Airfix

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.UK based enthusiasts know only too well how the centenary of their air force’s establishment is a time for national celebration, as they will no doubt have the pictures, books and memorabilia all gathered during a year of RAF 100 commemorations from back in 2018. With that being the case, we will be slightly envious of the Swedish people this year, as they’re already in their centenary year of the Flygvapnet, and have a massive Airshow event to come in August, to be held at Malmen Air Base at Linköping, unquestionably the most exciting place to be in this significant centenary year.In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be paying our own blog tribute to this year’s Swedish Air Force Centenary celebrations, but from an Airfix perspective, and doing so in 1/72nd scale. Scheduled for release later this summer, our Swedish Air Force 100th Anniversary Set charts the development of the Flygvapnet from the inter-war purchase of British Gloster Gladiator fighters, to the introduction of the spectacular Draken fighter, an indigenously produced sensation of a supersonic aircraft. A set which is in addition to the current Swedish Air Force related Club kit being enjoyed by active members of the Airfix Club, we’ll be making a sizeable scale Swedish Air Force Centenary entry in our modelling logbooks in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.In a week which has been nothing short of momentous in the history of human space exploration, there really could only be one subject for this week’s edition of Workbench, and that would be for us to continue reaching for the stars. As the crew of Artemis II set new records in space exploration history, the return to earth of the Orion capsule (Integrity) on 10th April will also serve as the precursor to another significant NASA anniversary to be celebrated just two days later, the 45th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle mission launch.In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be ‘going for launch’ on our own blog tribute to the NASA program which came between Artemis and Apollo, marking the world’s return to the fascinating subject of human space exploration, and the incredible technology behind it. Of course, as we are Airfix, we will be including several model kit representations which have helped us to commemorate the incredible machines which have taken mankind into space, but in impressive scale form, kits which are thankfully in plentiful supply in this momentous year for NASA and their current space program.Without doubt, one of the most impressive machines ever created by man is the subject of this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.Read the blog: https://uk.airfix.com/community/blog-and-news/workbench/british-army-bid-farewell-their-iconic-land-roversFor this week’s edition of Workbench, we will be entering the fascinating world of iconic British military vehicles, as we mark a poignant and rather sad occasion in the history of the British Army. Over the previous few days, the Ministry of Defence have announced the impending retirement of the Land Rover, an incredibly successful series of utility vehicles which have faithfully supported British troops wherever they’ve been deployed since their introduction back in 1949.In addition to looking at how the Land Rover made the successful transition from rugged, no-nonsense civilian utility vehicle, to dependable military mechanical warhorse in service for seven decades, we will also be looking at the wider subject of how commercial vehicles were successfully adapted for military service, and how these vehicles are definitely the unsung support/transport heroes of any armed force and their associated operations. As you would expect, we will also be taking this opportunity to look at our scale model kit tributes to these vehicles which whilst usually in the shadows of military operations, were actually the life blood of any exercise or military deployment.We’re racing into British summertime by paying tribute to the incredible military service of a British automotive phenomenon in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.We find ourselves returning to the subject of significant aviation related anniversaries in this week’s edition of Workbench, as we bring you not one, but two blog posts connected to two of the most significant aircraft to have ever performed on the UK Airshow circuit. In this first post, we look at an aircraft which was flown operationally by the Luftwaffe at the end of 1942, was captured by Allied troops just a few days later, and was subsequently flown by the RAF’s enemy aircraft flight back in the UK. It would eventually take its place on the UK Airshow circuit as the only original German combat aircraft flying anywhere in the world, following the completion of a 20 year restoration project which became the life’s work of a very special man a handful of volunteer professionals.In a second, separately published post, we will be marking another significant British aviation anniversary, one which is not only related to the last flight of a famous aircraft type in Royal Air Force service, but one which would also go on to take its place on the UK Airshow circuit, and for a seven year period, become the world’s most complex aircraft restoration project to flying condition. Known to millions by her military serial number XH558, this icon of the Cold War would captivate the UK Airshow scene for seven unforgettable years, where she not only commanded record crowds wherever she performed, but was also proclaimed ‘The Spirit of Great Britain’.Two of the most famous aircraft to have ever flown on the UK Airshow circuit are our Workbench subjects for this weekend, as both celebrate significant anniversaries this month, and both will help to get us all a little excited for the coming Airshow season.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.When it comes to important dates in the history of aviation, there can be few which command the significance of the one which took place on an airfield near Southampton 90 years ago today, so important in fact that it requires the early publication of this week’s edition of Workbench.When a select number of people gathered at Eastleigh Aerodrome on 5th March 1936, they had done so to help facilitate, or possibly to document, the first flight of a new single seat fighter aircraft designed and constructed by the Supermarine company. What none of them could have realised, however, was that when they saw that rather tatty looking Supermarine Type 300 aircraft taking to the air for what proved to be a short eight minute maiden flight that day, they would all be witnesses to the birth of an aviation legend, an aircraft type which would still be flying in some numbers 90 years later, and one which would come to symbolise Britain’s defiance in the face of staggering adversity. Was it actually possible for an aeroplane to do that? The Spitfire certainly could.In this latest, rather special edition of Workbench, we will be paying our own blog tribute to the maiden flight of the Supermarine Type 300, but rather than following suit with the multitude of other articles scheduled to be published on this subject over the coming few days, we will be taking ours in a rather personal direction, our enduring scale association with the magnificent Spitfire. In fact, it happens to be our opinion that no group has made more Spitfires than Airfix modellers over the years, and that’s not a bad place for us to start.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.Our subject area for this latest edition of the Airfix blog sees us venturing into the fascinating world of post war rotary aviation, but more specifically, our model tributes to some of the most significant examples of these aircraft to ever see British service during that time. Taking our 1/48th scale modelling tributes as our focus, the lead subject is the latest release addition to this impressive range, one of the most agile helicopters to have ever taken to the skies, the incredible Westland Lynx AH-7.In addition to looking at the history of the Lynx and the THREE scheme options available with this latest kit release, we will also be taking this opportunity to feature some of its 1/48th scale rotary brothers in arms, kits which are also currently available on the Airfix website, kits which really do have to be considered as some of the most impressive modelling projects to have ever worn the Airfix badge. There isn’t a fixed wing aircraft in sight as we head into ‘Rotary Weekend’, with the incredible Westland Lynx at its vanguard.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.We seem to have started this year with a succession of different kinds of blog updates, with the vast majority not conforming to our usual format, but all celebrating the Airfix brand and the simple pleasures of the modelling hobby. We’re pleased to confirm that we remain on that slightly more unusual blog trajectory with this latest edition, but with our ultimate destination being earth’s stratosphere, or to be more precise, an Airfix model kit being sent stratospheric. This is also the reason why we have an extremely rare Saturday evening publication for Workbench this time around, as we play our small part in this fascinating, record breaking project.With our recently launched SLS Artemis kit being the focal point for this project, we will be bringing you all the details you will need to have you up to speed with a project that’s out of this world, and a new video presentation that we see us quite literally shooting for the stars. As we create this latest edition, we’re currently T-Minus 2 days and counting until publication launch, but by the time you will be reading this, Lift-Off will have already taken place.The other big news for the week is that we’re celebrating the 400th edition of Workbench, an Airfix blog phenomenon which began back in the summer of 2015. We know that many of our readers will have been with us since the very beginning and we’re truly humbled by your loyal support, so we wanted to mark this occasion with a little competition, with a spectacular kit bundle being up for grabs. You’ll find details about the competition in the blog section after the main event, so please do stick with us right till the end.At 400 not out, we have an edition of Workbench aiming to go where no Airfix blog has gone before.

Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.In the previous edition of Workbench, we began our review of new Airfix model kits for 2026 by looking at the recently announced Airfix Club kit for this year and our 1/72nd scale tribute to this year’s centenary commemorations of the Svenska Flygvapnet, Swedish Air Force 100. As this new kit appears to have been particularly well received, we wanted to keep the new kit momentum going in this latest edition, by bringing you our annual range launch review edition, an unashamed celebration of all the recently announced new Airfix modelling delights.As the dust has now settled on our latest range introduction event, we wanted to take this opportunity to look at some of the 2026 projects which are going to be capturing our attentions over the coming year, hopefully including some of the kit subjects our readers have been hoping we were going to include in our range at some point. We will be looking at new tooling projects, recently released kits which now feature new parts and scheme options, and of course, the return of some much loved classics, but each one an enjoyable build project in the making.For those of us who haven’t yet seen it, we will be embedding our latest range launch video into the body of this latest blog, where our Head of Brand, Dale Luckhurst, takes us through the finer points of our latest range, the continuation of a proud Airfix tradition which has been captivating modellers for many a year.It’s new Airfix model kits galore in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.The start to any new year is an extremely busy time for the Airfix team, and the wider modelling community, as we prepare to unleash our latest collection of model kits on an expectant modelling world, something we did once again last Wednesday. As we know everyone will still probably be analysing the finer points of the range to see which of the new kits will be finding their way into their own personal modelling logbooks this year, we wanted to let you crack on with this for another week or so, but still throw the blog spotlight on one of the new kit additions made earlier this week.The Airfix Club has long been a feature of our proud modelling tradition and in recent years, has experienced something of a triumphant rejuvenation, with membership bringing real and tangible benefits for modellers of all ages, abilities and subject preferences. One of those benefits is an exclusive Club kit, an offering which has become something of a cherished tradition within the hobby and one we’re proud to continue with this year’s package.In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be taking this opportunity to introduce our readers to the latest Airfix Club kit, one which is intended to mark a significant anniversary occasion for one of Europe’s most compelling air forces, and two aircraft types which span 65 years of Swedish Air Force service.Please join us as we get airborne with the Airfix Club kit for 2026 and our scale tribute to the centenary celebrations of the Svenska Flygvapnet.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.It’s somehow fitting that whilst we still find ourselves just about in the 85th Anniversary year of the Battle of Britain, that our 1/48th scale model tribute to the RAF’s most unusual fighter type to take part in this aerial duel has just returned to the current Airfix range. An aircraft which remains relatively anonymous to the majority of the world’s population, and can be quite divisive amongst those who are aware of it, the Boulton Paul Defiant may well have been a fighting contemporary of the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, but it has never been able to compete with either in the aviation popularity stakes, despite being far more interesting a design than both in the eyes of many.Unquestionably one of the more interesting British aircraft types of the Second World War, whilst we won’t be producing a Defiant charm offensive edition of Workbench this weekend, we will be welcoming the re-introduction of our beautiful 1/48th scale kit version of the aircraft to the current range by looking at why Britain’s turret fighter is definitely worthy of modelling subject consideration. We will also be challenging one or two popular misconceptions about the Defiant in operation, and how no modelling tribute to the ’Few’ can be considered complete without the inclusion of at least one Boulton Paul Defiant within that display.We prepare to sign off on this 85th Anniversary year of the Battle of Britain with the Defiant return of a classic 1/48th scale model kit in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.Well, we’ve managed it – we’ve safely negotiated another hectic year! With this being the final edition of Workbench for 2025, we wanted to go out with a serious cracker of a BANG, so that being the case, what could be better than to feature our final secret model release for the year, one which just happens to be a silver winged beauty.Earlier this week, the various Airfix information channels carried the news that as part of the festivities here at modelling HQ, we’d held back our final secret model release of the year for this most festive of periods, the second release from our new 1/48th scale Bristol Bulldog tooling. A beautiful inter-war British fighter which not only found favour with the Royal Air Force, but also with several overseas air arms during the early 1930s, this second release includes additional parts to allow the much modified Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIA variant of the fighter to be modelled. This was an aircraft which was unquestionably one of the most important British fighter aircraft of the late 1920s and early 1930s, and was an aircraft which stimulated a significant period of upgrade and expansion for the Royal Air Force.In this final update of the year, we will be looking at why the Bulldog was such an important aircraft for the Royal Air Force, why this second release presents the fighter in arguably its most iconic form, and what made this such a highly regarded aircraft in RAF service. Of course, we will also have our usual selection of spectacular subject imagery, which will hopefully highlight why this makes for such an appealing modelling project.We’re dancing the skies on laughter-silvered wings in this final edition of Workbench for 2025.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.Our subject for this latest edition of Workbench is the heavily requested re-introduction of an incredibly popular kit, one which has to be regarded as one of the most impressive to have ever graced the Airfix range. The futuristic looking Handley Page Victor was the final aircraft of Britain’s trilogy of nuclear capable V-Bombers of the Cold War era, and arguably the one which was both the most advanced and the most versatile of the three. The aircraft was designed to wield incredible destructive power, but to ensure peace by the threat of the devastation it could bring, something of a dichotomy in terms, but one which helped to preserve an uneasy peace at one of the most volatile periods in world/European history.A kit which was originally released to such widespread modeller acclaim back in 2016, and again in this particular release format two years later, it has become increasingly difficult to get your hands on one of these stunning kits over recent months, so we decided that we had to do something about that situation, hence this release return. In addition to looking at why the Victor makes for such an impressive modelling project, we will be looking at the details behind the three scheme/decal options included with this kit, will have a selection of images detailing how our latest exclusive collector coin release will delight those ordering via the Airfix website, and see why the aircraft linked to the lead scheme option has just benefited from a rather radical new application of paint.We’re very much in the presence of one of Britain’s Cold War jet powered peacekeepers in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.You will have noticed that we have a slightly later publication timing for this latest edition of our Workbench blog this week, but for very good reason. By now, the Airfix events team will be hard at work setting up our display stand at the latest Scale ModelWorld show, and amongst our layout of impressive modelling riches, we have exciting news to share. As of 10am this morning, we were proud to announce our latest new tooling addition to the Airfix range, and it’s BIG news!It what has now become something of an Airfix tradition at Telford, the SMW show has regularly seen the team announcing new tooling projects as part of our attendance, with visitors to the International Centre over the weekend being the first to view the new kit in the plastic, whilst also having the opportunity to discuss this and all matters Airfix with the team in attendance. This latest release is something very special indeed, and if some like to challenge us about our fascination for producing kit tributes to the incredible Supermarine Spitfire, we have something very different for you this time around, in the shape of the Spitfire’s aviation arch nemesis, the Messerschmitt Bf 109. A spectacular new design in 1/24th scale, our new kit is a stunning representation of the G-5/G-6 variant of the Bf 109, the most heavily produced of more than 34,000 aircraft manufactured, and one which struggled to stem the tide of Allied air forces until the end of the Second World War.By way of an introduction to the new kit, we will be bringing you the details behind why the Messerschmitt Bf 109 ‘Gustav’ makes for such an appealing modelling subject, and will have a selection of exclusive imagery to help us do that, from new box artwork and built model images, to details behind each of the FIVE scheme options included with the first release of this new kit.The exclusive reveal of our new large scale tribute to one of the most significant fighting aeroplanes in the history of warfare is our headline subject for this week’s edition of Workbench.