BIG X

WIKIPEDIA - The rights to the Austin name passed to British Aerospace and then to BMW when each bought the Rover Group. The rights were subsequently sold to MG Rover, created when BMW sold the business. Following MG Rover's collapse and sale, Nanjing Automobile Group owns the Austin name and Austin's historic assembly plant in Longbridge. At the Nanjing International Exhibition in May 2006, Nanjing announced it might use the Austin name on some of the revived MG Rover models, at least in the Chinese market. However, Nanjing is for the moment concentrating on reviving the MG brand. The MG brand is traditionally used for sports cars and Nanjing has no rights to the Rover name, so a revival of the Austin name would seem a logical brand for selling more standard cars. It might also be argued that a British name would be more respected in the European market than a Chinese name. Nanjing Automobile Group itself merged into SAIC Motor. More than a decade on the Austin name now belongs to the British Engineer John Stubbs, owner of specialist suspension company Black Art Designs. Stubbs aims to take the Austin name back into the mainstream market, possibly with an electric vehicle. I can't vouch for the accuracy - it is Wikipedia - but they are usually on the right track. Steve

WOW!!! I just read this thread & I am lost for words - take a look - it's shocking what has occurred behind the scenes... Steve

@TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED I am amazed by this back story & totally staggered by the actions of these people. I received my Gecko early this week & as I have mentioned elsewhere that I rate it as probably the best money I have spent in a very long time. Anyone who looks at the Gecko kit & compares it to the other injection or indeed resin competition will soon appreciate all the extras you get for a few pence more (or a lot less in the case of the resin). It is my intention to acquire the other new injection kit & compile a "comparison" thread of all 3 kits - side by side. Well done for letting everyone know what has occurred behind the scenes - it would have been so easy to say "just let it go". But - there does come a point when every man must stand his ground. Well done Tiger Hobbies - you have gained a new "loyal" customer. Steve

So far Gecko just have the two - Queenie's & Ice Cold...

@Seahawk - not A1210872 ? ? ? confusion reigns supreme already eh ...same large stencil type and the 8 is there - but in a different spot. My head hurts - Steve

Yeah - also the clear sprue shows windows for a closed cab variant KS30 GS type Like this one - as previously owned by our own @fightersweep

@At Sea If you look very carefully at the decal sheet in the review - you will see decals 27, 29 & 30 depict 121370 - which is the code for KATY in the movie. It is hard to tell from the photo - but I am sure I can actually see the word KATY under the serial numbers - as depicted in the movie too. A bit sneaky of Airfix - as those serials don't appear in any of the official 4 schemes - but I'm sure they will please a good many Sylvia Syms fans Steve

Trust me - my father was vicar - I definitely won't be building them - I can barely see well enough to take photos & type a few rambling sentences of late Time to order the Airfix I think... Steve

Oh I wouldn't dream of polluting this thread - but which section would be best to post it in do you think???

Received mine yesterday - super fast service / well packed / post office tracked / free delivery - faultless top quality service Oh - by the way - the kit is absolutely amazing too Well done Gecko & Tiger Hobbies Steve

Thanks for the review @Mike I've just received the Gecko model (yesterday) - just to see what's in the box - as my modelling days are well & truly over. I will be buying the Airfix one too - but I have to agree with some of the above posts - in that - for about £3 to £5 more it looks like you can get a kit that is in a completely different league to this one. If it isn't against the rules I would like to maybe do a "comparison" thread - if that's allowed - to compare the individual components of both kits. All the best - Steve

Well we've had a "Ta-Da" - so here's a "Woo Hoo" The Gecko turned up today - it's a BIG box (over 450 parts) - here's a few box shots... ..."extensive" photo etch... Decals for "Ice Cold in Alex" & Princess Elizabeth's vehicle... ...and the grand finale - Her Majesty herself... I might actually get round to opening the box next week - but for now I'm off for a lie down - I'm overcome with excitement All the best - Steve

....so is the Gecko... https://www.tigerhobbies.co.uk/product/gecko-1-35-austin-k2-y-ambulance-and-princess-driver-35gm0070/ ...just ordered my Gecko - complete with Princess driver ! ! ! I'll probably wait for Hannants to get theirs in before ordering the Airfix. Steve

I have to say - this is a great thought provoking thread with lots of inspired contributions. On my return to modelling I started on 1/48 aircraft - followed by a couple of classic Airfix 1/24 builds. My interests then changed to military vehicles & 1/72 / 1/76 / HO-OO all played a part in the fun. Finally - after beginning to have problems with my eyesight - I switched to 1/35 AFVs. Sadly it soon dawned on me that I couldn't even see them. I'm happy to say I can still spectate & applaud all the scales we see here on the forum. Steve

Well done to the girls / women / ladies - err am I digging a hole The quality of play on both sides was premiership standard - C'mon England ! ! ! A great watch & an even better result - it made my weekend Steve

Lovely story Selwyn & a lovely build too. I lost my mum in April & it has hit me harder than I ever would of imagined. God bless the mums - Steve

Wow Steve - You did her proud - what a job - amazing restoration - Steve

I'm really hoping some of the figure producing companies jump on the band wagon & release some figure sets - how about an "Ice Cold" set like these... ... all we need now is a sand dune

Evening Folk. Well my copy of AMW finally arrived in the post today. Katy gets the front & back cover - as well as a mention in the editorial. A seven page spread starts in the centrefold & features 29 photos along with a commentary, which describes a basic "out of the box" build. The build is by Huw Morgan - QUESTION - is Huw one of our own - here on the forum? I won't spill too many beans - but Huw points out some extra parts on the clear sprue that seem to point to a future release of a K30 GS type - maybe like this... ...now that would be nice - wouldn't it. There is very little mention of the photo etch - but maybe that's because there is very little photo etch in the kit? - I couldn't decide & it isn't made clear. Huw delivers a very competent build (as you would expect) & offers just a few tips on weathering - so it will be interesting to see what the boys & girls here can deliver over the coming weeks. Reading the text in the magazine has only served to confirm how bad my eyesight has become over the last two years (it seems so small & feint) - that I've decided I'll probably buy both the Airfix & the Gecko kits - but won't be able to build either. I may well cobble together a comparison thread though - to discuss the pros & cons of each kit - that could be fun. Have a joyous & creative weekend - Steve

or maybe shandy

...judging by the way John MIlls "necks it" in the movie - I would say the original is only a half pint glass - so your link looks spot on

One decal theme I really would like to see explored is this one... ...notice the stripes on the spare wheel covers of each vehicle. "invasion stripes"? Probably not - Red & White stripes perhaps? Can anyone shed any light? Steve

Like a lot of aircraft types (Spits for example) "the usual suspects" as far as markings appear again & again - as they are well known & well researched. This is the most likely the case here. Katy's are not as well documented as Spitfires - so it is a no brainer to go her Majesty's ride & probably the fictional Katy from Ice Cold too. Doubtless more choices will emerge soon - here is "Scarborough to Stalingrad" & decals to cover it... ...and the decals... As for the plastic itself - Gecko were very keen to point out that their kit was a totally independent piece of work & features many more features - such as... • Accurate Trakgrip general purpose tyres • Three different headlight types (with blackout masks as appropriate) • Optional furled and unfurled cab side curtains • 6 stretchers (4 plus 2 folded) • 4 folded blankets and 4 correct British Army pattern stretcher pillows • Optional standard and extended exhaust pipes • Optional early (w/o sling rings) and late (w/ sling rings) wheel hubs • Optional roof ventilators • Optional wing mirrors • Driver figure (including rifle for RASC drivers) • Optional high/low stretcher/seat configurations for rear bay • Optional folded internal curtains • Optional jerrican/2 gallon can carriers • Optional early fabricated and late pressed steel spare wheel cover panels So I think we can rule out collaboration - but more that they spurred each other on to the finish line. Steve

...Worth waiting for - Let's hope the kit is too

Wasting £200 on a pair of Accurate Armour 1/35 K2/Y Ambulances. Opened the boxes - parts were - bent / snapped / full of holes / smashed / devoid of detail... ...oh & the instructions re the decal sheet were a joke. I couldn't get one good model out of the pair - oh well - never mind eh. Roll on the new releases from Airfix & Gecko I can get 5 for £200