The kit Santa left for me is total CAK...

[beany]

...or a Classic American Kit. Or that is what I thought at first until I had a closer look. It is an MPC kit, but the top line of the instructions have in block capitals:
LICENSED BY AIRFIX PRODUCTS LTD, LONDON, ENGLAND., and whilst the box has "Made & Litho in U.S.A." printed on the end, there is a small, white sticker on the side that says "CONTENTS MADE IN ENGLAND - LITHO IN U.S.A."

I can't find a date anywhere on the box or instructions, but from the psychedelic boxside artwork scheme and the "wild customizing decals" I would reckon at late 60's or early 70's.The catalogue number is 1103-300 with the MPC logo at the box end.








Unfortunately, the decals do not completely match the colours of the box art...


...which is kind of out there man!



I think my Secret Santa knew only too well that I'd be unable to resist this scheme - after all, anyone could knock out an olive drab/grey Boston can't they - but coral pink and lilac with rainbow stripes (I was never confused...!) - bring it ON baby!



There is a really fancy stand with it as well...




... and the piece de resistance - acetate props!




watch this space (but have your dark glasses ready); challenge accepted Secret Santa

Merry Christmas you all!
Al.

[PaulBradley]

Groovy, man - I think Secret Santa knows you too well, Al...!

MPC boxed a large range of Airfix kits in the Seventies, many of them with 'Wild Customizing Decals!' - this one is about the funkiest though! Later, they released some Airfix kits with 4 or 5 bonus figures, from either the RAF support sets, or from the polythene figure sets but molded in hard plastic.

Have fun, Al!

[Saxon]

Looks good, I would use the customised decals as a mythical air force. I have built the Airfix Boston and it is a nice kit.

[Narayan]

That looks great Beany. If you're posting pictures in glorious pink though I think they should come with some sort of warning so we can apply the sunhlasses before looking!

_________________
Narayan

I was drowning my sorrows but my sorrows learnt to swim.

A:B
2012 18:04 2009 19:16
2011 11:10 2008 16:03
2010 44:12

Overall 191:50

[mightymikeD]

Awesome! Although yer going to get some odd looks at the LHS when you go to buy the paint!

[AndrewR]

Woah! Far out, man!

Are those really kangaroos with sunglasses in echelon on the rudder?

Cheers

Andrew

[beany]

Are those really kangaroos with sunglasses in echelon on the rudder?

Long, thin tails, dark glasses - three blind mice at a guess. What exactly do your Canadian kangaroos look like Andrew - the big ones I used to avoid driving to work in Aus looked nothing like these three fellas?!

Cheers
Al.

[PaulBradley]

It's a play on an old Italian squadron symbol - the three blind mice.

[Dirkpitt289]

Groovy

[Martin R]

You're all mad. That psychedelic scheme is so . . . wrong!

regards,

Martin

[beany]

A lot of flash and seam lines had to be removed - much of the raised rivet detail will be lost in the clean up but this vintage of model was never going to look pretty so it is probably as well that the garish paint scheme will make sure people don't study it for too long. Interior sprayed with my own mix of interior green (a bit of left over Tamiya green pour into a jar of left over Tamiya white).



I want to use the groovy stand and the supplied prop acetates so she had to be wheels up - which left a massive gap that needed filling under each nacelle once the u/c doors had been fitted.



Cheers
Al.

[Saxon]

Coming along well

[Narayan]

Nice start Beany.

_________________
Narayan

Last night, Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out that he'd melt my brain.

A:B
2012 18:04 2009 19:16
2011 11:10 2008 16:03
2010 44:12

Overall 191:50

[beany]

A little progress - mainly being held up by the number of coats these psychedelic colours require before they look good. The crew figures are definitely of their age, but are usable.



Cheers
Al.

[mightymikeD]

Are you going to scratchbuild bell-bottoms, afros and a bong for the crew?