I wish these guys every success, putting Airfix back in the top rank of model kit makers. The fact that manufacture has returned to the UK is great news. We have some of the best museums and collections of trains, planes, automobiles and AFV in the world, plenty of research material for a resurgent hobby.
That's one area I think many of these Chinese companies fall short is the research; sometimes I think they just look at pictures and don't realize there is a difference between in service vehicles and pre-production or privately owned vehicles. The Hobby Boss Land Rover WMIK was a big disappointment. A mix of early/late/demonstrator vehicles.
I decided to get back into modelling about a year ago after building Airfix kits when I was a kid many years ago. I got a Hasegawa F14 Tomcat and it was garbage. No lugs, parts not fitting etc. I couldn’t believe kits were better 40 years ago. I’m going to buy Airfix in the future.
It's great to see Airfix using a UK manufacturer. It's a fantastic kit, so props to Airfix and Plastech. Thanks for taking the time to make the video Mos.
As an old model builder this put a smile on my face :-) It's not politicians or the talking heads on the news that will pull us through the rough patches, it's people with know-how like those in this video. Making good products, making jobs for people, making a profit.
Absolutely mate, trouble is here in Australia they broke their neck running to China to give all their tooling and products away for next to nothing in the belief that they were going to make mega profits but ended up shooting themselves in the foot, now they couldn’t make a button for a shirt here in Australia….but plenty of bullshitting politicians
Thank you to everyone that helped in this video. The gentleman that provided all the information was absolutely awesome. Not only did he know his stuff but his enthusiasm for the work, the process, the product, was so engaging that the video seemed more like a TikTok short as the time flew by. I haven’t done any model building in many years, the last ones were the 1/12 (or was that 1/24 Spitfire with the electric motor driving the propeller?), a C130 Hercules, Bf109, the Lancasters that my father flew in WW2 (plus the Wimpeys, and Mossie’s etc.) as it was great to have an expert on hand to ask questions about the various components, colours, and the assortment of personal customisation that the crews would do. I wish the company all the best with their endeavours, whilst I look forward to teaching my grandson how to build these kits. He’s a very young 5-year old (I’m 62) but it’s going to be a close run thing if he learns the patience and gentle handling skills required before my Stage 4 C pushes me off my perch! Such is life, but I’m looking forward to teaching him no matter how close to the end.
Email me (its in the about section) and ill send you some kits :) Thank you @Lord_Ronin_The_Compassionate for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)
@@MOS6510Models That is incredibly kind and thoughtful of you and not something I would have ever expected, but thank you all the same. Regarding the subscribing etc, you had me hooked and subbed within the first few minutes! If I could subscribe/like numerous times to encourage the algorithm I would gladly do so, but I don’t think it works this way. I’ll send you an email very shortly. David.
Men like this are what made Britain great in the first place. The UK cannot go wrong with people with his attitude to detail and quality. I haven't bought an airfix model for many years but I know what I'm getting for Christmas. Thanks for the video, very inspiring.
Engineer toolmaker here, this place is about 10 miles along the coast from me and it’s good to see a local manufacturer of such parts. I’ve never been involved in injection mould tooling, but from building my first Airfix model as an 11 year old, I actually appreciated the fact that someone had to make a mould first to produce the plastic parts that I was glueing together. Shame the actual moulds are made in China, but that’s the way of the world now and at least the rest of the manufacture is in the UK. Big thumbs up to Plastech at Newhaven, Sussex. And another for making this video. Very interesting indeed👍👍👍
Unfortunately toolmaking is all made in china as they educate young people in that field.. Tim Cook from apple said the same, the reason they go to china for tooling is because they are the best at doing it..
@@MOS6510Models I work in manufacturing and we are pulling back a lot of items made in China. Due to continuous quality issues. When an order comes in with an issue, sure they will replace it, bur delivery times are long. Much better to make things yourself so you can control the quality better and satisfy customers quickly.
@@montyzumazoom1337 I was a toolmaker, but manufacturing declined when things were sent to China. However since the pandemic, I think people have realised that we need to get back to UK-based companies,. my wife's company have just invested 7 million pounds in bringing back all their processes back to the UK. You only have to see JLR cutting back production because of chip shortages. So yes it may be cheaper, but logistics and green policies can only mean homegrown products.
@@montyzumazoom1337 I agree the quality with anything China makes is not very good. If you see how fast and mundane the process is in their factories, you understand why. No real QA dept. Japan did the same thing 60 yrs. ago and finally learn quality comes first to sell a product.
A must watch for all injection molded model builders. Received my two kits Nov. 22. Each in shipping boxes inside another shipping box! Very well packaged for travel to Canada. Arrived quickly and in perfect condition. It is emotional to see manufacturing return to the country that started the industrial revolution. The well deserved pride that the people of Airfix and PlasTech have to make this quality kit a reality is inspiring. Hopefully this collaboration will continue with their future 1/24 P-51D release.
I can not express in words what Airfix meant to me as a child in germany from 1969 - 1977. Airfix made the most idealized toys of mine for years. Most Airfix cataloges through the seventies are inprinted as an "afterimage" ;-) in my brain because I watched them for many, many hours page by page. I had many models and over the years all eras of historic 1:72 figures and dioramas. "Airfix" was my warmhearted introduction to "England" as a child. It is great to see that Airfix & Plastech try to adapt the legacy of Airfix to modern times and environmental topics. Great! I wish the people involved all the best for the future. Thanks MOS6510 also for this youtube-documentary.
Good for Airfix bringing out top of the line WWII aircraft and I love the light gray plastic they use. Been building since 1970, my sight is not that great anymore so 1/24 is the way to go and very pleased to see such detail and quality in your products.The Typhoon, Hellcat and now the Spit are real jewels for me! God bless! Plenty of AIRFIX fans in Mexico..
You could see the passion in his voice and body language and its evident he is committed to delivering the best quality models they can and that is very refreshing to see!
I have been in touch with Mark since.. I think the Airfix relationship with plastech is only beginning Thank you Kevin M for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)
I worked in a injection molding plant back in the 90s. They made components for computers. Everything from key board buttons to cases for monitors. I can tell you this company deals with some incredibly complex and expensive issues. Wonderful work.
Fantastic video. No way that felt like 37 mins it flew by. Very insightful from a guy who knows his stuff without a wasted word. Compelling actually, great to see manufacturing in the UK.
Glad to see QC and pride of product coming back to Airfix. I've built the 1/24 Hurricane from the early '70's and from the 1990's. The difference in quality is palatable.
Thanks for making this video Mos. Absolutely fascinating! Airfix are really moving forward in so many ways as a manufacturer and it's great to see them taking such proactive approaches to their consumer base.
Wowee! Some good stuff happening here! I’m a 75 year old retired toolmaker/jig borer, often involved with big injection moulding equipment coupled with GKN baseline hydraulic platens. It was often used in conjunction with a company called Lucyware in Portsmouth that made big dustbins to a high quality finish? So, to see these tiny kit components being produced in such intricate detail with superb looking finishes is a joy to see! It doesn’t need any insider knowledge to realise the capital investment in this building, let alone the various skill sets required to cobble the whole operation together, to make these World Class kits! We don’t need China for every ruddy thing we make!!! Operations like this, is where and how we stop the nonsense dependency since the Thatcher era, on overseas manufacturing! We need more proper apprenticeships, ( I did 7 years in total, earning £5/6 hundred a week in the late 70’s as a result), then good servitude rewards to repay the investment of low initial wages, but both Company owner and employees gaining overall! Britain can and must, stand up straight and operate like this quality outfit does! I wish you all well in this dreadfully challenging time, but with enthusiasm, self belief and being British at its best, this country will become Great Britain again! Cheers
I have to agree.. education system isn't working to get hands on qualifications like tool making etc.. Thank you Nigel Parker for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)
What a brilliant firm! That guy just gets it! I am now going to go and admire the artistry, skill, love for the hobby and dedication put into each and every spru in my Spit kit!
It looked like a fantastic day . The kit is definitely the best from Airfix especially being British I wish I could of bought 2 as it's so nice I don't wanna build it I'm enjoying just looking at it in the box . Will you be building yours
I have spent most of my working life as Toolsetter/Technician in the plastics industry where my job was to mount the tools in the machines and correct any issues with the moulded part, I also had a hand in producing first off samples for the customers approval. The The largest machine I worked on was called a Negri Bossi and had a clamping force of 535 metric tonnes, the largest mould I have set weighed 5 tonnes. As a result I found it really interesting watching this video, not only because of my work history but also as I used to build Airfix models when I was younger.
This is my first visit to your channel, and I have found it enjoyable and extremely interesting. I teach automotive engineering and have always had a fascination and love of engineering and technology. Some years ago, I took a group of my tutors to a factory making plastic soil pipes for the plumbing industry and watched the injection moulding processes there. I was amazed at the enormous pressures involved and the need for absolute cleanliness inside the moulds themselves. This Airfix factory has taken the technology from those days and improved it immensely. I loved every second of the video, and as someone who used to build lots of Airfix models back in my childhood, I was even more interested. I loved the presentation from the boss who seemed to be such a down-to-earth, no nonsense character. For me two things have come out of watching today; I must look at the rest of your videos and I must buy a Spitfire kit. Great stuff, thanks for making and posting.
I'm glad you found the channel.. I was like a child in a sweet shop.. There will be more from plastech and airfix in the future.. Thank you @oc2phish07 for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)
That was a super experience! I'm of an age where as school children we'd head out on school visits to local businesses - bakeries, shops etc. We'd be given full tours behind the scenes and they were really good at educating us. The tour of that business was first class I want to thank that company for giving it. Such visits are now, for the most, non-existent. Businesses blame health and safety but I'm not so sure about that. Truthfully, if more companies created such tours they would really get the public on board and buying more of their products. Massive respect to the company in this video. Like any business, it all comes down to costs and them being so open about that is a breath of fresh air. I just wish more people would realise that by buying a cheaper kettle they're destroying British manufacturing. The quality of cheaper goods might seem adequate (and they are) but has anyone ever realised that by paying more for a locally produced item not only will they be guaranteed a higher quality but they'll also be keeping local people in employment. Your tour guide shows exactly why the company is still going strong. His passion shone brightly and his desire to make nothing but the best is quite evident. A huge thank you for this video. :)
agree with that matey!! if school trips were a thing we may get youngsters wanting to be tool makers again!! Thank you @jackking5567 for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)
Great video, MOS. 👍🏻 I was also invited on this tour by Airfix but my work commitments prevented it. But thanks to this, I didn't miss a thing! Well done Airfix & Plastech. 👏🏻
The customer service at Airfix is brilliant. I have twice experienced a broken or missing part and both times Airfix sent me a replacement, free of charge.
Great to see the amount of passion and expertise going into this kit. A very interesting video! Can't help but wonder what Reginald Mitchell would think about a factory in 2022 knocking out hundreds of kit of his design.
Fantastic video! Many thanks 😊 I'm loving this 'new' Airfix; online videos with designers, researchers, etc, and the open-days that they've had, and this allowing people (OK, invited people) into to see how this kit is being produced at factory level, is just something I never dreamt I'd see when I was a youngster building their kits in the 1970s! 👍 It's fantastic to see!!
I have built my first kit in 1974 at an age of six and it was a Westland Whirlwind from Airfix. Almost 50 years later I still remember that and it is still one of my favorite hobbies. Meanwhile I have started to collect kits more than building them....they are waiting on the shelf for the days , when I am retired and have more time to enjoy unboxing and building (hopefully).
Thanks for posting - it was fascinating to see the process involved in creating a kit, and great to see the obvious enthusiasm of the employees. Hope this kit is a huge winner for Airfix.
I worked for years for a Moulding firm. Usually tools are sent to whoever makes the lowest bid and it would be interesting to know the reject rate. If I were at work on that tool I would scrap lots of shots so I could take them home!
Thoroughly enjoyable video and tour of the process. The guy doing the walk round is on point, very knowledgeable and speaks with passion. Thank you, keep up the great work.
I really like Mark, he knows everything about the production and is so passionate about it👍🏻. It helps me to understand the cost of production and the price of a kit, as I thought that everything was automatic and cheap to produce. I also appreciate that he tries to keep the production local to a financially possible extent. Even though the recycling effort is nice, let's face it, the styrene will not be recycled, at least not here in the U.S., it would be wonderful to have the possibility to mail the sprues and unused parts to a collection network, Nestle does it for espresso coffee caps, so why not? I wonder if they could produce decent Heller parts or if the problem is in the mold conception, I really love Heller's interesting models but I gave-up on them because of the permanent warping of their parts, specially in cars. Too bad that I don't have room for that beautiful bird, I would love to build it. Thank you for the video👍🏻👋🏻
Great video thanks. Amazing to see how they do it. Incredible complexity and ingenuity in getting the detail parts to come out right. I'll certainly be getting one of these kits and pleased to be supporting Airfix.
Excellent stuff, thanks for sharing MOS. I started off my working life long ago in a machine shop such as this so can appreciate the effort which goes into producing their product. Really good QA/QC process too, I'm liking what Airfix are doing at the moment.
That's a lot of ejector pins! Great video. As a machinist that worked at a mold shop many years ago please make a video of the machining process for producing the tooling (mold base, cavity and core). Quality plastic parts require quality mold makers. Thanks again for the great video
Im not a modeller (my attention span is measured in seconds) but im really loving all the love that Airfix is getting. The goodwill they are building up with this model is a model example (sorry!) of how a business can build positive relationships with customers. In short: Give Them What They Want !
Very interesting video on how these are made, it's great to see Airfix kits made in Britain, I made a few when I was young. I'm into Scalextric as an adult, it's fun building stuff for it but also quite scary the ££ spent, lol.
Excellent video! I have always wondered how kits are manufactured. I am happy that Airfix is moving up in the quality level. Their new kits are a huge leap in quality over the old Airfix kits.👍👍👍👍👍
I worked for Airfix back when they were at Haldane place, in the late seventy's as a pattern maker. With very little H&S and most people on the production line it was just a job, nothing like this. You can see the care and attention to detail. Hopefully they will go a long way.
I wish these guys every success, putting Airfix back in the top rank of model kit makers. The fact that manufacture has returned to the UK is great news. We have some of the best museums and collections of trains, planes, automobiles and AFV in the world, plenty of research material for a resurgent hobby.
I agree
That's one area I think many of these Chinese companies fall short is the research; sometimes I think they just look at pictures and don't realize there is a difference between in service vehicles and pre-production or privately owned vehicles. The Hobby Boss Land Rover WMIK was a big disappointment. A mix of early/late/demonstrator vehicles.
Western currency is diving faster than a JU87 Stuka, so it will soon be cheaper to manufacture here, rather than abroad.
Did you miss the part where after he said it's all done under one roof he immediately started talking about the tooling arriving from China
@@MatthewBryce Exactly, people hear what they want to hear.
This company just gets it... They know what a modeller expects in a kit and they build it that way. EXCELLENT!!!
Mark from Plastech is a scale modeller himself.. so he knows exactly what the scale modeller wants.. hence bagging the sprues as quickly as possible
I decided to get back into modelling about a year ago after building Airfix kits when I was a kid many years ago. I got a Hasegawa F14 Tomcat and it was garbage. No lugs, parts not fitting etc. I couldn’t believe kits were better 40 years ago. I’m going to buy Airfix in the future.
I had a look at the new Titanic model Airfix have produced... extremely crude to say the least- look at the hull 'detail'.
Is it a re-release? They have been re-releasing old kits. The Scalemates website is invaluable in checking the history of kits.@@Malcolm701
Give that bloke a raise. The passion and pride in the product is fantastic.
I will definitely be buying this kit
Link To buy the 1/24 Spitfire kit prf.hn/l/1MYm8nE
It's great to see Airfix using a UK manufacturer. It's a fantastic kit, so props to Airfix and Plastech. Thanks for taking the time to make the video Mos.
No problem.. sometimes it’s good to see the attention to detail put into these kits
Absolutely great to see it made in the UK again...can remember going past the old airfix factory every Sunday on the train going to Waterloo...👍👍
So very happy that Airfix is back making great kits.
@@jerseywalcott6408 thats if you like aeroplanes,
Maybe because it's a British plane
As an old model builder this put a smile on my face :-)
It's not politicians or the talking heads on the news that will pull us through the rough patches, it's people with know-how like those in this video. Making good products, making jobs for people, making a profit.
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Agree 100%
Absolutely mate, trouble is here in Australia they broke their neck running to China to give all their tooling and products away for next to nothing in the belief that they were going to make mega profits but ended up shooting themselves in the foot, now they couldn’t make a button for a shirt here in Australia….but plenty of bullshitting politicians
Going to buy this Spitfire model. Very important to support a British company manufacturing in the UK. Well done Airfix.
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Thank you to everyone that helped in this video. The gentleman that provided all the information was absolutely awesome. Not only did he know his stuff but his enthusiasm for the work, the process, the product, was so engaging that the video seemed more like a TikTok short as the time flew by.
I haven’t done any model building in many years, the last ones were the 1/12 (or was that 1/24 Spitfire with the electric motor driving the propeller?), a C130 Hercules, Bf109, the Lancasters that my father flew in WW2 (plus the Wimpeys, and Mossie’s etc.) as it was great to have an expert on hand to ask questions about the various components, colours, and the assortment of personal customisation that the crews would do.
I wish the company all the best with their endeavours, whilst I look forward to teaching my grandson how to build these kits. He’s a very young 5-year old (I’m 62) but it’s going to be a close run thing if he learns the patience and gentle handling skills required before my Stage 4 C pushes me off my perch! Such is life, but I’m looking forward to teaching him no matter how close to the end.
Email me (its in the about section) and ill send you some kits :)
Thank you @Lord_Ronin_The_Compassionate for leaving a comment.
Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)
@@MOS6510Models That is incredibly kind and thoughtful of you and not something I would have ever expected, but thank you all the same.
Regarding the subscribing etc, you had me hooked and subbed within the first few minutes! If I could subscribe/like numerous times to encourage the algorithm I would gladly do so, but I don’t think it works this way.
I’ll send you an email very shortly.
David.
Must say that in my youth….Airfix was the jewel in models….tanks, boats, trucks, planes and the box Art was phenomenal ❤
Couldn't agree more!
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Men like this are what made Britain great in the first place. The UK cannot go wrong with people with his attitude to detail and quality. I haven't bought an airfix model for many years but I know what I'm getting for Christmas. Thanks for the video, very inspiring.
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Engineer toolmaker here, this place is about 10 miles along the coast from me and it’s good to see a local manufacturer of such parts.
I’ve never been involved in injection mould tooling, but from building my first Airfix model as an 11 year old, I actually appreciated the fact that someone had to make a mould first to produce the plastic parts that I was glueing together.
Shame the actual moulds are made in China, but that’s the way of the world now and at least the rest of the manufacture is in the UK.
Big thumbs up to Plastech at Newhaven, Sussex. And another for making this video. Very interesting indeed👍👍👍
Unfortunately toolmaking is all made in china as they educate young people in that field.. Tim Cook from apple said the same, the reason they go to china for tooling is because they are the best at doing it..
@@MOS6510Models But don't ask China to use their noodle. They will produce a tool exactly as you want, faults and all.
@@MOS6510Models I work in manufacturing and we are pulling back a lot of items made in China. Due to continuous quality issues.
When an order comes in with an issue, sure they will replace it, bur delivery times are long. Much better to make things yourself so you can control the quality better and satisfy customers quickly.
@@montyzumazoom1337 I was a toolmaker, but manufacturing declined when things were sent to China. However since the pandemic, I think people have realised that we need to get back to UK-based companies,. my wife's company have just invested 7 million pounds in bringing back all their processes back to the UK. You only have to see JLR cutting back production because of chip shortages. So yes it may be cheaper, but logistics and green policies can only mean homegrown products.
@@montyzumazoom1337 I agree the quality with anything China makes is not very good. If you see how fast and mundane the process is in their factories, you understand why. No real QA dept. Japan did the same thing 60 yrs. ago and finally learn quality comes first to sell a product.
Wow. Just wow. Congratulations to Plastech and Airfix. Fantastic job well done. Thanks Mos too 🤙
Thank you too!
amazing, I'm 54 and airfix was a part of my life as a kid. not the model kits but the little soldiers.
So nice to see a British company doing this, I wish them the best.
Yes its brilliant
A must watch for all injection molded model builders. Received my two kits Nov. 22.
Each in shipping boxes inside another shipping box! Very well packaged for travel to Canada.
Arrived quickly and in perfect condition.
It is emotional to see manufacturing return to the country that started the industrial revolution. The well deserved pride that the people of Airfix and PlasTech have to make this quality kit a reality is inspiring. Hopefully this collaboration will continue with their future 1/24 P-51D release.
Really chuffed for you matey.. its a wonderful kit, and this company is going places
I can not express in words what Airfix meant to me as a child in germany from 1969 - 1977. Airfix made the most idealized toys of mine for years. Most Airfix cataloges through the seventies are inprinted as an "afterimage" ;-) in my brain because I watched them for many, many hours page by page. I had many models and over the years all eras of historic 1:72 figures and dioramas. "Airfix" was my warmhearted introduction to "England" as a child. It is great to see that Airfix & Plastech try to adapt the legacy of Airfix to modern times and environmental topics. Great! I wish the people involved all the best for the future. Thanks MOS6510 also for this youtube-documentary.
Do you still build kits?
I think Airfix is cemented and cherished in hearts from our childhood
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Good to see quality British engineering reestablishing Airfix as a name for high quality models.
its brilliant matey
Good for Airfix bringing out top of the line WWII aircraft and I love the light gray plastic they use. Been building since 1970, my sight is not that great anymore so 1/24 is the way to go and very pleased to see such detail and quality in your products.The Typhoon, Hellcat and now the Spit are real jewels for me!
God bless! Plenty of AIRFIX fans in Mexico..
fantastic
the amount of skill involved in making dies* for this sort of product is very underrated
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Dies not dyes.
@@4376ED fixed, now the real question - molds or moulds? ;)
I'm not a massive model maker but as an Engineer this was very well explained and put together, thanks.
Thank you
You could see the passion in his voice and body language and its evident he is committed to delivering the best quality models they can and that is very refreshing to see!
I have been in touch with Mark since.. I think the Airfix relationship with plastech is only beginning
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I worked in a injection molding plant back in the 90s. They made components for computers. Everything from key board buttons to cases for monitors. I can tell you this company deals with some incredibly complex and expensive issues. Wonderful work.
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Fantastic video. No way that felt like 37 mins it flew by. Very insightful from a guy who knows his stuff without a wasted word. Compelling actually, great to see manufacturing in the UK.
Glad you enjoyed it!
It looks like Airfix are in good hands. Great to see the level of care that's taken.
I look forward to getting the new Spitfire!
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@@MOS6510Models Just subbed 😊👍
Glad to see QC and pride of product coming back to Airfix. I've built the 1/24 Hurricane from the early '70's and from the 1990's. The difference in quality is palatable.
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Well done PlasTech. Thank you for the access.
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Thanks for making this video Mos. Absolutely fascinating! Airfix are really moving forward in so many ways as a manufacturer and it's great to see them taking such proactive approaches to their consumer base.
Couldn't agree more!
The attention to detail even on the packaging is amazing, all adds value as far as I'm concerned.
It really is!
Is the original artists paintings still used do you know?
Brilliant!! Would never expect any manufacturer to be so open and share details of their products. Thank you, cheers!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wowee! Some good stuff happening here! I’m a 75 year old retired toolmaker/jig borer, often involved with big injection moulding equipment coupled with GKN baseline hydraulic platens. It was often used in conjunction with a company called Lucyware in Portsmouth that made big dustbins to a high quality finish? So, to see these tiny kit components being produced in such intricate detail with superb looking finishes is a joy to see! It doesn’t need any insider knowledge to realise the capital investment in this building, let alone the various skill sets required to cobble the whole operation together, to make these World Class kits! We don’t need China for every ruddy thing we make!!! Operations like this, is where and how we stop the nonsense dependency since the Thatcher era, on overseas manufacturing! We need more proper apprenticeships, ( I did 7 years in total, earning £5/6 hundred a week in the late 70’s as a result), then good servitude rewards to repay the investment of low initial wages, but both Company owner and employees gaining overall! Britain can and must, stand up straight and operate like this quality outfit does! I wish you all well in this dreadfully challenging time, but with enthusiasm, self belief and being British at its best, this country will become Great Britain again! Cheers
I have to agree.. education system isn't working to get hands on qualifications like tool making etc..
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I am impressed! Amazing that people still build the Spitfires when there are so many modern planes. I built my first Airfix Spitfire in the late 60s
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This takes me back to my time as a Moulding Technician...
Well done Airfix bring it all home!
actually someone that knows their product and what they are talking about!!
i agree!!!! Mark is so passionate about the brand!!
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Great to see manufacturing returning to the UK! Kit looks great, will surely get one soon. Cheers
to buy the kit prf.hn/l/1MYm8nE
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What a brilliant firm!
That guy just gets it!
I am now going to go and admire the artistry, skill, love for the hobby and dedication put into each and every spru in my Spit kit!
It's almost emotional to see Spitfires produced in the uk again . Definitely the best of British .
Absolutely!!!
@@MOS6510Models great video Mos...so thats what a tooling machine looks like.
It looked like a fantastic day . The kit is definitely the best from Airfix especially being British I wish I could of bought 2 as it's so nice I don't wanna build it I'm enjoying just looking at it in the box .
Will you be building yours
WOW ! So much coolness in one area at one time . IMPRESSIVE
It was an epic day
fantastic they are made here in UK, so proud that my spitfire is a uk product. gonna buy the new version just because of this video. thankyou
I have spent most of my working life as Toolsetter/Technician in the plastics industry where my job was to mount the tools in the machines and correct any issues with the moulded part, I also had a hand in producing first off samples for the customers approval. The The largest machine I worked on was called a Negri Bossi and had a clamping force of 535 metric tonnes, the largest mould I have set weighed 5 tonnes. As a result I found it really interesting watching this video, not only because of my work history but also as I used to build Airfix models when I was younger.
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This is my first visit to your channel, and I have found it enjoyable and extremely interesting. I teach automotive engineering and have always had a fascination and love of engineering and technology. Some years ago, I took a group of my tutors to a factory making plastic soil pipes for the plumbing industry and watched the injection moulding processes there. I was amazed at the enormous pressures involved and the need for absolute cleanliness inside the moulds themselves. This Airfix factory has taken the technology from those days and improved it immensely. I loved every second of the video, and as someone who used to build lots of Airfix models back in my childhood, I was even more interested. I loved the presentation from the boss who seemed to be such a down-to-earth, no nonsense character. For me two things have come out of watching today; I must look at the rest of your videos and I must buy a Spitfire kit. Great stuff, thanks for making and posting.
I'm glad you found the channel.. I was like a child in a sweet shop.. There will be more from plastech and airfix in the future..
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That was a super experience!
I'm of an age where as school children we'd head out on school visits to local businesses - bakeries, shops etc. We'd be given full tours behind the scenes and they were really good at educating us.
The tour of that business was first class I want to thank that company for giving it. Such visits are now, for the most, non-existent. Businesses blame health and safety but I'm not so sure about that. Truthfully, if more companies created such tours they would really get the public on board and buying more of their products. Massive respect to the company in this video.
Like any business, it all comes down to costs and them being so open about that is a breath of fresh air. I just wish more people would realise that by buying a cheaper kettle they're destroying British manufacturing. The quality of cheaper goods might seem adequate (and they are) but has anyone ever realised that by paying more for a locally produced item not only will they be guaranteed a higher quality but they'll also be keeping local people in employment.
Your tour guide shows exactly why the company is still going strong. His passion shone brightly and his desire to make nothing but the best is quite evident.
A huge thank you for this video. :)
agree with that matey!! if school trips were a thing we may get youngsters wanting to be tool makers again!! Thank you @jackking5567 for leaving a comment.
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Airfix kits … began enriching my life nearly 70 years ago 😊😊😊.
Great to see its being manufactured in the UK
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Great video, MOS. 👍🏻 I was also invited on this tour by Airfix but my work commitments prevented it. But thanks to this, I didn't miss a thing! Well done Airfix & Plastech. 👏🏻
Next time! be great to meet up sometime
@@MOS6510Models Yes indeed! I was at Telford, but seemed to miss all the others in the YT community! 👍🏻
The customer service at Airfix is brilliant.
I have twice experienced a broken or missing part and both times Airfix sent me a replacement, free of charge.
agree on that
Great to see the amount of passion and expertise going into this kit. A very interesting video! Can't help but wonder what Reginald Mitchell would think about a factory in 2022 knocking out hundreds of kit of his design.
It's so great to see such pride and attention to detail from a UK manufacturer
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Fantastic video! Many thanks 😊
I'm loving this 'new' Airfix; online videos with designers, researchers, etc, and the open-days that they've had, and this allowing people (OK, invited people) into to see how this kit is being produced at factory level, is just something I never dreamt I'd see when I was a youngster building their kits in the 1970s! 👍
It's fantastic to see!!
Glad you like them!
Love to see someone so enthusiastic about his job👍
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@@MOS6510Models new subscriber thank you really loved the video.
Glad to see it's made in The U.K including all packaging.
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This is what "Buy British" should mean, top marks!
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I have built my first kit in 1974 at an age of six and it was a Westland Whirlwind from Airfix. Almost 50 years later I still remember that and it is still one of my favorite hobbies. Meanwhile I have started to collect kits more than building them....they are waiting on the shelf for the days , when I am retired and have more time to enjoy unboxing and building (hopefully).
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Thanks for posting - it was fascinating to see the process involved in creating a kit, and great to see the obvious enthusiasm of the employees. Hope this kit is a huge winner for Airfix.
English machinists repairing the dies. Worlds best.
Airfix, produced back in the UK, brilliant 🙂
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That guy is an excellent spokesperson!
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Well done Airfix!
I spent a fortune as a child building Airfix models including a large Spitfire model with an engine.
Factory feels like home.
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Excellent video, good to see that QC played a big part in the kit moulding.
Hopefully more kits will be moulded in the UK.
You and me both!
I worked for years for a Moulding firm. Usually tools are sent to whoever makes the lowest bid and it would be interesting to know the reject rate. If I were at work on that tool I would scrap lots of shots so I could take them home!
ooh exciting ! looking forward to this 😄😄😄😄👍
Hope you like it!
Glad the Dutch Air Force have a huge history using English planes.
And Airfix is the main road to affordable prices.
Superb. Anyone who builds kits should watch this to get an appreciation of the work and dedication involved.
I agree.. designing the kit is coming tomorrow
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I remember when airfix was in sunbury. The smell was amazing as my dad drove me past
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Thoroughly enjoyable video and tour of the process. The guy doing the walk round is on point, very knowledgeable and speaks with passion. Thank you, keep up the great work.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video. Certainly given a much greater appreciation of the process. Not at all what I expected.
Glad you enjoyed it
I remember when they had a huge factory down Hedon Road in Hull.
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I really like Mark, he knows everything about the production and is so passionate about it👍🏻. It helps me to understand the cost of production and the price of a kit, as I thought that everything was automatic and cheap to produce.
I also appreciate that he tries to keep the production local to a financially possible extent.
Even though the recycling effort is nice, let's face it, the styrene will not be recycled, at least not here in the U.S., it would be wonderful to have the possibility to mail the sprues and unused parts to a collection network, Nestle does it for espresso coffee caps, so why not?
I wonder if they could produce decent Heller parts or if the problem is in the mold conception, I really love Heller's interesting models but I gave-up on them because of the permanent warping of their parts, specially in cars.
Too bad that I don't have room for that beautiful bird, I would love to build it. Thank you for the video👍🏻👋🏻
yes he is a legend
I built several Airfix back in the '60' as an American kid, always like the quality, doubt if any of the old crew are still employed there.
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It is inspiring to see the attention to detail - both in the detail of each part and the technology and fussiness of the inspection process....
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Very interesting thanks to all involved love airfix kits
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Copious thanks for this fantastic video. Kudos to the Plastech folks for their outstanding work. I'm even a bigger Airfix fan now. 🛩
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Great video thanks. Amazing to see how they do it. Incredible complexity and ingenuity in getting the detail parts to come out right. I'll certainly be getting one of these kits and pleased to be supporting Airfix.
The Link To buy the 1/24 Spitfire kit prf.hn/l/1MYm8nE
That was a very interesting tour.
This was a really cool experience! What a great tour round the factory. I enjoyed watching Mos! Great information.
Thanks so much!
UK at it`s best. Well done the guys at Seaford
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Lov these kind of videos ..so neat learning how model's are built.. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it :)
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Mos this is a very good vlog👏this why we Brit’s should get behind Airfix 😊 it’s nice to see Airfix manufacturing coming home cheers Mos 👏👏👏👏🏴
Glad you enjoyed it
It’s pleasure to follow your vlogs 👍🏴🏴
Excellent stuff, thanks for sharing MOS. I started off my working life long ago in a machine shop such as this so can appreciate the effort which goes into producing their product. Really good QA/QC process too, I'm liking what Airfix are doing at the moment.
Great to hear!
I’ve been waiting YEARS for this video. Thanks for sharing 😊
You are so welcome!
Wow a model kit that is made in the UK. Brilliant video. 👍
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Great News for the hobby and the UK
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That's a lot of ejector pins!
Great video.
As a machinist that worked at a mold shop many years ago please make a video of the machining process for producing the tooling (mold base, cavity and core). Quality plastic parts require quality mold makers. Thanks again for the great video
Thanks for the idea!
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This is fantastic - insights, passion and quality. Thank you!
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Great UK manufacturing - and all-electric injection moulding as well!
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Heard of airfix as a kid in Canada but grew up buying Tamiya, Revell, Bandai. I definitely need the spitfire now.
1/24 Mk IX now looks like superb value given the quality work behind it. Not just any new tool
Totally agree
Im not a modeller (my attention span is measured in seconds) but im really loving all the love that Airfix is getting. The goodwill they are building up with this model is a model example (sorry!) of how a business can build positive relationships with customers. In short: Give Them What They Want !
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Very interesting video on how these are made, it's great to see Airfix kits made in Britain, I made a few when I was young. I'm into Scalextric as an adult, it's fun building stuff for it but also quite scary the ££ spent, lol.
My name is Nigel and I am a geek! 🤣😂
Truly fascinating video Gents... BRAVO.
Best wishes from an Englishman making armour in a French forest. ⚒️🇬🇧
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Excellent video! I have always wondered how kits are manufactured. I am happy that Airfix is moving up in the quality level. Their new kits are a huge leap in quality over the old Airfix kits.👍👍👍👍👍
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That was interesting. Thank you for sharing!
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So interesting and great to see Airfix being produced in the UK.
Great insight Mos. It is wonderful to see a British produced product.
i agree, it was a great time
As a ex-press tool toolmaker this was facinating. Thanks.
you're welcome
I worked for Airfix back when they were at Haldane place, in the late seventy's as a pattern maker. With very little H&S and most people on the production line it was just a job, nothing like this. You can see the care and attention to detail. Hopefully they will go a long way.
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Brilliant story.
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Well done Plas Tech and a great video.👍
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Great video and a BIG UP to British manufacturing.
Couldn't agree more!
If I ever see one of these Spitfires arrive in Thailand I'll be on it.
Might be a while but it will end up there :) Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.. please subscribe