I have both. The Gecko is a much better kit except for the awful tyre seams. The Airfix is a more simple easy build but be prepared to fill injector pin marks in the cab at minimum. Gecko instructions don't have colour callouts during the build so watch some vids for the detail colours. For me the photo etched parts, the option of stretchers in the down position and the various extras was a clincher on the two otherwise perfectly good kits

Love that the airfix manager or person who over looks the development is not to amused with the Airfix kit himself! Blackdog have done a nice resin blanket and first aid bag set for the Airfix kit it's actually really nice so went n ordered a box for my Gecko kit now it's finished the blankets n cusions included could be better but they are there that's the main thing!

Sometimes when you have 40 or so unfinished kit’s sitting all over the place you need a kit with few parts that you’ll actually complete. That’s why I bought the Academy /Airfix kit and won’t buy the Gecko. On another day if I wanted a detailed kit I might have bought the Gecko. It’s always great to have the choice.

It constantly baffles me how some modellers simply judge a kit by how many parts and or how much etch is supplied in the box. I bet if both kits were built and painted to the same standard it would be difficult to tell them apart without having to do a close inspection. It is the relatively simple build and minimum etch that attracts me to the Airfix kit over the Gecko one, but I would not rubbish the Gecko one. Each offers a different experience to the modeller and it is good that there is that choice available.

I really enjoyed the Airfix one, but I think I'll also buy this now..

Having built the Airfix kit I can say that it goes together beautifully. The decals didn't need a white "undercoat", in fact I toned them down as they were so bright. As a lover of PE I can understand where you are coming from regarding the quantity of PE in the kits, but really, does the extra PE,(other than the radiator grille) really add to the kit? These days we have kits coming out with more and more PE, but really, sometimes it's overkill. Add to that the fact that the Gecko grille is the wrong shape for a wartime K2. I have the Gecko kit, and have done a comparison video, and no.. I am not an Airfix fanboy but I really feel for the average modeller the Airfix kit is the better bet. If only the Airfix version had better detail regarding the canvas back end?

Great comparison. I'm glad I've bought the gecko kit. It wins ,the level of detail is vastly superior and after all the time of Airfix hype plus waiting time has been wasted by releasing theirs. Have fun building them and best wishes from jolly old Norfolkshire 👍😎Pete 🤓

Thanks mate that was really interesting and just what I was looking for, I had not come across Gecko before so a side by side comparison was very useful. I am old school though and not a huge fan of P E and from the retailers I use the Gecko kit is slightly more expensive. So it's Airfix for me.

We do e on your video. It doesn't surprise me that the Gecho kit is far more complex than the Airfix. I'm not defending Airfix, but I would suggest that their kit is aimed at a different market. The Gecko kit is high quality for the very experienced modeller, whereas Airfix caters much more for the beginner as Airfix always has. The comparison is interesting but I think you're comparing apples with oranges

'which one would you rather buy' - the one with the best results, for minimum fuss. looking at these two kits, the airfix wins in that catagory. The Gecko looks a nice kit, but too many parts for me, and most of the modellers i know. I woould guess they're aimed at different markets. Besides, the 'airfix' one, is actually an Academy tool, for reasons that beat me. The decals arent really an Issue, i spent 2 hours watching ice cold in alex and taking notes on all the peculiarities of Katy in the film, the wagon they used is battered and beaten up, so they need weathering anyway

Leave the roof vents off the Gecko one till the decals go on they don't have the cut out like Airfixs! What a fantastic kit though the step can be built folded out alot of builders are complaining you can't do it like Airfix but you can I've done mine perfectly!

I do want to see the desert box art kit inside! It does say (early war) on the other box art so it should have the round cylinder type roof vents amd no inside roof grab handles! If you look at katy in the film you'll notice she has 2 different types of roof vents early type on the front and late type on the back! So just a little accuracy thing to point out if doing one of the Katy versions in a 2WD variant! Film was a 4WD for the sand dunes in the film! See our gecko kit it a mid with late extras in box and extention for exhaust to run up the side to the roof, Love this is included! The smaller spare wheel cover behind the driver for the late is included aswell but the roof vents we have the mid to late square type not the early round type and we have the large door cut out at spare wheel this is only on the mid/late! Also so just be careful on interior colour choice it'll be more the white not the mustard in back interior colour! Not even sure if the desert war had these later k2ys?

Legal argument reminds me of the argument between Rapido trains and Hornby over the Titfield Thunderbolt ( despite Rapido having got the rights from Studiocanal Film company ) Didn't end well for Hornby. Which company is it that owns Airfix now ....?

3 times as many parts doesn t necessarily make for a better model. I've spoken with many modellers who have chosen the Aifrfix kit BECAUSE it has fewer etched parts. They are much harder tp handle. Do you really need to see the radiator through the etched grill?

I have two Airfix kits, due to a cock up in the ordering, as we were waiting , how many years? That being said, i find the Airfix kit around £15 to 20 overpriced for what you get, i will be ordering the Gekko kit. Good review BTW!

I suppose Airfix as usual wins on the box presentation

Gecko models have incorrect break backing plates on all wheels. They just take from his bedford models. Airfix do all right. Possible to replace wheels with def model wheels (set for airfix), but need some custom work.

Gekko kit is aimed at the rivet counters

complains about the Airfix white decals as being a ball ache but thinks that having to faff about with dozens of PE parts is better! Good grief...