Airfix The Uk Manufacturer Of Plastic Scale Model Kits

By Author: Michael Spears
Total Articles: 5
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Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other
subjects. In Britain, the name Airfix
is synonymous with the hobby, a plastic model of this type is often simply
referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer.



Founded in 1939, Airfix was owned by Humbrol from 1986 until Humbrol's financial
collapse on 31 August 2006. As of 2007, Airfix is currently owned by Hornby.
Airfix scale models including aircraft model kits have provided many hours of
enjoyment to model makers for more than 50 years.



Its warships, tanks and aircraft model kits
have proved to be extremely popular even when you take into consideration that
many model kits were difficult to assemble properly, making the Airfix sets
challenging to model makers. Airfix kits by the mid to late 1960s, were selling
350,000 Spitfires model kits, 80,000 Hurricanes and 60,000 Lancaster aircraft
model kits per year.


...
... br />Airfix was founded in 1939 by Nicholas Kove, a Hungarian-born businessman, who
initially made inflatable toys. Airfix first model kit was a Ferguson tractor
sold in 1949. The Spitfire came out in 1955. During the 1960s and 1970s the
Airfix scale model range expanded to
include various vintage and modern cars, motorcycles, figures, trains, military
vehicles, warships, ocean liners, engines, rockets and spaceship model kits. In
the mid 1970s larger scale models of the Spitfire, Hurricane and Harrier
jump-jet model kits were introduced.



Airfix went into receivership in January 1981 as modelling became less popular.
The company was bought by MPC with the model kit moulds being sent to Heller,
the company again taken over in 1986 by Humbrol. More recently, Airfix models
kits were criticised as being model making kits that were much easier to make
and could be snapped together in a matter of minutes.age.
Michael, owner of The UKs premier website for Airfix and Revell Scale Models, all the latest models and accessories for Airfix kits and scale models..