Friday, October 31, 2025

Airfix 1/32 scale Railway Enthusiasts set - Making the set Airfix didn't

In some toy soldiers Facebook groups I follow there was a phenomenon of making AI-generated images of 'What-if' box art of 1/32 scale figure sets by Airfix, actually never made. This phenomenon was trending at the time I had attended 3 Railway Garden meetings in only 4 days, so I was heavily influenced by these impressions when making my contribution:

What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
I also 'stretched' this phenomenon and challenge a little further by adding an image with a suggested content to my suggested 'what-if' Airfix box of 1/32 scale Garden Railway Enthusiasts:
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
These AI generated images by ChatGPT intrigued me to much that I imagined what these figures, if ever made, would look like beside Z-scale (1:220) or T-Gauge trains (1:450). I don't have any T-Gauge trains (yet), but I do have a starter set of Märklin Z-scale. There was only one way to actually find out, and that was to make the figures myself. So some suitable miniatures was scoured on Thingiverse, which I resized and 3D-printed to 1/32 scale /54mm:
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
I also found some engines and resized them to look right as garden trains for my 1/32 scale figures:
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
Then everything was given the simplest paint-job ever:
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
This is how my miniature garden railway enthusiasts in 1/32 scale looks beside a 1:220 scale train by Märklin. I wonder which scale this train will actually be in relation to the figures?
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.
And here are a couple of video shorts running the train with my miniature garden railway enthusiasts:
 
This was a quick and fun little 'project'. What I'm going to use these hastily made miniatures for now I don't really know yet. Any suggestions?
What-if model of Airfix Railway Enthusiasts set of 1/32 scale figures. Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.


Blog PostScript

As earlier mentioned, this Facebook phenomenon and challenge was initially about soldiers and  military sets. Last week when I posted a blogpost with some photos from a Norwegian model railway exhibition I'd been visiting, showing a Norwegian WW2 themed layout, Mark at the Man of Tin Blog 2 followed up with an epic blogpost on his Sidetracked blog on how this could be transferred to a wargame. Please have a visit on his blog to read about his ideas. One thing he suggests in his post is what kind of miniatures to substitute as 'WW2 Norwegians' in his wargaming ideas. Well, this blogpost was originally about Airfix What-ifs, so at least I can suggest the Box Art for Mark's Norwegians:

What-if model of 1/32 scale Airfix Norwegian 1940 Infantry set . Actually modelling based on an A.I. image by ChatGPT.

8 comments:

  1. Great fun post and wee project, really enjoyed seeing this.
    Alan Tradgardland

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Alan. I was a actually surprised by the fact that it was AI that intrigued me to do this wee project. Many claims that 'AI is killing creativity', but in this case sparked my creativity.

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  2. Looking at your previous posts that include real Garden Railway Enthusiasts, may I suggest that your 1/32nd scale set needs a BBQ?
    I really like the 1940 Norwegian set too.

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    Replies
    1. I felt the set was 'missing something'. Off course I should have added a spruce with a BBQ, some hotdogs and some coffee mugs 😉
      For the '1940 Norwegians' I haven't actually made any miniatures or have any plans to do so either. At least not yet. It's interesting to look for figures that might work for such conversions. Mark man of Tin have found some really nice references.
      Thank you for reading and commenting

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    2. The Norwegian set is a great idea - would you have a figure or two on skis?

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    3. Airfix added skis to their German Mountain Troops, so I'd guess some skiers could be included in a Norwegian set as well. BUM made a set of 1/72 scale '1940 Norwegians' and I bought one set. When opening it I noticed that they were only Airfix German Mountain Troops knock-offs. That set included skiers I think.

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  3. Those 3D Printed Garden Railway enthusiast figures are definitely a small business side hustle providing figures for a niche group.
    Thanks for the 1940 Norwegian Infantry Airfix designs. I’m sure AI does unleash creativity as you certainly wouldn’t have commissioned a graphic artist to do something as flippant or flyaway as these Airfix requests.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Mark.
      In many FB-groups I follow there are always a number of members claiming that AI and AI generated work are crap, and will have a ban against such. I think that is 'too late' to make bana now, as it has become so integrated. I think of AI more like a tool I can use for different modelling or gaming purposes.
      If you get around to make 'Norwegian Troops' for 'Gulltransporten' 'Wheel meet against or any other game, please feel free to use the box art if you like. I think it gave a 'Preben Kannik' vibe.
      Thank you for reading and commenting.

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