For the first time since WWII, thousands of Spitfires are to be mass-produced in the UK

Airfix repatriates production for the launch of the new Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc Super Kit

Airfix, one of the world’s oldest and most well-known manufacturers of model kits, is launching a new Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc model. The premium model will be manufactured in the UK – the first time a main model kit has been produced in the country in over a decade. The 433-part Super Kit, which produces a 1:24 scale model, will be manufactured in a factory on the south coast. It is arguably the best kit to be produced by Airfix since the company’s inception in 1952 and this particular Spitfire model is set to become an icon in its own right. Retailing at £94.99, the premium aircraft model will measure 397mm in length with a 469mm wingspan when built and is available in five design/scheme options. This is the second time that Airfix has moved part of its manufacturing requirements back to the UK. In 2006 Hornby Hobbies acquired the brand and in 2012 they moved an initial part of the production, specifically for its Quickbuild range, to a plant in East Sussex resulting in improved quality, reduced lead times, next-day deliveries and flexible stock holding. Talking about why now is the right time to bring production of this prestigious model back to the UK, Dale Luckhurst, Head of Brand at Airfix, said: “For various business rationale, Airfix models have been manufactured overseas, predominately in China, India and France since the mid-‘90s. However, when we decided to produce this new Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc, it just felt right to move the production of such a British icon back to the UK, so we are thrilled that these new models will be made on the South Coast of England. “It’s recorded that the total number of actual aircraft Spitfires (of varying marks) ever built is around 22,000 so it would be such an achievement if we could match this number with our Airfix model kits on home ground. The Spitfire has always been one of our most popular models. In the world of aviation, I’m not sure there is any other aircraft that can even come close to matching the iconic status of the Supermarine Spitfire. It has a legacy which is as strong today as it was during the wartime years. With this in mind, I hope that everyone, from enthusiasts to first-time modellers, enjoys this incredible new Super Kit.” In celebration of this UK production move by Airfix, which just so happens to coincide with the company’s 70th anniversary, Airfix is also offering anyone who purchases an Airfix Gift Set or Starter Set through the Airfix website, the option to be entered into a prize draw to win an incredible once-in-a-lifetime flight in Britain’s iconic Spitfire aircraft. Terms and conditions apply, visit https://uk.airfix.com/community/win-flight-spitfire for details.

The Airfix story begins in 1939, in London. With the world on the cusp of war, Hungarian refugee Nicholas Kove created the first iteration of Airfix, a company which at the time manufactured rubber-inflated toys. Kove had become a keen businessman in the years since he’d left Hungary so when it came to choosing a name for his new venture, he combined the process of fixing air into products, with his belief that all successful companies should have their names at the beginning of business directories. Thus, Airfix was born!

Today, Airfix is the oldest UK manufacturer of scale plastic model kits and has been producing kits for the mass market since 1952. Although best known for its iconic aircraft models, the last few years have been a journey of discovery and exploration for the brand in terms of branching out into other products.