Re: Was/is there a USAirfix?

Airfix kits were distributed in the US under a lot of labels:AHM, Airfix Corporation of America, Airfix Craftmaster, AVA International, Continental Models, MPC, Revell and USAirfix.

From 1981 to 1986 General Mills owned Airfix, followed by Borden, who held the company until 1994.

AVA International was the American distributor for Airfix in 1979. The USAirfix label was used by them from 1980-81.

Um, Airfix never made a 1/48 P-40. The USAirfix kit #10060 is a 1/72 scale P-40E Kittyhawk. The only 1/48 kits that they packaged were the Spitfire Vb, Me

My favorite USAirfix kit is the C-130 in Blue Angels "Fat Albert" markings and the Gosling/Widgeon in USCG markings.

Hope this helps a bit.

Tom

They apparently repopped the Otaki 1/48 P-40E.

Tom

Thanks. I'm not up on the Dark Side scale :-)

The photo of the captured P-40 is a treasure!

Tom

They are suppose to be raising an original AVG P40 this month from a lake in China but I think its been delayed. Thought I had a web page with status reports but the only one I find is months behind.

Tom

'Remember' is not the correct word (only normal Airfix here in The Netherlands), but yes, they definately existed. If you search eBay for item 3148954700 you'll find one of their kits that I recently won. Maybe the box will ring a bell. Airfix kits were also sold under the MPC label in the US.

Rob

Yep...they were located just north of Austin, TX...in Waco (You know... the Branch Davidians.....THAT Waco....lol).

I have a friend who worked for them back then, doing the models for the box-art. He said they paid him in "whatever he could carry out in his arms, from the warehouse"...lol.

If you have the 1/72nd Banshee.....take a close look at the photo on the box. He explained to me how they left his model under the lights WAY too long. Check out the trailing edges of the wings!!

:o)

USAirfix operated out of Waco, Texas in the late '70s and early '80s. My impression is that they were importers of Airfix kits and packaged them in the USA. It seems that USAirfix ended operations around 1982 when MPC picked up the reboxing of Airfix kits.

To quote "Sir" Charles Barkley: "I could be wrong, but I doubt it"

Martin

in article snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Martin at snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote on 11/13/03 5:23 PM:

Sort of. I visited the the operation with a friend who did models for their box art. They had imported the tools and sent them to a facility in Dallas where the actual injection/molding was done. I remember they did a lot of cars but also had a number of aircraft. It looked like a gigantic warehouse operation at first with bins and barrels of parts. At the time I visited they were working with the runners for a B-29, trying to get it to a size to fit a new box. The only kit I have left of USAirfix is a Mossie.

Milton

I have the instructions from my old USAirfix Mosquito, kit #30040. The back page advertises the following kits:

I also seem to recall building an IL-(?) twin engine bomber called the "Beagel".

There's also a coupon to send for a USAirfix or Airfix catalog. The instructions are dated 1979. The address is AVA International, Inc., Hewitt, Texas. Rob Gronovius Visit my motor pool in the

Hi

Yes it's around.I have 2 or 3 in the basement including an alphajet 1/72.

Patrick

They also show up,rather cheaply,at shows and on ebay.I have a land rover and an Me262 in usairfix boxes.

Add the Douglas F4D, 1/144 DC-9 and the AlphaJet. I thought this USAirfix deal was in some way connected to Squadron?

Bill Banaszak, MFE

The Craftmaster Corporation (best known in the 50's and 60's for their paint-by-number kits of famed masterpieces) imported Airfix kits in the early-mid 1960's (remember the co-branding well from my days working in a hobby shop through my college years). Craftmaster acquired MPC sometime about

In reverse, Airfix packaged MPC kits for sale in England and I believe Europe, which arrangement I think went on until the early 1980's.

USAirfix, as others mentioned, packaged Airfix kits for sale in the US, in addition to having some of their own made (the Camaro Kammback station wagon, for example), which I don't think came from any other source.

AA

Thanks to all for the info, I found it interesting. One thing though...I wonder if my 1st USAirfix P40 *WAS* in fact 1/72 instead of 1/48. In my mind's eye I picture myself as a 10 year old boy holding that Warhawk. 1/72 would've looked bigger in those smalll hands.

One thing I remember about darn near every USAirfix (maybe a half dozen or so) kit I got had at least 1 missing part. They were good about replacing the parts, tho, but it got old. I think the last kit I got was the Il-28 missing an aileron half. I sent them a nasty letter & that was also the last USAirfix kit I ever got. I still don't even go for second-hand ones on eBay.

looking in my closet i see several unopened BAC-111 kits with mohawk airways decals. The kits are airfix made in USA .The side of the box shows artwork for air force 1 taking off , i wonder if that kit ever happened Ken

It was definitely 1/72. The Airfix reboxing of the Otaki/ARII

Yes Ken, this kit was issued in the US in the very early '70s. Saw it on the hobby shop shelves but never have seen the contents. I assume it was the Conway-powered 707 with AF1 decals.

Martin