The last Auckland toy fair of 2024 was held recently, and here is my report on the kits. Not too many vintage models this time, but I did get some more modern kits that I intend to build.
Hobby Boss kits are fairly simple, with a one-piece wing, and one-piece fuselage, along with various detail parts, and some really interesting decal options. The Dragon Ta-152H and Airfix Hurricane are more normal kits.
The vintage kits were an Airfix Fokker Friendship airliner in Irish Aer Lingus markings, but unfortunately the box is damaged at one end. Along with four railway wagon kits in 1960s boxes – a Brake Van, two Cattle Wagons, and a Refrigerator Van.
The William Brothers kit of the Martin B-10 bomber from the 1930s. The Airfix Beachead Playset contains a Gun Emplacement from the Playfort range, and two sets of soft plastic figures – the original version of the WW2 German Infantry, and the British Paratroopers.
Plus one HO scale model railway building by Tyco. I have already started work on the Hobby Boss FW-190D-9.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Ive never seen that Friendship kit in that style box, very interesting. The train kits are gorgeous, my dad was a big fan of Airfix and Kitmaster and had a lot of these. The Martin kit is lovely, puts me in mind of the two colour Matchbox kits, that I always adored. Best of the bunch is the Beachhead set, quite a rarity in that form, as the Gun Emplacement was sold separately, along with the Coastal Defence set, and also as a bigger set with the polythene vehicles. The mid range Beachead set is quite a find! Bill
ReplyDeleteThank you. I had the Gun Emplacement, Coastal Defence Fort, Pontoon Bridge, and the Battle of Waterloo Farmhouse Playforts, but never any of the larger sets with figures or vehicles. So finding the Gun Emplacement Play Set was really special.
ReplyDeleteIn America, MPC did a number of diorama sets that were unique to the US market, put together from various existing Airfix models, often with a large vac-formed base.
The Aer Lingus Friendship has an unusual box, with only the rear half of the aircraft having a sky background.
It was a good day.
I love them all, of course, but those Vintage Airfix Railway kits are just stupendous. Even though they would not have fit in with my old US-Style HO sclae railroad layout, I would have loved to take a crack at them, the designs are so great. I wouldn't kick that Friendship airliner out of bed either! SFZ
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