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. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A scale model of the Tower of London. ...

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. Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. ...

History

Airfix was founded in 1939 by a Hungarian businessman Nicholas Kove, initially manufacturing rubber inflatable toys. The brand name Airfix was selected to be the first alphabetically in any toy catalogue. In 1947, Airfix introduced injection moulding, initially producing pocket combs. In 1949, it was commissioned to create a promotional model of a Ferguson tractor. The model was initially moulded in cellulose acetate plastic and hand assembled for distribution to Ferguson sales representatives. To increase sales and lower productions costs, the model was sold in kit form by F. W. Woolworth's retail stores. Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Injection moulding is a manufacturing technique for making parts from thermoplastic material in production. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cellulose acetate, first prepared in 1865, is the acetate ester of cellulose. ... For formerly affiliated and similarly named companies, see Woolworth (disambiguation). ...

A few years later in 1954, Woolworth buyer Jim Russon suggested to Airfix that they produce a model kit of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind, then being sold in North America as a 'ship-in-a-bottle'. The kit would be made in the more stable polystyrene plastic. In order to meet Woolworth's retail price of 2 shillings, Airfix changed the packaging from a cardboard box to a plastic bag with a paper header which also included the instructions. It was a huge success and led the company to produce new kit designs. The first aircraft kit was released in 1955, a model of the Supermarine Spitfire, in 1/72 scale. This was a scaled down copy of the Aurora 1/48 Supermarine Spitfire kit. Kove initially refused to believe the product would sell and threatened to charge the cost of the tooling to the designers. Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar). ... Sir Francis Drake, c. ... The Golden Hind was an English ship best known for its global circumnavigation between 1577 and 1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake. ... Ship in a Bottle may refer to: Ship in a bottle, a type of impossible bottle containing a model ship Ship in a Bottle (TNG episode), a sixth-season epsisode of Star Trek: The Next Generation Category: ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-seat fighter, which was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during the Second World War, and into the 1950s. ...

Expansion

During the 1960s and 1970s, the company expanded greatly as the kit modelling hobby grew enormously. The Airfix range expanded to include vintage and modern cars, motorcycles, figures, trains, trackside accessories, military vehicles, large classic ships, warships, liners, engines, rockets and spaceships, as well as an ever-increasing range of aircraft. Most kits were created at the "standard" scale of 1/72 for small and military aircraft, and 1/144 scale for airliners. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

The 1963 acquisition of the intellectual property and 35 moulds of Rosebud Kitmaster gave Airfix their first true models of railway locomotives in both OO and HO scales as well as their first motorcycle kit in 1/16th scale - the Ariel Arrow.

Note: Most of Airfix's older range of military vehicles though originally packaged as 1/72 are generally accepted as actually being OO or 1/76 scale. The recent introduction of a small number of true 1/72 vehicle kits to the Airfix range meant that you couldn't be completely sure from just looking at the box what the true scale was. However, following Airfix's acquisition by Hornby this has been clarified as the kits are now being distributed in new packaging showing either 1/72 or 1/76 as appropriate. OO gauge model railways are the most popular standard in the United Kingdom, being one of several 4 mm scale standards (4 mm to the foot (305 mm), or 1:76. ...

In the mid 1970s, larger scales were introduced, including the dramatic 1/24 scale models of the Spitfire and Hurricane and Harrier "jump-jet", which featured unusually extensive detailing at this scale. All the kits were manufactured using injection moulding of polystyrene. They were categorised into Series from 1 to 20 depending on their size and complexity and were priced accordingly. The only Series 20 product was a 1/12 scale kit of the 1930 Supercharged Bentley 4.5 Litre car with 272 parts and the option of a 3 volt motor. The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. ... See also BAE Sea Harrier The Hawker Siddeley Harrier and the AV-8A are the first generation of the Harrier series, a successful close-support and reconnaissance fighter aircraft with V/STOL capabilities. ... Injection moulding is a manufacturing technique for making parts from thermoplastic material in production. ... For other uses, see Polystyrene (disambiguation). ... Famous for his statement theres no replacement for displacement, Walter Owen Bentley upped the displacement of his 3 Litre sports car in 1926, producing the 4½ Litre. ...

The growth of the hobby launched a number of competitors in the field, such as Matchbox, as well as introducing new manufacturers from Japan and the US to the UK. During this period the company Humbrol also grew, supplying the paints, brushes, glue and other accessories for the finishing of the kits. Matchbox Superfast box art. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...

In this period, apart from model kits, Airfix also produced a wide range of toys, games, dolls and art & craft products. Airfix Industries acquired the Meccano and Dinky Toy businesses in 1971. Meccano is a model construction kit comprising re-usable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. ... Dinky Toys are die-cast miniature model cars and trucks. ...

Airfix also launched a monthly modelling magazine, Airfix Magazine, which was produced by a variety of publishers from June 1960 to October 1993. During the 1970s, an Airfix Magazine Annual was also produced and Airfix books were published by Patrick Stephens Ltd on classic aircraft, classic ships and modelling techniques.

Decline, purchase by Humbrol

In the 1980s, the plastic kit modelling hobby went into a rapid decline. Some think this was due to the rise of computer games, others that new manufacturing techniques such as precision diecasting took away the market for toys, where a person was less interested in the construction and finishing of a model, but simply wanted to play with the finished product, others the declining birth rates leading into smaller generations and declining numbers of potential enthusiasts. However, the decline may simply be a side effect of large increases in the sticker price of plastic models following the oil crisis of the late '70's which led to high inflation as well as an increase in the price of plastics. This also may explain why the emphasis of the modelmaking hobby is today on adults rather than children. The 1980s is the decade, spanning from 1980 to 1989, also called The Eighties. The decade saw social, economic and general upheaval as wealth, production and western culture migrated to new industrializing economies. ... This article needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... Casting is a process by which a material is introduced into a mold while it is liquid, allowed to solidify in the shape inside the mold, and then removed producing a fabricated object, part, or casing. ... A teddy bear A toy is an object used in play. ...

Due to large losses in Airfix's other toy businesses, even though the model business was still profitable, Airfix was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1981. The company was bought by General Mills (owner of rival US kit-maker MPC) through its UK Palitoy subsidiary, with the kit moulds being quickly shipped to its factory in Calais, France. General Mills (NYSE: GIS) is a Fortune 500 corporation, mainly concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. ... Calais (Kales in Dutch) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ...

Four years later, General Mills withdrew from the toy market to refocus its efforts on its core food manufacturing business. At one point it looked as if the Airfix range might die out, but eventually, in 1986, it was bought by the Hobby Products Group of Borden, Inc., who had tried to buy the range in 1981. Borden were also the owners of British model company Humbrol. The moulds remained in France but were relocated to the Group's existing kit manufacturer, Trun-based Heller SA. This was a logical acquisition, since Humbrol's paints and adhesives could be used to complete Airfix kits and the Heller factory was under-utilised. Borden Milk Products LP was founded in 1856 by Gail Borden and is now owned by Dallas-based Milk Products LP. MPLP is privately held and located near National Dairy Products LP. Most of Bordens products are sold in the United States. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... Categories: Stub | Companies ...

The Hobby Products Group was sold to an Irish investment company, Allen & McGuire, in 1994 and continued under the Humbrol name.

50th anniversary

In 2003, Airfix celebrated the "50th" anniversary of its first aircraft kit, the Supermarine Spitfire. The celebration was two years early due to an incorrect 1953 date commonly accepted at the time. As the moulds for the original kit were long gone, Airfix reissued its 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia kit in blue plastic. The kit also included a large Series 5 stand (the moulds for the smaller Series 1 stand having been lost) and a copy of the original plastic bag packaging with paper header. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Demise of Humbrol and acquisition by Hornby

On 31 August 2006, parent company Humbrol went into administration, with 31 of 41 employees being made redundant. This was largely due to the collapse of Heller SA, who still manufactured most of Airfix's kits^[1]. On 10 November 2006, Hornby Hobbies Ltd. announced it was to acquire Airfix and other assets of Humbrol for £2.6 million,^[2] and relaunched the brands the following year. is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions which functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent companies and allows them to carry on running their business. ... In UK employment law, redundancy is the dismissal of an employee when his or her job becomes unnecessary. ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. ...

Internet presence

Humbrol's collapse also meant the demise of the excellent official Airfix web forum. With it went a treasure trove of modellers' information collected over many years and a storehouse of links to and writings about "the real thing." . After the closure of the forums on this site, other web forums began to appear, such as the Unofficial Airfix Modeller’s Forum, or The Airfix Tribute Forum. ^[3] Gaia Online, the largest English language forum-based community as of April 2005 — powered by a modified version of phpBB. An Internet forum is a web application which provides for discussion, often in conjunction with online communities. ...

On September 12, 2007, Hornby relaunched the Airfix website and online store, giving Airfix fans the option of buying direct from Airfix themselves online.

Model railways

From 1975 to 1981, Airfix also manufactured a line of ready-to-run (i.e. non-kit) model railway stock in 00 gauge (1/76.2 scale). These models were based on British prototypes and at the time of introduction, they represented a significant improvement in detailing and prototype accuracy compared to British outline model railway stock from other British ready-to-run manufacturers such as Hornby. The product range expanded fairly rapidly in the first few years. A model of a Great Western Railway (GWR) 0-4-2 autotank steam locomotive and GWR autocoach are amongst some of the many memorable and important product releases. Airfix also offered an analogue electronics-based multiple train control system (MTC) allowing independent control of multiple locomotives on the same track. Airfix produced a large number of plastic kits for both railway stock and scenic items. Some of these such as the footbridge and engine shed became instantly recognizable to almost every railway modeller in the UK. Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... (Redirected from 00 gauge) OO gauge model railways are the most popular standard in the United Kingdom, being one of several 4 mm scale standards (4 mm to the foot (305 mm), or 1:76. ... Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...

The brand label was changed to Great Model Railways (GMR) in 1979, although the Airfix name was still included. However, Airfix left the model railway business in 1981. The models were sold to one of its main competitors, Palitoy who produced the Mainline range of products. The former Airfix moulds together with the Palitoy designed 2P 4-4-0 and Class 56 diesel were later re-sold to Dapol Ltd and then subsequently to Hornby. Dapol provided new chassis for the 14xx and Castle. The remainder of the Mainline Railways had been produced for Palitoy by Kader Industries and ownership of those tools remained with Kader, being later used to form the basis of the Bachmann Branchline models. Dapol continues to produce (but not promote) most of the kits but as the moulds (some now over forty years old) wear out the kits are being discontinued. Hornby continues to make 4mm/ft scale models from the Airfix mouldings. Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Palitoy was the name of a British toy company. ... Dapol Ltd are a United Kingdom company which designs and manufacturers model railway products at its factory near Chirk on the border between England and Wales. ... Bachmann Branchline is a brand name of Bachmann Industries used for British outline OO scale model railways. ...

A monthly magazine, Model Trains, was published by Airfix from January 1980. The magazine included especially good articles aimed at newcomers to the hobby and also included many articles about modelling US and Continental European railways, as well British prototype railways. The publication of Model Trains continued for some years after Airfix ceased ownership in 1981. A change in the editorial team saw the original Model Trains editorial staff launch a new title as Scale Trains, in April 1982. A slight name change followed in April 1984, as Scale Model Trains following the final issue of Model Trains in December 1983. Scale Model Trains ran till June 1995, when a new publisher was found and the magazine was relaunched in 1995 as Model Trains International, the November/December issue being issue number 1. As of 2007, it continues to be published bi-monthly. The magazine also has a website. Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... For the Jimi Hendrix song, see 1983. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

Airfix Motor Racing

In 1963, the Airfix Motor Racing slot car racing system was introduced. While they produced specially made racing cars, with front-wheel Ackermann steering, they also later made conversion kits so that normal Airfix 1/32 kit cars such as the Ford Zodiac and the Sunbeam Rapier could be made to race. The first set had Ferrari and Cooper cars, an 11 foot figure-of-eight track, and cost 4 pounds 19 shillings and 11 pence. Two Scalextric VW Beetles on track. ... Ackermann steering geometry is a geometric arrangement of linkages in the steering of a car or other vehicle designed to solve the problem of wheels on the inside and outside of a turn needing to trace out circles of different radii. ...

Always in the shadow of the Scalextric range, the Airfix version attempted progress with the Model Road Racing Company (MRRC) higher-end range of cars and accessories, but eventually the venture was abandoned. 6-lane Scalextric layout with colour-coded lanes Scalextric is a major international brand of slot car racing that first appeared in the late 1950s and is currently owned by Hornby. ...

Video game

In 2001, EON Digital Entertainment released Airfix Dogfighter, a game for PC compatible computers. The game featured computer representation of Airfix's Second World War-era model aircraft with a total of over 15 playable aircraft, including the German Me262, and the American F6F Hellcat. The game featured 20 total missions, allowing players to play 10 missions as both the Axis and Allies. Players fought their way through the game's 1950's-era house, destroying enemy planes while trying to collect healing glue packets, new model kits, weapons schematics, and paint to customise their aircraft for on-line battles. Pilots would battle enemy model aircraft as well as U-boats, warships, tanks, flak guns, airships, and fortresses. Players could also design their own fighting emblem, call sign, and even their own battle maps based on the missions in the game. The whole game is an advertising venture, as the paints are Humbrol and the kit upgrades show actual pictures of Airfix packages. One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a fighter plane descended from the earlier F4F Wildcat, but was a completely new design sharing only a familial resemblance to the Wildcat. ...

Construction kit product ranges

Aircraft

1:24, 1:48, 1:72, 1:144 and 1:300 scales, covering aircraft from WWI to the present day. Perhaps the most well known range of Airfix models.

Rockets and Spaceships

1:72 and 1:144 scales. A small range from the Lunar Module to the Saturn V. Also some TV/film science fiction spacecraft, usually in odd scales.

Famous Warships

1:400, 1:600 and 1:1200 scales. From WWI to modern.

High Speed Boats

1:72. A small range of mostly WWII boats.

Classic Historical Ships

A number of 15th to 19th century ships in small scale (about 1:600) and large scale (from 1:96 to 1:180).

Cars

1:12, 1:24, 1:25, 1:32 and 1:43 scales. The range includes a series of Veteran and Modern cars.

Motorcycles

1:8, 1:12, 1:16 and 1:24 scales. Includes bikes from the 1960s to present day racing bikes.

Trains and Trackside Accessories

1:76 scale. Includes a number of ex-Kitmaster kits. The moulds for these kits were sold to Dapol in the 1980s.

Military Vehicles

1:32, 1:35, 1:72 and 1:76 scales. Airfix was the first company to release small scale military vehicles in 1960 with the 1:72 Bloodhound. The following vehicles were in 1:76 or 00 scale.

Diorama sets

H0/00 scale WWII scenes including the "Battlefront History" series. Also the "Rampaging Scorpion" and "Colossal Mantis" science fiction dioramas. A new series of Airfield Sets has recently been released, with Aircraft, Miliary Vehicles and Figures included in the box. Airfix also produce a range of Military Vehicles such as the RAF Refuelling Set to be used with Structures like the Airfield Control Tower.

Figures

1:76, 1:72 and 1:32 scales. Sets of mostly military figures (approximately 14 to 30 per box for 1:32, 30 to 50 per box for 1:72) , of subjects such as WWI, WWII and Modern Infantry, Waterloo, Arab Tribesmen, etc. These are made in polythene, a soft durable plastic. Some vehicles of simpler casting and detail than their polystyrene equivalents and buildings were also available and included in larger play sets, e.g., the Coastal Defence Assault Set which included polythene tanks and infantry for either side plus a polystyrene Coastal Defence Fort kit. Collectors of vintage toy soldiers have reported brittling and disintegration of Airfix 1/76 scale plastic figures.[1]

Multipose Figures

1:32 scale. A small range of WWII figures in polystyrene that could be assembled in different poses.

Collector Series

54 mm. These were plastic kits of single figures, mostly from the Battle of Waterloo, American Civil War, and English Civil War. Some kits have a rider, e.g., George Washington, on a horse.

Historical Figures

1:12 scale. Famous figures from history, mostly from the British Isles, e.g., Anne Boleyn, Black Prince, and Oliver Cromwell. Also produced were a showjumper with horse (rumoured to have been based on the young Princess Anne), and a 1:6 scale human skeleton.

Wildlife Series

1:1 scale. Models of British garden birds in a diorama form, e.g., two bullfinches on a branch.

Dinosaurs

A small range of kits of pre-historic dinosaurs, e.g., Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Museum Series

A small range of motorised engines. Includes a Beam and Four Stroke Cycle Engine.

Robogear

science fiction wargaming models.

Doctor Who

Various models from the Doctor Who TV series including the TARDIS.^[4]

Airfix also produced a small number of Card Construction kits for use with the Airfix Railway System. These were included with some Airfix GMR Train Sets. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Kitmaster was the name of a range of injection-moulded plastic model kits produced by the Rosebud doll company. ... A diorama is any of the two display devices mentioned below. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... This article explains the archipelago in north-western Europe. ... Anne Boleyn, 1st Marchioness of Pembroke (1501/1507–19 May 1536) was a Queen Consort of England, the second wife of King Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. Henrys marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key player in the political and religious... Edward the Black Prince - illustration from Cassells History of England circa 1902 Effigy on the Black Princes tomb in Canterbury Cathedral Edward, Prince of Wales, known as the Black Prince (June 15, 1330 - June 8, 1376) was the eldest son of King Edward III of England. ... Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader best known for his involvement in making England into a republican Commonwealth and for his later role as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... Show jumping or jumpers is a member of a family of English-discipline equestrian events that includes dressage, eventing, hunters and equitation. ... Princess Anne may refer to more than one person: Anne, Princess Royal (born 15 August 1950), daughter of Elizabeth II of the UK Anne, Princess of Orange (1709‑1759), daughter of George II of Great Britain Anne (1637‑1759), daughter of Charles I of England Princess Anne may refer to... Bullfinch is a name given to two groups of passerine birds. ... Orders & Suborders Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Theropoda Ornithischia Thyreophora Ornithopoda Marginocephalia Dinosaurs were vertebrate animals that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. ... Glory, an American Civil War game by GMT This article is about the civilian hobby. ... This article is about the television series. ... The current TARDIS prop. ...

References

Ward, Arthur, Airfix: Celebrating 50 Years of the Greatest Plastic Kits in the World, Ted Smart, London, 1999, ISBN 0-00-765782-X.

Footnotes

1. ^ Airfix model firm goes into administration. Retrieved on 2007-10-30.
2. ^ Hornby Acquires Assets of Airfix Humbrol. Retrieved on 2007-10-30.
3. ^ Unofficial Airfix Modeller’s Forum. Retrieved on 2007-11-27.
4. ^ Airfix Doctor Who page

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• The official Airfix website
• Airfix Model Railways
• Airfix box art
• A guide to collecting Airfix HO scale figures
• Airfix 1/32 scale figures
• The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum
• airfix tribute forum
• The Airfix Collectors Club

News articles

• Airfix heads 2,400 years into future at BBC News, 4 October 2005
• Sticky future for kitmaker Airfix at BBC News, 31 August 2006
• Last flight of Airfix as model firm goes bust at thisismoney.co.uk, 31 August 2006
• "Airfix made me the man I am" — BBC article on Airfix
• Hornby press release on acquisition