Space Kingley artist Ron Jobson’s Airfix art documented in latest Constant Scale magazine

By John Freeman on July 25, 2018

Constant Scale Issue 67 - Promotional Image

The latest issue of Constant Scale, the journal of the Airfix Collectors’ Club, includes a feature by downthetubes contributor Jeremy Briggs about artist Ron Jobson, who provided the art for the three “Space Kingley” books in the 1950s and who painted box covers as well as many instruction sheets for Airfix in the mid 1970s.

BACK THEM UP! "Hurricanes" of the Royal Air Force co-operating with the Russian Air Force — *BACK THEM UP! “Hurricanes” of the Royal Air Force co-operating with the Russian Air Force*

Born in Brixton, Ron won a scholarship age 13 to the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, and studied there for three years until the outbreak of war in 1939. He started work in Fleet Street with the studio entitled ‘War Artists and Illustrators’, doing work for wartime magazines, Ministry of Information propaganda, and aircraft advertising.

After the war, he provided book illustrations for a wide range of subjects, including science fiction, as well as illustrations for Matchbox toys (in 1967, he was responsible for the illustrations on all of the Matchbox 1-75 Series model boxes for that year), Airfix models and general advertising.

He died in January 2014.

Jeremy’s feature includes previously unpublished Airfix sections of David Ashford and Norman Wright’s 1980s interview with Jobson.

Ron Jobson's original art for the World War Two poster "BACK THEM UP!", featuring Hurricanes of the Royal Air Force co-operating with the Russian Air Force — *Ron Jobson’s original art for the World War Two poster “BACK THEM UP!”, featuring Hurricanes of the Royal Air Force co-operating with the Russian Air Force. From the National Archives*

The Airfix Collectors’ Club was originally formed in 1994 by a small group of like-minded enthusiasts to document the history of and encourage the collecting of the models and toys made by Airfix Products Ltd.

It was re-formed in late 1999, and is a non-profit making organisation, dedicated to linking fellow collectors and enthusiasts world-wide for the exchange of information, advice and archive material about Airfix since its formation in 1939. It is officially supported by Hornby Hobbies Ltd, the current owners of Airfix.

Constant Scale, the Club journal, is published four times a year and includes articles about the history of Airfix, its products and information supplied by former Airfix employees who are members of the Club.

Several “Club Guides” have been published, including two Contents and Indexes for Airfix Magazine and the Complete Airfix Artist and Kit List – 1949-2015 – now in its fourth edition, which lists artists against box releases.

• The current subscription to the Club (for 2017-18) is: £18 (UK), £28 (Europe & Eire) | £30 (Airmail outside Europe). It includes four issues of Constant Scale (Nos. 65 – 68). 24 pages (A4) per issue and includes four pages of colour. Back issues cost £2, or £6 for a complete year (UK). (All issues from No. 1 to No. 64 – Price on application)

• More about Constant Scale here on the Airfix Collectors’ Club web site | Read some sample articles

• Find Space Kingley books on Amazon (using this link helps support downthetubes) | Space Kingley items on eBay

• Ron Jobson’s career was covered by Norman Wright and David Ashford in Book and Magazine Collector Issue 320 in 2011. You may be able to find a back issue on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.