[Brian]

Source - Daily Mail 31st August.....
After 60 years, Airfix finally comes unstuck

Airfix - the firm whose scale models have fascinated and frustrated boys for more than 50 years - has gone into administration.

Its warships, tanks and planes have proved popular through the decades despite being difficult to assemble properly.

Sales are down by two thirds and last night the company's workforce was made redundant. Staff blame the decision on Heller, a French company.

The firm, which made the plastic models and paints packaged as Airfix products, fell into receivership earlier this year.

It has refused to hand over the tools and mouldings needed for the production line to continue

 

[mow]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5301438.stm

link from the BBC Business News, complete with awful pun.

http://michael527.fotopic.net/

 

[Gary]

The story is even on the main BBC TV news complete with young lad making a model.

I cannot believe we have seen the last of Airfix kits.

They enabled youngsters to experiment with hands on skills that prepared them for adult life. No games console can offer the same experiance.

You have to remember that the subjects were British and no other company worldwide offered such a range.

Surely somebody with good marketing skills will relaunch the brand?

Now if this Blair government can put £6,000,000 into MG Rover (another British icon?) during its final week....

On the other hand it was John Prescott (he of cowboy fame) who stopped Hornby building a heritage centre on their site at Margate which would have been good family entertainment.

Now if Hornby were planning a casino....

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Doug]

A sad day indeed.

I was brought up on Airfix and I'm sure that model making helped develop some of my current life skills.

 

[Dennis David]

It would be a very sad day to see Airfix disappear. They are synonymous with model building the world over and especially in England. Building any model is such a tremendously satisfying accomplishment. I can't believe that many of the younger generation have never actually built one. It would be their loss if Airfix is no more.

 

[Makemineadouble]

A sad day indeed. I think Prescott should have to wear his cowboy suit at every Prime Ministers question time.
That should apply some dignity to proceedings.

 

[Ben Manicom]

Just about sums it up really.
I use airfix model veichles on my railway suitably civillianised this will be a dark day if its the last of airfix...
Ps any spot the Airfix B-set on the BBC news?

 

[Gary]

We should also add of course that Airfix were the first serious threat to Hornby in the 1970's and they were the forerunners of Mainline and subsequently Bachmann.

Hornby recognised this and started a major upgrade programme to their models in the late 1970's.

Dapol subsequently produced a number of the former Airfix models when Airfix withdrew from model railways due to the production issues they were having with the Hong Kong factory and the costs of relocating production to the UK. Airfix models were so good in their day that Hornby even now produce models from former Airfix moulds!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[neil_s_wood]

Very sad day to see Airfix go. I spent a lot of my childhood building Airfix models and have even done a few recently for nostalgia purposes. I may pop out today and buy a few to make sure I still can do some in the future.

 

[Doug]

Interesting development.

Story continues here...