The other day l get the first instalment of my State Pension. A slightly momentous time , possibly a milestone passed. It certainly caused me to think about the passing of the years and my lost youth in particular . This got me thinking what would be a good way to mark this albeit in a small low key hobby manner. So l went for this-
As a boy l loved my Airfix figures and fought across the sitting room carpet endlessly. I recall buying my Airfix boxes at the newsagent’s near Happy Valley . I mixed WW1 and WW2 with careless abandon until my father explained the difference. I was also blessed with a dad who was a Roman aficionado and taken to Hadrian’s Wall and museums. Amongst my favourites of all the figures were the Ancient Britons and the Roman boxes!
So , in the light of Airfix re releasing them this summer what better a thing to do than pre order those Ancient Britons l loved then and still do. So l will need to be patient as I await their summer arrival and enjoy the anticipation of their return. I have gone for three boxes to give some options. Summer , sun and Airfix what could be better ?
Ancient Britons for an ancient Briton? Just kidding! You are younger than me! Enjoy your pension!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I used to get some of those Airfix packs from a local hobby store when I was a kid back in the 1960s, and played with a mixed batch of French Foreign Legion, cowboys and Indians, Tarzan, and I don't know what else (all left unpainted in those days), across my bedroom floor), on scraps of cardboard, foam rubber, and other odds and ends for terrain. No rules other than throwing pen caps at them to knock them over.
Thanks. Sounds a splendid toy soldier childhood.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Super nostalgia! I loved the Ancient Briton set and had a couple of them for inter tribal warfare as I found the Romans too fiddly, the shields kept falling off!! Great stuff!!
ReplyDeleteAgree re shields! Inter tribal warfare sounds absolutely terrific fun.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
A suitable retro way to mark a significant (Roman) Milestone. Asterix in a box! I am still umming and aaarhing about whether to stock up on reissues for the future. I still have the Roman Milecastle.
ReplyDeleteGreat you have the Milecastle still, well preserved. It was be crying out for a box of attackers and a box of defenders, maybe you can help it?
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Before ordering any more, I shall look out for my 1980s painted childhood Airfix ABs and Romans first. I probably have some Atlantic Romans as well somewhere.
DeleteIt was these and the Romans that were the first troops I painted to my satisfaction and so bought my first unpainted lead - Minifigs Napoleonic British Guards in bearskins.
ReplyDeleteMy father was also influential in my hobby.
The painted Airfix were given away when I left Suffolk and the Minifigs sold when I left Northumberland. I've no plans to go back to either but plenty more projects on the go.
Bon chance
Stephen
Enjoyed your hobby history. Well done for resisting.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Obviously Airfix are going for the nostalgia market, I was considering Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham myself
ReplyDeleteAn excellent choice and one l look forward to see in action. Great sets and great fun to be had…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Wonderful Airfix figures and memories - I have a few boxes somewhere, and a few of my originals "painted" with Humbrol Gloss paints!
ReplyDeleteGet them out to celebrate, the Portable Airfix Wargame?
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
I still have my Ancient Britons as well as my Airfix Romans somewhere in one of my lofts. I might even have some unused sprues.
ReplyDeleteJim
Excellent to hear. Your lofts must be like the Tardis…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Treating yourself having made it to this point is justifiable.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! My thoughts too.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Surprisingly good figures. You just need to change the chariot wheels.
ReplyDeleteIndeed they are. Why change the wheels?😊
DeleteAirfix 1 Archaeologists 0
Alan Tradgardland
Next you will be saying Viking helmets have no horns…
State pension? But your blogger profile says you are 48..! 😀
ReplyDeleteCongrats anyway, and what better way to celebrate than with those Ancient Brits? Still got some of mine, painted fairly roughly in the 1970s and looking like they are based for WRG 6th...happy days!
Well spotted! My secret is out! Actually l keep meaning to update the profile but nostalgia reasons keep me back. Can hardly believe l have been blogging all those years…
DeleteSuper you still retained yours , excellent.
Alan Tradgardland
I loved those too. Used to use the ones with horned helmets as vikings. I know now that vikings didn't have horned helmets ;-(
ReplyDeleteThe price is interesting. Was 1/100th of that or less.
An excellent use for the winged fellows. Don’t they?
DeletePrice is very interesting indeed, wonder why there is such a difference?
Alan Tradgardland
Nostalgia button pressed :-).
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, enjoy.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Alan -
ReplyDeleteTwenty-two quid the box - ye gods! In this country, given NZ$ exchange rate and P&P, that's an arm and a leg and give us your eye and a tooth as well.
I have my Romans, some modified, that I used for my Portable Wargame Roman Civil War a year or so ago. I sold off the Syrian Archers long ago (possibly not a sagacious decision), but kept the core Romans and modified a few figures for the equites. I wanted Ancient Britons, but, having bought, nearly 50 years ago now, the local hobby shop's entire stock of Airfix Romans (6 boxes), discovered they had not a single Airfix Britons box). Over time I gave up looking.
A decade or more ago I found at a local bring and buy a job lot of Airfix British chariots. The wheels I ripped off to put them on the trucks mounting some brass siege guns. I thought to replace them on the chariots with the wheels from Airfix French Artillery.
Guess what. Yep: the axle of the one was FAR too thick to fit the centre bore of the other. What WAS I expecting? There's a project that died decades ago, though I still have the (wheel-less) chariots...
Oh, well - there have been other projects!
Cheers,
Ion
Oh, by the way. Rtaher disenchanted with the chariots, I was rather careless about what happened to them. What a dummy I was! There I had a 6-chariot field for chariot races! ... and until very recently it didn't even cross my mind! Aaarghhh, and buckets of blood!! It is just possible I have 3 of those chariots somewhere in the house, and maybe one of them has wheels... Maybe the Blues and the Greens in the Hippodrome in Constantinople...?
DeleteI have a LOT of sympathy for hoarders, you know...
Cheers,
Ion
Ignoring the P&P £17.97 seems excessive. My recollection is that in 1967, when the Romans were issued, they would have been about 2/6 (two shillings and sixpence) or 12.5 new pence. The treasury inflation calculator suggests the modern price would be £2, inflation having been 1508% in that time. I've not seen the re-realsed figures but I'd guess it's the old tooling so the production cost would be pretty low. Which suggest the 'what the market will bear' factor is pretty substantial!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for the re-release of the ACW boxes which started off my wargaming around 1963. Even though I still have many of my original figures!
The blog delivers clear, insightful, and well-structured content for enthusiasts. It covers essential topics in a simple and engaging way, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced users.
ReplyDeleteThe inclusion of Exchange Coin Info adds valuable context, helping readers stay informed about market trends, token insights, and exchange-related updates. Overall, it’s a reliable and informative resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the cryptocurrency space.Hidden Fees on Crypto Exchanges