Airfix Model World – July 2018

EDITOR'S DESK

WELCOME

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WELCOME TO ISSUE 92

The average sale for the period Jan – Dec 2017

was 13,149 print and digital copies monthly.

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EDITORIAL

Editor: Chris Clifford

Assistant Editor: Stu Fone

Group Editor: Stuart Qualtrough

Contributors to this issue: Toby Page,

Johan Augustsson, Dave Oliver, Malcolm V Lowe,

Mike Williams, Chris Jones, Massimo Santarossa,

Mike Grant, Jay Blakemore

Designer: Tom B agley

Chief Designer: Steve Donovan

EDITORIAL CONTACT

Airfi x Model World, Key Publishing Ltd,

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C l a s s i fi e d Sales Executive: Hollie Keeling

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Marketing Manager: Shaun Binnington

Event Coordinator: Julie Lawson

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GROUP CEO AND PUBLISHER

Adrian Cox

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Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK. Tel: 01780 755131.

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“AIRFIX’’ is a registered trade mark of Hornby

Hobbies Limited and is used under licence.

W

as I alone in thinking

that when Airfix

released its 1/

Spitfire Mk.22/24,

Seafire Mk.46/47 and Lightnings

in the 1990s, there was a huge

leap in quality?

I was bowled over by the detail

when I built the Mk.22 and its

same-scale hangar mates. It was

a real sea change. The moulding

process employed was a quantum

leap and I’m thrilled the Spitfire

has made it back into the

catalogue, following the Lightning

and Seafire’s reintroduction in

recent years. This issue’s build of

the re-released Mk.22, shows just

what can be achieved with this

product, even when it’s finished

almost entirely out of the box.

While the reappearance of these

kits is pleasing because they are

well detailed, there are many

modellers who still crave Airfix’s

much older toolings from the

1970s-80s. For some it’s pure

nostalgia, but the other reason

is that with certain subjects,

a sharper, more modern

equivalent has not been

created. Airfix has responded

with its Vintage Classics range

(see News, p.6), whereby older

offerings are re-issued with

period-style packaging, but with

the original date of manufacture

stated on the box. There are

real surprises here, such as the

HMS Ark Royal, Cutty Sark, AEC

Matador & 5.5” Gun and White

Half-Track M3, and it should

promote a whole new wave of

‘rejuvenation’ builds. It’ll also

be interesting to see the results

given the transformation of

modellers’ skills since these kits

were first manufactured...and

the proliferation of aftermarket

accessories. Who knows, we may

see entirely new bespoke detail

sets made for these very items,

and other older kits released by

Airfix in time.

One can always rely on Airfix to

provide for fans of RAF aircraft,

and that continues this year

with the all-new Wellington

(highlighted in last month’s

issue), and the forthcoming 1/

Blenheim and Hawker Hunter. It’s

fitting we see such gems in this,

the RAF’s 100th Anniversary year,

and as assistant editor Stu and I

have both served in ‘light blue’,

we’d like to dedicate this issue’s

Spitfire build, and that of the

Revell Tornado F.3, to all who have

donned the uniform and continue

to do so...Per ardua ad astra!

Chris Clifford, Editor

[email protected]