2018 – Another model year for Airfix
We would like to wish all our readers a very festive welcome to this special Review Edition of our Airfix Workbench blog and a traditional look back at some of the interesting features we have brought you over the previous twelve months. Hopefully, many of you will have benefited from a couple of new modelling additions to your impending 2019 build schedule over the past few days (we won’t mention the word stash), or maybe even a new airbrush and compressor was smuggled down the chimney on Christmas night. However you spent the Christmas break, we hope you had an enjoyable time and were not forced to spend too much time away from the workbench.
At this time of year, it is always nice to acknowledge some of the people who have helped to make the blog such a success this year and without whose support it would not be possible to produce Workbench. From the Airfix Development and research Team, to the Brand Manager, from the Assistant Brand Managers, to our fantastic Photographer, everyone contributes hugely to the production of the blog, which is a real team effort and without everyone’s invaluable individual input, things simply would not be the same. We would like to sincerely thank the team for their unstinting support and enthusiasm, whilst at the same time highlighting the fact that all this well-deserved praise means that we will be doing it all again next year and we are going to need your help again. At this point, it would be somewhat remis of us if we did not mention our fantastic readership, who have stayed loyal to us since we posted our first blog in the summer of 2015 and have stayed with us ever since. We are extremely proud to say that Workbench is consistently the most popular of all the Hornby brand blogs, which is a clear reflection both on the quality of the information we bring you, combined with the unwavering loyalty of our readers. Thank you for your support this year and we can promise you much more to come from Airfix in 2019, a year of modelling exclusives and information we look forward to sharing with you all.
We know what you want
Workbench readers are usually the first people to find out about new Airfix tooling projects and have become familiar with these computer rendered 3D images of iconic aircraft types
Having produced eighty eight Workbench blogs over a busy three year period, we think we have a pretty good idea of what our readers like to hear about most – new model tooling announcements. We know that when we look at the readership statistics for any given year, the most successful blogs will usually be those which support the announcement of a new model tooling and we are pleased to say that in the majority of cases, Workbench readers get to see this information before anyone else does. Adding a little more clarity to this statement, Workbench readers are pretty consistent with their support and even though readership spikes can certainly be identified for announcement blogs, they are not too far in advance of average readership figures, which also remain consistently impressive. That being said, we know how best to appeal to you lot and did not wait too long into 2018 before we unleashed our first new tooling announcement on you – in fact, less than two weeks. Edition 64 of our blog was devoted to the exclusive unveiling of our new 1/48th scale Hawker Hunter F.6, the latest edition to our growing collection of highly detailed models in this scale and the immortalisation of this aviation classic in the Airfix range. The Hunter is widely regarded as one of the most cultured and attractive looking jet aircraft ever produced and the decision to tool the model in this slightly larger scale can only further enhance the appeal of one of Britain’s most successful jets. It will also allow modellers to bridge the 1/48th scale gap between Hawker’s last piston powered fighter in Fleet Air Arm service (Sea Fury) and this first Hawker jet to enter RAF service, representing just six years of development between the first flight of both types, but highlighting the pace of aviation development.
Project development. Throughout 2018, we have been able to bring you regular updates from the new Hunter project, as it speeds towards its release date. Following a pattern which is now familiar to readers, we begin with a look at the first test frames from the tooling
This is sometimes followed by the sight of a built and finished test model, although usually, we would be bringing you confirmation of the scheme options to be included in the kit first
If the new kit scheme options are featured after readers have seen a built sample, they will usually (but not always) differ from the scheme used to complete this test model
One of the highlights of any new tooling project, the unveiling of the iconic box artwork places everyone on standby, as the release date for the new model is usually not too far away
Because the new Hunter was announced so early in the year, we were also able to boast built samples of this magnificent kit on the Airfix stand at Telford
The classic lines of the Hawker Hunter have already assured that this will be an extremely popular addition to our 1/48th scale kit range
The Hunter variant developed by the Airfix team is the F.6 fighter, an aircraft considered by many to be the definitive version of the Hunter and one which incorporated a number of significant improvements over its predecessors, highlighting the adaptability of Hawker’s basic design. The constant desire for more speed and greater fuel efficiency resulted in Rolls-Royce developing the Avon 203 engine, almost a complete re-design of the earlier powerplant, which yielded an additional 33% greater thrust for the Hunter pilot to play with. The F.6 also incorporated an improved fuel management system and tank layout, as well as introducing the distinctive outer-wing leading edge extension, which gave the wing a saw-tooth appearance and was developed to improve high speed stability. The Hunter F.6 was a thoroughbred fighting aeroplane, with the visible design changes only serving to enhance its reputation and certainly not detracting from its aesthetic appeal. The affection with which this beautiful aircraft is still held makes its selection as a new Airfix tooling project one which has been overwhelmingly well received and many modellers will be looking forward to getting their hands on one of these 1/48th scale beauties.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of producing Workbench in its usual bi weekly format, is having the opportunity to bring you regular updates on all the new tooling projects we reveal, from the initial announcement, right through to its eventual arrival on the Airfix website and in model stores all over the world. This allows readers to chart the progress of any new tooling project as it passes through the various stages of development, in a structured format which has now become extremely familiar to us all. This will usually be along the lines of new tooling reveal, first tooling test frame images, confirmation of the scheme options included with the kit, a full test build from production components and finally, the popular box artwork reveal, a sign that the new model will soon be lying on our workstations. In the case of the new Hunter, this project was announced so early in the year that we were able to display built samples of the kit on the Airfix stand at Telford, further raising the excitement levels surrounding this new kit. Along with numerous updates to previously announced new tooling projects, 2018 has also seen the announcement of our new 1/48th scale Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIV and the spectacular Telford 1/24th scale Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat reveal, which was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our year.
100 not out for the Royal Air Force
Special box artwork was commissioned in support of our three aircraft RAF Centenary Gift Set release
The subject of British aviation received a popularity boost during 2018, as the general population of the country were educated about the history of their Royal Air Force and how it was celebrating the centenary of its establishment. In the final year of the Great War, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps were amalgamated into a single air fighting force, bringing to an end many months of planning and preparation, in an attempt to end the frustrations and wastefulness of operating the two air forces separately. Previously, both had been independently developing and procuring aircraft, engines and technological advances, but as the aeroplane was becoming increasingly influential on the battlefield, a unified force was the only sensible option for the future.
An extremely creative representation of our RAF Centenary Gift Set, spotted at this year’s Scale Modelworld show
In this centenary year for the Royal Air Force, many of the kits we had available would have made great modelling tributes to this significant occasion
As one of Britain’s great hobby brands, Airfix clearly wanted to commemorate the RAF centenary in kit form, however was not as easy a project as you might initially think. A great many of the kits in any Airfix range feature aircraft which have represented the RAF over the past 100 years, with modellers having a bewildering choice available to them, especially when factoring in the option to use after-market decals in your build. It was decided that the most appropriate option was to release our special RAF Centenary Gift Set (A50181), which features a trio of iconic British fighter aircraft from over the past 100 years, each one representing the pinnacle of world aviation technology at the time they entered Royal Air Force service. From the Sopwith Camel of the Great War, which claimed more aerial victories than any other Allied fighter, to the latest Eurofighter Typhoon, which defends Britain’s airspace from unwanted airborne encroachment, these aircraft are amongst the most famous to wear the roundel of the RAF. Between these two classics comes arguably the most famous fighting aircraft of all time, the incomparable Supermarine Spitfire, which to this day, remains instantly recognisable to millions of people, enjoying almost universal aviation veneration.
This fantastic gift set benefited from some specially produced box artwork and is supplied complete with glue, paint and brushes, allowing the recipient to start work on their instant RAF model collection almost as soon as the Queen has delivered her Christmas Day message. A fine gift set combination with which to make a modelling contribution to this significant centenary year for the Royal Air Force.
Workbench in uncharted territory
Surely high on many a modeller’s Christmas List, the magnificent new 1/48th scale Bristol Blenheim is an impressive addition to the growing range of 1/48th scale aircraft kits we have available
In a year which has seen both the centenary of the Royal Air Force and the 75th anniversary of the Dambusters raid commemorated, Workbench has passed a significant milestone of its own, as it continues to set a blog course through uncharted web waters. Our 78th edition marked three years since we published our first blog and even though we are hardly ever short of features and updates to bring you, we had something extra special reserved for this edition – a full update from our highly anticipated 1/48th scale Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF tooling. This magnificent new model has actually been released now, but almost as soon as we announced the existence of this kit, we were left in no doubt whatsoever that this was going to be one of the most popular new models we have produced for many a year. Over recent weeks, we have also brought you pictures of the first built samples from this magnificent new tooling, as well as having two complete examples available for inspection on the Airfix stand at Telford. Anyone who has been lucky enough to see this model in the flesh cannot fail but to be impressed and for many people, this was undoubtedly the modelling highlight of their year. Released in time for Christmas, we expect to see plenty of built Blenheims featuring on our Customer images pages during the early part of 2019 – this new model has to be considered something of a modern Airfix classic.
Also included in our 3rd anniversary edition, we offered one lucky reader the chance to win a handsome collection of Airfix goodies, which featured one of the other highlight new tooling releases of the year, our 1/72nd scale Vickers Wellington Mk.IA/C. Keeping it company, we also had one of the RAF Centenary Gift Sets and the only way to enjoy your favourite refreshment, one of our new Airfix mugs. Traditionally, we do not tend to overload our blogs with competitions, but when we do feature one, our fantastic readers respond in their thousands and we are very grateful for this level of support. For that reason, it was somewhat surprising that the eventual winner of this competition did not come forward to claim their prize and as these kits were lying unloved in the marketing area here at Airfix and in line with our competition terms and conditions, we thought it only right and proper to find a new owner for this bundle.
There was no room in Santa’s sack for these goodies, however, they will be a great way for one lucky reader to start the New Year
To be in with a chance of winning this trio of Airfix goodies, simply head over to the Airfix Competitions Page, where you will find a topical aviation related question to answer – it is linked to this RAF centenary year and some significant news about the future plans of the RAF, announced at this year’s Farnborough Airshow. As usual, there will be three possible answers for you to select from, with just one being the correct answer – all you have to do is select that one in the drop-down box to be in with a chance of winning. Our winner will be selected at random and informed by e-mail, with confirmation details included in a forthcoming edition of Workbench. The competition itself will remain open until midnight on Sunday 13th January, so you will have plenty of time to get your entry in over the next few days – good luck to everyone who enters.
Telford Time
A keen eye and a steady hand are prerequisites if you put yourself forward to help select the latest Telford winner of the Airfix Trophy
For the Airfix team, the annual modelling extravaganza which is the Scale Modelworld Show is one of the highlights of our year and allows us the opportunity to meet modellers young and old, as well as proudly presenting our latest projects. In addition to announcing the new 1/24th scale Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, two members of the team had the unenviable task of tying to select the latest winner of the Airfix Trophy, from an impressive array of beautifully produced models. The previous edition of our blog included a feature which followed the adjudicating pair as they went about their challenging business and how they finally arrived at their decision. Having been fortunate enough to meet the victor, we also included a fascinating behind the scenes look at how this impressive model build came about and where the initial inspiration came from. There is one thing that Scale Modelworld will always confirm – there are some incredibly talented modellers out there and it is a real treat to be allowed to view their work.
This year’s worthy winner was a diorama build based on an unusual incident featuring a low flying BE2c and some power lines. Our hearty congratulations go to Richard Nicholl
The opportunity to spend some time in the competition hall at Telford proved to be one of the definite highlights of the year, with beautifully produced model creations wherever you looked. Clearly, not all of the models on display were eligible for consideration in the Airfix Trophy competition, however, the modelling talent on display was simply astonishing and by way of a final 2018 Review Blog treat, here is a final selection of pictures featuring competition entries from this year’s show, some Airfix and some not, but each one displaying exceptional levels of modelling talent. If you are not keen on creatures sporting long, sharp teeth, this might be a good time to go and grab that last mince pie from the cupboard!
Prehistoric Trio. Many Workbench readers will have fond memories of building Airfix dinosaurs in their youth, in the days before CGI movies and when these were always amongst the top sellers in any range
The finish on this Dimetrodon was so impressive that it almost looked as if it would step down from its plinth and walk around the competition hall. This model was very much in contention for winning the Airfix Trophy
King of the beasts. Just like a famous painting, these beautifully finished models grab your attention and force you to inspect every detail, discovering even more detail the longer you look
I admit to being scared out of my wits whilst watching Jaws at the cinema, but the experience left me with a fascination of these majestic creatures. I promised myself that I would one day touch one of these sharks in the wild, but after viewing this magnificent model, I think I will stick to watching Mr Attenborough
Anyone fancy a quick dip? This imaginative build features a 1/32nd scale Airfix Triumph Herald and a host of scratch built parts, to produce this unusual mode of transport
Using a painted diorama backdrop and models of different scales to achieve the effect, this entry entitled ‘Dogfight’ made a dramatic modelling contribution to this year’s RAF centenary
A modelling work of art. This magnificent piece is a model recreation of a historic Great War photograph, turning a black and white image into a three dimensional model diorama
A close up view of this exceptional diorama
New Airfix range for early January
We are afraid that this is all we have for you in this special end of year review edition of our blog. It has been a real pleasure to bring you all the latest news, features and exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix modelling throughout the year and we look forward to much more during 2019. One of the exciting initiatives we are planning is to offer Workbench readers the opportunity to have their say on which new model toolings they would like to see joining the Airfix line up in a future range. We always receive plenty of suggestions from modellers over the Telford weekend, but we are looking to open this up to the worldwide readership of workbench during 2019 and we are really looking forward to seeing which suggestions come out on top. Watch out for more details about this early in the new year.
There can be no finer way to sign off any annual review blog than by letting everyone know that we will be starting the new year with the announcement of a new Airfix model range, which is due to go live on the Airfix website at 2pm on Monday 7th January. Although we are clearly not in a position to give you any details at this point, we can confirm the exciting news that the latest range will feature several new model tooling projects, a nice little exclusive scoop to leave you with as we say goodbye to 2018. All that remains now, is for us to wish all our readers a safe, happy and enjoyable New Year’s celebration and we look forward to seeing you all back here in 2019, where we will start the year with a host of new Airfix models. Once again, thank you for your fantastic support during 2018 and Happy New Year to you all.
If you do manage to steal a little time to yourself over the holiday period and you simply can’t take another viewing of Home Alone, we are always interested to hear your views regarding our Workbench blog, particularly if there is anything you would like us to feature in a forthcoming edition. Our usual e-mail address workbench@airfix.com is always open for business, alternatively, you may prefer to contribute to our Workbench thread over on the Airfix Forum. If social media is more your style, you could access either the Airfix Facebook page or our Twitter channel, using #airfixworkbench where you will find plenty of modelling news, views and discussion. Whichever medium you decide to use, please do get in touch, as it is always interesting to hear from fellow modelling enthusiasts and the projects you have on the go at the moment.
As always, the Airfix website is the place to go for all the latest model release information, with our New Arrivals, Coming Soon and Last Chance to Buy sections all accessed by clicking on the above links. As updating the website is a constant process, a quick search through each section of the Airfix web pages will reveal new information and updated images in many of the product sections and this is always an enjoyable and rewarding way to spend a few minutes.
The next edition of Workbench is due to be published on Friday 11th January, when we look forward to bringing you all the latest news, updates and exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix modelling.
On behalf of the entire Workbench team, may we wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year and thank you for continuing to support our Airfix blog.
The Airfix Workbench Team
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