Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 My 7 year old has just begun to get interested in Airfix kits & has bought a Hawker Siddley Harrier with his pocket money. Naturally Dad has been pressed into service to "help" with the build by which I mean build it for him whilst he watches & passes me the bits Good grief they're small aren't they??? I have to admit I'm really struggling to both see & hold some of the smaller parts..... What's happened? I used to build loads of Airfix kits when I was his age....I even painted the little men!!! Have they shrunk the models??? If you used to build Airfix kits then I suggest you buy one & have a go.....it's flippin' difficult after the passage of 40 years!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFlyer Smyth Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Eh, not for me thanks Steve. I had eleven different mk's of spitfire hanging in my dad's shed and also 9 red arrow Gnats that I built as a lad. My mum recently brought me the deag Mclaren and its still wrapped in boxes. I'm dreading building it. My eyes are no longer up to the job and my fingers seemed to have fattened !! Edited By FastFlyer Smyth on 05/02/2014 18:14:14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 funny you should say that Steve.......... I used to rush down to our local 'woolies' in the 60's to buy a new model each week with my pocket money......of course at the time they were the bee's knee's and still are in some respects....but the size is small when you see them again........I was brought up on a diet of triang,corgi and Hornby(the wind up/clockwork train's) ....... ken Anderson........ne....1..... 60's dept.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 My Dad worked for Mettoy in Northampton ( now an Aldi!) - they did all the inflatable Wembley vinyl footballs, squeaky toys and later - Space Hoppers! But they also made Corgi cars (moulds in Northampton and cast/finished in Swansea). But also they did Aurora plastic kits. Somehow - some of these products 'found' their way home....... Among the various very large figures, Black Knight (on horseback!) , Red Knight, Scots man and Woman I recall an WW1 Albatross for certain and a couple of other WW1 Scouts. They didn't have many pieces! However they sowed the seeds and all my pocket money 1/3d a week (that's about 6 or 7p in decimal boys and girls!) went on Airfix from then on - legitimately bought and put together with pride! First kit was of course the Spit in blue plastic about 10 pieces in all?? As time went by I had about 100 or so most of which were displayed at the ATC HQ and that's where I left them. Recently I ordered a plastic kit magazine for a reference article - how things change. Yes the 1/72 kits now seem very small indeed but have you seen all the after market stuff in etched material. Wow! Too complex for me but the potential for detailing even at 1/72 is amazing. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 The very first Airfix kit that I was allowed to build without my dad's help was a Heinkel 111, an adventurous project as I remember back in '62. The smallest Airfix I built was the 1/72 scale Fokker triplane, truly minuscule! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Biddulph Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Spot on Ken, I did all of those things, I probably stood next to you in the que. Happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderstreak.keith Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 steve, its not the kits its the "getting older syndrome" the eyes they seem to fade a bit, anyway why I jumped in. Went to smiths today and noticed the airfix magazine has a build of the 1/72 harrier iff thats any help. also spec savers have got a 2 for 1 pair deal going tinted or clear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 the modern kids don't know they are born today........graham....we should have a nostalgia thread for some of the older forumites like timbo/young Asher's and co........ ken Anderson ne...1 ........... nostalgia dept... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I put some photos of Airfix kits I build when I was a teenagers. Still got them, and have about 200 in all. I used to enter them in competions at RAF Stafford when I was with 230 Sqn Air Cadets. Sometimes, I had them in a Diorama, and my Seaking over the sea won several times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Biddulph Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Ken, you mean Ken Anderson and Graham Biddulph's nostalgia dept... I still think we got the better deal Ken, sooner build the airfix models than do the playstation xbox thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Bertram Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I have a shed full of plastic kits for when I retire. I do the odd one now and then as the fancy takes me, it does have it's benefits!!! Sea King looks nice Paul. Have done a few more since the photo was taken Edited By Bob Bertram on 05/02/2014 20:36:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Not done much since my 20's After that I went into rc as once they are finished, they collect dust, although I built some afterwards, as they make good scale resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 This is a "me to"responce. Most weeks I would go with my parents into Manchester, visit Woolworths, for 2sh. I would be bought a Airfix kit. That along with train spotting were part of education. Who was "Lord Howard of Efflingham", what was the "black watch". What did the Dehavilland Comet"do? I also had a Auroa Fokker Triplane, a Albatross Dva,and a Fokker D7. Little did I know that many of these things would be returning passions. Aircraft and history. Where aircraft are part of history, some things, fact, others fiction and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Yup. Built loads of the things when I was a kid. Up to about 12 years old, when the balsa bug bit hard.... tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area 51 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Looks like a lot of us were all doing the same things with our spends.. HAPPY DAYS! Bring on the nostalgia.. I agree..... We had a nice hobby then as now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Biddulph Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Well Ken, we have started something here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Hi Steve, Going through the same thing myself, I agree with you they do seem to be a lot smaller than they were back in the 60's & 70's, hands / fingers bigger & eyes failing even with glasses. My son (almost 8) & I have built a Catalina and Concorde together so far, or a you put pass the parts to dad, wonderful father son times. I also build them myself for scale reference and detailing. Now and again I build one just because I remembered building it 40 odd years ago. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area 51 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Posted by Robert Parker on 05/02/2014 22:00:01: Now and again I build one just because I remembered building it 40 odd years ago. For a number of years now I have treated myself to one for the Xmas break and along with the other hangar work, build an airfix/revell or matchbox kit from way back when.. very therapeutic I find... and another reason to hind out for a few more hours.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeS Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Think we are showing our age, I used buy my kits from Gamleys stores and they always had a large selection of kits. When ever my parents went in to town on a Saturday I would buy a kit and build Saturday afternoon. Sunday I would wake up and first thing I thought of was painting and finishing the model. Later years I started painting before building and learnt the little tricks like dry brushing etc. My claim to fame was buying a 1/32 scale B17 and adding weathering to it and coming second in a model competition . I still do it today but these ones fly. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Gamleys! Most of my Airfix came from Woolworths at 2/- each in plastic bags! Only some of the biggest 1/72 came from the LMS as Christmas and birthday presents. Just over 200 hung from my bedroom ceiling with pins and cotton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFlyer Smyth Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I always remember my kits costing 1s.9d 2 bob a week left 3d pocket money. I think i saved that up for those tiny pots of Humbrol. Oh the memories.................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Jones 2 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Airfix kit at its finest, I think:**LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Pots of Humbrol? POTS?? You don't remember the little necked capsules then, that had to be rolled between the fingers to mix the colour up after the oil separated?........................aged about seven I had one burst and got a face full..................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Posted by Rob Jones 2 on 06/02/2014 05:45:31: Airfix kit at its finest, I think:**LINK** Yes, very good! Don't want to denigrate that work, but it surprises me just how many people there are with the patience of a Saint and the skills beyond belief. At least he does not have the nerve wracking task of seeing it lift off and fly!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Jones 2 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Posted by Rob Jones 2 on 06/02/2014 05:45:31: Airfix kit at its finest, I think:**LINK** Anyone know what the yellow spheres in the wings are? They must be for gas of some sort, but what and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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