Original Airfix Stuka from 1976!
Discussion
My boss just brought this into work this morning, given to him from a colleague from Russia! I almost shed a tear when I saw the original (and much better) box art! The Russians said that this is still one of the most detailed models of the Stuka on the market, the rivet detail is perfectly in scale, as are the panel details.
Anyway, Just thought I'd share this with you.....;
Anyway, Just thought I'd share this with you.....;
Nice to see some proper Swastikas on teh decal sheet.
Those old 1/24 scale kits were pretty much the best of their era and still stand up to more modern scrutiny. Trumpeter have recently entered the 1/24 field and at long last we have some big models made to modern moulding standards. Having said that, Trumpeter can make some serious shape and outline errors.
Those old 1/24 scale kits were pretty much the best of their era and still stand up to more modern scrutiny. Trumpeter have recently entered the 1/24 field and at long last we have some big models made to modern moulding standards. Having said that, Trumpeter can make some serious shape and outline errors.
I was 9 when this came out, and I had it for Christmas, I remember being gobsmacked by its size and inside detail – I guess today’s equivalent for a 9 year old would be a PS3 or iPhone, many times the price.
There are a few just like the OP's here if Santa doesn't bring you quite what you fancied:
http://toys.shop.ebay.co.uk/Model-Kits-/1188/i.htm...
http://toys.shop.ebay.co.uk/Model-Kits-/1188/i.htm...
T89 Callan said:
There are quite a few on ebay. Are they all really old or are they a new release of an old model?
I really want to build a large scale Stuka (Favourite plane ever) but don't want a kit with brittle plastic and dried-up decals
I can tell you that the plastic in this 33 year old kit is still as good as the day it was moulded, still very flexible (which did surprise me, TBH) - the parts look as though they were made yesterday. it seems the decals have suffered, but upon peeling off the film, they're not as bad as I thought they'd be!I really want to build a large scale Stuka (Favourite plane ever) but don't want a kit with brittle plastic and dried-up decals
I often build models of that vintage. The FROG Typhoon I made a few months ago was boxed in 1975/76 too and the plastic was as good as the day it was put in the box. I didn't use the kit decals because I wanted to do Roland Beamont's personal aircraft which wasn't an option on the sheet.
With FROG models, the originals are probably the best. FROG went out of business in 1976 but many of their moulds remain in active use today - mostly being used by model companies based in the former Soviet Union. Some of these Eastern European models were moulded using very inferior plastic and need to be avoided - especially those in Soviet era boxings (1980 to around 1990). Later mouldings are better but the plastic is still not as sharp and precise as the original FROG products.
The Canberra below is an ex-FROG Soviet moulded model from around 1982/83. FROG produced the kit from 1972 until 1976.
I only built it this year buit the plastic was awful with polystyrene cement sometimes having little bonding effect. The decals provided were hopeless and totally unuseable but Model Alliance came to the rescue with a gorgeous set of B(I)8 decals. The markings I used were identical to those included in the original 1972 FROG boxing - but were much better quality.
I perservered and finished the thing.
With FROG models, the originals are probably the best. FROG went out of business in 1976 but many of their moulds remain in active use today - mostly being used by model companies based in the former Soviet Union. Some of these Eastern European models were moulded using very inferior plastic and need to be avoided - especially those in Soviet era boxings (1980 to around 1990). Later mouldings are better but the plastic is still not as sharp and precise as the original FROG products.
The Canberra below is an ex-FROG Soviet moulded model from around 1982/83. FROG produced the kit from 1972 until 1976.
I only built it this year buit the plastic was awful with polystyrene cement sometimes having little bonding effect. The decals provided were hopeless and totally unuseable but Model Alliance came to the rescue with a gorgeous set of B(I)8 decals. The markings I used were identical to those included in the original 1972 FROG boxing - but were much better quality.
I perservered and finished the thing.
Eric Mc said:
I often build models of that vintage.
Just out of interest, do you ever feel that you are destroying / devaluing an antique?It looks as if some people collect the unmade kits, and I've always wondered if they'd view it as rather sacriligious to actually build one. No strong opinions personally - just curious!
N Dentressangle said:
Eric Mc said:
I often build models of that vintage.
Just out of interest, do you ever feel that you are destroying / devaluing an antique?It looks as if some people collect the unmade kits, and I've always wondered if they'd view it as rather sacriligious to actually build one. No strong opinions personally - just curious!
There are tens of thousands of these old unbuilt kits out there so they are not exactly rare. And, as I get older, I am getting far less "precious" about their perceived "antique" value.
I do have a couple in my stash which are genuinely rare and may never get built - but FROG products from the 70s are fairly plentiful and can be purchased for very reasonable prices - the Typhoon only cost me £4.50 a few months ago.
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