Airfix Javelin Box Art

[Denford]

As ever, the Airfix Javelin has eye catching box art: just the thing to make Aunt Bessie reach for her Credit Card to buy it for little Johnny as a Christmas present.

But did the Javelin ever fire a missile in anger? Test firings (if any) would surely have been in level flight: the attitude shown in the box art suggests a shot at a target that would have been out of range before its altitude had been reached.

[JasonC]

You're not really testing a missile properly if you only ever do it straight and level...

[Test Graham]

Next thing you'll be asking is just which submarine the Frog Shackleton was shown sinking.

Jason C is right, but the Firestreak had a pretty restrictive launch window. I suspect the attitude is somewhat unreal.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Graham Boak

[Duncan B]

The Javelin has been credited with only one operational "kill" and that credit could be argued as the aircraft in question (an Indonesian C130) actually crashed while trying to evade said Javelin during the Malaysian crisis.

Duncan B

[Devo]

Umm....it's box ART.

[Doug Rogers]

I wouldn't take the image too literally, my take on it is that it's a deliberately dramatic picture so as to encourage people to purchase the kit.

HTH

[Test Graham]

Agreed, and very little "action" box art represents reality at all closely. That shouldn't stop us poking fun when something silly is presented to us. At the bottom of it all, a model is supposed to represent a piece of history. You want to model fantasy then fair enough, I'm a long term SF and fantasy fan, but don't confuse it with reality. How about painting nine Javelins in a Red Arrows scheme?

[wyverns4]

Agreed, and very little "action" box art represents reality at all closely. That shouldn't stop us poking fun when something silly is presented to us. At the bottom of it all, a model is supposed to represent a piece of history. You want to model fantasy then fair enough, I'm a long term SF and fantasy fan, but don't confuse it with reality. How about painting nine Javelins in a Red Arrows scheme?

want one (nine), want one (all nine), waaaannnnnt !!

[Driver66]

Umm....it's box ART.

Or they could go back to those undramatic photos of actual models sitting on uninspirational backgrounds.....

Oh hang on that's when they didn't make money .

Yes more over imaginative box art please .

[Denford]

Agreed, and very little "action" box art represents reality at all closely. That shouldn't stop us poking fun when something silly is presented to us. At the bottom of it all, a model is supposed to represent a piece of history.

My very first posting concerned two errors in the box art of the Airfix P-40: since then (eg P-51) falling empty cartridge cases have been shown where appropriate.

[avro683]

We could always go back to the 80's "model on a diagram" era........

[Bobski]

It's box art. Who cares?

[Rob M.]

Well over 100 test firings at Woomera apparently against Jindavik drones:
http://www.flightglobal.com/.../1958/1958-1-%20-%200708.PDF
Doubt they were all 1g straight and level either.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Rob M.

[blueliner]

Accuracy?

How about the old Airfix Anson box art?

Ansons under attack and Fw-190s dropping like flies.

Even at 11 years old I thought it was a bit far fetched...