The Little World

You do not have to be an 18th century rake…

To recognise the experience of being captured by the appearance of a smartly-dressed courtesan with a painted face and patches on her cheeks. The ample bosom and the curled hair may be missing, but the end result – bitter horror at the raddled creation encased in the fancy clothes – is familiar to any scale modeller.

We have all bought a new kit made with an old mould. I have not yet had the honour of mistakenly purchasing something that is older than I am, but there are many of the younger builders who have done just that, and at prices that reflect modern economics, as well.

No names, no pack drill, but there are makers whose entire output seems to have been sourced from the op-shop of the hobby. They remould, or just repackage old sprue trees, clap them under new box art, and sell them at new prices.

I am sanguine about Airfix and their Vintage Classics. Old kits reissued with all the flaws they had, but new decals to salve them. And at small prices – Airfix do not gouge the hobbyist. The boxes are clearly labelled and worth the price they ask.

Not so happy with seeing 1950’s sprue trees in 2026 boxes by another major European maker. Time to justify the new prices by making new moulds. Eastern factories can do it, and so can the west.