In 2009, Airfix, the most famous plastic model construction kit company in the world, celebrates its 70th birthday. Founded in 1939 by Hungarian Nicholas Kove, Airfix holds a unique appeal for boys (and girls) of all ages and has been part of the fabric of childhood for generations. Packed with photos of the kits from the 1950s to the present, "The Boys' Book of Airfix" is a nostalgic look at one of the greatest brands ever. In addition to the history behind the models, from the first Airfix kit - a model tractor - right up to today's exciting "Doctor Who" releases, it tells the story of the dramatic twists and turns of the Airfix saga. In the autumn of 2006 it looked as if the great name might disappear for ever when its owners languished in receivership, only for the company to be heroically rescued by Hornby. If you were ever responsible for sending an Airfix Messerschmidt to a fiery doom from your bedroom window, this book is for you!

Author Biography

A self-confessed 'Airfix boffin', Arthur Ward is acknowledged as the Airfix historian. As a youngster, he spent many happy hours drawing creating weird and wonderful machines - mostly tanks, aircraft and spaceships. In the 1960s, he discovered that his private world could be given three-dimensional form via plastic kits, and since then his love of models (especially Airfix) has been unabated. For the last 25 years, he has collected examples of early Airfix kits and, seeing nothing odd about this eccentric passion, 'saves them for posterity'. He is the author of The Model World of Airfix (1984) and Airfix: Celebrating 50 Years of the Greatest Plastic Kits in the World (1999), as well as Collecting TV Toys & Ephemera and Classic Toys. He has his own website, CollectingFriends.com, co-founded with Peter Donaldson of Radio 4, which attracts over 2,000 keen collectors worldwide.