Rareplanes

Check in here for details of British Kit Manufacturers, their potted histories and products....and there's more to them than the Big Three!

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JamesPerrin
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Rareplanes

Post by JamesPerrin »

Compiled by Richard Humm

November 1969 Seversky P-35
December 1969 Curtiss Y1A-8 Shrike
January 1970 Dewoitine D.510
February 1970 RP2008 Beechcraft 17
Edo twin-floats for Beechcraft 17
March 1970 Heinkel He 51
April 1970 Northrop A-17 Nomad (not produced at this time - orders were filled with the SB2U)
May 1970 Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator
June 1970 Polikarpov I-15
July 1970 RP1007 Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Demon
November 1970 Hawker Fury (parts for I, II, and Spanish/Jugoslav Fury) - this may have been the first to have 1000 mouldings produced
February 1971 RP2004 Bell P-59 Airacomet - may have been sold as RAREjets
May 1971 Grumman F3F (parts for -1 and -2)
August 1971 Henschel Hs 126B
September 1971 A7V (RAREtank) - this release date is according to Brad Hansen’s WWI in Plastic as I have not seen an ad or review for the kit
October 1971 Heinkel He 112B-0
December 1971 RP2003 Northrop A-17A Nomad (actually released)
February 1972 Lavochkin La-5FN
April 1972 RP1009 Breda Ba 6
June 1972 Supermarine Spiteful XIV/Seafang FR.32
November 1972 RP1005 Republic P-43 Lancer
December 1972 Somua S.35 (RAREtank)
February 1973 RP2011 Stinson L-5 Sentinel
June 1973 RP6004 Bell XFM-1 Airacuda
RP1003 Sopwith Snipe (sold as Warbirds)
RP1001 Thomas Morse Scout (sold as Warbirds)
November 1973 Martin B-10
RP3002 Beech C-45 Expeditor
January 1974 RP1006 Seversky P-35 (new mould)
April 1974 RP4010X Republic F-84G Thunderjet (sold as RAREjets)
May 1974 RP2001 Curtiss A-8 Shrike (new mould)
July 1974 Curtiss SBC Helldiver (parts for -3 and -4)
August 1974 de Havilland DH89A Rapide
October 1974 Bell 206 Jet Ranger
January 1975 Lockheed C-121 Constellation (production run of 500)
April 1975 RP2007 Fairey Fulmar I/II
July 1975 RP2005 North American FJ-1 Fury
August 1975 RP0001 North American P-51H Mustang (conversion - sold as RAREbit)
November 1975 North American F-86D Sabre
February 1976 Boeing YB-17 and B-17D (Fortress I) fuselage
April 1976 Boeing F4B-3 and Curtiss P-1 (conversion - sold as RAREbit)
June 1976 RP1011 Ryan PT/ST trainer
RP2006 Douglas O-43
August 1976 Douglas DC-4/C-54 Skymaster
October 1976 RP0003 North American F-86H Sabre (conversion - sold as RAREbit)
January 1977 RP2009 Supermarine Seafire FR. 47
May 1977 RP2002 Curtiss A-12 Shrike
July 1977 RP0002 Curtiss YP-37 (conversion - sold as RAREbit)
Vought SB2U Vindicator (new mould)
August 1977 Republic P-47N Thunderbolt
November 1977 RP5001 Lockheed Vega
March 1978 RP4011 Fokker G-1 Reaper
April 1978 Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
August 1978 RP6005 McDonnell XP-67
October 1978 Avro Vulcan B.2
March 1979 Vought F7U-3 Cutlass
May 1979 RP2010 Piper L-4 Grasshopper
August 1979 Lockheed U-2
February 1980 RP3001 Gloster Meteor F.8/FR.9
RP1002 Pfalz DIII
September 1980 RP3004 North American FJ-4B Fury
April 1981 RP14001 Boeing KC-97G Stratocruiser (includes injection parts and decals)
June 1981 Fisher P-75
July 1981 RP1004 Junkers DI
September 1981 RP4002 Douglas A2D-1 Skyshark
May 1982 RP4007 Blackburn Firebrand TF.5
Grumman G-23 Goblin/FF-1
September 1982 Handley Page Victor K.2 (white metal undercarriage)
April 1983 Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight
August 1983 RP3006 Gotha G.IV
September 1983 RP3003 FMA IA.58 Pucara
January 1984 RP4001 McDonnell F3H-2 Demon
February 1984 RP1010 Supermarine Type 224
May 1984 RP3007 Brewster SB2A-3 Buccaneer
July 1984 RP1008 Nakajima Type 91 Army
January 1985 RP3005 Gates C-21A Learjet
May 1985 RP4005 Beech Super King Air 200 (injection moulded parts)
July 1985 RP3009 Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11-14 (decals)
December 1985 RP6001 Douglas KA-3B Skywarrior (injection moulded parts and decals)
May 1986 RP4006 de Havilland Dove/Devon (injection moulded parts)
July 1986 RP4003 Supermarine Swift FR.5
December 1986 RP4004 de Havilland Venom FB.4 (injection moulded parts and decals)
April 1987 RP6002 Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon (injection moulded parts and decals)
September 1987 RP3008 Republic AT-12 Guardsman (injection moulded parts and decals)
November 1987 RP9001 Martin PBM-3/3R/3S/5 Mariner (injection moulded parts and decals)
Hannants bought the moulds at the end of 1987 and added metal parts or replaced injection parts with metal ones in many kits. They also added the catalogue numbers to the above kits.
June 1988 RP0004 Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat (conversion - sold as RAREbit)
July 1988 RP4008 Grumman XF5F-1 Skyrocket (white metal parts and decals)
October 1988 Embraer/Shorts Tucano (white metal parts and decals)
December 1988 RP8001 Lockheed TR-1A/U-2R (white metal parts and decals)
July 1989 RP6003 Grumman JRF Goose (white metal parts and decals)
November 1989 RP8002 North American AJ-2/2F Savage (white metal parts and decals)
October 1990 RP7001 Grumman AF-2S/2W Guardian (white metal parts and decals)
April 1992 RP12001 Consolidated P2Y Coronado (white metal parts and decals)
Hannants discontinued production of the smaller kits in 1999 and the rest in 2000.
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BWP
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by BWP »

JamesPerrin wrote:April 1972 RP1009 Breda Ba 6
Typo, I think -- should be a Ba 65.

Rareplane Breda BA 65

Unless of course the Ba 6 was a different aircraft altogether, in which case, the Ba 65 entry is missing. :)
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

The family has made the following statement:

We are sorry to have to communicate the sad news that Gordon Stevens, ‘Mr Rareplanes’, passed away on 28th October at the age of 88, after a short illness.

We know that Dad really enjoyed corresponding with all his vacform aircraft modelling friends which kept him in the present and in touch with the modelling world. After years of resisting the internet he eventually took the plunge and over the past 10 years has been quite taken aback to discover so many postings relating to Rareplanes Vacforms, not to mention the many emails of appreciation he has been sent from die-hard enthusiasts like all of you.

We’d be grateful if you could please pass message this on to anyone whom you think would like to know and we would like to thank all of you for your friendship with him over the years which we know he has appreciated very much.

With our warm regards
His wife Janet, daughters Claire & Serena
(the Rareplanes family)
Last edited by JohnRatzenberger on November 9th, 2015, 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: I failed to acknowledge this information came from a post on IPMS/USA Forum by Michael McMurtry "SkyKing" on 7 Nov.
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by fearless frankie »

Sad news indeed.
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by Stuart »

Agreed - very sad news indeed.
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Please see "RarePlane Vacforms ~ a celebration" starting on page 34 of the IPMS(UK) Magazine, Issue #1 2020.

There is an excellent article with many color photos, regarding Gordon Stevens and RarePlanes; the author is Fred Martin (vacant on UAMF).
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by PaulBradley »

I was just reading it today - it's very cool! Well done, Fred!
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JamesPerrin
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Re: Rareplanes

Post by JamesPerrin »

Indeed it was. Excellent article Fred!
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