Welcome to the very first episode of our brand-new podcast!

To kick things off, we’re diving into the golden age of aviation with the iconic Boeing 314 “Clipper.”

A symbol of luxury and long-haul travel in the late 1930s and ’40s, this majestic flying boat offered passengers an experience more like a cruise than a flight—complete with dining rooms, sleeping bunks, and plush lounges.

Operated by Pan Am and later BOAC, the Clipper flew across oceans in style, defining the glamour of early air travel. And now, thanks to Airfix’s Vintage Classics range, you can recreate this aviation marvel in model form. It’s a fitting subject for episode one—celebrating the elegance, ambition, and craftsmanship of a bygone era.

Our new Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 kit has unquestionably been at the top of the new tooling pre-ordering charts since it was announced early this year, and along with the new SEPECAT Jaguar, have shown themselves to be the two new models we know people are most desperate to get their hands on.

For this reason, we know that news of its release will come as a welcome development, and we hope this full project overview will serve as a fitting introduction for this highly anticipated new kit.

As we welcome this new Ferret kit to the current Airfix range, we will be taking this update opportunity to look a little more closely at the wider Ferret story, to showcase a beautiful selection of built model images, and to include details behind the three scheme options which are included with this highly anticipated second release.

With two different variants, and six scheme options now available across two kit releases, we can now genuinely boast a ‘business’ of Ferrets hiding somewhere within the 2025 Airfix kit range, just waiting to be discovered and given new homes.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

With so many new model release additions joining the Airfix range at this present moment, it didn’t take us long to decide that it was time to unleash the latest double blog weekend on our loyal Workbench audience, as we try to keep pace with all the new model arrivals. The subject of this latest kit update is the return of our 1/48th scale Folland Gnat, particularly as it’s returning with the two scheme options with which this delightful model made its range debut back in 2014. A famous British jet trainer from the 1960s and 70s, the Gnat continues to attract new modelling admirers to this day, by virtue of its diminutive size and stunning good looks. How two fully equipped RAF airmen managed to squeeze themselves inside the cockpit of a Gnat, is another story altogether.

With this beautiful little model already in our warehouse and available, we will be marking its re-introduction by looking at the history of this jet which not only trained hundreds of pilots, but also became one of the most famous in post war history, as the mount of the celebrated Red Arrows. We will also take a closer look at the two scheme options which feature with this kit, and by showcasing a selection of built model images finished in both, attempt to help readers decide which of the two gets their vote, in advance of this kit taking up residency on their own workstations.

We have a true British aviation ‘Pocket Rocket’ for your consideration in this second blog release of the weekend.

In this latest edition of our Workbench blog, we will be attempting to chart the early development of military aviation through the medium of impending new model kit releases to the current Airfix range, as we have a trio of Great War related releases scheduled for imminent arrival. All three aircraft were introduced over a 30 month period from the period just prior to the outbreak of war, with each one highlighting the increasing influence of aviation on military thinking and ultimately, how the aeroplane transformed from an aerial observation platform, to a deadly dominator of the skies.

As the Airfix team are engaged in making final preparations for our attendance at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, our latest Workbench update features our latest scale tribute to an aircraft which has to be described as one of the most significant of the post war era, the current RAF incarnation of which is scheduled to be thrilling the crowds at Fairford in just a few days’ time, the mighty Boeing Chinook. This twin rotor behemoth is a heavy lift helicopter phenomenon, an aircraft whose everyday routine taskings are anything but routine, and a helicopter the world has come to rely on over the past 63 years or so.

As the second release from our newly tooled Boeing Chinook HC 1 kit is just about to arrive in our warehouse, and is surely destined to prove as popular as the inaugural release, we’re devoting this edition to the wonderful world of the Wokka, looking at why both the aviation world and modelling/enthusiast communities just can’t get enough of this magnificent and historic aircraft. In addition to taking a little historic overview of the Chinook’s service life with the Royal Air force, we will be looking in a little more detail at the two scheme options which are included with this second release, with the added benefit of having eye’s on a selection of built model images, featuring kits finished in both of those scheme options.

One of the main offensive assets the Allied air forces could call upon during the Second World War was the availability of large numbers of capable four engined heavy bombers. Both Britain and America introduced aircraft capable of carrying the fight to enemy occupied Europe, with the Luftwaffe’s inability to match them thought by many to be one of the most significant factors in them ultimately losing the war. Both Britain and America could call upon the destructive services of three different four engined heavy bombers during WWII, with the Avro Lancaster joining the Short Stirling and Handley Page Halifax in Bomber Command service, pounding countless German targets by night.

The Americans also had three such aircraft, the impressive late war Boeing B-29 Superfortress joining the B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator which were already in service, although as far as many people are concerned, this particular story started and ended with the Flying Fortress. For whatever the reason maybe, the B-17 seemed to capture the imagination of the world, and as such, is often regarded by many as the most famous and most important four engined heavy bomber of the war, even though the B-24 Liberator was produced in greater numbers and was arguably the better aircraft.

As we welcome what is just the second release from our new 1/72nd scale Consolidated B-24 Liberator tooling to the 2025 range, this latest update will help us attempt to redress this historic imbalance by discovering why the B-24 was much more than just an aircraft which served as a support act for the Flying Fortress throughout the USAAF daylight bombing campaign against Germany in WWII, and is deserving of much greater recognition than it usually receives.

A true WWII aviation heavyweight is under the Airfix modelling spotlight 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.

As the Airfix team return from our attendance at the Royal International Air Tattoo, and four long and intense days of working and talking all things modelling and aeroplanes, we wanted to take this Workbench opportunity to make those who couldn’t make this year’s show aware of our exclusive show announcement, and a further unexpected kit addition to the 2025 range. If you’re attending the world’s greatest military Airshow and intend to unveil a new kit at such a prestigious event, you’d better make sure it’s a BIG one, and in this regard, we pulled out all the stops.

When it comes to aircraft types which can claim to have earned the status of aviation icon, nothing comes close to rivalling the reputation of the Supermarine Spitfire, so if you need a new kit announcement which possesses real hobby gravitas, look no further than the Spitfire in our largest 1/24th scale, a Super Kit in every sense. A project which has seen us collaborating with some influential partners, this latest large scale kit announcement is so much more than just a re-issue of an existing kit, it’s one which boasts some unique and appealing additions, but one which also attempts to draw attention to an unusual and very human story from the final year of the war in Europe.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

We have something very different as our subject matter up for review this time around, as we prepare to welcome the first of three appealing High Speed Craft additions to our Vintage Classics range in 1/72nd scale. Some of the most impressive kits to have ever taken their place within various Airfix ranges, and models which make highlight additions to any collection of built kits, the first anticipated arrival of the three is the RAF Rescue Launch, a series of high speed vessels which plied their trade in the English Channel, North Sea and whilst stationed on overseas deployments.

Real speedsters of the seas, these vessels were not only dedicated to the rescue of downed airmen forced to ditch or bail out at sea, but could also be required to support wider Royal Naval operations on occasion, bringing their great speed and impressive firepower to bear in either a defensive, or offensive capacity.

A fascinating subject which has resulted in the creation of this truly classic Airfix kit, we will see how these ‘Spitfires of the Sea’ possessed more than just a passing connection to Britain’s aviation industry, along with how the use of the RAF roundel was more than just for decorative purposes.

With an impressive selection of built model images to illustrate this latest feature, and two appealing scheme options for us all to discover, please join us as we step aboard some of the most impressive boats to have ever launched from a UK boat house 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.

In this edition of Workbench, we will be looking at our latest scale model kit tribute to an aircraft which has to be considered one of the most notorious of the entire Second World War, one which became synonymous with the destructive intentions of the all-conquering Luftwaffe, the Heinkel He-III bomber. Unquestionably one of the most distinctive aircraft of WWII, the Heinkel He-III was one of several inter-war aviation projects which started development as a fast, modern civilian transport aircraft, only to later reveal its true intentions as a strike bomber. Produced in large quantities, wherever the Luftwaffe were operating, so you would expect to see the sky full of Heinkels.

As we prepare to welcome the H-6 torpedo attack variant of this aircraft to the current Airfix range, we will be spending this edition looking at how this famous aircraft was able to adapt to take on a great many operational roles, and become the Luftwaffe’s main attack bomber for the duration of the Second World War.

In other news, can you believe that this summer marks the 10th Anniversary of our Workbench blog? That being the case, and with this clearly being an opportunity to celebrate, we will be announcing our ‘Workbench Aluminium Anniversary Competition’ shortly, with an impressive Airfix prize haul awaiting our lucky winner, something no self-respecting Workbench reader will want to miss.

We had hoped to launch our competition this week, however, the technology gods have not been on our side, so it’s going to be something to look out for in next week’s edition, so this is just our way of putting everyone under starter’s orders.

On to matters pressing, and we have a classic WWII Luftwaffe kit addition to the 2025 range firmly in our sights in this latest edition of your weekly Workbench blog.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

We’re delighted to be in a position to confirm that for the next two editions of Workbench, the focus of our attentions will to be exclusively related to one of the headline new tooling announcements made to the current 2025 range, as we take this opportunity to introduce you to our new Westland Wessex kit in 1/72nd scale. In this first blog, we will be spending some time with the talented product designer who brought us this fabulous kit, and as this was his first helicopter design project, you can be sure we have much to ask him.

Not only will we be bringing you details of how the design phase of the new Wessex kit was successfully negotiated, but we will also be sharing an impressive selection of exclusive CAD screenshots with you, as we guide you through some of the design nuances of this impressive helicopter addition to the Airfix range.

It’s time for lift off with our fortnight of impending Westland Wessex kit new model tooling introductions.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

Following on from our Designer Interview edition, which was posted last weekend, we once again return to the subject of new 2025 tooling additions to the Airfix range in this latest edition of Workbench, and the hugely impressive Westland Wessex in 1/72nd scale. Having been allowed a fascinating insight into the design world of talented Product Designer Ethan Barker in our previous edition, we return to the subject of his latest impending new project addition to the Airfix kit range in this follow on feature, as we move from his computer screen to the wider modelling world and modeller workstations everywhere. This latest update will see us taking a more detailed look at the work done in support of his design efforts, as we feature box artwork, scheme details and include images of built models finished using the final test frames from this impressive new tooling.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

We’re excited to be back in the fascinating territory of new kit additions to the current Airfix range in this latest edition of Workbench, or to be precise, the actual design of them, as we bring you details of a project which is literally ‘Out of this World!’ In this latest designer interview edition, we will be featuring the new SLS Artemis kit in 1/144th scale, our latest space exploration related kit addition to the range, and our scale tribute to NASA’s current high-tech Space Launch System.

When you need a designer of some industry standing to cope with demanding situations such as these, we’re lucky to have just the man for the job, and you’ll be pleased to hear that Workbench regular Paramjit Sembhi will be in our hotseat again this time around, as we review what must have been quite the significant design challenge for him. Just as was the case with Ethan Barker over the previous two weeks and the Westland Wessex being his first helicopter design project, so SLS Artemis was Paramjit’s first foray into the world of spacecraft kit design, and that being the case, we had plenty of poignant questions lined up to ask him. As you would expect, we also requested a selection of supporting imagery to illustrate some of the points covered, and Paramjit didn’t let us down – we’re all in for a real design treat.

We continue exploring the latest kit additions to the current Airfix range, as we go interstellar 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.

We have something very different to the norm in this latest edition of Workbench, as we will be featuring no fewer than THREE impending model kit release additions to the current range this time around, with this trio of models all linked by both scale and subject matter. In fact, each of the models featured will be of great interest to those readers with a passion for creating engaging diorama scenes, particularly those with a leaning towards British Army operations during the post war/Cold War era.

With their rugged, go-anywhere, no-nonsense reputation, several variant incarnations of the classic Land Rover design have seen extensive British Military service over the years, with many thousands of these fantastic vehicles going on to wear the military colours of Britain’s armed forces.

In addition to featuring our scale tributes to this magnificent series of support vehicles, our third subject is a lightweight, modern field gun system which was designed to provide British forces with a highly mobile field artillery piece, one which was effective enough to bring down meaningful suppressing fire against enemy positions quickly, but also to be light enough to be transported either by helicopter, or towed by 1 tonne Land Rover vehicles.

We’re all on rapid deployment duties with the scale modelling version of the British Army, in this latest edition of your weekly Workbench blog.

In a year which has already seen the world commemorating and celebrating several significant WWII anniversaries, this year’s Battle of Britain Day commemorations will be marking 85 years since the pilots of Fighter Command repelled the incessant Luftwaffe attacks against British targets, including day and night attacks against London.

With Britain standing alone, and Europe firmly under the heel of the Wehrmacht, the summer of 1940 would see a nation preparing to face an onslaught the like of which had never been seen, a fight for its very survival, along with that of the free world at that time. With the English Channel acting as a natural barrier to invasion, German military planners knew they would have to rule the skies over Britain, if a risky amphibious assault against the country had any hope of success, but with the Luftwaffe sweeping all before it during the early months of the war, and with overwhelming odds in their favour, surely such a victory was only a matter of time.

On this side of the Channel, Britain prepared to defend everything they held dear, and whilst the Battle of Britain is often championed as the ‘Few’ facing the many, what the Luftwaffe and German forces were up against was an entire nation, a Britain steadfast in its resolve, and ready for the challenge ahead.

In this latest edition of Workbench, through the medium of scale modelling, we will be attempting to highlight how the Battle of Britain was much more than just Spitfires against Messerschmitts, and how this aerial struggle proved to be pivotal in the wider context of the Second World War, with many different facets making significant contributions.

It's Battle of Britain anniversary weekend 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.

After last weekend’s bumper Battle of Britain 85th Anniversary edition and Hawker Hurricane linked feature in Airfix Aerodrome, we’re taking things just a little bit easier this week for a number of reasons, mainly scheduling and holiday related. That being said, there is no let-up with regard to Workbench exclusives, as we have an appealing new selection of built model images to bring you this time around.

As we continue to retain a subject link with the Battle of Britain, or at least with one of the aircraft types which contested this aerial dual, we will be revisiting a subject covered just a few weeks ago, not just because we now have built model images which weren’t available at the time of previously posting, but because the kit is now in stock and available, and is in our opinion, unquestionably one of the most appealing kit releases of the year. Our latest Heinkel He-III kit release presents this famous bomber in H-6 torpedo carrying variant configuration, however, modellers looking to produce a scale tribute to the Luftwaffe’s most famous bomber currently have TWO individual kit options available on the Airfix website. We will be including details of both kits and their featured scheme detail options in this latest update.

We have double Heinkel He III kit release updates for you in this latest aviation ‘Wolf in sheep’s clothing’ 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.

Over the course of the next few weeks, we’re expecting several new Vintage Classics kit releases to arrive in our warehouse, as we move towards welcoming the final kits from the current range as we head towards the back end of the year. This seemed like the ideal opportunity of us to offer a little Workbench update support in this latest edition. Announced as a heritage addition to the Airfix range back in 2018, the enthusiast support for the Vintage Classics range has been nothing short of incredible, and whilst these kits may not always share the tooling finesse of a modern design project, they do possess modelling heritage and hobby nostalgia by the absolute bucket-load.

The kit we’ve selected for review this time around is a classic release which first appeared in an Airfix range back in 1970, an impressive new kit to match the exciting new international jet collaboration which was in its trials stage at that time, the Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar. Back then, the kit was marketed as the BAC Jaguar, but represented the pinnacle of model kit design and manufacture at that time, as we’re sure many a Workbench reader will attest to.

We will be featuring the Jaguar in this latest nostalgia fuelled update, but have already scheduled the Puma HC.1, British Army 4 ton truck and Lockheed Hudson for future inclusion, by which time, we hope to have a full suite of built model images available for our blog update use.

So, it’s one of the best loved Airfix kits of one of the best loved RAF aircraft of the Cold War era for your delectation in this latest edition of Workbench and a case of collaboration áeronautique avec nos amis d’outre-Manche.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

As the world prepares to celebrate Space Week, there really could only be one subject for this latest edition of Workbench, an edition which really could be described as being out of this world. Unquestionably the most impressive machines ever conceived by man, space launch vehicles represent the very pinnacle of man’s technological prowess, not to mention how they utilise the most powerful engines ever created. With the launch sequence itself being a sight so spectacular that it captivates billions of people each and every time, is it any wonder that space travel and exploration remains as arguably man’s most impressive achievement to date.

International Space Week sees the world celebrating the latest advancements in science and technology, not only in relation to space exploration, but also how this technology eventually finds its way into everyday life for much of the world’s population, stimulating ever more impressive advances in all manner of fields. Those fields include computer design and manufacturing processes which allow model companies to produce beautiful scale representations of the most impressive spacecraft to have ever left the surface of the earth, and on to new adventures amongst the stars.

In celebration of this latest Space Week, our newly tooled SLS Artemis kit has now been released and has already been joined by our classic Saturn V kit, with the pair about to be welcome our Space Shuttle onto the modelling launchpad, each on presented in 1/144th scale and each one an iconic kit representation of man’s ultimate desire to explore beyond the stars.

As countdown to Space Week enters its final stages, we’re heading for the stars 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.

With almost 400 Workbench blogs now successfully under our belts, we’re never afraid to try something just that little bit different when putting one together, with this current edition being something of a point in case. When announcing the latest kit additions to the current Airfix range, we sometimes unearth something very special, be that new information revealed in support of an included scheme option, or new box artwork which triggers fond memories for a former British serviceman. That’s exactly what happened when former member of the Royal Artillery Alister Constantine first saw the new box artwork for the second release from our Ferret Scout Car tooling, because it was the exact same vehicle that he operated throughout his service during the Gulf War.

Kindly, Alister dropped our marketing team a line to inform us of the close link he had with our artwork, which was the start of a fascinating period for members of the Airfix team, particularly our lead videographer Nathan. He was fortunate enough to meet Alister, where they discussed all things Ferret, and this Ferret in particular. Nathan was also given access to a fascinating collection of Gulf War imagery featuring Alister and Ferret 00 EC 15, details which really provide this latest Ferret kit release with irresistible provenance, and build project character which is second to none.

In this latest Workbench update, we will be sharing details of Alister’s Gulf War time with Ferret 00 EC 15, including some of those fascinating pictures taken at the time, and including the two related Videos recently created by Nathan within this edition. We need little excuse to have one of our new Ferret kits on the workbench as a build project, but after this, we think we know the scheme many Airfix enthusiasts will be opting to go for.

We’re on Gulf War deployment with a particularly interesting British Army Ferret Mk.1 Scout Car and its crew in this latest edition of Workbench.

As we currently find ourselves on the cusp of actual modelling season, with the longer nights providing us with an excuse to spend much more time at our workstations, can you think of a better way of celebrating this than by announcing our latest 'secret' model release? On Wednesday this week, we announced details of just the third releases from our popular 1/72nd scale de Havilland Mosquito tooling, as the previously unannounced additions to the current range just keep on coming.

This new release announcement includes an additional frame of parts which allow several new Mosquito variant/ordnance options to be considered by the modeller, and in this latest edition of Workbench, we will be bringing you all the details you might need from this latest addition to the range. In a robust review, we have insights and development imagery direct from the kit designer’s computer, an impressive selection of built model images, and details behind the THREE new scheme options included with what’s sure to be a welcome addition to the range.

We’re spending time with the ‘Wooden Wonder’ in this latest edition of Workbench, or at least our scale plastic kit tribute to it.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

The one thing you have always been able to rely on Airfix to provide the modelling world with is an impressive selection of classic scale aircraft model kits across several different scales, something which helped inspire a great many young people on their career journeys to become engineers, pilots, or to simply continue enjoying this great hobby of ours. In our previous edition, we unveiled our latest ‘secret’ scale tribute to a later variant incarnation of one of the finest aircraft of the Second World War, and we’re returning to similar subject matter for this latest update, albeit in a larger scale.

Regarded as arguably the most famous aircraft in the history of flight, but unquestionably the highest profile design to come from the British aviation industry, the Supermarine Spitfire served throughout the Second World War and beyond, with ever more examples undergoing restoration to airworthy condition, such is the enduring fascination with this aircraft. Our new kit subject for this latest edition really is something special, only the second stand alone kit release from this particular tooling, and a release which charts the post war career of a true stalwart of the historic aviation scene here in the UK. This kit presents the same aircraft in three different scheme guises spanning almost 70 years of flying.

Our blog title for this week was intentionally selected to possess a little more intrigue than usual, as we want to do something a little different with this latest edition. As far as we know, there’s never actually been an ‘Avro Week’ commemoration event, and certainly never here on the Workbench blog, but as we find ourselves on the cusp of the scale modelling world’s annual ‘gathering’ at Telford’s International Centre, we wanted to take a little break from featuring new tooling projects and secret additions to the current Airfix range. Instead, we wanted to place the blog spotlight on a selection of (relatively) recent model kit releases, all of which are currently in stock and available for modelling project duty right now.

Interestingly, the three kits we have selected chart 20 years of aircraft design development at one of the most famous company’s in British aviation history, a name which became synonymous with powerful bomber types, but can trace its origins back to the early years of the 20th century. We will be seeing how 20 years can seem like a lifetime in the world of aviation, and whilst all three aircraft were groundbreaking in their own right at the time of their maiden flights, how they could hardly be more different from each other, when it came to both their appearance, and their capabilities.

You will probably be able to guess which aircraft types we’re going to be featuring, but you can be absolutely certain that the Airfix range has beautifully crafted scale kit representations of each one, albethey in different scales, to allow our model display cabinets to feature our own appealing tributes to each one of them. When it comes to Avro aircraft types, the current Airfix range certainly helps scale Avro aviators to gain their hobby wings.

As we push the virtual hangar doors back on this latest edition of Workbench, which of this trio of Avro classics will be making its way to the blog taxiway first?

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.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

Well, what a spectacular weekend that turned out to be. With the latest instalment of the Scale ModelWorld phenomenon now done and dusted, we can confidently confirm that this modelling hobby we all enjoy so much, and the army of enthusiasts who consider themselves amongst its ranks, are both in a very good place right now, with the future of the hobby looking as bright as it’s ever been. As we reflect on a busy, but extremely enjoyable weekend, and allow our voices a little recovery time, we will be spending this latest edition of Workbench covering some of the activities team members were involved with over the weekend, in an attempt to share some of the atmosphere of what was a thoroughly enjoyable event once again.

With a selection of exclusive images taken by members of the Airfix team over the weekend to illustrate the points under discussion, you can look forward to seeing the Airfix stand in all its glory, a quintuple of built Messerschmitt Bf 109 Gustav debutantes, competition winners entries and a fantastically imaginative Display of the Day/Show winner, along with the impressive people behind them all.

As we try to keep the Scale ModelWorld ‘highs’ going for just a few days more, please join us as we review our show experiences at SMW 2025 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.

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.

As the Airfix team have been working hard on preparing the 2026 Airfix catalogue over the previous few weeks and the heady modelling nostalgia this always invokes, it could hardly be more appropriate that this week’s edition of Workbench see’s us returning to the world of Vintage Classics, and the latest addition to this popular range. Indeed, we don’t just have a single kit subject for your delectation this time around, we have two closely related models which many modellers regard as some of the most appealing to have ever graced the Airfix range, in a case of double Vintage Classics trouble.

The one thing each Airfix kit range has always been able to boast is the sheer variety of subjects available in scale model form, everything from famous fighter aircraft of the Second World War to dinosaurs and historical figures, and all types of craft in-between. An incredibly popular sub-range of kits over the years have been scale ships, from historic galleons to lifeboats, but also including some of the most powerful warships to have ever sailed the world’s oceans. Making for incredibly impressive built model displays, it may have been a while since we’ve seen a new tooling addition to this line up of kits, but we do still have many classics to tempt us.

This latest update features two fast attack craft from the Second World War, stunning model representations of impressive coastal attack craft which were intended to create havoc in coastal waters, one British and one German. With classic box artwork and a selection of built model images to share, we’re unquestionably in the realm of classic Airfix kits in this week’s edition of Workbench.

You’re going to be needing your sea legs this weekend, as we’re on a mission with the sea dragons of the Second World War.

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.

It’s been quite a year for Supermarine Spitfire related developments, anniversaries and associated media content. With this year marking the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which was arguably the Spitfire’s finest hour, and the end of the war in Europe, with the Spitfire still an important aircraft in Royal Air Force inventory at that time, 2025 also marked 90 years since construction work started on the Spitfire Type 300 prototype K5054.

From an Airfix perspective, we have also seen the continuation of the incredible popularity of the aircraft in scale model form, with our modified ‘Flying Dray’ 1/24th scale Spitfire joining the recently released Mk.VIII export variant of the model in that same ‘Superkit’ scale, and two newly tooled models joining the range over the past twelve months. Our new 1/48th scale two seat Spitfire TR.9 was as unexpected as it has proved popular, but with so much going on over recent months, our new 1/48th scale Spitfire Mk.IXe kit appears to have slipped under the modelling radar somewhat, despite it actually being a really significant addition to the range. We intend to address this situation with this latest update.

The focus of our attentions this Workbench weekend is to provide an appropriate introduction to this new kit, even though it’s actually been available for a couple of weeks now. We will be looking at the importance of this stop-gap, but crucial variant of the Spitfire, in addition to bringing you all the relevant details related to this latest new tooling addition to the Airfix range. With stunning box artwork, scheme details and more, this latest update is definitely one for the Spitfire aficionados amongst our number.

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.

As most of us will still be clinging steadfastly to the festive spirit on this first Friday in the new year, we thought we’d embark on a new year of Workbench blogs by updating one of our popular editions from last year, particularly as we now find ourselves in possession of built model samples of the kit in question. As our subject aircraft just happens to be arguably the most famous piston engined aircraft to have ever graced world skies, we didn’t think there would be too many dissenting voices amongst our, particularly as this variant marks a powerful new direction for this potent performer.

Unquestionably the highest profile design to come from the British aviation industry, the Supermarine Spitfire served throughout the Second World War and beyond, with ever more examples undergoing restoration to airworthy condition, such is the enduring fascination with this aircraft. Our new kit subject for this latest edition really is something special, only the second stand-alone kit release from this particular tooling, and a release which charts the post war career of a true stalwart of the historic aviation scene here in the UK. Significantly, this kit release presents the same aircraft in three different scheme guises, spanning almost 70 years of flying.

As many readers will no doubt have this stunning kit on their build schedule for the coming year, let’s see why our 1/48th scale Snooping Spitfire makes for an ideal way in which to start our modelling journey for 2026.

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 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 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.

As we settle into the enjoyable business of introducing all the new 2026 range model kit release to our Workbench audience, we begin by featuring a kit which may have caught a few people by surprise when presenting itself on range launch day, but has underlined its incredible popularity in the days since, our 1/48th scale English Electric Lightning F.6. A kit which is extremely highly regarded within the hobby, this is our scale tribute to one of the most exciting jet aircraft to have ever taken to the skies, and those who were lucky enough to have seen one display at an Airshow or RAF airfield back in the day, will surely never forget the experience.

If we started the year by looking at our latest Airfix Club Kit offering and the Swedish Air Force’s most exciting Cold War jet fighter, the Lightning is perhaps the only aircraft of that era which eclipsed it in terms of speed and performance, and may even have provided inspiration for the aircraft’s designers back then. Whatever that particular case may have been, the Lightning unquestionably stands as one of the finest achievements of the British aviation industry, an aircraft which was such a leap forward in technological terms that it’s history and service heritage still continues to captivate millions of people to this day. Would be get away with calling its Britain’s jet powered Spitfire, even though it was only produced in a tiny fraction of the 20,351 Spitfires built? Many enthusiasts certainly think so.

In this latest edition of Workbench, prepare to strap on a Lightning and shoot towards the heavens like a homesick angel!

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.

As this weekend will see millions of people around the world celebrating Valentine’s Day, and our undying love for that special someone, or something in our lives, there really could be only one subject for this latest edition of Workbench, even though we’re probably going to be requiring the use of your imagination at points along the way. Will we be able to produce something which encompasses love, Airfix and the hobby we all hold so dear, or will our blog gift end up being a little wide of the Valentine’s mark? As ever, you will be the judges of that, but you can rest assured that we’ll be giving it our best shot, and like the Milk Tray advert of years past, it will all be because we know Workbench readers love Airfix model kits.

So, as we start to create this latest edition of Workbench, the first one since marking our 400th edition last time around, we’re not exactly sure which subject direction we’re going to be taking, but what we do know is that we will be featuring a few Airfix scale model kits along the way. Hold on tight, this might turn out to be something of a wild ride.

Going back to the subject of our recent 400th edition for a moment, as our previous blog was published late on Saturday evening for the first time in almost eleven years, if you haven’t already read that edition, please do so, as we announced a rather spectacular competition last Saturday, with a mega kit bundle worth £400 being up for grabs. Please use the link above to be taken straight to the competition page.

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.

The title of this week’s edition of Workbench leaves us in no doubt whatsoever that we have something rather special in mind this time around, and will see us delving into the inspirational world of one of Britain’s favourite sons, a man who helped galvanise a nation to its task during some of its darkest days. As the past few days have seen history marking the 116th birthday of Douglas Bader, and particularly because goodness knows we could all use a little inspiration at this moment in time, we couldn’t think of a finer subject to stir our modelling passions this weekend. That being said, the main focus of our attentions is going to be the flying career of this incredible man.

To those who knew him, Douglas Bader was often described as being reckless, headstrong and often difficult, but for a nation who came to know him through his spirit and deeds, they saw him as inspirational, determined and fiercely patriotic, just the sort of man you needed when facing a threat to your very way of life. Douglas Bader was an ordinary man who achieved extraordinary things, but more than anything else, was an inspirational leader of men, in the days when leaders needed to do so from the front.

A man who overcame incredible physical adversity to do his duty, we’re entering the world of a very British hero 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.

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.

With the subject of aircraft and aviation history proving to be so utterly captivating for so many people, it’s no wonder that the scale modelling hobby has thrived as it has over the years, as it’s taken so much subject inspiration from man’s enduring fascination with flight. With last week’s 90th Anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Type 300 (Spitfire) still fresh in our minds, many people would probably agree that we can often be guilty of allowing the focus of our attentions to be a little UK mainland centric if we’re being honest, even if that’s understandable bearing in mind the rich subject matter available to us. Because that tends to be the case, we rarely direct our gaze to skies across the Irish Sea, however, in this current edition of Workbench, we’ll be attempting to put that right.

By way of marking next week’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations, our subject for this latest edition is the proud aviation heritage of the Irish Air Corps, using what is actually a fairly limited number of Airfix model kit livery options as our related illustrators, notwithstanding the fact that they happen to be rather eye-catching and extremely appealing ones. From the pioneering aviators making trans-Atlantic crossings, to the first jet aircraft operating out of Baldonnel Aerodrome, we’re looking at aviation through Irish eyes in this latest edition of Workbench.

Head of Brand Dale Luckhurst is joined by Product Development Manager Matthew Whiting and @thescalemodellingcafe to talk all things Airfix, Flying Career and more! Visit the Airfix range: www.airfix.com #airfix #scalemodelling #aviationhistory #modelkit

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.

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 post, the focus of our attentions will be the last flight of a famous aircraft type in Royal Air Force service, one which served as a British icon throughout the Cold War era, and one which would relinquish its official RAF display duties, only to later take its place on the UK Airshow circuit in private hands. Incredibly, for a seven year period, she would become the world’s most complex aircraft restoration project ever to return to flying condition, referred to by millions of people simply by her military serial number XH558. Captivating the UK Airshow scene for seven truly unforgettable years, not only did she command record crowds wherever she performed, but she would also be known as ‘The Spirit of Great Britain’, and arguably, the most famous aircraft to ever appear on the UK Airshow scene.

In our second, separately published post for the week, we will be marking another significant British aviation anniversary, but one connected to an enemy aircraft from an earlier era of flight. Flown operationally by the Luftwaffe at the end of 1942, this aircraft 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. This historic machine would eventually take its place on the UK Airshow scene 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.

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.

Read the blog: https://uk.airfix.com/community/blog-and-news/workbench/british-army-bid-farewell-their-iconic-land-rovers

For 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 this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

Having just completed another year of bringing our loyal readers weekly Workbench development updates, and with our latest range launch now just days away, we thought that we might try something just that little bit different for this latest edition of our blog, particularly as new models and new model tooling projects are going to be dominating our attention over the coming weeks. With a full year of numbers and statistics now available for evaluation, we thought it might be an interesting exercise to discover which kits proved to be the most popular releases over the previous twelve months, and whether new toolings totally dominated this chart, or if the re-introduction of some updated classics managed to muscle their way in there.

Taking this final opportunity to reflect before we embark on our 2026 modelling voyage of discovery, we will be looking at TEN of the most popular kits from 2025, featuring box artwork, built kit photography and details behind at least one of the scheme options available with each kit release. For those of us who have one, or several of these kits either in our stashes, or already in our display cabinets, this will serve as clear confirmation that we really do have our fingers on the pulse when it comes to modelling matters, and for those yet to sample these scale delights, what on earth have you been doing all year?

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.

We have a real Airfix treat for you in this week’s edition of Workbench, as we pay our first blog visit of the year to one of the new tooling projects joining the range in 2026, the latest classic addition to our incredibly popular 1/35th scale military vehicle range. With the Ferret Scout Car having successfully completed its scale reconnaissance mission for future 1/35th scale projects, were delighted to be welcoming the third in our series of classic post war British military vehicle kits to the current range, with the impending release of our Alvis FV603 Saracen Mk.5, and she’s a beauty!

As we pay our first visit to this exciting new project, we will be bringing you designer insights, exclusive CAD imagery, and a run through of the three scheme options which will be supporting the initial release of the new Saracen, a kit we already know a great many Airfix fans will be looking forward to rumbling on their own workstations.

There’s nothing quite like a new tooling project review to usher us into another Workbench weekend, and with the British Army’s Combat Caravan in our sights, we’ve got an absolute cracker for you this time around.

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.

This week’s title and header image serve as confirmation that we will be returning to the nostalgic world of Vintage Classics in this latest edition of Workbench, as we prepare to welcome the scale model kit induction of one of the most unusual looking aircraft of the 20th century into its ranks. When talking about the subject of basic aviation aesthetics, the Short SC.7 Skyvan certainly wasn’t going to be winning a great many plaudits, even though it proved to be extremely capable in several important areas. Importantly, once crews came to appreciate the many qualities of the Skyvan, it definitely earned their respect, and would even reveal itself to be the ideal aeroplane in a number of specialised fields in the years to come.

As we prepare to welcome the Short Skyvan into the 2026 range this summer, we’ll be taking this blog opportunity to look at the development of this unusual aircraft, and see how some of them are still working hard to this day, providing specialist aerial support 63 years after the maiden flight of the prototype, using Airfix artwork to help illustrate the story.

With the Vintage Classics range being our focus of attention this week, we will also be including artwork and built model imagery of a recent release addition to the range, a model kit which has to be considered the most requested Vintage Classics kit return since the range was announced back in 2018, our scale tribute to one of the most impressive machines to have ever hovered above the ocean waves.

We’re riding the crest of an Airfix wave of kit nostalgia in this weekend’s edition of our Workbench blog.

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Workbench blog, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

For those of us who have a few years invested in this wonderful hobby of ours, we know only too well how the model kits we’ve enjoyed building over the years, particularly early on in our modelling journeys, helped to provide us with a different perspective on the facts we learned about in our history books at school, if not by actually bringing those details to life, but certainly by allowing them to take physical form and becoming appealingly tactile. In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be making reference to this by featuring two kits which are both currently available in the 2026 range, both 1/72nd scale representations of fighting aeroplanes, and both writing their names into the annals of aviation history from the very earliest days of aerial combat.

Our main subject is an aircraft which possesses unrivalled aviation credentials, the first ‘hunting’ aeroplane, one developed specifically to prey on other aircraft, dominating the skies and creating a new breed of fighting aeroplane. The second subject ended up being prey for the first one, despite the fact that it was an impressive aircraft in its own right, one which performed exceptionally well in the role for which it was intended. Unfortunately, a new breed of enemy aircraft ensured that history records its service years as being extremely challenging, despite its many commendable qualities.

We’re in the presence of true aviation pioneers and their aircraft in this latest edition of Workbench.