| The Airfix company was founded in the 1930's by a | | | | widen the range of model kits they were able to |
| man named Nicholas Kove who was a Hungarian | | | | produce and then the future path of the company |
| refugee. He originally began the business by producing | | | | was set. They began to expand the range of Airfix |
| inflatable toys made from rubber. He originally chose | | | | Model Kits and it was in 1953 that one of their most |
| the name Airfix as the toys were actually inflated with | | | | famous models was produced the ever popular |
| air to make them fix. He had some success with | | | | Spitfire Aeroplane. |
| these items but the real success story of Airfix did not | | | | Airfix continued to grow and expand through the 1960 |
| actually come about until after the Second World War. | | | | 70's as the modelling hobby increased in popularity. The |
| After the war ended Kove began to produce plastic | | | | range had by now expanded to include many different |
| combs and to assist with the efficiency of this process | | | | types of models such as military vehicles, trains, figures, |
| introduced a plastic injection moulding machine. | | | | modern and vintage cars, rockets,spaceships, various |
| The company were approached in the late 1940's by | | | | classical ships, and motorcycles. They were to prove |
| Harry Ferguson the maker of the Ferguson tractor. He | | | | very popular for both children and adults and provided |
| asked if Airfix could produce a small scale model of | | | | a relatively cheap but endearing hobby which if the |
| his tractor to assist his salesmen in showing off the | | | | person was interested they could build up into a |
| tractors which were for sale. It is a lot easier to have a | | | | sizeable collection. |
| small scale model than a real life size tractor when | | | | However things were to take a turn for the worse. In |
| trying to tout for business! At first there were | | | | the 1980s the plastic modelling hobby went into decline |
| problems making the tractor but after trial and error it | | | | and a number of reasons were given as the reason |
| was discovered that it was actually easier to make up | | | | why. If anyone really knows the answer is not clear, |
| the tractor in a series of small individual parts and then | | | | but it may be purely that the market interests had |
| actually have them fixed together by individual | | | | changed and with the advent of the new computer |
| workers. | | | | type games peoples interest shifted. As a result of this |
| These kits proved very popular and an agreement | | | | big change along with other factors the company |
| was made to allow Airfix to sell the kits as toys rather | | | | were forced into bankruptcy. After this the company |
| than business promotional goods. It was very apparent | | | | were taken over and sold on several occasions |
| that there was a market for this type of toy so Airfix | | | | throughout the 1980/90s. |
| began to sell the Airfix Model Kits as an unmade kit | | | | But the good news is that the company are now |
| along with assembly instructions. | | | | under the ownership of the Hornby company and |
| These kits proved to be very successful and Airfix | | | | things are looking much brighter. In recent years they |
| were soon approached by the Woolworths store to | | | | have released various new Airfix model kits. In fact |
| broker a deal. This deal was struck and Airfix began | | | | during 2009 they released over one hundred new |
| to produce cheap small scale models for Woolworths. | | | | Airfix model kits. So it looks like the coming years are |
| One of the first of these models was a small scale | | | | hopefully going to prove very busy for the Airfix |
| version of the Golden Hind which was launched in | | | | company. |
| 1952. The Woolworths sellers then asked Airfix to | | | | |