Luciano).. Would that be early enough to pick if a kit is eligible? I can be the judge..

Yes, that's the one. Shoulda done my research first.

I finished the Heller boxing of the P-40(E) about a year ago and I'm trying to finish off the Heller boxing of the AD (A-1H) this year.

I've got an old P-61 that might be just right for this...
or maybe a US Airfix F-4D, or a couple of B-25's, a B-26.......

Since I just pulled the date out of thin air, perhaps 1976 is an acceptable alternative date, especially since we have documentary proof
Or we could use the scholarship of the fine folks at the Airfix Tribute Forum. They have most kits listed that were issued in the 1950s, the 1960s and the 1970s. Anything in the first two lists and most from the third would be fair game for this build.

Im sure I could find something to build for this count me in

Ok checked the mould date and I'm in with the HP-42, mould date 1965 Although mine is a 1993 reboxing.

Only the second day of the proposal and we're already up to 7 builders!

I think that in the interests of timing, this should run after the Matchbox campaign is finished, just to keep us from being overwhelmed by builds. There should be plenty of time to work up our enthusiasm and get other people interested.

I wish I could remember those days but unfortunately when I was a teen and got involved in modelling, we were stationed in Germany so my first exposure was with Revell (of Germany) Kits.

Either way I would be in for this and if I don't have anything in the stash I'll find something


Agreed and looking at the schedule, the next available slot is September, which falls nicely after the Matchbox Campaign.

Draft #1 of The 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, aircraft or helicopters;
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?

Airfix also did cars, trucks, tanks, ships and space subjects. Should we confine this campaign to Aeroscale, ot would you like to welcome in everybody?

Sounds fine to me, Jessica.

We could make it Kitmaker network wide by allowing other builds. It could be fun and something new.

Ok I'm definately in as i just picked up the re issue of the 1959 Grumman Gosling/Widgeon at our first local club meet tonight

Rules look OK to me too

I have been waiting for this GB!
Count me in

Growing up in the Uk my first kits were Airfix and Frog.
I would by a kit every couple of week with my pocket money.
Never counted the rivets,hanged high from the ceiling!

I'm in
Got an old ford tri motor in the stash
Andy

Exactly as I remember it as well Richard.. Although I had few Frog kits.. The joy of assembling and painting, no worrying about details.

Draft #2 of The 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?

I for one am not gowing to spend hours filling and filing.. It is going to be just the fun of building and decorating. I am going to dig out my old builds from 35+ years ago I have sitting in a trunk in my shed and will take some photos. Should be a laugh a minute! Back to the days of starting and finishing a kit in a day or two, but with no pocket money limitations..

Phew, lucky me, one of the ones I was considering was the old Douglas TBD, but it's the MPC Boxing from the early 80's. Maybe the TBF/M.

I want as many kits to be elligible as possible. Your MPC Devastator is perfectly accaptable. Or the TBF. Or both

Ya know, one of the guys at my club is always building A Model kits. They're generally poor quality, needing lots of love to turn into decent replicas, which he manages to do regularly. "What can I say, it's an A Model." I seem to have my own A model issues, in the last 2 years, the kits I have worked on are:

Airfix (Heller) P-40(E) Finished
Airfix A4D-1 Finished
Hawk (Testors) SBD(-3) Finished
Airfix (Heller) AD(-6) Ready for main paint coat
CPC (Airfix) F-105G Ready for main paint coat
MPC F2H-2P Finished (now available vis Airfix)
Hasagawa P-40E Stumbling on the aftermarket etch
Italeri PBJ Stumbling on the aftermarket etch
Ace A-7D sanding before fuselage wing mate (knock off of Italeri A-7)
Hawk (Testors) P-51D Needs more silver paint
Academy F-84E stalled out in the sub assy sanding phase.

Seven of 11 with A affiliations. I ought to try a good kit one of these days...

You'll feel the same way I do if you ever do a Tamiya kit: "Am I doing something wrong? It's all going together so easily! There must be something wrong!"