Charity Shop Find - Airfix 1/72 Models

Obviously from somebody's loft clearout some old Airfix kits, I came across these in a "charity shop" and acquired them (see below, these have that Tunisian feel to them, ready to fight teh retreating Afrika Korp!): 

Representing those not good, but better than before Allied mid-war tanks!

WWII 20mm British Crusader II Cruiser Tank ArmourFast

While picking up the M18 Hellcat I decided that the early 8th Army needed some beefing up, well I say beefing up (see below, either the Command Squadron or the start of a third Medium Company - he said talking in Command Decision OoB terms):

Again as there are two in the packet it is a bargain IMHO and so "two by two" I should finish off that early 1941 7th Armoured Division Tank Battalion!

Late War Allied "Odd One": British Crusader AA Tank (SHQ)

With still some superglue spare I decided to fix up and construct the next metal monster. This time from the later part of the war. Attached to the Command HQ of a British RTR was a nominated AA tank, converted from an obsolete model. One such tank was the Crusader chassis, although I remember seeing a picture of a Light Vickers Mk VI having four BESA upward pointing machine guns in an old encyclopedia. This Crusader has twin 20mm Oerlikon guns (see below, Note: There was a Bofors 40mm version too, but I think that requires me cutting up an additional Airfix kit!):

A much nicer professional fit and it went together no bother. I positioned it with an "open hatch" so I need to fit a sky scanning commander in it. I was thinking of the Airfix Bofors spotter figure. Just a matter of finding that particular needle in a haystack ;)

This leaves my resin Britannia Miniatures ARV the last element if my 1944 [British in Normandy] Command Decision RTR project as a must do model. Yes I have lots of painting still to do!

What Airfix didn't give me for Xmas or 2015

This may sound a a little ungrateful perhaps, but I would like to have seen the following kits re-released in 2015:

• 1/600 HMS Ajax
• 1/600 KM Graf Spee
• 1/76 Crusader I/II/III

On a more positive note the 1/76 re-release of the original Tiger I comes as a "plus" (though it is not the best kit on the market the mold is probably the oldest) but I would have liked it more if it came with the correct stowage bin at the back and mud-flaps (seventh heaven if you put zimmerat on the hull). The mud-flaps and exhaust covers are some things I should do to my Airfix "pair" given that I added the stowage bins at the back (see links below): 

http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/more-airfix-tiger-i-completed.html
http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/airfix-tiger-i-refurbishment-part-four.html
http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/airfix-tiger-i-refurbishment-part-iii.html
http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/airfix-tiger-i-refurbishment-part-two.html
http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/airfix-tiger-i-refurbishment-part-one.html

In my fantasy world (because I think the molds are long gone) I would love to see the re-releases of:

• 1/76 Airfix Commandos Series 2 not the characterless Series 1 we have gone back to :(
• 1/76 Airfix British Infantry (original sculpts)
• 1/76 SAM 2 Missile Launcher

Maybe in 2016?