[aldo_14]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/31/rip_airfix/

There's been a certain amount of teary-eyed nostalgia this morning down at Vulture Central at the news that the firm behind plastic model legend Airfix has gone into administration.

According to The Evening Standard, the company was formed in 1939 by Hungarian-born Nicholas Kove. At the height of its powers during the sixties, Airfix shifted 350,000 Spitfires, 80,000 Hurricanes and 60,000 Lancasters a year, but by last year sales were down to a third of that level.

Airfix's decline has been a protracted affair. It went into receivership in 1981 as enthusiasm for modelling waned. It was bought by MPC and the kit moulds and tools transferred to French company Heller. In 1986 it was acquired by Humbrol, which struggled to compete against the rise of TV, computer games, and the internet as kids' leisuretime activities of choice. A management team appointed in December 2005 failed to stop the rot. Administrators moved in to Hull-based Humbrol Ltd yesterday.

Bill Bond, of the Battle of Britain Historical Society, lamented: "It is a great shame. I remember building these models as a teenager. Spitfires were my favourite, like all children. For tens of thousands of boys this will have been integral to their childhood. I suppose it is a sign of the times. Spitfires are no longer fresh in the memory are they? Children now have PlayStations and computer games."

Sadly, the Airfix Spitfire is no more. Thirty-one of the company's 41 employees were last night made redundant after "severe cash flow pressures" and disruption of supplies from Heller - itself now insolvent - finally shot down the company.

Former Airfix sales representative Chris Rumball said: "The French wouldn't release any of the tools to us and now it has just brought us down with them."

The Airfix name may, however, live on. Keith Hinds of Grant Thornton, which is handling the administration, said: "The brand names and intellectual property of the business are potentially very valuable and we are looking to sell those to investors." ®

(I'll admit my airfix escapades were limited to a Tornado missing a wing, undercarriage, a tailfin the wrong way round and a glued-opaque cockpit)

[Flipside]

*Sniff*

Much of my youth was taken up building and painting Airfix models. I think it was that which inspired my to get my first job at Farnborough.

Admittedly, then I discovered Lightwave, which is kind of like Airfix without glueing your fingers together

[Wobble73]

My next door neighbour used to make Airfix models until one day he actually fell aslepp while making one! Some came in and woke hime up, He looked around all confused, "Where's my wings??!!" He cried. He'd fell asleep with his head on the table he was making the model on and the wings were glued to his forehead!

[Fineus]

Damn... I used to enjoy making those when I was younger. Many a young headache was attributed to smelling too much glue whilst doing that sort of thing!

I guess hitting people is more interesting than making plastic kits to the younger generations...

[aldo_14]

Damn... I used to enjoy making those when I was younger. Many a young headache was attributed to smelling too much glue whilst doing that sort of thing!

I guess hitting people is more interesting than making plastic kits to the younger generations...

You sound like you're 60, wearing a cardigan to drive your volvo estate to the golf club. 

[Herra Tohtori]

Well, I've always preferred Revell models anyway.

Of course I've had my share of Airfix' models, but IMO there was always something awry in them... parts that didn't fit together without heavy use of knife, halves of plane fuselage that were unmatched (making right half stand higher than left side), things like that. Perhaps they used to be better, my experience is limited to 90's era Airfix products.

Still, it's a shame. I fear Revell and other similar companies (or their parts that take care of plastic models) suffer similar fate due to low demand...

...And yes, Spitfires are cool but so are about a dozen other plane types.

[Colonol Dekker]

Kids nowadays only bought Airfix to get around savvy shopkeepers who wouldnt sell them glue..........

I had a spitfire, Also the outrider......(maybe not airfix brand, but you know what i mean)

[Fineus]

You sound like you're 60, wearing a cardigan to drive your volvo estate to the golf club. 

Whats that y'say sonny?

[aldo_14]

You sound like you're 60, wearing a cardigan to drive your volvo estate to the golf club. 

Whats that y'say sonny?

Get off my lawn!

[Colonol Dekker]

"Oh Mister Willl-sonnnnnnnnn    "

[Roanoke]

Well, I've always preferred Revell models anyway.

Of course I've had my share of Airfix' models, but IMO there was always something awry in them... parts that didn't fit together without heavy use of knife, halves of plane fuselage that were unmatched (making right half stand higher than left side), things like that. Perhaps they used to be better, my experience is limited to 90's era Airfix products.

Still, it's a shame. I fear Revell and other similar companies (or their parts that take care of plastic models) suffer similar fate due to low demand...

...And yes, Spitfires are cool but so are about a dozen other plane types.

That was half the fun. Maybe.

[Scooby_Doo]

OMG NO...... I loved airfix... good quality at cheap prices.

[karajorma]

Actually Hornby have expressed an interest in buying Airfix. So it might not be the end for them at all

[Scooby_Doo]

I always liked their WW2 craft, especially the rivit details. Maybe not as acqurate but looks good.   And a heck of a lot cheaper than Hasagawa and that other one I can't remember.