Airfix Classic Conflict Gift Set: Newly-Tooled Tanks Available Now

Airfix is releasing a new Classic Conflict Gift Set (ref: A50142) containing plastic kits to build both a King Tiger and Cromwell MkIV tank in 1/76 scale. The set contains two newly-tooled tanks, Humbrol acrylic paints, adhesives and brushes - the perfect thing for newcomers to the model kit hobby.

Both the Cromwell and Tiger II tanks made their combat debuts in the Normandy campaign, however both were very different types of tank, the Cromwell being a manoeuvrable and fast medium cruiser tank, the Tiger II being a hugely complex heavy tank, weighing in at 68 tonnes.

On the battlefield, while the Tiger II was a hugely capable machine, its complexity and sheer size often weighed against it and the Allies, using weight of numbers, air power and the fact that German tanks often broke down, were able to overcome the German armoured divisions and push them back, eventually liberating France.

Alongside this, Airfix is also releasing the Cromwell Cruiser Tank Starter Set 1/76 scale (ref: A55109). The agile and reliable Cromwell Cruiser tank made its operational debut in Normandy 1944. It soon made its mark on the battlefield and became one of the most successful tanks for the British Army. This set contains the newly-tooled Cromwell Tank along with Humbrol acrylic paints, glue and brush.

Meanwhile, taking to the skies is the North American P51-D Mustang 1/24 scale (A14001A). The P-51D arrived in quantity in Europe in the spring of 1944, becoming the USAAF’s primary long range escort fighter.  The versatile Mustang also served as a fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.  Few Luftwaffe aircraft could match the P-51D and by the end of the war, Mustangs had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other USAAF fighter in Europe. This 1/24 scale kit builds a finished model 40.9cm long with a wingspan of 46.9cm.

Decals are included for two schemes.  The primary scheme, as shown on the box, is for a P-51D as flown by 1Lt Spurgeon Ellington of the Tuskegee Airmen, 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Ramitelli, Italy, December 1944. The alternative scheme is as flown by Lt. Eugene W James, 352nd Fighter Group, 328th Fighter Squadron, RAF Bodney, Dorset, England, 1944. For more details on these new kits, check the Airfix website.