Modern Classics of Airfix Gems ?

[Chuck E]

With Airfix continuing to replace their older kits with some really nice new ones, I was wondering . . . . would these be classified as Classic Kits, or would they need to get a few years under their belt ? Maybe the term would be more along the lines of Airfix Gems.

Any thoughts ?

[JamesPerrin]

In the CBK SIG we cover kits produced up to 25 years ago. So for us they've go a while to go Classic implies longevity and memories.

I'm sure however there are some gems that have been produced by Airfix under Hornby ownerships. A lot of the smaller kits though have been just OK by modern standards though. From what I head many of the new 1/48 Spitfires and maybe some of their smaller 1/72 cousins are very good. The Swordfish, 1/48 Lynx and Sea Vixen have come on for a lot of praise.

[MerlinJones]

...And there was always the potential for the membership to be able to nominate a more modern kit asa Classic. This wasn't to mean that we got a Favourite Kit List, because we were after those qualities, such as James hints at, that make a quality piece of kit Classic.

Regards,
Bruce

[bluesteel]

An interesting thought on the '25 year rule' is that with each year going forward, 25 years back moves one forward as well, admitting more kits into the CBK. So for example with Airfix, it would be those kits first released in 1987 what become CBKs in 2012 wouldn't hey? I wonder which they are?

[PaulBradley]

1987 was one of those years when Airfix was in the doldrums - there were no new tools issued.

1988 wasn't much better - just the 1/48 Harrier GR.3

[MerlinJones]

Putting aside the possibility of even more modern kits joining the ranks, in response to a popular vote, there is more to CBK's than Airfix. Previously, some of our more contemporary garage industries were excluded from Classic status, due to their comparitive youth. As time has progressed, this is less true for some of those companies and, unlike Matchbox and FROG, the originators of those companies are still with us.

Regards,
Bruce

[PaulBradley]

Of course, and hopefully we can acknowledge those companies in a CBK display once we've worked out how we can effectively do that. Julian was merely using Airfix as an example, it being the best-known brand still surviving (just!) by 1987. There were some nice articles about some of those cottage industry companies in SAM back in the day, and they'll be useful reference whenever we do a display.

[jssel]

The word Classic can and is used in a couple of different contexts. Like: I am building the new Airfix P-51 Mustang; what a classic. or
I am building the "classic" Airfix Ju-87 Stuka; what a...........

But I also remember the SAM reviews of your cottage industries and felt how lucky you are. How lucky was I to get a few.

This forum has always meant age to me.

[JohnRatzenberger]

I think we are wise to keep age as a criteria as well as quality/impact -- age by itself doesn't make something a Big-C classic. And there are many new kits which, in the euphoria, get elevated to "classic" by many, but don't stand the test of time. I think we manage to balance both age and let's say, aging gracefully to come up with our Classics.

I do think, as mentioned elsewhere, we have a lot of manufacturers other than the big-3 that we could/should be looking at - they may be niche to many but they are important for what they represent both in model subjects and place in the industry/hobby.

[splash]

I think you are right about the age not automatically making it a classic look at the Airfix Widgeon or original Skyhawk?

Wearing my rosé tinted glasses I remember the Widgeon being a great kit, I recall spending hours playing with it, having now taken the glasses off and attempting to build it for the flying boats GB I can see all the errors and problems that I missed as a young lad and I now think its only a kit for the real enthusiast or sadist certainly not a classic.

Whilst on the subject of the 25 year rule would you class the Skybirds 86 Martin Baker MB5 as a classic? it certainly broke the mould as far as cottage industry kit were concerned.

Regards Splash

[Barry]

I don't think of 'Classic', in the CBK sense, as equating to 'Good" Splash. 'Gem' on the other hand would seem to. So, some classic kits are gems, others...not so much.

[SJPONeill]

While not wishing to undermine the 25 year 'rule' which I think is quite a good measure, I would suggest that the 1/24 Mosquito and TSR.2s in both 1/72 and 1/48 would make the grade as modern classics...

[peanutpatrol26]

i suppose so.do yo think in the 1960s the (then) state of the art airfix kits would be called classics.certainy not.but they are now so the sme will happen in 50 or so years.

[MerlinJones]

Actually Peanut, going back through the Mists of Time to the late 60's, there were quite a few Airfix kits deemed to be 'classic', in that they were clearly quality kits, that outshone their predecessors and contemporaries. Likewise, there were new kits that were not so well received.
That said, for whatever reason, it appears that the lesser kits have been re-released more than the better ones. This rarity value helps a kit lean towards Classic status and kits not often re-released tend to have crisper mouldings, than those churned out again and again...and again and...etc..

Regards,
Bruce