The Official Air fix Club

Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE 2 X AIRFIX MODEL BUILDS...

ASTON MARTIN DBR9

& THE 1:76 SCALE BEDFORD QL TRUCKS

www.airfix.com issue 12 2010
 The key features in this issue major on the newly tooled Aston Martin
Editorial DBR9 and the Jaguar XKR GT3 both in 1:32 scale, due out shortly. We
are sure these prestigious marques will appeal to racing enthusiasts,
as well as those of you who are just top of the range car aficionados.
Contents For military collectors, the appearance of the brand new Airfix Bedford QL Trucks will add
Book Review............... 2
further authenticity and atmosphere to your WWII diorama.
Diary Dates.................2
Exclusive Hawk Offer ...3
Forthcoming Releases
..............................4 - 5
Aston Martin DBR9 &
Jaguar XKR GT3 .....6 - 7
Aston Martin DBR9
Model Build ...........8 - 9
Hornby Visitor Centre.10
Bedford QL Truck ......11
Bedford QL Truck
Model Build .......12 - 13
Key Publishing Launches
Airfix Model World ....14
Advertorial ................15
Competition Time ......16
BOOK REVIEW...BUY ON-LINE NOW WWW.AIRFIX.COM
Their Finest Hour...
Aircraft of the Battle of Britain.
Consultant Editor: 'The most beautiful aircraft ever designed' is how many would Special pages are included which show illustrations of Airfix
Susan Pownell. describe the Spitfire today. Together with the more numerous models that have been released over recent years representing
Design & Production: and legendary fighter of the era, the Hurricane, in tandem these aircraft which fought in the
DSP Limited. aircraft were successfully used to halt the advancing German Battle of Britain. AH2899
Membership Organiser: war machine.
Sarah Woodhouse.
The Hurricane was often 'the pilot's choice', being a sturdy
2010 Subscription Fees:
aircraft that was also an excellent gun platform. But other
UK POSTAL Version £24.99.
aircraft too played their part in defending the British shores
UK DOWNLOADABLE Version £15.99.
EU DOWNLOADABLE Version £19.49.
during the summer of 1940.
Rest of the World DOWNLOADABLE This 80-page hardback book, by John G Bentley, takes a closer
Version £21.49. look at all of the aircraft that fought during the Battle of Britain,
Cheques made payable to: both British and German.
Hornby Hobbies Limited.
Visa, Access, Mastercard, Maestro
This special edition has been produced for Airfix enthusiasts.
£6.99
PLUS POSTAGE
& Switch accepted with valid A Special Limited Edition book by John G Bentley.
expiry date.
Club Address:
Airfix Collectors Club,
PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire, UK. LE13 IZG.
Tel: 0870 062 4001
DIARY DATES
Fax: 01664 480 257
Why not have a trip out to one of the following attractions, from many Airfix related people, including Roy Cross, Arthur
The Airfix Club Magazine is
promising an interesting day out? Ward and various Hornby personnel. More participants are
published on behalf of Hornby plc,
We recommend where possible that you contact the organisers being added all the time.
Westwood, Margate,
Kent CT9 4JX. concerned to confirm the details, which are correct at the time 13-14th November: IPMS Scale Model World - International
of going to press. Centre, Telford. Airfix will be at the event for the duration, so
The Club accepts no responsibility
for errors or ommissions or for 30th October: This is a World Record Attempt on the number come along and meet the team. For more information, log on
views and opinions expressed by of models made in one place in one day, with talks and displays to the website: www.ipms-uk.co.uk
contributors to the magazine.

www.airfix.com 2
 EXCLUSIVE AIRFIX CLUB KIT
BAE SYSTEMS HAWK T.1A
...with two decal options included!

XX307, No.208 (R) Squadron, Royal Air Force Valley, 2009.

Aircraft specially painted for the 2009 display season to mark the 90th
anniversary of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

XX184 “Spithawk”, Royal Air Force Valley, May 2008.

Aircraft specially painted for the 70th anniversary of 19(F) Squadron
equipping with the Spitfire. 1:72 SCALE
For the first time you lucky Airfix Club members are able to
Buy now for only £7.99 buy an exclusive kit specially produced for you.
P&P is £2.94 for any number bought (up to a max of 3). This is a one-off chance to buy this limited edition model
Please photocopy the order form if you don’t wish to cut your Club Magazine. and the maximum number each member can buy is 3.

IT’S SO EASY TO ORDER!... Simply fill in this order form and post to: Airfix Club Offer, Hornby Hobbies Ltd, Margate, Kent, CT9 4JX or phone our Credit Card Hotline on
01843 233 519. Alternatively, visit the Airfix Club members area at www.airfix.com to order online. If you do not have access to this area, please email club@airfix.com
STEP 1 – Order details
Item Qty Each Total
A73000 BAE Systems Hawk T.1A Club Special* £7.99
P&P is £2.94 for any number bought for UK address only. Airfix Club members outside the UK please call us for your P&P price. P&P Total £

*Only 3 kits per Airfix Club member, offer while stocks last! Order Total £

STEP 2 – Your details STEP 3 – Delivery details

Mr/Mrs/Miss Please complete the following if the required delivery address is different to that entered
Address in Step 2
Postcode Mr/Mrs/Miss
Email Address
Tel No. Club No. Postcode

STEP 4 – Payment details

I enclose my Cheque/Postal Order for £ payable to ‘Hornby Hobbies’ Visa Mastercard Maestro
Please charge my Credit/Debit Card for £ Card No.
Expiry Date Switch Issue No. Signature
On the back of your card near the signature is a 7 digit security number.
In order to authorise your card transactions, we require the last 3 digits
Your order should be despatched within 10 days but please allow 28 days for delivery. Offer not open to anyone under the age of 18. Mainland UK and Northern Ireland only.

Yet another fantastic benefit of being an Airfix Club member!

 FORTHCOMING RELEASES
We review the models available
during the current quarter of the
year, either recently released or planned for release
over the coming quarter of 2010.
The selection includes a lot of the new tooling
promised for 2010, bringing you some superb Airfix
kits across all categories and levels of expertise, from
Starter and Series 1 kits right up to highly detailed
and intricate model building projects.

Military Aircraft – 1:72 scale

A03083 North American Sabre Mk 4 – Canadair. New Tooling.
This version of the Sabre was built under licence from the North American Aviation
Inc. Many went into service with the RAF. The two finish options include an RAF
version or as flown with the Greek Air Force.
A02048A Messerschmitt Bf109E. Two new finish options.
A02082A Hawker Hurricane Mk1. Two new finish options.
A03007 Junkers Ju87-B. Two finish options.

A01071A Supermarine Spitfire Mk1a.

This new tool in 1:72 scale comes with one finish option – that of the 610 Squadron
as flown in 1940. The brand new kit celebrates the first real combat version of the
brilliant WWII fighter plane, probably the most evocative of all the WWII aircraft which
flew during the conflict. The Spitfire was the brainchild of R J Mitchell, developed
and built at the Supermarine Works at Southampton. The Spitfire was the only Allied
warplane kept in production throughout the conflict, with over 40 variants being
developed and put into service. But it nearly didn’t make it. Initially, it was wanted
by neither the Government nor the RAF but Mitchell’s persistence and his faith in
the brilliantly designed aircraft ultimately paid off, with it entering service just in time
to play such a major role in the Battle of Britain and beyond. A03030A Junkers Ju88. Two finish options.
A03032 Fairey Battle. Two finish options.
A04011 H P Hampton. Three finish options.
A04005 North American B-25 Mitchell. Four finish options.

Military Aircraft – 1:24 scale

This well detailed series of WWII and post-war military aircraft has also been
refreshed with further finish options.
A18003 Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3. Three finish options, two of which are RAF
and one from the USA.

Military Aircraft – 1:48 scale

A03081 Messerschmitt Bf110E. New Tooling.
With its extended fuselage holding a life-raft at the tail, tropical filter to help prevent
dust entering the engine, larger wheels for rougher airstrips and bomb racks added
to the underside, the ‘E’ version of the Messerschmitt Bf1110 served throughout
the Mediterranean and North Africa from 1941. The Airfix kit comes with two finish
options – as flown by ‘8/JG26; or 3U + FR of 7/.ZG 26, Derna in May 1942.
A03082 North American F-86F Sabre. New Tooling.
The North American Aviation F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter which entered
service with the USAAF in 1951. This new Airfix kit comes with two finish options
– as ‘The Huff’, 39th FIS, USAAF, Korea or as flown with the Italian Air Force.
A05122 Messerschmitt Bf109E Tropical. New Tooling.
This ‘Tropical’ Airfix version of the Messerschmitt Bf109E follows on from A05020,
which included the E-4 variant, reviewed extensively in Issue 11 of the Club
magazine.
The E-7 was the next major production variant after the E-4, entering service in
August 1940. The E-7 had a longer range than the E-4 – a marked improvement -
and was also the first to carry a drop tank.
There are three finish options to choose from.
New finish options on existing Airfix tooling in this category include the following:
A05100 Junkers Ju87-B Stuka. Three new finish options to choose from.

www.airfix.com 4
Military Vehicles – 1:76 scale A50060 WWI – The Western Front. With a diorama base typical of a trench layout
on the Western Front, you can complete the scene by constructing the tanks and
troops included in the set, which also comes with paints, cement and brushes.

Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary Gift Sets

– 1:72 scale
A50022 Battle of Britain - 70th Anniversary.
This new set contains the four aircraft that epitomise the Battle of Britain, which
was to become the turning point in WWII. With one finish option, decorate
your own Spitfire, Hurricane, Messerschmitt and Heinkel to commemorate the
action of the summer of 1940.

The Royal Navy – 1:350 & 1:72 scale

A03306 MODEL KIT • MAQUETTE A MONTER • MODELLBAUSATZ • MODELLO A SCALA • BOUWMODEL • MAQUETA PARA MONTAR • PLASTBYGGSATS • RAKENNUSSARJA • MODELO PARA CONSTRUIR • MODELBYGGESÆT • ΣΥΝΑΡΜOΛOΓOΥΜΕΝO MONTEΛO
A50021 Trafalgar Class Submarine. 1:350 scale. Newly tooled this year, we have
A03306 the Bedford Truck. New Tooling. featured this model extensively in Issue 10 of the Airfix magazine. It comes with 7
finish options to complete any of the submarines in its class.
See our main features in this issue for the full story behind this new addition to the
Airfix series of military vehicles.
A Sea Harrier FA2

Military Figures – 1:32

A02709 Australian Infantry. 1:32 Scale.
Comprising 14 pieces, this set features the Australian Army in the jungles of South
East Asia.
A04710 British Infantry Support Set. 1:32 Scale. 14 pieces.
1:72 scale

A04713 German Mountain Troops. 1:32 Scale. 14 pieces. 8 Acrylic Paints

Model kit
A04704 Russian Infantry. 1:32 Scale. 14 pieces. • MAQUETTE A MONTER • MODELLBAUSATZ • MAQUETA PARA MONTAR

Official Licensed Product

Dioramas – 1:76 scale A50017 Sea Harrier FA2. 1:72 Scale.

Both these models come with 1 finish option and include the paints, cement and
These newly tooled readymade resin ruined buildings come unpainted but completely
brushes to complete the kit.
built, apart from window glazing. We are pleased to announce the availability of a
further two in the series.
A75003 European Corner House Ruin. A75004 European Country Cottage Ruin. Starter Sets – 1:32 & 1:72 scale
Each comes with paints, cement and brushes.
Cars – 1:32 scale
Two newly tooled cars join the 1:32 Scale Airfix series of prestigious marques – the
A03410 Jaguar XKR GT3 - APEX Racing and the A03411 Aston Martin DBR9 in the
Gulf Oil racing colours, as driven in the 2008 Le Mans 24-hour race. Read the full
story in this issue of the Airfix magazine.

Battlefield Diorama Gift Sets – 1:76 scale A50098 Eurofighter Typhoon Gift Set. 1:72 Scale.
Two new sets have been introduced into this gift set range. Both include the paints, A50114 BAe Hawk T1 Gift Set. 1:72 Scale.
cement and brushes to enable you to start constructing your models straight away! A50109 Jaguar XKR GT3 APEX Racing. New Tooling. 1:32 Scale.
A50009 Battle Front depicts a typical WWII battle of Northern Europe in 1944 with a A50110 Aston Martin DBR9 - Gulf. New Tooling. 1:32 Scale.
Sherman and Tiger Tank, British Paratroops and German Infantry, a Forward Command A50111 Jaguar/Aston Martin Twin pack. New Tooling. 1:32 Scale.
Post and a base to set it all out on.

5 www.airfix.com
SPEEDING INTO THE AIRFIX RANGE...
Two of the most prestigious marques in the UK motor industry – those of
Aston Martin and Jaguar – roar into the Airfix range this summer,
in authentic racing livery options.
Both newly tooled this year, they are modelled in 1:32
scale and comprise fully detailed construction kits
for painting and decorating.
1:32 SCALE
ASTON MARTIN DBR9
A03411 Aston Martin Racing DBR9 Gulf
performed superbly in the 2008 Le Mans 24-hour race.
Representing the car that
The 2008 24 Heures Le Mans was the 76th Grand Prix of Endurance, held over the
weekend of 14-15th June at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans in France.
Aston Martin were returning to Le Mans to defend their GT1 title, won in 2007 when
cars 007 and 009 had worn their traditional green livery. 2008 was also the 40th
Anniversary of Gulf Oil winning Le Mans back in 1968, when Pedro Rodriguez and
Lucien Bianchi drove the No. 9 Ford GT40 in the famous powder blue and orange
livery. Aston Martin therefore saw it as a fitting tribute to the Gulf sponsors to enter
007 and 009 into the 2008 race in the iconic orange and blue colour scheme, at the
same time looking to emulate Gulf’s first victory in the 24-hour race, 40 years on.
Driven by David Brabham – son of the legendary Australian racing driver Jack Brabham
– the Number 009 car came first in the GT1 Class and 13th overall. Team-mates
were Antonio Garcia and Darren Turner. Aston Martin Racing’s second DBR9 driven
by Heinz-Harald Frenzen/Andrea Piccini and Karl Wendlinger just missed a podium
finish, being pipped at the post by Corvette Racing to come fourth in their class and
16th overall.
The Aston Martin DBR9 specification is awesome! The car uses the DB9 road car’s
aluminium chassis and the V12 engine’s cylinder block and heads to develop the
race unit. After this, the car is re-engineered for competition use. In the cockpit, a
carbon composite dashboard, lightweight racing seat and the driver’s instrument
panels have replaced all the original car’s trim.
The aerodynamic package of the car has been developed using computational fluid
dynamics (CFD). All the panels have been hand crafted to fit the DBR9 and are all
manufactured in carbon fibre composite to save weight (except the roof). The large
rear wing is also made from carbon fibre. To complete the aerodynamic features,
the underside of the car is flat from the front to the rear diffuser.
www.airfix.com
A03410 Jaguar XKR GT3 APEX Racing For the first time for many
years, Jaguar enthusiasts are now able to cheer on an officially backed Jaguar. Apex
Motorsport, based in Buckinghamshire have developed the XKR for racing in the FIA
GT3 European Championships, a sports car racing series, organised by the Stéphane
Ratel Organisation (SRO) and regulated by the FIA (Federation Internationale de
l’Automobile).
It is a championship derived from the international FIA GT contest but, launched in
2006, it was seen as a way in which manufacturer involvement in motor sport could
be linked to help amateur drivers across Europe, in which the competitors drove in
more or less production cars.
Unlike the other GT Classes, the GT3 Class cars are not allowed to be developed by
the manufacturers, who simply provide a ready to race car for a customer – in this
case - APEX Racing. The teams are also restricted with regard to modifications to
the production specification.
Against this background, the project, under the direction of APEX Motorsport’s
Richard Lloyd, is independent of Jaguar but has their agreement to the use of the
XKR on the racing circuit under the APEX Motorsport banner. The car made its first
GT appearance on the Rockingham Speedway during the final round of the 2007
Championship, almost as a test run for its debut in the FIA GT3 European
Championships. It finished in 15th place overall.
The XKR GT3 specification retains the same supercharged 4.3 litre quad-cam V8
engine as the road going car, as well as its aluminium body. Beyond that, it complies
with the rules with permitted modifications to some components to fulfil the needs
of high performance racing.
The launch of the newly tooled 1:32 scale Airfix A03410 Jaguar XKR GT3 – APEX
Racing now means you can enjoy constructing your own model, which comes with
one finish option.
6
9 & JAGUAR XKR GT3
Aston Martin DB9 Facts & Figures...
Performance Capacity: 6 litres.
0-60 mph in 3.4 secs. 0-100 mph in Power: 600 bhp
6.2 secs. Torque: > 700Nm
Configuration ECU/Data system: pi data system.
Front engine, rear wheel drive. Engine ECU: Pectel.
Chassis Transmission
Modified DB9 aluminium chassis. Xtrac 6 speed sequential gearbox
Aluminium roof. All other body panels longitudinally mounted at the rear
in carbon fibre composite. axle.
High strength steel roll-cage. Clutch
Dimensions Four plate carbon clutch.
Length: 4687mm + 80mm. Suspension
Width: 1978mm. Double wishbone suspension front
Wheelbase: 2714mm. and rear with adjustable Koni dampers
fitted with Eibach springs.
Weight: 1125 kg
Engine Wheels
OZ forged magnesium.
Aston Martin Racing V12 based on
Aston Martin DB9 aluminium block Brakes
and cylinder heads. Front and rear Brembo six pot
Dry sump, quad overhead cam, four callipers with 330mm diameter
valves per cylinder. carbon discs.

7 www.airfix.com
The last time Airfix released their own tooled 1:32 scale model car was way back in 1977, producing the MG K3
Magnette. Now thirty-three years on, we can look forward to two brand newly tooled cars
– the 1:32 scale Aston Martin DBR9 and the Jaguar XKR GT3, both of which
are racing versions of the road going cars.

1:32 SCALE

Model build by: Brian Canell

1 4 7 10

2 5 8 11

3 6 9 12

www.airfix.com 8
This build will show you how I made the Aston Martin. The kit comes as five edge of the windscreen which would include the hole for the wiper) and re stuck
sprues comprising the body shell and windows and three sprues of car the post it notes back on the inside transparencies leaving an equal gap. (pic 14).
components. The first thing I did was to lightly sand down a moulding line on I then painted H85 Semi Gloss Black on the inside edges of the windows. (pic 15).
the rear quarter panels (pic 1). After that the body shell was primed with white Once dry the post-it notes were removed and any errors or paint seepage
primer and then sprayed light blue. Paint the front fascia now as well. The colour cleaned up with a cocktail stick as this wouldn’t scratch the clear parts. They
listed in the instructions is Humbrol H47 Sea Blue which is the closest match in were then fitted to the body shell. (pic 16). The tail lights were painted silver on
the range. To get the colour slightly more authentic you could add a very small the inside then Humbrol 1321 Clear red on the lenses and finally light blue
amount of white (Humbrol H22 Gloss White) to lighten it up (pic 2). inserts. (pic 17).
The three main component sprues were then sprayed with Humbrol H1 Primer. Now I paid some attention to the dashboard and instrument panel. The dash
The wheels were sprayed H11 Silver, as were the brake discs and the interior was sprayed matt black and the switches on the centre console were picked
floor. (pic 3, pic 4). The final sprue was completely sprayed with H33 Matt Black, out in silver and a little red, blue and yellow for the upper switches. There isn’t
as this included the main floor pan, wheel arches, wiper, aerials and steering any detail for the instrument binnacle and I found it hard to find good interior
column. (pic 5). images on the Internet so I used a little artistic licence and painted two
Once the paint on the body shell had fully dried it was masked leaving the sills instrument dials. These won’t really be seen once completed anyway. (pic 18).
and the bottom portion of the rear valence that were painted H33 Matt Black.
The seat and pedal box were added (pic 19) and then finally the dashboard and
(pic 6).
roll cage were glued in place. (pic 20). Before the front fascia was fitted it was
The wheel, brake and hub assemblies were painted before gluing. Note that on masked and the lower section painted Matt Black and the air intake area on the
the DBR9, the rear wheels are larger than the front. The tyres were carefully top of the part Semi Gloss Black (pic 21). Just before the body was mated to
hand painted matt black. You need a steady hand for this so as not to get black the chassis the headlamps were fitted (Semi Gloss Black with Silver lamps). It’s
paint on the wheels rims. When it came to the brake discs, I painted the disc now starting to look like a car! (pic 22, pic 23)
centres and the brake callipers H171 Antique Bronze to make them stand out.
All that was left to do now was add the decals and then finish up with the door
The wheel hub mountings were painted silver and black. (pic 7). The parts were
mirrors, aerials and headlamp lenses. What a great kit of a fantastic supercar!
all fitted together - be careful to make sure that the brake callipers are glued in
opposite sides in the wheels because on the real car the rear brake callipers face
forward and the front callipers face towards the rear of the car. Finally I scraped
away the paint where they needed to be glued. (pic 8).
The wheel assemblies were glued to the floor pan (don’t forget the big wheels
are at the back) and then the wheel arches are fitted. (pic 9, pic 10). Before the
interior floor was added, I detailed it with some H85 Semi Gloss Black on the
floor and the stepped area and the panel with the hole was H130 Semi Gloss
White. (pic 11) The four parts to the roll cage were constructed then painted
H11 Silver. (pic 12).
One thing I wanted to do when building this car was to replicate the gloss black
window surrounds. Most modern cars have these particularly on the windscreen
and rear windows. My method was to stick the windows onto post-it notes and
then draw a line around the windows (pic 13). Then using small sharp scissors
I carefully cut about 2mm inside of my line (leaving maybe 3-4mm on the bottom

13 16 19 22

14 17 20 23

15 18 21 24

9 www.airfix.com
 TAKE A WALK THROUGH AIRFIX HISTORY AT...

HORNBY’S NEW VISITOR CENTRE!

After months of hard work on this exciting new project, Hornby Hobbies have opened the doors to a fantastic new
Visitor Centre at the Hornby headquarters in Margate.
The Visitor Centre, located through a separate entrance on the right hand side of
the company’s main headquarters on the Westwood Industrial Estate in the town,
has just opened this summer and has already welcomed enthusiasts from around
the world. Its design and development is all the work of in-house expertise and
whilst not every model ever produced is on display – there is simply insufficient
space - you are treated to a carefully selected cross-section of products spanning
the years of Hornby history, across each of the brands now under the Hornby
umbrella. Each section is attractively displayed behind showcase windows, with
incredibly effective LED lighting, carefully aimed to illuminate key features of the
exhibits. One of the attractions of the exhibition is that because the Hornby archive
is so large, future plans include periodically rotating and refreshing the displays by
bringing out the untapped material, so visitors can come along more than once and
see something different.
Each of the brands under the Hornby Group has its own exhibition area, including
Hornby trains, Scalextric, the recently acquired Corgi and - of course - Airfix, which
features prominently in this walk-through exhibition. At the start of your tour, you
are looking through a period toyshop window, reminiscent of those that many a
young nose must have pressed against with longing and expectation in days gone
by. The clever graphics encompass the evolution of products and packaging over
the years across all the Hornby brands. Information panels of text, detailing the
history of each Hornby brand stand alongside the model displays at intervals
throughout the exhibition, which takes about two hours of comfortable browsing
before reaching the end of your tour – the Hornby Shop.
The first Airfix showcase, complete with background graphics from the period,
reveals the first ever kit, made especially for the Ferguson Tractor Company in 1949.
This kit was not on general sale but was a promotional and exclusive item for
Ferguson’s themselves. The Airfix archive example is still in kit form, so it was
amazing to have one of the first visitors to the Centre remark that he had an example
too, as a completed kit. He has kindly donated his model, which now stands
alongside the Airfix original. Another ‘first’ on view is the Golden Hind, representing
the first Airfix kit that sold in Woolworths in 1952. Look out, too, for the unusual
Bristol SuperFreighter, a 1:72 scale kit of an aircraft car transporter, for the use of
people who did not take the sea ferry.
The original Airfix magazines are given pride of place too, dating from Number 1,
dated June 1960, with examples on display going through to the early 1980s. It is
interesting to compare the artwork through the different eras of design, as well as
the content of each issue. The exhibition features some highly detailed Airfix
dioramas, including tanks, ships, military and naval personnel and aircraft. The
scenes portrayed bring to life a WWII Bomber Command, the Cold War of the
early 1960s, and a WWII Rescue Mission with a Catalina and Short Stirling, amongst
others. The display of 1:32 scale Airfix cars is superb. They are so accurately put
together and well decorated, you could mistake them for diecast metal, such is the gallery, each being so perfect, it looks more like a photograph than a painting.
perfect finish. We have deliberately only touched the surface in reviewing the new Visitor Centre
The highlight of the Airfix section of the Visitor Centre must be a 1:24 scale De as we want you to go along and enjoy the experience firsthand. The Centre is an
Havilland Mosquito, which has over 617 pieces. Fully decorated and evocatively ongoing project, with plans still to be realised, including restaurant and a coffee
illuminated with the special LED lighting, it is a fitting subject in the collection, shop facility; and an area for visiting exhibitions such as private collections, to be
adding to those subjects commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of housed in the Gallery area, which also chronicles the life and times at Hornby’s
Britain this year. A showcase window devoted to design and development shows Margate factory. Round off your tour with a visit to the Hornby Shop, where Airfix
how your Airfix models are conceived, designed and developed to perfection prior Club members qualify for a 20% discount upon presentation of your membership
to manufacture using the injection moulding technique, from which the kit card. Entry to the Visitor Centre is £4 Adult; £2 Children and Senior Citizens; £10
components emerge on sprues. family ticket (2 adults and up to 4 children). Here again, Club members qualify for
The Gallery is a must for Airfix art lovers. Here you can appreciate the box art of the a 20% discount against the ticket price but bring your membership card.
late Gavin MacLeod, noted for his airbrush work; John D Jones, famous for his For opening times, visit the website at www.Hornby.com/visitorcentre or telephone
aircraft and ships artwork; and Mike Trim whose Airfix box art speciality was ships. 01843 233500. Seasonal opening hours apply, so please check before setting off on
Examples of all these different subjects and styles hang on the walls around the your visit. In addition, there promises extended opening in the lead-up to Christmas.

You will really enjoy the Hornby/Airfix experience at the Visitor Centre, which
is aimed at pleasing all the family. Come along soon!

www.airfix.com 10
THE BEDFORD QL TRUCKS

1:76
SCALE
Military vehicle enthusiasts and collectors of WWII models will be pleased to see the introduction of the newly
tooled 1:76 scale Bedford QL Trucks into the Airfix range, which is planned for release any time now.
A03306 Bedford QL Trucks give you the option of
constructing the two vehicles that were produced in
most numbers during the period between 1941-1945,
namely the troop carrier (QLT) as well as the
general-purpose cargo truck (QLD).
The Bedford QLD was the GS (general service) cargo truck version of the QL series,
which Bedford Vehicles manufactured for use by the British Armed Forces during
WWII. The QLT was the troop carrier version and between the two variants, Bedford
produced approximately 52,250 before they ceased manufacture in 1945.
Bedford started work on the Bedford QL 3-ton truck back in 1938, following their
A03306 MODEL KIT • MAQUETTE A MONTER • MODELLBAUSATZ • MODELLO A SCALA • BOUWMODEL • MAQUETA PARA MONTAR • PLASTBYGGSATS • RAKENNUSSARJA • MODELO PARA CONSTRUIR • MODELBYGGESÆT • ΣΥΝΑΡΜOΛOΓOΥΜΕΝO MONTEΛO
engineering department suggestion of a 4x4 truck with off road ability. The design
had its advantages, particularly for military use and the War Office approved the stores; QLD was the general-purpose dropside truck; QLR was a signals vehicle
design just before the outbreak of WWII. From 1941 onwards, the Bedford QL was (with radio); and the QLT was the Troop Carrier, with bench seats along each side
at the forefront of any Allied battlefield where they performed a number of uses. for the troops. Each featured the long wheelbase. Their capacity was 1 driver and
A
The Bedford variants, mounted on the basic QL chassis were identified by which 11 passengers and had an operational range of 156 miles (250 kms). They were
body was fitted to the chassis. not armoured. Even though manufacture ceased in 1945, the Bedford QL series
The first letter indicated the model and the second letters indicated the version. was used in later conflicts including the Korean War and was in service until as
recently as the 1970s in peacetime army activities.
H and later S indicated a short wheelbase.
L indicated a long wheelbase. Other Specifications
A third letter indicated a sub type. Weight: 7,225 lbs (3,277 kg) when empty.
D usually indicated a Dropside Cab 15,400 (6,985 kg) loaded.
T indicated an End Tipper but in military versions it indicated Troop Carrier. Length: 19ft 8 ins (5.99 m).
W indicated that the chassis was constructed to wartime specifications. Width: 7ft 5 ins (2.26 m).
R again for wartime use – indicated that it carried a radio Height: Just under 10 feet. (2.54 m).
After that, numbers were added to indicate the tonnage. Engine: Bedford 6 cylinder 3,519 capacity (214.7 cu in). 72 hp (54 kW).
E.g. 0 = under 1 ton. 1 = 1 ton etc. Payload capacity: 3 tons.
Therefore the QLB was a Bofors gun tractor, with capacity for ammunition and Suspension: Wheel, 4 x 4.

The Bedford QL...at the forefront of any Allied battlefield.

11 www.airfix.com
This Bedford QL twin kit is the first all new Airfix designed small scale military vehicle kit to be released since the Opel Blitz
and PAk 40 kit was released back in 1979. This all newly tooled kit comprises 4 sprues upon which are a total of 136 cleanly
moulded parts. 62 parts make up the QLD General Service truck and the remaining 74 parts for the longer QLT Troop carrier.
1:76 SCALE
Model build by: Adam Cooper
At the time of this pre-production build, the decal sheet was not yet available. However
artwork provided showed that the sheet contains serial numbers for one of each truck
version, along with 4 different British Army divisional markings as well as 3 unit
markings all for use in the North West European Theatre of operations in 1944/45.
The parts themselves are cleanly moulded and nicely detailed with a few ejection pin
marks that require dealing with, more on that later.
The fit of parts is exceptional with no sloppy/ill fitting joints requiring filling. This is
probably due to the CAD origination of the kit's design. However, in a couple of places
the fit of parts is a little on the "tight" side and required a swipe of a sanding stick. I
will highlight these few areas during the build. But if you use the rule of testing the fit
of parts first before applying glue, you shouldn't have any real problems.
Now to the build itself.
As with most soft skin vehicle kits, the first stages of construction involve the chassis
and suspension as well as all those dangly bits usually hidden out of sight from above.
(You can tell I'm no DIY car mechanic.) Both kits comprise a single piece chassis so
there is no risk of building upon a warped or twisted chassis that you only discover
at the last stages of construction when the cab and body seem to be leaning in
opposite directions. How often does that happen - or is that just me?
The suspension parts all fit together with very positive locations.The only issue I had
was that of the mounting lug on the chassis front end plates (parts A28 and C10)
which seemed a little too long and required about 1mm of the mounting lug to be
removed. The "tight fit" issue came to the fore when mounting the QLT's two petrol
tanks (part B12) to the chassis support brackets.
The brackets needing a very light sanding on their sides so that they slotted into the
grooves on the tops of the fuel tanks.When completed the chassis sub assemblies
were test fitted with their wheels on to ensure that the "weighted" wheels (a nice
design touch by the way) sat on the ground properly. When checked these were put
aside to dry.
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The Airfix
Before starting on the vehicle cabs, I tackled the issue of the ejection pin marks that
are on the inside surfaces of the bodywork and the rear cab wall of both trucks. Rather
than try and fill these shallow indentations with model filler I use correction fluid (ie
Tippex or similar) This comes in a pen like dispenser with a fine metal tip. It's then just
a matter of dispensing the fluid into each depression by "drawing" round the inside
of the ejection pin circle. Apply enough so that the liquid foms a "dome" inside the
depression. This extra amount is required as it tends to shrink a bit when it dries. When
hardened off, provided each depression has been "filled", this can be sanded/scraped
level with the surrounding area. One thing to remember though - give the correction
pen a good shake/rattle before use to ensure its properly mixed. As can be seen in
this picture the white circles are the Tippex filled ejection pin marks.
The cabs of both vehicles are almost identical, the only difference being in the cab
roof styles, One is a standard version, the other is the type with an open "manhole".
Both cabs come with transparency parts for the doors and front windows.The front
windows are a little on the thick side - more like 6 inch armoured glass but they do
fit rather well. I elected to fit these clear parts at the end of the build but in the end I
needed to sand the edges of them to get them to fit properly as the build up of paint
and varnishes during construction had "shrunk" the window apertures.The instructions
would have you fit the windows as the cab is built, which will require them to be
masked off for painting later on.
I painted the cab interiors with the same colour as the outside bodywork - Khaki Drab
(H159). The seat cushions were painted with a 50/50 mix of Khaki Drab (H159) and
Ochre (H93) which makes a rather nice military khaki colour. The steering wheel and
dashboard instruments were painted satin black (H85) - gloss black being a bit too
shiny in this scale for the steering wheel. All the detail was then drybrushed with my
mixed khaki/ochre colour to make the edges stand out a bit more. Both vehicles come
with an optional canvas tilt. These were assembled as well as the vehicle bodies. The
QLT comes with a set of troop seats. Again these parts just fell together, the design
of the joints ensuring a good square corner.
After leaving overnight for all the sub-asemblies to harden, painting was commenced.
12
Bedford QL Trucks...
This being an overall coat of the main camouflage colour Khaki Drab (H159), a second
and third coat was applied where necessary. Canvas tilts on WW2 trucks were dyed
rather than painted green. Being canvas and exposed to the elements, these tended
to fade and wear quite easily. For a more realistic look I elected to paint the canvas
tilts a slightly different lighter shade of green. Having looked at several WW2 vintage
photographs, I decided that Light Olive (H86) would be a good choice. This gave a
decidedly lighter, faded effect when compared to the main camouflage green. The
Camouflage on British vehicles during the later stages of the war was Khaki Green
with what looks like black "Mickey Mouse" camouflage. This dark colour wasn't in
fact black but a very very dark grey/charcoal colour.
I mixed up my own batch of this dark "charcoal grey" using a 70/30 mix of Sea Grey
(H27) and Matt Black (H33). This produces a distinctly faded black shade. This was
applied in a couple of coats by brushing over the green in the distinctive Mickey
Mouse ears pattern.
The tyres for the trucks had also been painted in my black/grey mix again for a more
realistic look. Sometimes matt black is quoted a colour for vehicle tyres but when
was the last time you ever saw a vehicle with pure black tyres? When dried the tyres
were given a wash of a light grey/tan mud colour. This was done using an inexpensive
water colour set, courtesy of one of my daughters. The water paint mix had a drop of
washing up liquid added to reduce the surface tension, enabling it to be applied in all
the tread of the tyre. When dried, as it was only water colour, some of it could be
wiped away to leave the "mud" in the tyre tread.
The chassis, cab, body and canvas tilts were all dry brushed with Sea Grey (H27) to
enhance the edges and add some depth to the detail. At this point the separate chassis,
cab and wheels were all glued together. After a little drying time, an overall coat of
gloss varnish (H35) was applied. This would provide a base for the subsequent dark
detail washes onto which the decals would be applied. This was then left overnight to
harden. A dark wash was applied next to darken the shadows in the surface
detailing. This combined with the earlier drybrush highlighting, gives the detail a real
3D effect.
13
The wash comprises a heavily thinned mix of Humbrol enamel thinners plus a drop
of gloss black (H21) , Brunswick Green (H3) as well as a few drops of gloss
varnish (H35).
What you are aiming to mix is a dirty thinners look rather than a thinned paint look.
I find that the paint pigment in gloss paints seems to be finer than that found in matt
paints and so more suitable for extreme thinning for wash purposes. After the wash
had been applied a couple of times and allowed to dry between applications, the
decals were applied.
The production decal sheet wasn't available in time for this build. Using the PDF of
the decal artwork I had been provided with I intended printing off my own decals using
my Alps printer. However time was getting short so I scavenged the Allied stars and
one serial number from my spare decal box and, using a paper printed copy of the
decal sheet artwork, I cut out the unit markings and applied those with some gloss
varnish to bed them down. Final detail painting was applied as and where required.
The Bren Gun, having been painted, was attached to its mount and the miltary bicycle
was also attached, as well as the wheels. A couple of overall coats of Matt Varnish
(M49) dulled everything down to a more realistic appearance.
The wndows were then installed using clearfix. Before installation, the edges of the
clear parts were gently sanded so they fitted into the window apertures, test fitting
all the time. Before committing glue to them, the edges of each of the clear parts were
coloured using a black permanent marker. This helps reduce the internal reflection
of light within the plastic which would otherwise make the edges of the clear parts
"silver" and become more noticeable.
And there you have it. Two very enjoyable vehicles to make. There are some nice
touches like the weighted wheels. The design of the kit makes for speedy assembly
and would be ideal for someone new to the hobby wanting to branch into military
vehicles.
I think that these are excellent value for money with two vehicles in the box. I certainly
will be treating myself to more of these and can only hope that we don't have to wait
another 30 years for the next addition to the range.
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 News of a great Airfix Club Membership subscription rate will be made
PRESS RELEASE... available soon!

KEY PUBLISHING LAUNCHES...

AIRFIX MODEL WORLD

As Europe’s leading publisher of aviation magazines with sector dominant brands

Key Publishing Ltd are delighted to announce the
launch of Airfix Model World, an exciting new
magazine for scale modellers, published under licence
from Airfix.
such as FlyPast, Airliner World and AirForces Monthly, Key are ideally placed to
bring this title to market due to their knowledge of the subject area and the
promotional opportunities afforded by their current portfolio.
“We are absolutely delighted to have formed this partnership with Airfix in order to
launch Airfix Model World. Airfix is a massively strong brand with a great history
and following and we are relishing the opportunity to bring something very fresh
and vibrant into the market,” stated Adrian Cox, Managing Director of Key Publishing.
Darrell Burge, Airfix Marketing Manager said, ‘’We are very excited about the launch
of Airfix Model World which further expands the Airfix brand into the magazine
marketplace. Key are the perfect partners for us as they have so much experience
in publishing high quality market leading specialist leisure titles. I am confident that
with the strength of the Airfix brand combined with Key’s publishing expertise, we
will have an absolute winner on our hands.’’
Airfix Model World will cover all modelling genres but will focus on aviation, the
largest sub-sector within this market. The 100 page magazine, which launches on
4 November 2010 with a monthly frequency and superb production values, will
have a cover price of £3.99.

www.airfix.com 14
 COME AND
MEET THE AIRFIX
TEAM

15 www.airfix.com
 Airfix have secured four pairs of tickets to visit the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum

COMPETITION TIME at Yeovilton in Somerset. Each ticket is for a Club member and a guest. If the guest is
a child, they must be over eight years of age.
The visit is fixed for Tuesday 26th October 2010 and the winners will be met on site by
an Airfix representative, who will accompany the group throughout. The winners will be
More superb Airfix prizes are waiting for the winners of our responsible for arriving and departing from the venue at their own expense.
competitions this time, including an exclusive opportunity The programme will be as follows: Arrival at 10.00 am and begin tour with a visit to
the RN Historic Flight, a front line squadron and the Control Tower, followed by lunch at
to visit the Fleet Air Arm Museum in around 12.45 pm in the Officers’ Mess. 2 pm. Visit to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, after
Yeovilton, hosted by the Royal Navy. which visitors are free to depart.

Our junior competition winner, who must be 14 years or under can expect to receive a

JUNIOR COMPETITION TIME
COMPETITION RESULTS
The winner of our adult competition in Issue 11 is Mr Roger Hull, Member 504211 from
Berkshire. Congratulations. You have won an example of the A05120 Messerschmitt Bf109E
in 1:48 scale. And the answers to our competition questions were:
1. Werner Mölders. 2. Douglas Bader, Johnnie Johnson and Robert Stanford Tuck. 3. Adolf
Galland died in 1996, aged 83. Your prize is on its way with the compliments of Airfix.
Our junior competition winner, carrying away an example of the A50015 RAF Battle of Britain
Airfield set is William Bond, aged 9, Member 503650 from London. Well done, William!
And the answers to the questions were:
1. 18th October 2007. 2. Operation Black Buck.
fantastic example of the newly tooled 1:32 scale A50111 Jaguar XKR GT3/Aston Martin
DBR9 Gift Set as well as one of the 1:76 scale A03306 Bedford QL Trucks, also brand
new into the Airfix range.
RULES OF ENTRY FOR BOTH COMPETITIONS
To enter either of our competitions, all we want you to do is answer the following
four questions – you’ll find all the information you need in this issue of the Airfix
magazine.
1. Who were the three drivers of the Aston Martin DBR9 – No.
007 - that raced in the 2008 24 Heures Le Mans event?
2. Which racing team has permission from the manufacturers
to race the new Jaguar XKR GT3?
3. The A03306 Bedford QL with the suffix T – QLT - was used
for which specific purpose?
4. When did the Bedford Company cease manufacture of the QL?
Put your answers on a postcard with your name, address and membership number.
Entrants to the Adult Competition also need to give us a daytime telephone number.
Junior Club members must include your age. Send to: Airfix Issue 12 Competition,
PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 1ZG. Closing date for entries
is 11th October 2010.
1. The winners of the competition will be four adult Club members/one junior (aged 14 or under), whose entries
are drawn at random from the all-correct entries received by the closing date of 11th October 2010.
2. The competitions are limited to one entry per current member of the Airfix Club.
3. Duplicate entries will be disregarded.
4. The results of the competitions will be announced in issue 13 of the Airfix magazine and the winners notified
by post. In the case of the Adult Competition, we will telephone the four winners.
5. The competitions are not open to employees of Hornby Hobbies Ltd., their agents or families.
6. No correspondence to be entered into in conjunction with the competitions.
7. No cash equivalent is available.
8. The Airfix Club accepts no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in the post.
9. Entries defaced or altered in any way will be deemed null and void. The judges’ decision is final.

10% DISCOUNT BATTLE OF BRITAIN CANVAS...

In 2007 The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight celebrated its 50th year now performing

FOR CLUB MEMBERS up to 700 flights a year in remembrance of those who fought in World War II.
This limited edition canvas print has been stretched over a wooden frame and has
been signed by the crew of today’s BBMF.

ANOTHER BENEFIT OF AIRFIX

This limited edition run of 250 prints, is sure to make a perfect gift.

£24.99
CLUB MEMBERSHIP! NORMAL PRICE £59.95

You can now use your membership card to obtain 10% discount
on purchases featured on the Airfix Direct Sales website:
www.airfix.com
Follow the step by step guide to the checkout and give your valid
Airfix Collectors Club membership number to claim your discount,
quoting Code: AFCLUB

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A CURRENT MEMBER WITH A

FULLY PAID UP SUBSCRIPTION TO BENEFIT FROM
THIS OFFER! BUY ON-LINE NOW WWW.AIRFIX.COM

www.airfix.com 16