Matchbox hobby kits

One of my efforts….

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Beautiful Seafox, hampden98.

I really don’t “get” the criticism aimed at Matchbox kits regarding the so called trench lines (yes, they are noticeable, but don’t really bother me).
As has been said previously, they produced a lot of kits that no-one else did.
I can’t imagine anyone these days producing a Heyford or Wellesley…

I still regret not snapping up a (built) Siskin and He.115 a couple of years ago.
However, I did not let a boxed example of their Douglas Skyknight and Rockwell T-2 Buckeye escape last year.

I’ve built the Sea Fox.

Turned out to be a pretty good kit.

I appreciated them for doing aircraft that no one else did like the Twin Otter (currently released by Revell in Swiss marking) and the Skyservant both of which are on my waiting to be built shelf. I wish they’d done more General aviation subjects.

And they deserve credit for doing “odd” stuff…Really, if you were running a model firm would you spend money to tool-up a Heyford? 🙂

A link, if anyone is interested.

http://www.matchboxkits.org/

Chris

My Matchbox collection. There are a couple more that were re-popped by Revell in the 80″s.

Chris

A bit of caution when building the Stranraer kit. It is the Canadian built one as Lesney used the one in Canada for details. I can remember the air scoops on the engines are incorrect for the English built one for example, so check photos when building.

Modelcraft have reissued the Matchbox Twin Otter, so I’m not surprised they are doing the Stranraer. I think they are Canadian, so anything that served in Canada should sell well.

This makes sense. They also have a Firefly which I have built – nice model, when the rest of the parts arrive. It’s odd, almost like a vacform – they give you the shape of the aircraft and the rest is up to you. According to the UK distributors, they have a couple of their own toolings and the rest of the range is reissue. I think there are lots of Frog/Novo kits – the artwork on the Swordfish box looks like a bad scan of the Novo box top!

I have heard that Modelcraft are issuing a couple of new kits, including a Stranraer and the rumour is that this is likely to be the Matchbox re-issued. The prevailing view seems to be that the Stranraer was one of Matchbox’ best kits and even bears comparison with today’s offerings.

Modelcraft have reissued the Matchbox Twin Otter, so I’m not surprised they are doing the Stranraer. I think they are Canadian, so anything that served in Canada should sell well.

I do a lot of Airfix and some Revell kits (currently building the RMS Titanic – my second interest – next to the spitfire). Haven’t ever come across Matchbox kits though……

Visit IPMS Scalemodelworld at Telford next weekend and you’ll find lots of them? :rolleyes:

I have heard that Modelcraft are issuing a couple of new kits, including a Stranraer and the rumour is that this is likely to be the Matchbox re-issued. The prevailing view seems to be that the Stranraer was one of Matchbox’ best kits and even bears comparison with today’s offerings.

Revell are re-releasing some Matchbox models in the newyear including the Halifax and Walrus.

Thanks for the information, Mr Creo. I’ll write it down. You can send me the photo’s at [email]planeem@yahoo.com[/email]
Thanks.

******. Tried three times to upload photos, with no joy. Pilot, can you PM me you email address, and I’ll try that way?

Hi Pilot. Not sure if these will help, but here goes (By the way, it’s a Pound coin with them) The cockpit floor is 48mm long, and 30mm wide tapering to 26mm. The largest of the three bulkheads is 32mm high, and about 31mm high at the widest point. Anything else I can do, please let me know.,

I do a lot of Airfix and some Revell kits (currently building the RMS Titanic – my second interest – next to the spitfire). Haven’t ever come across Matchbox kits though……

Not long ago I built the old Matchbox Spitfire IX (top left in this pic)

I’m looking forward to building the 1/32nd Mk24 sometime…! 😀

Jolly decent of you, mr Creosote. Any scan or photo would be helpfull, as I’ll have a go at making the parts myself.It just needs some kind of scale comparison next to the pieces, So I can see how big they should be. Like a 50P or £1 coin.

Moved to our brand new modelling forum:)

Pilot, I have an unmade Stranraer, if I can help in any way? Got to tell you though, both my scanner and digital camera are very basic. Would you see much internal cockpit detail, anyway?

I always felt that Matchbox took up where Frog left off, with kits that were a bit crude by some standards, but a whole raft of subjects that no other major manufacturer would touch. I know Revell have released some, but does anyone know what became of the moulds for the less commercial kits like the Seafox, Stranraer, Provost T.1, Heyford, Norseman, Twin Otter, HS125-700, Fury, Siskin, Wellesley, Boeing P-12, early mark Halifax, Privateer, etc? Like a lot of things in Life, I guess we took them for granted (cheap as chips, available in any toyshop) and I wish I’d stocked up on some of those gems when I had the chance.

We all thought the moulds were safe when Revell took over the Matchbox moulds. However, when they started reissuing some of them, there was some legal argument between Revell and the toolmakers in China, who claim they own the moulds. Therefore they are currently ‘in limbo’ until this mess is sorted out and may never see the light of day again.!