 |
- The Airfix Tribute Forum -
The Airfix Tribute Forum was established in April 2006 to discuss the making of Airfix models. Email: admin at airfixtributeforum.co.uk
|
Click here to sign up to ATF
Search before you post. Advanced search, use link at top of page
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
farmroad38
Administrator
Group Build Guru
Group Build Leader
Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Administrator
Bronze Bar
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 4845
Location: Berkshire, UK
|
 Posted: Wed 02 Jul 2008 20:24 pm Post subject: Here's one for the historians - Airfix Picture Kit |
 |
|
I bought a couple of job lots from Vince at modelsforsale.com last week. Various bits & bobs in it, including this little oddity:
It seems to be an entire set of kit sprues for a traction engine, plus a felt background. The instructions detail how to lay out a 'picture' using some of the kit parts, plus the included wool & thread:
As you can see, the box is a bit tatty, but it still has the original paint pots and glue sachet! The box is dated 1977. So, have I finally found the kit that will fund my retirement, or is it just a worthless curio?
_________________
Cheers,
Adrian |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
ColinM
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Group Build Leader
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 1324
Location: Leamington Spa, UK
|
| Posted: Wed 02 Jul 2008 21:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The box is tatty and has been scribbled on, the paint and glue will be rubbish after 30 years so I would immediateley put it on eBay with the caption RARE AIRFIX KIT with a starting price of £59.99...
Failing that, why not just build the kit, hang it on the wall and enjoy it?
Alternatively, post it on the ATF swap shop.
Colin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
farmroad38
Administrator
Group Build Guru
Group Build Leader
Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Administrator
Bronze Bar
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 4845
Location: Berkshire, UK
|
| Posted: Wed 02 Jul 2008 21:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I might build the kit as a proper traction engine, but I certainly won't be doing the picture. Dare I say it, but it looks really... naff!
Just curious as to it's origins really - never seen anything like it before. I wonder how many different types they made?
_________________
Cheers,
Adrian |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Digs
Model Portfolio
Red Star
Joined: 24 Jul 2007
Posts: 701
Location: East Anglia
|
| Posted: Wed 02 Jul 2008 21:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
That really is a child of its time isn't it! Wonderful.
It'll go nicely on the wall between the Woolies pictures of the excessively large eyed child and dusky latin beauty, the whole lot tastefully lit by your lamp made of a large wine bottle covered in ceramic mosaic tiles.
I wonder where the actual kit came from? Airfix never released a proper traction engine kit did they? The forgotten Museum series kit perhaps?
Paul |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Loll
Gold Star
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 3390
Location: Midlands UK
|
| Posted: Wed 02 Jul 2008 22:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Would it actually build into a model ?
.
_________________
Pax Britannica
LOLL-DECALS at Hotmail.co.uk |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
farmroad38
Administrator
Group Build Guru
Group Build Leader
Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Administrator
Bronze Bar
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 4845
Location: Berkshire, UK
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 07:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Loll wrote: | Would it actually build into a model ?
. |
It certainly seems to have a full set of sprues - looking at the instructions, only a very small number of parts get used in the picture. It doesn't have any instructions to build the model stand-alone however.
| Digs wrote: | ...
I wonder where the actual kit came from? Airfix never released a proper traction engine kit did they? The forgotten Museum series kit perhaps?
Paul |
That's what I wondered - I had a look in the history section and I couldn't see anything that matched.
Edit: Looking at the sprues again, I'm beginning to wonder if it's a completely different kit, and they've just used some bits to make the picture. With those spoked wheels and what looks like suspension, it could be one of the old (1/24th?) car kits. It has a driver too, although his body is missing - the only part that is by the looks of it.
_________________
Cheers,
Adrian
Last edited by farmroad38 on Thu 03 Jul 2008 07:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mattbacon
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Yellow Star
Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 144
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 07:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
It's not a traction engine kit... That's a mixed collection of sprues from different kits. I can see at least a couple from the Vauxhall Prince Henry, but I don't recognise some of the others. I reckon it's bits from various 1/32 car kits, motorbikes and maybe railway parts...
bestest,
M. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
farmroad38
Administrator
Group Build Guru
Group Build Leader
Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Administrator
Bronze Bar
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 4845
Location: Berkshire, UK
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 07:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
Beat me to it Matt!
So actually different kits?! How odd. I think there are even some sprues where none of the parts are used, so why on earth would they include them? Very peculiar...
_________________
Cheers,
Adrian |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mattbacon
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Yellow Star
Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 144
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 08:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
Looking closely, I think it's only two kits: the 1/32 Vauxhall Prince Henry (without the bodywork parts) and the 1/16 Ariel Arrow motorbike (without the main chassis). It seems a bit of a shame to take two such desirable kits (the Prince Henry is a great, accurate, detailed model from the 70s tooling standards) which are hard to find these days, and sell them as such a dubious concept!
bestest,
M. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tempestfan
Red Star
Joined: 06 Apr 2008
Posts: 572
Location: Northern Germany
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 09:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| mattbacon wrote: | Looking closely, I think it's only two kits: the 1/32 Vauxhall Prince Henry (without the bodywork parts) and the 1/16 Ariel Arrow motorbike (without the main chassis). It seems a bit of a shame to take two such desirable kits (the Prince Henry is a great, accurate, detailed model from the 70s tooling standards) which are hard to find these days, and sell them as such a dubious concept!
bestest,
M. |
I'm not so sure about the Arrow (but it's a 1/16th bike anyway) because the set above has sprue frames. IIRC, the Arrow had simple (and rather thick) "trees", so I'd go for another one. Besides, all Arrows from the 70s I can remember (T4, T4a/T5, T5 and T6 boxings) are moulded in a deep cream colour. The exhausts look quite distinctive, and with just three kits to choose from, this should not be too hard.
_________________
Oh if I could just find the time to build ONE MORE model... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
farmroad38
Administrator
Group Build Guru
Group Build Leader
Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Administrator
Bronze Bar
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 4845
Location: Berkshire, UK
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 09:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| mattbacon wrote: | Looking closely, I think it's only two kits: the 1/32 Vauxhall Prince Henry (without the bodywork parts) and the 1/16 Ariel Arrow motorbike (without the main chassis). It seems a bit of a shame to take two such desirable kits (the Prince Henry is a great, accurate, detailed model from the 70s tooling standards) which are hard to find these days, and sell them as such a dubious concept!
bestest,
M. |
I guess at the time, both kits (or whatever else they may be) were in plentiful supply and this was a possible way to break into another market.
From looking at the web (mostly eBay), it looks like there was also a steamship picture kit. The ones I found were all non-sellers at 99p starting prices though - not going to be retiring on the basis of this one then 
_________________
Cheers,
Adrian |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hippo
Yellow Star
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 151
Location: Burnley, Lancs
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 11:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
| tempestfan wrote: |
I'm not so sure about the Arrow (but it's a 1/16th bike anyway) because the set above has sprue frames. IIRC, the Arrow had simple (and rather thick) "trees", so I'd go for another one. Besides, all Arrows from the 70s I can remember (T4, T4a/T5, T5 and T6 boxings) are moulded in a deep cream colour. The exhausts look quite distinctive, and with just three kits to choose from, this should not be too hard. |
It's the Honda CB450. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Beaufighter
Bronze Star
Joined: 26 May 2006
Posts: 1284
Location: Finchley, norf Landon
|
| Posted: Thu 03 Jul 2008 15:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| hippo wrote: | | tempestfan wrote: |
I'm not so sure about the Arrow (but it's a 1/16th bike anyway) because the set above has sprue frames. IIRC, the Arrow had simple (and rather thick) "trees", so I'd go for another one. Besides, all Arrows from the 70s I can remember (T4, T4a/T5, T5 and T6 boxings) are moulded in a deep cream colour. The exhausts look quite distinctive, and with just three kits to choose from, this should not be too hard. |
It's the Honda CB450. |
agree, the fuel tank and wheels ID it.
_________________
circumveniat quod circumiret
500346 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jezbrook
White Star
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 64
Location: Wiltshire
|
| Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 17:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
"Picture Kits" was a range of Arts and Crafts kits introduced in the 1977 "Arts & Crafts" catalogue and a full list of these catalogues was included in CS32 along with some of the crafts.
I have one of these Picture Kits and it does indeed use some runners from a couple of kits (Vauxhall PH, etc). They are not particularly rare and were easy to find in 1977 but few modellers probably looked at them.
More details on these and other Airfix Arts and Crafts should be in the next few issues of CS.
jezbrook |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Owen
Moderator
Group Build Guru
Group Build Leader
Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Gold Bar
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 6548
Location: Norfolk, UK
|
| Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 18:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
What an oddity! Looks like this one slipped through the net - a very odd way of reinventing chopped up sprue 
_________________
Owen
"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" - Douglas Adams
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Beyond the Box SIG Member |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
feanor
Model Portfolio
Group Build Leader
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Gold Bar
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 6597
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire...
|
| Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 19:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Ayup All...
Really, its an MPC Millennium Falcon kit in disguise...
_________________
Airfix Member 022... Jolly Boy.
Remember: 'The Dude Abides'...
'It's GOOD to be the King !' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
