To increase sales and lower production costs, the model was sold in kit form by Woolworth's retail stores.

In 1954, Woolworth's buyer Jim Russon suggested that Airfix produce a model kit of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind, then being sold in North America as a 'ship-in-a-bottle', made in the more stable polystyrene.

To meet Woolworth's retail price of two shillings, Airfix packaged the product in a plastic bag with a paper header that had the assembly instructions on the reverse.

[citation needed] Airfix later received complaint letters from modellers and former Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel regarding inaccuracies of the 1/72 Spitfire Mk I that were carried over from the original 1/48 Aurora model, particularly the BTK squadron code provided in the decal sheet (the code never adorned a Spitfire in real life, as it was used by a squadron operating the Supermarine Walrus amphibious biplane).

One of the complaints came from modeller John Edwards, who was appointed as Airfix's chief designer after convincing the company that he can improve their aircraft kits.

Edwards helped release a more accurate Spitfire Mk IX model in 1955, and he would go on to direct the designs of Airfix kits in other ranges for 15 more years until his untimely death at the age of 38.

During this period the Humbrol company also grew, supplying paints, brushes, glue and other accessories as an alternative to Airfix's own range.

In the mid-1970s, larger scales were introduced, including detailed 1⁄24-scale models of the Spitfire, Messerschmitt Bf 109, Hawker Hurricane and Harrier "jump-jet".

[8] Series 20 was limited for several years to the 1972 1⁄12 scale kit of the 1930 Supercharged Bentley 4½ Litre car, with 272 parts and the option of a 3-volt motor.

[9] In this period, apart from model kits, Airfix also produced a wide range of toys, games, dolls and art & craft products.

The pound strengthened from US$1.56 to US$2.35 in a matter of months, destroying export markets, because customers were unwilling to accept a 50% price increase for the same goods.

This was a logical acquisition since Humbrol's paints and adhesives could be used to complete Airfix kits and the Heller factory was under-utilised.

On 31 August 2006, parent company Humbrol went into administration, 31 of 41 employees being made redundant, largely because of the collapse of Heller SA, which still manufactured most of Airfix's kits.

[13] On 10 November 2006, Hornby Hobbies Ltd. announced it was to acquire Airfix and other assets of Humbrol for £2.6 million,[14] and relaunched the brands the following year.

Model subjects produced by Airfix over the years include: 1:24, 1:48, 1:72, 1:144 and 1:300 scales, covering aircraft from World War I to the present day.

(E-Boat, Vosper MTB and RAF Rescue Launch) and recently modern British Severn Class lifeboat 1:400, 1:600 and 1:1200 scales.

Airfix was the first company to release small-scale military vehicles in 1960 with the 1:72 Bristol Bloodhound with Launcher, SWB Land Rover and trailer.

HO/OO scale World War II scenes including the "Battlefront History" series, consisting of a number of OO/HO vehicle or 1/72 aircraft kits and sets of OO/HO wargaming figures, presented on a vacuum-formed base.

Famous figures from history, mostly from England, e.g., Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, Edward, the Black Prince, Henry VIII,[16] Julius Caesar, and Oliver Cromwell.

Also produced were a Bengal Lancer, a showjumper with horse (rumoured to have been based on the young Princess Anne), a 1:6 scale human skeleton, and a James Bond and Oddjob paired kit.

The re-issue of the Beam Engine and Trevithick Locomotive during 2009 omitted the electric motor and gears science fiction wargaming models.

From 1975 to 1981 Airfix also manufactured a line of ready-to-run models of British railway stock in OO gauge (1⁄76.2 scale).

Players fought their way through the game's 1950s-era house, destroying enemy planes while trying to collect healing glue packets, new model kits, weapons schematics, and paint to customise their aircraft for online battles.

Pilots would battle enemy model aircraft as well as U-boats, warships, tanks, flak guns, airships, and fortresses.

The whole game was an advertising venture, as the paints are Humbrol and the kit upgrades show actual pictures of Airfix packages.

The Airfix history has ensured that the company, its products and its brand has entered modern culture, especially in the Anglo-centric world, in its own right.

[21] In 2008, a TV advertisement for the Santander bank was produced, featuring a fictitious Lewis Hamilton Formula One car model.

[23] A life-size model of a Spitfire in the style of an Airfix kit was made as part of the BBC TV series James May's Toy Stories in 2009.

The markings of the life-sized model paid homage to Airfix's first aircraft kit released in 1953, including the erroneous BTK squadron code.

This meant that space ships from the first Star Wars film (Episode 4, 1976) featured such components in the small Millennium Falcon models used in long shots.