Airfix Crusader

[RGronovius]

Here is a kit I purchased this at a hobby shop in Methuen, Massachusetts in 2003. He had a pile of kits he got from an estate sale. I paid $5 for the kit because it had some pieces missing and many parts off of the sprue (common with Airfix kits), rattling around inside the box.

 

After a careful examination, I found it was only missing three pieces; the tank commander figure and both of his arms (parts 169-171). Since every piece is individually numbered, the kit contained 177 parts including the missing figure, so in my mind it was just as good as a complete kit. Not bad for $5.

 

The box art advertises this kit as new and the hull has the date 1975 on it, making this an original issue that is 36 years old. The kit was part of a short lived 1:32 scale series of Airfix armor kits that began with the poorly selling Monty's Humber, and included the excellent M3 Grant, M3 Lee, Rommel's halftrack "Greif" and ending with a towed 17 pdr anti-tank gun (extremely rare). The line also included a few kits from the Japanese company Max, but their kits were 1:35 scale. The Max kits exist today in Italeri's line.

 

The Crusader kit was recently reissued for the first time along with a set of the popular Multi-pose British 8th Army Desert Rats and German Afrika Korps. The reissue goes for around $35-40. This is not the same kit as the Testors/Italeri Crusader models.

 

The decal sheet includes markings for just about any tank that rode around in the desert. Painting only gives an olive green tank in Tunisia or a black/buff tank from the Western Desert.

 

The only construction option is the turret hatches open or closed. Since I do not have the commander figure and there is no interior, I will most likely close the hatches. Interestingly, this kit uses separate hatches for the open configuration and shut hatches molded together for the closed option (it is pictured in front of the turret).

 

The overall kit is very solid, with thick pieces, but does not look clunky like most kits from that era. I think it will build nicely.

 

 

[Mark Aldrich]

Rob,

I still love the old Max/Peerless kits. With a little tweeking, they turn into great models. The Airfix Greif was one of my first armor kits and I had a blast building it. Can't wait to see your progress!

[Ron Bell]

I don't think the Airfix kit was a Peerless/Max kit. They did a series of 1/32 scale armoured vehicles including the Crusader and a Grant. The Grant was much better than it's compatriot, the Monogram one, and the Crusader was the only game in town for about 20 years. It's actually a good kit. Lot's of well molded detail.

 

If you're interested, I think I have one of the kit's commander figures in my spares bin. Let me know and I'll send it off to you.

[Mark Aldrich]

Ron,

My bad....I was referring to Rob's comment about the oldness of the kit and how nice it actually was. I was making a comparision that even some of the older kits stand up pretty well to todays standards. I did a adhoc comparision of the Max/Peerless/Italeri Beep to the newer SkyBow/AFV Club offering and other than the engine(lack of in the Max offering), grill, and some very MINOR details, it held help very well.

[RGronovius]

I don't think the Airfix kit was a Peerless/Max kit. They did a series of 1/32 scale armoured vehicles including the Crusader and a Grant. The Grant was much better than it's compatriot, the Monogram one, and the Crusader was the only game in town for about 20 years. It's actually a good kit. Lot's of well molded detail.

 

If you're interested, I think I have one of the kit's commander figures in my spares bin. Let me know and I'll send it off to you.

 

 

Yes, I'd be interested in the commander figure. It'll at least give me the option of leaving the hatches open.

 

The Crusader kit isn't a Peerless Max kit. It is an original Airfix kit. I have several original Airfix armor kits in 1:32 including two M3 Lees, two M3 Grants*, Monty's Humber and this Crusader. I do not have the Greif and have never seen the 17 pdr.

 

Airfix supplemented their 1:32 scale line with a few 1:35 scale kits made by Peerless Max. They included Patton's WC Staff Car and several others most of us commonly see in Italeri boxes.

 

*One of the M3 Grants I have is boxed by Lodela of Mexico. It is identical to the Airfix Grant, but is molded in green versus the tan plastic Airfix used. Plus the box is twice as big.

 

I think Airfix's M3 Grant/Lee is still a solid kit. I even think it is better than the more recent Academy kit in overall shape and look. Of course the Academy kit has better detail and a lot of aftermarket geared towards it, but OOB the Airfix kit is probably more accurate.

[Mark Aldrich]

Rob said......

 

I do not have the Greif and have never seen the 17 pdr.

 

Now you have........

 

17 PDR

[Ron Bell]

Robin,

PM me an address and I'll drop him/it in the mail. It's the one with the peaked cap and a mic in one hand and binoculars in the other, right? I actually have two. Early releases had his upper body in front and back parts, for four parts in total. The one part figure has a very small sink hole in his belly. The other is hollow, so no sink hole, but you'll have to deal with the seams down his sides. Let me know which you would prefer.

[RGronovius]

Rob said......

 

I do not have the Greif and have never seen the 17 pdr.

 

Now you have........

 

17 PDR

 

 

I know it's out there and where to look for it, but I've never seen it in the flesh (or plastic). It isn't a subject that appeals to me and towed artillery always begs for a diorama, and I'm just not a diorama guy. I've seen the Greif all over the place, but again, it isn't a subject I am interested in. I think I got my Humber (also a non-interest subject) in a trade for a few aircraft kits for some armor kits. It looks like a decent kit, but I haven't really inspected it (nor do I know if it is complete).