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Airfix Modellers Club application form (Buster comic, 12th April 1980)

Club membership application form included as part of a full-page advertisement in the Buster children's comic.

 

The Airfix Modellers Club was launched in May 1974 by Fleetway Publications in conjunction with the Airfix Company. The club ran from May 1974 to March 1981 and was promoted through Fleetway's comic titles such as Valiant, Lion, Battle Picture Weekly and Buster ( www.bustercomic.co.uk/features.html ). By the end of the club's lifetime, it achieved a cumulative membership of over 150,000.

 

The club heavily promoted new Airfix products through the comics by advertisements and competitions for club members and for those who remember the adverts which featured Dick Emery, who was the club's president. Every new member received their membership pack comprising of a certificate, voucher stamps for Airfix kits, sticker, membership card and the club badge.

 

Airfix is a British company founded by Nicholas Kove (1891-1958) in 1939 and famous for their scale plastic model kits. In the late 1940’s the company began to experiment with the mass production of scale self-assembly plastic (polystyrene) kits and in 1952 launched their first mass produced kit of the Golden Hind ship. It was an immediate success and within a year Airfix followed with the release of the Spitfire aircraft. Their first retail outlet was Woolworth stores and this in no small way contributed to Airfix’s success. The plastic scale model kit flourished during it’s peak during the 1960’s and 1970’s but the hobby went into decline during the 1980’s and the Airfix company too until they became bankrupt. However, such was the fame of the Airfix brand-name that the company was bought by Hornby Hobbies Lid in 2006 and so the Airfix name continues on.

 

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For more information:

www.airfix.com/about-airfix/

 

www.airfix.com/official-airfix-club-membership/

 

www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk/magazines/arti... (a short historical article about Airfix).

 

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Thank you for reading.

Stuart.

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Uploaded on August 30, 2012
Taken on August 30, 2012