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Old Airfix Kits


colsom

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On 2/11/2017 at 8:34 PM, colsom said:

need something to practice airbrushing in particular along with all the other skills I keep discovering here and on Youtube. <snip> Are these kits, which are marked as unopened, any different to the equivalent kits available today or am I going to find them poor quality?

 

First, what's your scale? From the gist if you're targeting Airfix, that suggests 1/72. Ancient Airfix go under the auspices of collectors kits today, or so many sellers think gauging from the silly eBay prices I've seen. 

 

Admittedly 1/72 isn't my preferred scale but I have more than a few. My choice for an inexpensive canvas overall is Academy, many of which are reboxed half decent Minicraft moulds. But that's in 1/48. They can be had inexpensively most everywhere, but especially over the internet. They also have a solid 1/72 range and are generally well distributed. Arii (Microace) is also excellent, as in inexpensive, but one generally needs to source over the internet pay shipping which you are already doing? Their 1/48 moulds date from the late 1970s and early 1980s but still scrub up fine generally and represent fantastic value on a budget. They just don't have the extensive detail of modern kits. Arii 1/48 (reboxed oTAKI) offer a solid range of Japanese single engine subjects, and smattering of the best known Allied chestnuts. They also have small 1/72 range. 

 

Airfix kits of 40 years ago and up until less than a decade ago are the very same Airfix kits you remember of 40 years ago. The best part of them is still Roy Cross's magnificent header card art and the halcyon memory of imaginative play. In comparison with kits of today, they are crude, and some raised rivet ridden extravaganzas as was in vogue circa late '60s early '70s. But as you yourself intimate, if all you're going to use them for is a practise canvas, those factors are immaterial. The problem is, IMO respecting OMMV, Airfix kits are overpriced in comparison with the competition in an extremely competitive marketplace today. But, if you can source them 'cheap cheap cheap' from within the UK....why not? IME though, the most expensive aspects of model building are time and effort, achievement of the objective within reasonable application of both vital to maintaining motivation.


Some of Airfix's newer 1/72 kits are exceptionally good, but then you pay for it. e.g. A.W. Whitley, Do 17Z. Not test canvasses. Some are the old 1960s moulds in a bright new red box, and you still pay for it. e.g 1/72 H.P. Hampden, Ju 88A-4, Mitsubishi "Dinah" (Ki-46 II). You wouldn't be looking to these at their pricing as disposable canvas. OTOH, new Series 1 equivalent Airfix kits that were both inexpensive and decent in 1/72, not so sure now Airfix have stopped supplying eHattons, are their new 1/72 Bf 109E, Spitfire I, Hurricane I, P-51D, Fw 190A-8, Zero A6M2 Rei-Sen. These are little beauties in scale. Airfix is probably a good choice regardless, if A. British is what inspires you, and B. 1/72 your focus.  

 

Eduard's 1/72 range is expanding and their prices are very keen IMV. e.g. For me, there is hardly a difference in price between for instance Eduard's Weekend Bf-110 and Airfix's newer mould Bf 110. I have both in 1/72. What pennies it is is so insignificant as to not be a factor. Advantages and disadvantages to both however. The advantage of for instance a new mould Airfix Bf 110 vs a Eduard Weekend Bf 110 is the former's build simplicity, and crevice like panel lines notwithstanding, it still looks like a Bf 110. Doesn't matter as a canvas.

 

Just my 02c. I know how you feel feeling your way when you see some of the masters here like Reini78's dad's work. Only way is to get stuck in has been my approach. Mistakes will be made. That's the curve. Binning an Academy or Arii attempt however, however is a lot less $$ painful than state of the art Dragon, MENG, Eduard Profi or newer mould Tamiya, especially in 1/48. Cheers.

 

 

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More good advice thanks. The more I delve into eBay the more I realise that the prices are ridiculous as the kits can be had much cheaper from other sellers, Kingkits to name just one. I agree with your opinion about time and effort. For me neither are an issue. I'll put in whatever effort is needed to get a good result.

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Another point not mentioned, is that a 40YO kit will have well yellowed decals.  Replaceable, but at additional cost and effort.

If OP wants cheap kits to practice painting on, frequent shops like The Works, The Range, Home Bargains, Aldi, and Lidl, the all have occasional bargains - newly moulded and new decals.

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On February 18, 2017 at 6:09 AM, theplasticsurgeon said:

Another point not mentioned, is that a 40YO kit will have well yellowed decals.  

 

Yellowed decal sheets can be cured by sealing in a plastic bag, and taping it facing out, to the inside surface of an exterior window for a couple days. The ultraviolet component of sunlight works miracles.

 

There may be other reasons to avoid vintage decals, of course. Sunlight is not so much help with dried-out, broken, incomplete, or inaccurate decal sheets!

 

^_^

Edited by MDriskill
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On 28/05/2012 at 16:46, Jennings Heilig said:

The yellowing is caused by oxidation (redox). Sometimes you can bleach it out with UV light (although in the UK, that might be kind of a dicey proposition for most of the year). The problem is, the yellowing will return. The chemical reaction that caused it in the first place will continue to take place. The organic molecules in the decal film will oxidize, just like if you scrub a steel pan shiny, then leave it out, it will rust again. As long as oxygen is present, the yellowing will return. Even "sealing" a decal on a model doesn't prevent the diffusion of oxygen into the decal.

 

 sun bleaching does work, but for  how long is the point.  This may or  may not be  a problem depending on how  long you need the model.

 

HTH

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Using the sun to bleach decals works quite well. How quickly the process moves along depends on a number of factors -

 

the state of the decals

the manufacturer of the decals

the level and length of sunlight available

 

In the summer, I've found blue tacking a decal sheet to a south facing conservatory window allow yellowing to fade in about a week - if the weather is good.

 

Although I've not tried it myself, I have heard that the ultraviolet lights used to dry finger nails also does the trick in a couple of minutes.

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FWIW I've done this a lot over the last 20 years, and have yet to have any decals so treated re-yellow once applied and varnished, for which I use 2 brush coats of Klear/Future before whatever (usually acrylic) varnish for the final coat. To prevent condensation causing problems I always put the decals in a ziplock bag before taping them to a south facing window. As others have said, it could take a week (where I lived before in the Netherlands), and up to 2 weeks here in Scotland. If the decals are old enough to need bleaching they usually also need an insurance coat of Microscale Liquid Decal Film to prevent disintegration.

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My experience with older Airfix kit is that it is to knew what to get and what to avoid. I still think that Airfix kits as the A-1J Skyraider (1968), Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Ia (1979) and F2H Banshee (1980) are nice kit to get and build. Others as Grumman J2f-5 Duck and Ford Trimotor are still almost the only ones to get. But the older Corsair, Dauntles, A-4 Skyhawk, Dornier Do 217 E/J is best to avoid if one has in mind to build an nice kit...

 

/André

 

Airfix 1/72 Aircraft complete list...

AH-64D Longbow Apache 2004
Aichi D3A1 Val 1965
Airco DH4 1967
Airspeed Horsa Glider 2008
Albatros D.V 1957
Arado Ar 196 1966
Armstrong Whitworth Seahawk 1959
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V 2015
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.VII 2016 *
Auster 6 Antartic 1958
Avro 504K 1967
Avro Anson I 1962
Avro Lancaster B.I 1958
Avro Lancaster B.I Special 2001
Avro Lancaster BI(F.E.)/BIII 2014
Avro Lancaster B.II 2013
Avro Lancaster B.III 1980
Avro Lancaster Dam Buster 1993
Avro Lancaster 'Dambusters' 2013
Avro Shackleton MR2 2015
Avro Vulcan B.2 1983
BAC Canberra B(I).6 1973
BAC Jaguar 1970
BAC Jet Provost Mk.3 1960
BAC Lightning F.3 1988
BAC Strikemaster 1974
BAC TSR.2 2005
BAe Agile Combat Aircraft 1984 *
BAe Harrier GR.3 1982
BAe Harrier GR.5 1991
BAe Harrier GR.7 1991
BAe Harrier GR.7A/GR.9A 2010
BAe Harrier T.10 1991
BAe Hawk Mk.I 2010
BAe Hawk 128 / 132 2008
BAe Red Arrows Hawk 2008
BAe Sea Harrier FA2 2009
BAe Sea Harrier FRS1 2009
BAe/MDD T-45 Goshawk 1988 *
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight 1990
Beagle Basset 1968
Bell AH-1T Sea Cobra 2004
Bell P-39 Airacobra 1965[/b]
Beaufighter and Bf 109 (Dogfight Double) 1966
Blackburn NA.39 Buccaneer 1960
Blohm und Voss BV 141B 1970
Boeing AH-64 Apache Longbow 2008
Boeing Chinook HC.1 1984 *
Boeing CH-47 Chinook 2001
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 1962
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 1999
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 2016
Boeing B-29 Superfortress 1965
Boeing Sentry AEW.1 1991
Boeing Vertol 107-II 1965
Boulton Paul Defiant N.F.I 1960
Boulton Paul Defiant Mk. I 2015
Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.1 Dornier Do 17z (Dogfight Double) 2015
Brewster F2A Buffalo 1972
Bristol and Fokker (Dogfight Double) 1965
Bristol Beaufighter TFX 1958
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.X 2015
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.X / Focke-Wulf Fw190A-8 Dogfight Doubles Gift Set 2015
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.X (late) 2016
Bristol Belvedere 192 1959
Bristol Blenheim 2014
Bristol Blenheim IV 1968
Bristol Bulldog IIa 1970
Bristol Fighter F2b 1956
Bristol Superfreighter Mk32 1959
Britten-Norman Defender 1977
Camel and Albatros (Dogfight Double) 1965
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog 1973
Cessna O-2A 1969
Cessna O-2 and MiG-21 (Dogfight Double) 1971
Commonwealth Boomerang 1965
Consolidated B-24J Liberator 1963
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina 1964
Curtiss Kittyhawk 1964
Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk 2011
Curtiss P-40B & Mitsubishi A6M2b Type 21 Zero (Dogfight Double) 2011
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver 1968
D-Day 60th Anniversary Gift Set 2004
Dassault Mirage 2000C 1990
Dassault Mirage IIIC 1964
Dassault Mirage F.1C 1979
Dassault Super Etendard 1990
Dassault Super Mystere B2 1972
DH Canada Beaver 1972
DH Canada Chipmunk 1970
DH Mosquito II/VI/XVIII 1972
DH Mosquito FBVI (1st Tool) 1957
DH Mosquito NF.XIX 1995
DH Tiger Moth 1957
DH 82a Tiger Moth 2014
DH Vampire FB.5 1998
DH Vampire T11 2013
Dornier Do 17E/F 1972
Dornier Do 17Z 2014
Dornier Do 217E-2 1960
Dornier Do 217E/J 1978
Dornier Do 217 Mistel 2001
Dornier-Dassault Alpha Jet 1980
Douglas A-1 Skyraider 1968
Douglas A-4B Skyhawk 2012
Douglas A4D1 Skyhawk 1958
Douglas A/B-26 Invader 1971
Douglas AC-47 Gunship 1973
Douglas Boston III 1963
Douglas Dakota C-47 A/D Skytrain 2014
Douglas Dakota MkIII with Willys Jeep 2014
Douglas DC-3 1960
Douglas DC-3 Dakota 2001
Douglas F4D-1 Skyray 1977[/b]
Douglas SBD Dauntless 1967
Douglas TBD Devastator 1969
English Electric Canberra B (I)8 2008
English Electric Canberra PR.9 2008
English Electric Lightning F.1A 1963
English Electric Lightning F2A/F.6 2013
Eurofighter EFA 1990
Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II 1983
Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II + Mavericks 1988
Fairey Battle 1968
Fairey Firefly 1966
Fairey Swordfish II 1958
Fairey Swordfish 1983
Fairey Swordfish Mk.I 2011
Falklands Anniversary Gift Set 2008
Fiat G.50 1967
Fiat G.91R 1959
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch 1967
F.M.A. IA 58A Pucara 2008
Focke Wulf Fw 189A-2 1970
Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8 2013
Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8/F-8 1978
Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8/F-8 2013
Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8 & Hawker Typhoon 1b (Dogfight Doubles) 2013
Focke Wulf Fw190D 1958
Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 1979
Focke Wulf Mistel (Ta-154 & Fw-190A) 2008
Fokker Dr1 Triplane 1957
Fokker E.II/E.III Eindecker 2016
Fokker E.II/RAF BE2c (Dogfight Double) 2016 *
Folland Gnat 1964
Folland Gnat 2011
Fouga Magister 1976
Ford Trimotor 1968
General Dynamics F-16A/B 1982
General Dynamics F-111A 1967
General Dynamics F-111E 1976
Gloster Gladiator MkI 1956
Gloster Gladiator 1 2013
Gloster Javelin FAW.9/9R 1994
Gloster Javelin T.3 1993
Gloster Meteor III 1970
Gloster Meteor F.8 2008
Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat 2015
Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat & Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' (Dogfight Double) 2015
Grumman F6F Hellcat 1968
Grumman F-14A Tomcat 1976
Grumman Gosling (Widgeon) J4F-1 1959
Grumman J2F-6 Duck 1969
Grumman Martlet Mk.IV 2016
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger 1966
Grumman Wildcat VI 1964
Handley Page C-10A Jetstream 1969
Handley Page Halifax B.III 1961
Handley Page Hampden 1968
Handley Page 0/400 1969
Handley Page Victor B.2 2016
Hannover CLIIIA 1968
Hawker Demon 1968
Hawker P.1127 1963
Hawker Harrier GR1 2013
Hawker Hart 1957
Hawker Hunter F.6 1960
Hawker Hunter FGA.9 1984
Hawker Hurricane MkI 'Early' 2013
Hawker Hurricane I 1979
Hawker Hurricane I/II 1972
Hawker Hurricane IIC 1990
Hawker Hurricane MkIIc 2009
Hawker Hurricane IV RP 1957
Hawker Sea Fury FB11 2008
Hawker Tempest V 1990
Hawker Typhoon IB 1959
Hawker Typhoon Ib 2013
Hawker Siddeley/BAe Nimrod MR-2P 2006
Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.2B 1989
Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2B / S2-C-D S Mk50 2010
Hawker Siddeley Dominie 1968
Hawker Siddeley Harrier AV-8A 2015
Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 1969
Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 2013
Hawker Siddeley Hawk 1975
Heinkel He111H-6 2016
Heinkel He 111H-20 1962
Heinkel He111P-2 2015
Heinkel He 177A-5 1967
Henschel Hs 123A 1970
Henschel Hs 126 1978
Henschel Hs 129B 1968
Horsa Glider 2008
Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3 2016
Hurricane and Ju 88 (Dogfight Double) 2005
Ilyushin Stormovik 1964
Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle 1968
Junkers Ju 52/3m 1965
Junkers Ju 87/Gloster Gladiator (Dogfight Double) 2016*
Junkers Ju87B Stuka 1957
Junkers Ju 87B 1980
Junkers Ju 87B-1 'Stuka' 2015
Junkers Ju 87B/R Stuka 1978
Junkers Ju 87B-2/R-2 'Stuka' 2017
Junkers Ju 88A-4 1964
Kaman SH-2F Seasprite 1983
Kamov Ka-25A/C Hormone 1984
Kamov Ka-25B Hormone 1985
Kamov Ka-25B Hormone 1989
Lockheed AC-130H 1987
Lockheed C-130 Hercules 2001
Lockheed C-130K Hercules 1969
Lockheed F-80C Shooting Star 1974
Lockheed F-104G Starfighter 1963
Lockheed F-117A Stealth 1992
Lockheed Hudson I 1963
Lockheed P-38F Lightning 1972
Lockheed P-38J Lightning 1958
Lockheed S-3A Viking 1979
Lockheed U-2B/D 1984
Lockheed YF-22 Lightning II 1992
LTV A-7D/E Corsair II 1972
Martin B-26 Marauder 1973
Martin B-57B/E Canberra 1987
MBB Bo 105C 1979
McDonnell F2H Banshee 1980
McDonnell F-4B Phantom II 1965
McDonnell F-4B/C/E/J Phantom 1971
McDonnell F-15A/B Eagle 1980
MDD F-15E Strike Eagle 1993
MDD F-18A Hornet 1982
McDonnell Douglas FG.1 Phantom 2017 *
Messerschmitt Bf 109E 1977
Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 2012
Messerschmitt Bf 109E-Tropical 2012
Messerschmitt Me109F 1956
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 1965
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 2009
Messerschmitt Bf 109K 1990
Messerschmitt Bf 110C-2/C-4 2010
Messerschmitt Me110D 1959
Messerschmitt Bf 110E/E-2 Trop 2010
Messerschmitt Me 163B Komet 1977
Messerschmitt Me 262A 1960
Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe 2017*
Meteor III and Doodlebug (Dogfight Doubles) 2005
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 15 1958
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 15 2009
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 21c 1967
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger 1980
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum 1990
Mil Mi-24 Hind 1984
Mil Mi-24 Hind A 1988
Mirage and MiG 15 (Dogfight Doubles) 1968
Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero 1959
Mitsubishi A6M2b Type 21 Zero 2011
Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah 1965
Modern Dogfight 1998 *
Mosquito and Me 262 (Dogfight Doubles) 1967
NA B-25 Mitchell 1965
North American B25C/D Mitchell 2017 *
NA F-51 Mustang 2012
NA F-86D Sabre 1975
NA F-86F Sabre 2003
NA Harvard II 1962
NA OV-10A Bronco 1969
NA P-51B Mustang 1979
NA P-51D Mustang 1958
NA P-51D Mustang 1974
NA P-51D Mustang 2012
NA P-51D Mustang & F-15 Eagle 2008
NA RA-5C Vigilante 1971
North American Sabre 2010
NA T-6G Texan 2005
Nakajima B5N1 'Kate' 2016
Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' 2015
Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter 1966
Northrop F-5E Tiger II 1984
Northrop P-61 Black Widow 1967
Northrop RF-5E Tiger Eye 1988
Panavia MRCA 1976
Panavia Tornado F.3 1989
Panavia Tornado GR.1 1983
Panavia Tornado GR4/4A 2004
Petlyakov Pe-2 1968
Piper Cherokee Arrow 1974
R.A.F. R.E.8 1957
RAF/NATO Weapons Set 1992
RAF Red Arrows Hawk 2010
Red Arrows Gnat 1974
Red Arrows 40th Display Season 2004
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak 1974
Republic F-105F Thunderchief 1983
Republic F-105G Wild Weasel 1988
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 1966
Rockwell B-1B 1984
Rockwell OV-10D Bronco 1983
Roland C.II 1965
Roland and R.E.8 (Dogfight Doubles) 1965
Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c 2016
Saab Draken 1971
Saab JAS 39 Gripen 2001
Saab Tunnan 2005
Saab Viggen 1971
Savoia-Marchetti SM79 1967
Saunders Roe SR53 1958
Scottish Aviation Bulldog 1975
Sepecat Jaguar GR.1/GR.3 1977
Short Skyvan 1975
Short Stirling 1966
Short Sunderland III 1959
Shorts Tucano T.1 1990
Sikorsky CH-53G 1982
Sikorsky HH-53C 1981
Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King 1969
Sopwith 2F1 Camel 1957
Sopwith Pup 1975
SPAD VII 1967
Spitfire and Bf 110 (Dogfight Doubles) 1966
Spitfire & RAF Personnel 2005
Spitfire IIa & Eurofighter EFA 2008
Stormovik and FW 190 (Dogfight Doubles) 1968
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker A 1990
Supermarine S6B 1957
Supermarine Spitfire 'BTK' 1955
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk22 2012
Supermarine Spitfire I 1979
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I/IIa 2011
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia 2010
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Va 2016 *
Supermarine Spitfire Vb 1975
Supermarine Spitfire Vc 2005
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX 1959
Supermarine Spitfire MkIXc 2008
Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX 2009
Supermarine Swift F.R. Mk5 2014
Supermarine Walrus Mk.II 1958
Vickers Valiant BK.Mk.1 2010
Vickers Valiant B(PR)K Mk.1/B(K)Mk.1 Sprue Set 2012
Vickers Wellington B.III 1959
Vickers Wellington MkIc 2008
Vought F4U-1D Corsair 1964
Vought OS2U Kingfisher 1967
Westland Army Lynx 1976
Westland Gazelle 1973
Westland Lysander 1972
Westland Lysander MkII (1st tool) 1956
Westland Navy Lynx 1978
Westland Navy Lynx Mk 8 2001
Westland Puma 1973
Westland S.55 1956
Westland Scout 1966
Westland Sea King HAR.3 1984
Westland Sea King HAR.3 2016 *
Westland Sea King HAS.5 2006
Westland Sea King HC.4 2015
Westland Whirlwind I (Fighter) 1958
Westland Whirlwind I 1978
Westland Whirlwind HAR.1 1966
Westland Whirlwind HAS.22 1978
Yakovlev Yak-3 1990
Yak-9D 1963

Edited by Andre B
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15 hours ago, old thumper said:

Andre B, you are very obviously a loyal Airfix customer.

I agree some old kits are much better than others. Some of the old kits are still among my favorites, for example the P-38F.  

 

Well I try at least... ;)

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