The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

I know we have criteria in this group about the definition of a classic kit but I've been thinking about what would define it, in the eyes of modellers, as a real "classic".

What are the kits that you think of as real classics? Ones that were accurate or well-engineered before their time. Ones that were, with no pun intended, mould breaking.

And, conversely, what about the turkeys? The Austin Allegros of the model world. Kits that are best consigned to collect dust, unbuilt on collectors shelves.

I always thought that some of the Matchbox armour kits were stunning, well ahead of their rivals in the smaller scale even those from the far east and then they produced a Mig-21 kit which was, ahem, interesting, with a pilot sitting on a huge armchair to fill the cockpit void.

What are your classic stunners or dustbin candidates from the model kit world, British or otherwise?

This is a start:

http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/11063/ ... iJdShZNIaU;

There were probably 150 that we're voted for more than once, and we "shaped" the selection to make sure different kit makers and genres were represented on the table.

I think that doing "102 Gems" to mark the 10th anniversary of the original (which gives us 10 more years of CBKs to go at...) would be cool!

Bestest,
M.

Something that always did it for me as a kid of 11 to 16 years old was the Airfix P-40 & as a 57 year old kid it still holds the same magic. To me this is my CBK.

mattbacon wrote:This is a start:

http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/11063/ ... iJdShZNIaU;

There were probably 150 that we're voted for more than once, and we "shaped" the selection to make sure different kit makers and genres were represented on the table.

I think that doing "102 Gems" to mark the 10th anniversary of the original (which gives us 10 more years of CBKs to go at...) would be cool!

Bestest,
M.

There are some great kits in there Matt. Not sure if Airfix's 48th Seafire 47 is old enough to qualify, although I do agree that it's a great kit (I'm looking at mine in the cabinet now ).

Great idea to do a 102 gems too

fearless frankie wrote:Something that always did it for me as a kid of 11 to 16 years old was the Airfix P-40 & as a 57 year old kid it still holds the same magic. To me this is my CBK.

Agreed. I must have built 3 or 4. I think it was the way it looked with the shark mouth

The last one I built was about 15 years ago and the fit was, as I recall, very good. Odd, I think, that Airfix chose to remould this one when there are so many deserving candidates in their back catalogue.

I would definitely put some more Matchbox 1/76 AFV kits on the list

Sherman Firefly, Humber Armoured Car and Comet would get my votes.

Also the Matchbox Tempest II/VI kit and the Airfix Grumman Duck.

I've just got my all-time favourite Airfix kit, the Short Sunderland
Building starting soon.

Cheers

Andrew

I must admit that before I joined the CBKSIG I looked for the criteria of what constituted a CBK - I couldn't find a definition so made up my own
To me, the CBKs were Airfix, Matchbox and Frog I don't count Revell because they're foreign
I'm prepared to listen to arguments for other brands, but for me, these were the British manufacturers of the first Golden Age - the 60s We are now in the second Golden Age

Ratch wrote:To me, the CBKs were Airfix, Matchbox and Frog I don't count Revell because they're foreign
We are now in the second Golden Age

Hear Hear, old chap.

Now, where's me pith helmet