Hornby Visitor Centre 'Wonder Works' Airfix Model Show, 18 January 2025

 

Well the Bolton IPMS show is usually the first show of the year. In 2025 it wasn't. On Saturday we drove the 25 or so miles up to Hornby HQ and the 'Airfix' Visitor Centre (now 'rebranded' 'The Wonder Works') for their first ever model show and the first show of 2025. There were four or five clubs in attendance, including East Kent, Faversham, Medway, Gravesham and Medway Veterans,with free tea and coffee for those displaying their models and food at 50%! The place was packed. In fact space was at a premium with only a couple of tables allocated to each club which made for a rather cluttered display - there were ten members of our club vying for apace alone! Perhaps not surprisingly there were a few nice Airfix builds on show, including the 48th scale  Buccaneer, Bulldog and Blenheim and their large Vulcan. We learnt too incidentally that the new-tool Lysander had just arrived in the warehouse next door - but was not yet in the shop. Here's a few of the tables/models that caught my eye..

a wide view of our two tables  - Simon's USS Texas yet to make an appearance, although his big Vulcan is there at the far end. A better view of that down below...(stay tuned for more pics to be added..)

below, a general view of Medway's tables with Martin's builds closest to the camera and Bill's Airfix post-war RAF builds including Harriers, Buccaneers, the Meteor and Hunter. Jonty's 72nd Airfix Spitfires in front.

Andy's Airfix Bulldog looking incredibly neat...

Impressively displayed Airfix 72nd Vulcan on the Gravesham club table. One way of showing off the huge missile recessed in the bomb bay..

A close-up of Bill's 72nd Harriers

Martin's 'Star Wars' fighter thingy in Luftwaffe colours caught the eye...

This Drache was neatly done -not sure of the kit. Props attached with mini-magnets. Model secured to the base with mini-magnets. Ingenious!

David from Gravesham models WWI . Not a single triplane on display this time though. See Welling show report 2023 elsewhere here.

Mac's Italeri 1:9th scale Harley OOB. 

A view of one wall of the Airfix/Hornby shop at their Visitor Centre in Margate, Kent!

Simon's 72nd Airfix Vulcan (old tool) and his USS Texas left. Dale and David's Dominie 'before and after' as seen on the Manston fire dump from the Airfix Vintage Classic range..