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Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. As we settle into the enjoyable business of introducing all the new 2026 range model kit release to our Workbench audience, we begin by featuring a kit which may have caught a few people by surprise when presenting itself on range launch day, but has underlined its incredible popularity in the days since, our 1/48th scale English Electric Lightning F.6. A kit which is extremely highly regarded within the hobby, this is our scale tribute to one of the most exciting jet aircraft to have ever taken to the skies, and those who were lucky enough to have seen one display at an Airshow or RAF airfield back in the day, will surely never forget the experience. If we started the year by looking at our latest Airfix Club Kit offering and the Swedish Air Force’s most exciting Cold War jet fighter, the Lightning is perhaps the only aircraft of that era which eclipsed it in terms of speed and performance, and may even have provided inspiration for the aircraft’s designers back then. Whatever that particular case may have been, the Lightning unquestionably stands as one of the finest achievements of the British aviation industry, an aircraft which was such a leap forward in technological terms that it’s history and service heritage still continues to captivate millions of people to this day. Would be get away with calling its Britain’s jet powered Spitfire, even though it was only produced in a tiny fraction of the 20,351 Spitfires built? Many enthusiasts certainly think so. In this latest edition of Workbench, prepare to strap on a Lightning and shoot towards the heavens like a homesick angel!

Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. In the previous edition of Workbench, we began our review of new Airfix model kits for 2026 by looking at the recently announced Airfix Club kit for this year and our 1/72nd scale tribute to this year’s centenary commemorations of the Svenska Flygvapnet, Swedish Air Force 100. As this new kit appears to have been particularly well received, we wanted to keep the new kit momentum going in this latest edition, by bringing you our annual range launch review edition, an unashamed celebration of all the recently announced new Airfix modelling delights. As the dust has now settled on our latest range introduction event, we wanted to take this opportunity to look at some of the 2026 projects which are going to be capturing our attentions over the coming year, hopefully including some of the kit subjects our readers have been hoping we were going to include in our range at some point. We will be looking at new tooling projects, recently released kits which now feature new parts and scheme options, and of course, the return of some much loved classics, but each one an enjoyable build project in the making. For those of us who haven’t yet seen it, we will be embedding our latest range launch video into the body of this latest blog, where our Head of Brand, Dale Luckhurst, takes us through the finer points of our latest range, the continuation of a proud Airfix tradition which has been captivating modellers for many a year. It’s new Airfix model kits galore in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. The start to any new year is an extremely busy time for the Airfix team, and the wider modelling community, as we prepare to unleash our latest collection of model kits on an expectant modelling world, something we did once again last Wednesday. As we know everyone will still probably be analysing the finer points of the range to see which of the new kits will be finding their way into their own personal modelling logbooks this year, we wanted to let you crack on with this for another week or so, but still throw the blog spotlight on one of the new kit additions made earlier this week. The Airfix Club has long been a feature of our proud modelling tradition and in recent years, has experienced something of a triumphant rejuvenation, with membership bringing real and tangible benefits for modellers of all ages, abilities and subject preferences. One of those benefits is an exclusive Club kit, an offering which has become something of a cherished tradition within the hobby and one we’re proud to continue with this year’s package. In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be taking this opportunity to introduce our readers to the latest Airfix Club kit, one which is intended to mark a significant anniversary occasion for one of Europe’s most compelling air forces, and two aircraft types which span 65 years of Swedish Air Force service. Please join us as we get airborne with the Airfix Club kit for 2026 and our scale tribute to the centenary celebrations of the Svenska Flygvapnet.

Welcome to this first edition of our Workbench blog for 2026, and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. The start to any new year is an extremely busy time for the Airfix team, and the wider modelling community, as we prepare to unleash our latest collection of model kits on an expectant modelling world, something we did once again last Wednesday. As we know everyone will still probably be analysing the finer points of the range to see which of the new kits will be finding their way into their own personal modelling logbooks this year, we wanted to let you crack on with this for another week or so, but still throw the blog spotlight on one of the new kit additions made earlier this week. The Airfix Club has long been a feature of our proud modelling tradition and in recent years, has experienced something of a triumphant rejuvenation, with membership bringing real and tangible benefits for modellers of all ages, abilities and subject preferences. One of those benefits is an exclusive Club kit, an offering which has become something of a cherished tradition within the hobby and one we’re proud to continue with this year’s package. In this latest edition of Workbench, we will be taking this opportunity to introduce our readers to the latest Airfix Club kit, one which is intended to mark a significant anniversary occasion for one of Europe’s most compelling air forces, and two aircraft types which span 65 years of Swedish Air Force service. Please join us as we get airborne with the Airfix Club kit for 2026 and our scale tribute to the centenary celebrations of the Svenska Flygvapnet.

As most of us will still be clinging steadfastly to the festive spirit on this first Friday in the new year, we thought we’d embark on a new year of Workbench blogs by updating one of our popular editions from last year, particularly as we now find ourselves in possession of built model samples of the kit in question. As our subject aircraft just happens to be arguably the most famous piston engined aircraft to have ever graced world skies, we didn’t think there would be too many dissenting voices amongst our, particularly as this variant marks a powerful new direction for this potent performer. Unquestionably the highest profile design to come from the British aviation industry, the Supermarine Spitfire served throughout the Second World War and beyond, with ever more examples undergoing restoration to airworthy condition, such is the enduring fascination with this aircraft. Our new kit subject for this latest edition really is something special, only the second stand-alone kit release from this particular tooling, and a release which charts the post war career of a true stalwart of the historic aviation scene here in the UK. Significantly, this kit release presents the same aircraft in three different scheme guises, spanning almost 70 years of flying. As many readers will no doubt have this stunning kit on their build schedule for the coming year, let’s see why our 1/48th scale Snooping Spitfire makes for an ideal way in which to start our modelling journey for 2026.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. It’s somehow fitting that whilst we still find ourselves just about in the 85th Anniversary year of the Battle of Britain, that our 1/48th scale model tribute to the RAF’s most unusual fighter type to take part in this aerial duel has just returned to the current Airfix range. An aircraft which remains relatively anonymous to the majority of the world’s population, and can be quite divisive amongst those who are aware of it, the Boulton Paul Defiant may well have been a fighting contemporary of the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, but it has never been able to compete with either in the aviation popularity stakes, despite being far more interesting a design than both in the eyes of many. Unquestionably one of the more interesting British aircraft types of the Second World War, whilst we won’t be producing a Defiant charm offensive edition of Workbench this weekend, we will be welcoming the re-introduction of our beautiful 1/48th scale kit version of the aircraft to the current range by looking at why Britain’s turret fighter is definitely worthy of modelling subject consideration. We will also be challenging one or two popular misconceptions about the Defiant in operation, and how no modelling tribute to the ’Few’ can be considered complete without the inclusion of at least one Boulton Paul Defiant within that display. We prepare to sign off on this 85th Anniversary year of the Battle of Britain with the Defiant return of a classic 1/48th scale model kit in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. It’s been quite a year for Supermarine Spitfire related developments, anniversaries and associated media content. With this year marking the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which was arguably the Spitfire’s finest hour, and the end of the war in Europe, with the Spitfire still an important aircraft in Royal Air Force inventory at that time, 2025 also marked 90 years since construction work started on the Spitfire Type 300 prototype K5054. From an Airfix perspective, we have also seen the continuation of the incredible popularity of the aircraft in scale model form, with our modified ‘Flying Dray’ 1/24th scale Spitfire joining the recently released Mk.VIII export variant of the model in that same ‘Superkit’ scale, and two newly tooled models joining the range over the past twelve months. Our new 1/48th scale two seat Spitfire TR.9 was as unexpected as it has proved popular, but with so much going on over recent months, our new 1/48th scale Spitfire Mk.IXe kit appears to have slipped under the modelling radar somewhat, despite it actually being a really significant addition to the range. We intend to address this situation with this latest update. The focus of our attentions this Workbench weekend is to provide an appropriate introduction to this new kit, even though it’s actually been available for a couple of weeks now. We will be looking at the importance of this stop-gap, but crucial variant of the Spitfire, in addition to bringing you all the relevant details related to this latest new tooling addition to the Airfix range. With stunning box artwork, scheme details and more, this latest update is definitely one for the Spitfire aficionados amongst our number.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. Well, we’ve managed it – we’ve safely negotiated another hectic year! With this being the final edition of Workbench for 2025, we wanted to go out with a serious cracker of a BANG, so that being the case, what could be better than to feature our final secret model release for the year, one which just happens to be a silver winged beauty. Earlier this week, the various Airfix information channels carried the news that as part of the festivities here at modelling HQ, we’d held back our final secret model release of the year for this most festive of periods, the second release from our new 1/48th scale Bristol Bulldog tooling. A beautiful inter-war British fighter which not only found favour with the Royal Air Force, but also with several overseas air arms during the early 1930s, this second release includes additional parts to allow the much modified Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIA variant of the fighter to be modelled. This was an aircraft which was unquestionably one of the most important British fighter aircraft of the late 1920s and early 1930s, and was an aircraft which stimulated a significant period of upgrade and expansion for the Royal Air Force. In this final update of the year, we will be looking at why the Bulldog was such an important aircraft for the Royal Air Force, why this second release presents the fighter in arguably its most iconic form, and what made this such a highly regarded aircraft in RAF service. Of course, we will also have our usual selection of spectacular subject imagery, which will hopefully highlight why this makes for such an appealing modelling project. We’re dancing the skies on laughter-silvered wings in this final edition of Workbench for 2025.

As the Airfix team have been working hard on preparing the 2026 Airfix catalogue over the previous few weeks and the heady modelling nostalgia this always invokes, it could hardly be more appropriate that this week’s edition of Workbench see’s us returning to the world of Vintage Classics, and the latest addition to this popular range. Indeed, we don’t just have a single kit subject for your delectation this time around, we have two closely related models which many modellers regard as some of the most appealing to have ever graced the Airfix range, in a case of double Vintage Classics trouble. The one thing each Airfix kit range has always been able to boast is the sheer variety of subjects available in scale model form, everything from famous fighter aircraft of the Second World War to dinosaurs and historical figures, and all types of craft in-between. An incredibly popular sub-range of kits over the years have been scale ships, from historic galleons to lifeboats, but also including some of the most powerful warships to have ever sailed the world’s oceans. Making for incredibly impressive built model displays, it may have been a while since we’ve seen a new tooling addition to this line up of kits, but we do still have many classics to tempt us. This latest update features two fast attack craft from the Second World War, stunning model representations of impressive coastal attack craft which were intended to create havoc in coastal waters, one British and one German. With classic box artwork and a selection of built model images to share, we’re unquestionably in the realm of classic Airfix kits in this week’s edition of Workbench. You’re going to be needing your sea legs this weekend, as we’re on a mission with the sea dragons of the Second World War.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. Our subject for this latest edition of Workbench is the heavily requested re-introduction of an incredibly popular kit, one which has to be regarded as one of the most impressive to have ever graced the Airfix range. The futuristic looking Handley Page Victor was the final aircraft of Britain’s trilogy of nuclear capable V-Bombers of the Cold War era, and arguably the one which was both the most advanced and the most versatile of the three. The aircraft was designed to wield incredible destructive power, but to ensure peace by the threat of the devastation it could bring, something of a dichotomy in terms, but one which helped to preserve an uneasy peace at one of the most volatile periods in world/European history. A kit which was originally released to such widespread modeller acclaim back in 2016, and again in this particular release format two years later, it has become increasingly difficult to get your hands on one of these stunning kits over recent months, so we decided that we had to do something about that situation, hence this release return. In addition to looking at why the Victor makes for such an impressive modelling project, we will be looking at the details behind the three scheme/decal options included with this kit, will have a selection of images detailing how our latest exclusive collector coin release will delight those ordering via the Airfix website, and see why the aircraft linked to the lead scheme option has just benefited from a rather radical new application of paint. We’re very much in the presence of one of Britain’s Cold War jet powered peacekeepers in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. Well, what a spectacular weekend that turned out to be. With the latest instalment of the Scale ModelWorld phenomenon now done and dusted, we can confidently confirm that this modelling hobby we all enjoy so much, and the army of enthusiasts who consider themselves amongst its ranks, are both in a very good place right now, with the future of the hobby looking as bright as it’s ever been. As we reflect on a busy, but extremely enjoyable weekend, and allow our voices a little recovery time, we will be spending this latest edition of Workbench covering some of the activities team members were involved with over the weekend, in an attempt to share some of the atmosphere of what was a thoroughly enjoyable event once again. With a selection of exclusive images taken by members of the Airfix team over the weekend to illustrate the points under discussion, you can look forward to seeing the Airfix stand in all its glory, a quintuple of built Messerschmitt Bf 109 Gustav debutantes, competition winners entries and a fantastically imaginative Display of the Day/Show winner, along with the impressive people behind them all. As we try to keep the Scale ModelWorld ‘highs’ going for just a few days more, please join us as we review our show experiences at SMW 2025 in this latest edition of Workbench.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. You will have noticed that we have a slightly later publication timing for this latest edition of our Workbench blog this week, but for very good reason. By now, the Airfix events team will be hard at work setting up our display stand at the latest Scale ModelWorld show, and amongst our layout of impressive modelling riches, we have exciting news to share. As of 10am this morning, we were proud to announce our latest new tooling addition to the Airfix range, and it’s BIG news! It what has now become something of an Airfix tradition at Telford, the SMW show has regularly seen the team announcing new tooling projects as part of our attendance, with visitors to the International Centre over the weekend being the first to view the new kit in the plastic, whilst also having the opportunity to discuss this and all matters Airfix with the team in attendance. This latest release is something very special indeed, and if some like to challenge us about our fascination for producing kit tributes to the incredible Supermarine Spitfire, we have something very different for you this time around, in the shape of the Spitfire’s aviation arch nemesis, the Messerschmitt Bf 109. A spectacular new design in 1/24th scale, our new kit is a stunning representation of the G-5/G-6 variant of the Bf 109, the most heavily produced of more than 34,000 aircraft manufactured, and one which struggled to stem the tide of Allied air forces until the end of the Second World War. By way of an introduction to the new kit, we will be bringing you the details behind why the Messerschmitt Bf 109 ‘Gustav’ makes for such an appealing modelling subject, and will have a selection of exclusive imagery to help us do that, from new box artwork and built model images, to details behind each of the FIVE scheme options included with the first release of this new kit. The exclusive reveal of our new large scale tribute to one of the most significant fighting aeroplanes in the history of warfare is our headline subject for this week’s edition of Workbench.

Our blog title for this week was intentionally selected to possess a little more intrigue than usual, as we want to do something a little different with this latest edition. As far as we know, there’s never actually been an ‘Avro Week’ commemoration event, and certainly never here on the Workbench blog, but as we find ourselves on the cusp of the scale modelling world’s annual ‘gathering’ at Telford’s International Centre, we wanted to take a little break from featuring new tooling projects and secret additions to the current Airfix range. Instead, we wanted to place the blog spotlight on a selection of (relatively) recent model kit releases, all of which are currently in stock and available for modelling project duty right now. Interestingly, the three kits we have selected chart 20 years of aircraft design development at one of the most famous company’s in British aviation history, a name which became synonymous with powerful bomber types, but can trace its origins back to the early years of the 20th century. We will be seeing how 20 years can seem like a lifetime in the world of aviation, and whilst all three aircraft were groundbreaking in their own right at the time of their maiden flights, how they could hardly be more different from each other, when it came to both their appearance, and their capabilities. You will probably be able to guess which aircraft types we’re going to be featuring, but you can be absolutely certain that the Airfix range has beautifully crafted scale kit representations of each one, albethey in different scales, to allow our model display cabinets to feature our own appealing tributes to each one of them. When it comes to Avro aircraft types, the current Airfix range certainly helps scale Avro aviators to gain their hobby wings. As we push the virtual hangar doors back on this latest edition of Workbench, which of this trio of Avro classics will be making its way to the blog taxiway first?

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. The one thing you have always been able to rely on Airfix to provide the modelling world with is an impressive selection of classic scale aircraft model kits across several different scales, something which helped inspire a great many young people on their career journeys to become engineers, pilots, or to simply continue enjoying this great hobby of ours. In our previous edition, we unveiled our latest ‘secret’ scale tribute to a later variant incarnation of one of the finest aircraft of the Second World War, and we’re returning to similar subject matter for this latest update, albeit in a larger scale. Regarded as arguably the most famous aircraft in the history of flight, but unquestionably the highest profile design to come from the British aviation industry, the Supermarine Spitfire served throughout the Second World War and beyond, with ever more examples undergoing restoration to airworthy condition, such is the enduring fascination with this aircraft. Our new kit subject for this latest edition really is something special, only the second stand alone kit release from this particular tooling, and a release which charts the post war career of a true stalwart of the historic aviation scene here in the UK. This kit presents the same aircraft in three different scheme guises spanning almost 70 years of flying.

As we currently find ourselves on the cusp of actual modelling season, with the longer nights providing us with an excuse to spend much more time at our workstations, can you think of a better way of celebrating this than by announcing our latest 'secret' model release? On Wednesday this week, we announced details of just the third releases from our popular 1/72nd scale de Havilland Mosquito tooling, as the previously unannounced additions to the current range just keep on coming. This new release announcement includes an additional frame of parts which allow several new Mosquito variant/ordnance options to be considered by the modeller, and in this latest edition of Workbench, we will be bringing you all the details you might need from this latest addition to the range. In a robust review, we have insights and development imagery direct from the kit designer’s computer, an impressive selection of built model images, and details behind the THREE new scheme options included with what’s sure to be a welcome addition to the range. We’re spending time with the ‘Wooden Wonder’ in this latest edition of Workbench, or at least our scale plastic kit tribute to it.