Issue 83 of Constant Scale, the journal of the Airfix Collectors’ Club, is out now and has two articles by downthetubes contributor Jeremy Briggs, both featuring Airfix badges.
The first is a short piece on the mystery surrounding the three different ‘Airfix Monster Competition’ badges that feature their T-Rex head – which are a mystery, because no one remembers them, or the competition that they are promoting.
The issue also includes a longer feature on the history of Palitoy era version of the Airfix Modellers Club – the 1970s IPC comics version of the original club in Lion, Valiant, Buster and Battle comics had a white members’ badge, whilst the shorter lived 1980s Palitoy era Airfix Magazine version had a black members’ badge.
The full contents of the issue are as follows:
James’ Jottings: James Bridges muses on kit accuracy, Airfix’s B-Type bus, glue capsules in kits, companies releasing other manufacturers’ kits as theirs, and more…
Palitoy’s Airfix Modellers Club: Jeremy Briggs looks at the second version of the club run through Airfix Magazine in the Palitoy era of the 1980s
Humbrol Era Catalogues: Jeremy Brook looks at the 1986 to 1996 Airfix catalogues with lots of illustrations
Working For Matchbox: Former Airfix staffer and longtime modeller Keith Melville describes his time working at Matchbox kits before he moved over to Airfix
An Airfix Monster Mystery: Jeremy Briggs speculates on the origin of the Airfix Monster Competition badges
Type 18 Boxes: Jeremy Brook covers Airfix’s new box design and how it echoes previous styles
Melville’s Musings: Keith Melville considers the current prices of kits, the lack of Bomber Command kits and accessories, buying kits from Woolworths, and “three dimensional volumetric” Micromodels kits.
Plus Jeremy Brook provides his ongoing selection of new kit reviews
• Constant Scale Issue 83 is only available from the Airfix Collectors’ Club. Back issues, both print and e-copies, are also available. More details about the club and how to join are available on its website: airfixcollectorsclub.co.uk
- About the Author
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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.
Categories: Art and Illustration, downthetubes News, Magazines, Merchandise, Other Worlds
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