Airfix
 |
|
| Industry | Hobbies |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1939 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Model kits |
| Owner | Hornby plc |
| Website | www.airfix.com |
Airfix is a UK manufacturer of injection-moulded plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other objects. In the United Kingdom the name Airfix is synonymous with plastic models of this type, often simply referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer.
Founded in 1939, Airfix was owned by Humbrol from 1986 until Humbrol's financial collapse on 31 August 2006. Since 2007 Airfix has been owned by Hornby.
Airfix was founded in 1939 by a Hungarian businessman Nicholas Kove, initially to manufacture inflatable rubber toys. The brand name was selected to be the first alphabetically in trade directories.In 1947 Airfix introduced injection moulding, initially producing pocket combs. In 1949 the company was commissioned to create a promotional model of a Ferguson TE20 tractor, moulded in cellulose acetate plastic and hand-assembled for distribution to Ferguson sales representatives. To increase sales and lower production costs the model was sold in kit form by F. W. Woolworth's retail stores.
In 1954 Woolworth's buyer Jim Russon suggested that Airfix produce a model kit of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind, then being sold in North America as a 'ship-in-a-bottle', made in the more stable polystyrene. To meet Woolworth's retail price of two shillings Airfix packaged the product in a plastic bag with a paper header that had the assembly instructions on the reverse. Its huge success led the company to produce new kit designs. The first aircraft kit was released in 1953, a model of the Supermarine SpitfireMk I, followed by the Spitfire Mk IX in 1955, in 1⁄72 scale, developed by James Hay Stevens. This was a scaled-down copy of the Aurora 1⁄48 Supermarine Spitfire kit. Kove initially refused to believe the product would sell and threatened to charge the cost of tooling-up to the designers.
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Wikipedia