Sad to hear today of the passing of Roy Cross, not a familiar name to many but most folk here will be familiar with his art. For many years he was the main artist behind the boxes of Airfix models as well as Eagle comic (ask yer dad). I made models in my early teens for a while and always marvelled at the realism of his paintings on the boxes and of course never knew who did them until today. He made it to 100 + 1 day bless him.
https://www.vintage-airfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Type_3_Aichi_Val.jpg
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/data/attachments/262/262991-9697110c3bba6498acc049b1e571da99.jpg
more of his box art on this page
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/in-memoriam-roy-cross-1924-2024.43533/#post-677036
Somewhere, I have a little scrap-book full of those fold-out sheets of instructions that showed me how to assemble my latest 1:72 scale World War 2 aeroplane, the highlight of each sheet being, of course, the stirring illustration that drew me in as I scanned the available models in Woolworth’s on a Saturday morning. Check out the decal sheet, to make sure it was the correct one in the bag, and take a swift glance at the Humbrol colours needed to paint the model; did I have enough Duck-Egg Blue left in my box of the tiny tins? Ask Dad to sub me for a new one just in case. Blow most of the week’s pocket-money on a Hawker Tempest Mk.V and put sixpence aside towards that more expensive B-25 that I’ve been admiring for months.
Thanks, Roy, you greatly helped enthuse my aviation obsession, an interest I’ve maintained for decades, brought to life in your artwork with a flourish of excitement and heroism for every model I ever built.
I used to dabble with airfix, eventually realising my crack handedness was a significant hurdle to ever making the completed piece look like the loser in a dogfight, with gaping rifts between the wings, and lumps of glue all over the chassis. I preferred the soldiers, which only needed twisting off the “mainframe”. That too was beset with issue, as most ended with a lumpy bump of plastic under their bases. I painted them too, which was hoot. Good preparation, all of it, mind, for when I operated on folk….