Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: John W E on July 15, 2012, 04:15:10 pm
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-18848293
HI ALL, just saw this on the local bbc news - what a find :-)
http://www.andersonandgarland.com/documents/Catalogue_033.PDF
aye
john
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Will you be going?
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I think I may have the same amount in my loft one day I will make them.
regards Howard.
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I used to assemble Airfix kits as a child, as probably many here have done so either.
I loved the paintings on the covers of the kit boxes that always gave an artist's impression of the original that the kit reproduced as model in their (assumed) natural habitat.
Occasionally, spotting one of the old kit covers brings back sweet childhood memories.
Being especially interested in ships from an early age, I can well remember how much I coveted those from the ocean/transatlantic liners series.
Although in the 1970s the absolute prices for the kits were much lower than today, relatively, especially for a primary school boy's budget, they had cost a fortune, and I saved for weeks and months every penny of my pocket money to once buy me another of the boxes that were put on display in the shop window of a nearby stationery shop that I came past every day on my way from school.
I especially fell in love with the Airfix Kit of the SS FRANCE and QE2, and would very much like to get hold of one these days again since I long had lost my assembled model from the kit back then.
Does anyone know if Airfix kits, and in particular this one, are still available today?
Yep, I can see they hawk them on ebay.
Blimey, they must be joking, nearly 280 bucks (http://www.ebay.com/itm/SS-France-Model-Cruise-Ship-Boat-Ocean-Liner-32-L-New-/370512993729?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56444b9dc1) >>:-(
This I cannot afford, even with my absolutely higher income, but relatively much more meager, taking into account the many obligations that need to be met by it, of today.
I was mistaken. The above model wasn't built from the kit.
But there's a Vintage Airfix Kit Page (http://www.vintage-airfix.com/airfix-france-p-361.html) dedicated to it, and Wully has just sent me a PN with a link to an offered ebay kit on auction.
Thanks mate!
Well, the 60 GBP + 6 GBP postage still a bit hefty, though there hasn't been a bid yet for the well over 3 day lasting auction on this item.
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Here,you are,an SS France
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=airfix+SS+France&_sacat=1188&_odkw=airfix+QE2&_osacat=1188
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SS France has a particular rarity value as the moulds have been lost. I think all the others have been re issued in recent years and I have unmade examples of several of them.
Colin
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Thanks for pointing out, Colin.
Maybe someone stole the moulds to raise the value of their kits or make business with rarities?
Or the French, who were so disgruntled when they had to sell La FRANCE to Klosters to have her ruined when converting her to MS NORWAY, that they banned her from ever calling at a French port again (so I read somewhere)?
Is there anyone as interested in SS FRANCE (in her original state) as me?
I plan to draw a lines plan of her in DELFTship, as I have done so for QM2 already.
But FRANCE had much more beautiful lines than QM2.
Sorry, for digressing from Airfix Kits on auction to SS FRANCE.
But that's nostalgia that unifies both.
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hi ya
When Airfix moved some of their production over to France, was it not then that several moulds went missing? Also, was there not a certain amount of trouble when Humbrol eventually took Airfix over. They tried to move the production again I think. Or that is the information which was on the grapevine at that time. I have been led to believe now that Hornby are in control; they are planning to replace certain missing moulds - with new ones - which ones - who knows.
aye
john
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Basically yes, John. There is a very good book chronicling the history of Airfix and I have a copy. It is an excellent read.
Colin