Airfix original plastic figures (1 Viewer)

[Mitch]

Can anyone tell me if the original airfix stuff is collectable? I have all of my brothers which, were passed to me boxed and, he had thousands approx 3,500 to be precise (lots and lots of doubles trebles and more) and, I love them japs, us paras german infantry etc. I never hear or see them around and wonder how they just faded away from peoples interest
Mitch

 

[gk5717]

I have been selling mine off on ebay and I,m getting anywhere from $1 to $5 a box. I believe I paid around $10 a box 20 years ago, hope this sheds some light.
Gary

 

[Mitch]

Gary..

Thanks for that dont want rid of mine but, its surprising how much they are going for. Thought it would be more as they were excellent sets. I cannot remember how much they were in the UK but it was not a great deal.
Mitch

I have been selling mine off on ebay and I,m getting anywhere from $1 to $5 a box. I believe I paid around $10 a box 20 years ago, hope this sheds some light.
Gary

 

[Wraith]

Mitch,

Yes they are, but the prices vary according to box type. Is it all 1/32, 1/72 or a mix?
Not too clued up on 1/72 stuff, but reasonable condition box sets can go from about £5 a box for the 1986 14 figure boxes, to £15-£20 for some of the 72ish brown boxes and 73 onward 'target' boxes. The majority of the 29 figure large boxes go for between £10 and £15 if in reasonable condition.

There are some that tend to make more due to the relative scaricity. These include the 1983 14 figure boxes of Afrika Korps, US Paras, SAS, Modern NATO and Modern Russian figures, which werre only released for a couple of years at a time when toy soldiers were becoming less popular.

There are a few other odd rarities here and there as well, the 1981, 14 figure Napoleonic French Infantry is fairly scarce, and one of the hens teeth sets is the original 1968 1st edition Brown box of (Brit) Paras (which are the upsacled version of the 1/72 figures - pretty crude figures but price hiked due to being the first of that series). These can go for £100+.

There are a couple of good comprehensive sites dedicated to the 1/32 range. I'll dig out the site addresses and post them in a bit.

Cheers
Simon

 

[Wraith]

2 sites I'd use for reference (although these don't list approx price ranges) are:

www.airfixtoysoldiers.co.uk

and

www.airfix132.de

Simon

 

[Mitch]

Simon...

All the original 1/32nd stuff boxed in good condition. I think as for dates they all come from the 70's my brother wasa mad war buff so, has almost everything that was out. I got them when he grew up and started playing with the girls but, have them in the loft and, have meant to have agood look and find out more but, with the knowledge on here thought I would ask

Thanks for the info
Mitch

Mitch,

Yes they are, but the prices vary according to box type. Is it all 1/32, 1/72 or a mix?
Not too clued up on 1/72 stuff, but reasonable condition box sets can go from about £5 a box for the 1986 14 figure boxes, to £15-£20 for some of the 72ish brown boxes and 73 onward 'target' boxes. The majority of the 29 figure large boxes go for between £10 and £15 if in reasonable condition.

There are some that tend to make more due to the relative scaricity. These include the 1983 14 figure boxes of Afrika Korps, US Paras, SAS, Modern NATO and Modern Russian figures, which werre only released for a couple of years at a time when toy soldiers were becoming less popular.

There are a few other odd rarities here and there as well, the 1981, 14 figure Napoleonic French Infantry is fairly scarce, and one of the hens teeth sets is the original 1968 1st edition Brown box of (Brit) Paras (which are the upsacled version of the 1/72 figures - pretty crude figures but price hiked due to being the first of that series). These can go for £100+.

There are a couple of good comprehensive sites dedicated to the 1/32 range. I'll dig out the site addresses and post them in a bit.

Cheers
Simon

 

[uksubs]

I've got loads of Airfix soldiers but never kept the boxes
Always want the 1/32 sherman

 

[Mitch]

Yeah... My brother kept all his vehicles including some really nice metal hanomags and a Pak which were metal from the same period think they were corgi or dinky but, may be wrong. He wont give them up now unfortunately
Mitch

I've got loads of Airfix soldiers but never kept the boxes
Always want the 1/32 sherman

 

[uksubs]

Yeah... My brother kept all his vehicles including some really nice metal hanomags and a Pak which were metal from the same period think they were corgi or dinky but, may be wrong. He wont give them up now unfortunately
Mitch

Yep I used Corgi & Dinky armour with my soldiers to

 

[Mitch]

the metal stuff is nice but, I could quite easily become plastic again as they were really great sets with excellent poses and detail. I have never painted any but, have seen some done and they look great.
Mitch

 

[steve weston]

I've got loads of Airfix soldiers but never kept the boxes
Always want the 1/32 sherman

This was actually never issued by Airfix although the mould exists and we sell the Sherman bagged, not boxed. see my site at www.plasticsoldiers.co.uk

Steve.

 

[HAWKEYE]

boy, i got loads of airfix in 1/32 and 1/72. the 1/72 are in boxes from the mid sixties to the blue box type. many napoleonic or wild west indian and us cav. do these really have a lot of value? i also have 1/32 hard plastic figures that you were supposed to glue together. i always did like the german paras and the aussie and ghurka sets

 

[Mitch]

forgot about the Ghurkas they were great I cannot off hand remember a set they released which, I did not like
Mitch

boy, i got loads of airfix in 1/32 and 1/72. the 1/72 are in boxes from the mid sixties to the blue box type. many napoleonic or wild west indian and us cav. do these really have a lot of value? i also have 1/32 hard plastic figures that you were supposed to glue together. i always did like the german paras and the aussie and ghurka sets

 

[Eazy]

I've still got pretty much all the original Airfix 1/32 sets. They are still in good condition too for the most part. A few barrels missing here or there.

Anyway whilst on holiday last week I picked up 3 of the new reissued sets. It's sad but even though I have the originals I liked the look of the new boxes and thought I might as well get them.
So I picked up the British, German and US paratrooper sets but I was a little dissapointed. The German paras came in a really horrible shiny dark blue plastic that hid the great detail of the sculpts. The US paras were slightly better as they had a lighter green plastic but they still seemed a bit undefined in detail compared to the originals.
Worst of all the US paras didn't even have all the individual poses in the box!

Best of the 3 sets were the British paras that seemed to be in a softer plastic that showed more detail.
Overall I liked these sets for the great boxes and the nostalgia value but they aren't as good as the originals for me.

 

[Eazy]

Btw does anybody know how many of the old 1/32 sets have been re-released so far?

 

[Mitch]

Eazy..

Me too. I thought they would be very similar to the original got the fallschirmjager but, thought they were awful horrible blue and looked a former shadow of the originals.
Glad I have those but, will be buying no more of the new. My local shop has Paras mentioned german infantry and british commandoes but, not sure how many more are set to be released
Mitch


#

Btw does anybody know how many of the old 1/32 sets have been re-released so far?

 

[9thHussar]

Hi

this year 2010 they are due to release Australian Infantry, German Mountain Troops , British Infantry Support Group and finally the Soviets/Russians - ALL WW2.

For 2011/2012/2013 hopefully will see the Gurkhas and Japanese Inf WW2 , Plus the Waterloo 4 x sets of British Inf, Highland Inf , French Inf and French Imperial Guard Grenadiers and the Wild West 7th Cavalry , Cowboys and Indians sets.

I think that leaves the Mediaeval foot soldiers and the 4 x sets of "Modern" 1980's soldiers British, Soviet, West German and US.

They must be popular because every time I go to my wholesalers they are sold out of most sets.

Maybe Airfix will make some new 1/32nd sets??

Regards
9th

 

[Wraith]

Hi

this year 2010 they are due to release Australian Infantry, German Mountain Troops , British Infantry Support Group and finally the Soviets/Russians - ALL WW2.

For 2011/2012/2013 hopefully will see the Gurkhas and Japanese Inf WW2 , Plus the Waterloo 4 x sets of British Inf, Highland Inf , French Inf and French Imperial Guard Grenadiers and the Wild West 7th Cavalry , Cowboys and Indians sets.

I think that leaves the Mediaeval foot soldiers and the 4 x sets of "Modern" 1980's soldiers British, Soviet, West German and US.

They must be popular because every time I go to my wholesalers they are sold out of most sets.

Maybe Airfix will make some new 1/32nd sets??

Regards
9th

Don't forget the SAS - some of the best poses out there, Italians, the Footballers (probably unlikely to get a second airing, unless they take the bases off them all, so they're all lying on the pitch shouting 'foul' ), and of course Space Warriors!

 

[9thHussar]

Hi Wraith

of course the Italians WW2 - my mind is slipping - its the old age creeping up!

I am not keen on the space figures although they are good sculptures.

The SAS always remind me of Lewis Collins and his film about the SAS - Who Dares Wins (think his best acting was in the Professionals TV Series)

The Footballers are good figures and can be painted as any team fron 1967-1970 before the shirts changed styles

Regards
9th

 

[larso]

I don't think Airfix make new figures anymore - unless it's a model? The German halftrack is wonderful and I was surprised they hadn't done a US one too. At that time, a few years ago, no one else was making a decent one either so I wrote and suggested they bring one out. They wrote back to say it wasn't in their current plans. I kinda thought the current owners were only interested in producing from the existing molds.