R.I.P. Roy Cross (Airfix Artist) Tribute (Part 1).

Sadly, just the day after his 100th Birthday, the Legendary Airfix box-Artist, Roy Cross passed away last week after a short illness. 😔
I thought it would be nice to recognise his amazing work and celebrate it by rejoicing in some of his lesser known works then take a deep - dive into his greatest Airfix illustrations as a tribute to the great man.
See Roy's own fine art website here: roycrossfineart.co.uk
For more similar content, please check out my channel: / @peter-oxley-modelling... .
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[@Spitfiresammons]

RIP Roy Cross thank you for amazing childhood art of Airfix the Airfix Team and fans will miss you.

[@JafoD7]

R.I.P Mr Cross. 😢 I love your art.

[@malcolmdove7512]

Roy Cross brilliant artist rip now you can paint the angels in heaven,

[@lllordllloyd]

A brilliant legacy.

[@Duececoupe]

R.I.P Roy....! 😥 I grew up watching the Onedin Line.... Roy Cross v Roy Huxley, I couldnt pick either as both are very much a HUGE part of my childhood and wonderful memories!

[@clouddog2393]

Being a Airfix modeller as a kid in the 60's the painting on the model was the selling point that attracted me to the kit in the first place . That was what got me interested in aircraft in the begining and this beautiful art work was almost as important as the kit inside . l will always associate them with those happy childhood days of the past . We have lost a great and talented artist .RIP .

[@organicpaul]

Wonderful tribute to a wonderful man.

[@goforitpainting]

Thank you Peter. I look forward to the sequel.

[@sorvad99]

Thank you Peter that was a marvellous tribute to Roy whose artwork gave us so much joy over the years.

[@AnthonyBrown12324]

As a child I was always excited to see these boxes on the shelves or in windows. Of course my models never looked so good . perhaps I should have collected his pictures.

[@andrewharbron5841]

I think the B29 coming head on to the viewer is a personal fave. Amazing work and a great video Peter. Thanks for showing us the book.

[@Stansman63]

Thank you Mr Cross for making such a memorable contribution to those long gone, wonderful days when I was a young model builder who loved the box artwork almost more than the model inside..R.I.P.

[@davidhinkson8856]

RIP Roy Cross - he came up with some very beautiful artwork for those model kit boxes which I am sure inspired many people to purchase them. I actually cut a few of the boxes he would have designed with the idea of using the cover painting as a poster.

[@EricIrl]

A lovely and timely tribute. Roy Cross was one of the best, if not THE best box art illustrator.

[@memkiii]

His work certainly had an influence on me, if only to make me want to build the kits, and it is interesting that some of the paintings in that book are *instantly* recognisable, even though I may not have seen them for over 50 years. I haven't seen the sailing ship paintings before - and they are stunning in the way he imagined a fully rigged ship. 👍

[@qwerk707]

Sad news. I hope that Airfix acknowledge his contribution to their early success and release a tribute to his work. Hopefully a book or even a series of kits. His artwork for the 1/24th MkI Spitfire is my favourite and captures the Spitfires iconic status in the Battle of Britain perfectly. His artwork had a positive effect on the hobby and a lot of young people in Airfix’s golden days. May he rest in peace.

[@shannonmonroe5873]

His aviation paintings are so dramatic and look so spot on but I have to say, the paintings of the Ships are also incredible. Such god given talent.

[@davegreenwood7575]

The complete connection with 10 and 12 year old lads without even know who painted these utterly supeb depictions. He had that knack of injecting excitement along with the subject and I for one sometimes bought a kit purely on the box art. I am guessing that there are few artist that was adored by so many. Brilliant vid totally agree with you. ❤️

[@neilpatrick3532]

Thank you Peter for a fine tribute to a fine man. I spoke with him once at an IPMS event. He was so modest and gracious when I said how much I admired and had enjoyed his box art. I doubt Airfix would have done so well in the 60's and 70's without his beautiful, evocative and inspiring illustrations. RIP Roy you will never be surpassed IMHO.

[@stevesstuff1450]

As a young 'un in the 60s/70s, Roy's artwork certainly drew me in to certain kits; it was so beautifully 'real' when you looked at that box (the resulting model never looked anything like though, in the hands of an 8/9/10 year old...!! 😜 ) Thank you Peter for a fascinating and nostalgic look at some of Roy's work; his aviation paintings were magnificent, however, some of those maritime paintings, which I've never seen before, are just stunning! SO realistic-almost photo-realistic - with the light dancing off the sea, and the drama of the wind in the sails.... Just magnificent! You can almost smell the salty air! What an artist.... Thank you Roy for your incredible legacy. R.I.P. 😞

[@paulmoore6345]

Thanks for the tribute to Roy. R.I.P.

[@johnmaddox7432]

A life well lived. I do recall the box art from my youth. As many of you have said it literally sold their kits. I especially recall those huge 1/24 birds.

[@BrianSanders-tn7pi]

Hi Peter. Definately a ten out of ten for this video. You have done Roy proud. I watched your first post the other day when you told us of Roy's passing so I looked to my bookshelf and remembered that I have two large portrait books called Airfix box art so I pulled them out and indulged myself in some of his pictures. It also reminded me of looking at those pictures on the boxes of the models that I wanted and would evetually build, ( well a good part of them ) . I,ve never seen his ship paintings before, they are so charismatic. The guy was truly an artistic genius. He will be sadly missed by the generation that grew up wishing that they could be the guy at the stick of that airplane. All I will say is "thanks Roy for all of the inspiration that you gave me as a child and as a man". R.I.P.

[@lordflashheart4265]

What an amazing mind Roy Cross must have had to produce such a wide range of subjects in his art. His rendition of the Aichi Val dive-bomber for Airfix was always my favourite. Airfix actually did a jigsaw, which is available on Ebay, of that particular painting. And the poor old Fairy Battle! The only thing missing in the Battle painting was swarms of them being shot down by Me109s and flak over the Sedan bridges. Loved the Wellington flying across the North Sea as well; that must have been one of the first daylight raids against German targets before Bomber Command was forced to fly at night. A marvelous tribute, Peter, to an obviously very gifted person.

[@j.4332]

I think my favourite was the JU 88 art.Each to their own.Remember getting the catalogue and eagerly seeing the forthcoming years releases?OMG!They are doing a 1/24 Mustang!That was Christmas sorted!

[@deanburn3400]

Absolutely. Thank you Peter.

[@carl55953]

An extemely good age still it is sad that he has passed away. His artwork was the very finest and will always be a memory of his inspiring work I for one have bought many airfix kits just because of those artworks which Really do conjure up your imagination.

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Did you know he actually only worked for Airfix for 10 years? ...but did pretty much every kit boxart for them in that time before moving off to work on nautical commision subjects!

[@jaws848]

Roy Cross was the glue that held Airfix togetjer back in the day as it was his artwork that sold the kits rather than the plastic

[@carl55953]

@@jaws848 Absolutely.

[@malcolmbolton1473]

R.I.P. Roy,engrained,ain't that the truth peter,I still have a 1974 Airfix catalogue I got when I was about 9 y.o.,I have studied & studied that catalogue over & over the last 50 years,so true about Roy's artwork being burned intio your brain indeed,in the 70's as a kid having had so many of the 1/72 kits,the 1/24 spitfire,a couple of the things such as the pontoon bridge,will be checking out that website for sure,look frward to your next installment,cheers

[@davidbrims5825]

Forget Picasso, this is proper art. My favourite was the Sunderland sea plane, stunning. The box cover art sold the model. He was interviewed on James Mays Toys programme.

[@christophermancini7380]

Thank you so much for this well-done tribute Peter!

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Thanks for listening

[@deanburn3400]

12 out of 10 to you and without doubt to Roy. An unbelievable artist in that he always seemed to capture the moment in his paintings. He was incredible not only painting on the subject of aviation but many other topics including maritime landscapes. Fantastic and looking forward to the next tribute episode to Roy. Thanks Peter.

[@j.4332]

His art was so emotive,it almost made you buy the kit.I wish now i had cut out all the box art lids and saved them,but at 10 years old you dont think of that..I remember one Christmas i saw Santa had left me a large rectangular box,which rattled a bit..I tore off the paper-i saw an RAF roundel,on a brown and green aircraft!The 1/24 Spitfire!An amazing memory of his artwork.

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Wow! Awesome! I got it too, for my 10th Birthday. 😊

[@j.4332]

@@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab It was always exciting to see that amazing Roy Cross art.Didnt Airfix go almost bust when they had to stop putting the exciting art on the lids?I know Tamiya had very simple depictions in the main,but that was Tamiya!

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

A lovely tribute to Roy, Peter. Airfix should release a Roy Cross-tribute series of kits with his original uncensored artwork, if you ask me.

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

That's a great idea Ronald. 👍🏻

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

@@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab 🫡

[@davidmccann9811]

My dad built that 1/24 Spitfire (in the thumbnail) the year it came out. He kept the artwork and used it under a piece of glass as the top of a folding table he made (in the days when dads did woodwork). I wish I still had it, but we sold it at a boot sale about 15 years ago.

[@iannicholls7476]

Well done Peter. A very nice tribute. Looking forward to seeing the other episodes.

[@leddyzee247]

Well done Peter, 10 out of 10 obviously and thank you for doing this. Look forward to your other instalments regarding the wonderful work from Roy Cross, RIP

[@stephenwhelan2515]

Peter, you should be on a commission from the publisher as i have just ordered the book based on your review! Same thing happened last year when i viewed your review of the Roy Huxley/ Matchbox book.

[@paulowen7560]

Hi Peter 👋 I trust all is good with you. These are the episodes that stand out among the modelling community on KZbin. Your channel is unique, partly due to circumstance and more so your personality and willingness to appear in person on camera. As has been said before its like have a good natta down the pub with your best mate. I have to say the kit reviews are my least favourite but that’s like saying what’s your least favourite chocolate biscuit - as all chocolate biscuits are great!🕺(I jest). Look forward to the next part of your tribute to dear Roy, there were many pictures in this episode that I remember fondly. All the best 👍

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Thanks Paul, that's very kind of you, I appreciate that feedback highly.👍🏻

[@NielsenDK-1]

This will be a good time to honor and show respect to Roy Cross and his art❤️

[@AubreyStJohn3000]

Thanks Peter. A lovely tribute to Roy Cross.

[@davewhite4206]

RIP Roy Cross

[@michaelnaven213]

Would love to own some of his paintings.👍

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

I think Airfix did some prints of them in the past...let's hope they re-release them?

[@steve1315]

Will be good and sad.

[@EricIrl]

I am a great fan of aviation art. A lot of this stems from buying model kits over the decades although some of my favourite aviation artists are not names associated with model kits , for example, Michael Turner or Frank Wooton. Perhaps you could do a few more videos on box art. You've covered Roy Huxley previously but there is also Brian Knight, who did work for Revell GB and , of course, there are quite a few American and Japanese artists who have done some great art over the years.

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Brian Knight also worked for Airfix after Roy Left. 👍🏻

[@EricIrl]

@@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab Would it be worthwhile doing a video on him? I have a Brian Knight print of a Gladiator - which was not a box art commission.

[@anjkovo2138]

👍👍

[@stuartsteel1]

I guess they did two volumes of this one. My version has a B-17 on the cover.

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

I'll be looking at that one next week. 😉👍🏻

[@j.4332]

It kind of makes me a bit sad,todays kids dont have any of this in their lives.I wonder if theres now an "App" that you can construct a kit without having to get paint and glue on your hands?

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

🤣

[@mike59317]

Never turn a page from the bottom left, always turn a page from the top right.😉

[@judebrad]

I have the same book myself. One perfect example is the iconic Lancaster from the 1950's mould, and Roy's excellent 1967's artwork. The model itself is not a great representation and falls short of Roy's offering.

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Yes...Roy was often 'Punching above Airfix's weight'! Bless him.