Depending on your interests, the name of Airfix will conjure up anything from kits to model soldiers to slot racing.

Airfix had humble post-war beginnings – the year 1947 to be exact, when a certain Nicholas Kove brought the first injection moulding machine into the UK and set about the production of hair combs. The following year a kit was released, albeit almost accidentally. That farming icon, the Ferguson tractor, had originally been intended to be a made-up model but budgetary restraints put paid to the idea and it ended up as a number of parts. Over the succeeding years many thousands were produced although today it is still quite elusive.

Arguably the first mass-produced kit was that of the Golden Hind, which was released in 1952 and retailed by Woolworths, the high street store. But by then Airfix was dabbling in all sorts of merchandise: plastic cubes containing children’s toys, musical instruments and miniature vehicles have all turned up from those early days.

Kits would remain Airfix’s mainstay and indeed the publication of a specialist magazine in 1960 served to underline the impact the company had on the UK market. Its name almost became synonymous with kit in much the same way that Hoover and Biro had swept through the marketplace with their products.

By 1962 Airfix was expanding into new sectors: it bought out MRRC, the slot racing company, and geared up to battle with Scalextric for the heart of the front room racing enthusiast. The stalwart companies of Meccano and Dinky would also duly join the Airfix stable.

Aside from kits, the company’s model figures were greatly admired and collected at a time when there was very little in HO/OO scale. A huge number of sets was produced, spanning Roman times to the second world war and beyond: they are today sought after in their earliest window box format. Polythene military vehicles were also released to accompany the WW2 items and certain figures were retailed in boxes with a suitable building and marketed as playsets. Some years after their success Airfix opted for larger 1:32 scale figurines; these, too, found favour amongst painters and wargamers.

The company still exists, with a range of kits that includes many old favourites.