Mini-Airfix Cars and Figures competition

7th of August 2021

This was one of our bi-monthly competitions. We accepted Airfix car and figure models not submitted in previous competitions. This competition was open to all, and submission was through our Facebook Hobby Bounties Events.

The event date was 7th August 2021 as it was the long weekend for Singapore National Day on 9th August 2021.

I felt that more people were interested in cars, as cars are very expensive in Singapore (due to taxes and the Certificate of Entitlement). Figures are not as popular as many people struggle with painting faces.

In the end, we had 9 car entries and 6 figure entries.

The car entries came from as far as the UK (from Paul Tattersall with his Airfix Ford Escort) down to Australia (John Bartram with this Airfix 32nd Bentley Blower). Of course, we always get the creative entries from Razali Ahmad who modified 2 Airfix Quickbuild Camper Vans into a motorcycle pickup truck and a caricature Space 1999 Eagle Transporter.

For the figure entries, we had the classic Airfix 1:12 Black Prince, Ng Keng Leong's 54mm ambush diorama, and some shadow box models (based on real paintings and made into 3 dimensional models) from Victor Wong.

In the end, we separated the cars and figures entries into 2 categories and awarded the prizes:

For cars:

1st Prize – Razali Ahmad for his Volkswagen Camper Van pickup. Razali's entry is a converted 1/24 Scale “VW KOMBI TRUCK with a Honda Monkey”. He used the Airfix Quickbuild Volkswagen Camper Van. He cut the roof and joined with the “cut shorter back end” , to make a short Cabin. The back he made into an open flat top with wooden stripes pattern. He attached a strapped down Honda Monkey to finish up the cargo load. The flat top sides were scratch built so it looked like an openable metal reinforced hinged wooden droppable sides. He finished with painting the model.

by Razali Ahmad
Peter Chiang & Razali Ahmad

2nd Prize – Paul Tattersall for his Airfix 32nd Ford Escort. The Airfix 1:32 Ford Escort was modified to be an RS 1600 rally car, The large wheel arches were home moulded in a plastic car. The wheels came from an Airfix Cooper slot car. All other details are scratch built and the markings were hand painted. The engine bay used parts from a Matchbox Surtees race car. And of course the weathering.

by Paul Tattersall

3rd Prize – Razali Ahmad for his Volkswagen Kombi Truck Space Van (Space 1999 Eagle Transporter). Razali used the Airfix Quickbuild VW Camper Van as the base. He started with the nose cockpit that he made a shortened cab Kombi Truck head. He cut the windshield frame and made a flat slab wind cockpit windows. He lengthened the fuselage and added the Kombi leftover body to make the main space cabin in the middle. He added warren-girder style “W” design to form the frame grid triangular girders from the Evergreen 1/16” rods. Razali then made the exhausts and tanks using the wooden beads joined with the Evergreen rods. Exhaust is from the Gundam spares. The wheels were also modified to make the “DeLorean style” rotated wheels with an exhaust nozzle at each hubs. He painted for finishing. The Lady Astronaut is modified from the 1/24 series MasterBox figures. He added the vacformed clear helmet.

by Razali Ahmad

For figures

1st prize Victor Wong 'The Broken Rope' based on a painting by Charles Russell. Sculpted and converted from various parts. The horses and figures included some Airfix multipose parts as armatures. The pistol was from the 8th Army set.

by Victor Wong

2nd prize Victor Wong 'Battle of Rivoli 1797' based on a painting by Henri Phillpoteaux. Sculpted and converted with Airfix parts as armatures.

by Victor Wong
Peter Chiang & Victor Wong

Congratulations to everyone who entered the competition, and thanks to Mat Irvine and Tony James for judging.

Peter J K Chiang
23rd August 2021