Matchbox

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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Matchbox

Post by JamesPerrin »

Original thread
MerlinJones wrote:Matchbox burst onto an already crowded kit scene in the 1970's and went straight for the jugular…the kids market. They came in two Series to begin with, Purple and Orange. The Purple range were well within 2 weekly pocket money range and featured smaller aircraft, such as Spitfires and an intriguing collection of biplanes. The Orange range cost almost twice as much and featured larger aircraft, such as the BAC Jaguar, the Buccaneer and A-7 Corsair II. Inside each box were few parts, but the innovation was that they came in two colours of plastic for the Purple range, and three for the Orange range. Allegedly, the colours were supposed to sort-of represent the colours of the actual aircraft, with the intention being that you could build your Hurricane, slap on the decals and have it straffing Jerry before bedtime. Whilst a Chestnut and Chocolate Brown Hurricane or Harrier looked okay, to my 9 year old eyes, the red and white Alpha Jet pretty much matched the colours of the prototype and the little Boeing P-12E was almost spot on. However, some colour combinations didn’t work out quite so well.
The second innovation was a Multi-pose stand. These were gorgeously neat and effective stands, utilising a ball and socket fixture, to allow you to display your model at a variety of angles. Unfortunately, you needed to get the slot in the bottom of your model cut just right, or else the model would just flop about on the top of the stand. Also, some ball and sockets were tighter, and therefore firmer in movement, than others. Whatever, they were still an advance on the static Airfix stands of the time. (Frog introduced their Skybase stands around the same time).
The third innovation was the choice of subjects. Given that the market was already replete with the usual Spitfires and Messerschmitts, Matchbox introduced us to more obscure, but still interesting types; Boeing P-12E, Hawker Fury, AW Siskin, Me.410 and a Ju.188 were just some of the examples on offer.
As they progressed into bigger kits, it was Matchbox that produced a Handley Page Victor, A Canberra PR9 and an HP Heyford, for Gawds sake! They also went off on producing large and quite beautiful flying boats.
Matchbox kits are generally basic, with very little, if any, interior detail and often crudely rendered external detail. Of note are the infamously huge engraved panel lines, often referred to as trenches and way over-scale.
The lack of interior detail is often masked by the often too-thick transparencies, which tend to have nicely defined framing. Whilst these too may be overscale, it was with Matchbox kits that I first cut my canopy painting skills and learned the Art of Masking…with Sellotape, applied after a spell on my greasy palm!
Accuracy was adequate and they go together, usually, very well indeed.
Their early 70’s issue kits are okay but, unless it’s a subject unique to Matchbox, you might want to consider looking for an example from another manufacturer…unless, of course, you just love accurising and scratchbuilding all those necessary little details. The later 80’s kits seemed to lose the trenches and, as engraving became finer, then so too did the detailing. Their Heinkel He 70 is a winner and so are many of their fabric-covered RAF-types, such as the Wellington, (whose geodesic structuring is yet to be better replicated on a 1/72 kit, at pocket money price), Hurricane, Heyford and Wellesley. Kits well worth seeking out are their biplanes; Hawker Fury, Gloster Gladiator, Boeing P-12E, AW Siskin, Fairey Swordfish and Seafox, Walrus and Stranraer Flying boats.
Matchbox the company almost lost everything in the late 1980's and was subsequently owned by the same company who owned Revell. Consequently you found each other's kits in each others boxes! Revell became Revell Germany and lost the right to sell the kits under the Matchbox name as the licence expired, but they still re-issue the occasional ex-Matchbox kit, albeit in one colour of plastic and missing that wonderful stand. Matchbox decals used to be basic, but always in perfect register and with marvellous opacity. When Revell took on the kits, times were obviously hard as the decals took a marked decline in quality, often being out of register and often being too transparent. Some kits, such as the Red Arrows Gnat, came with two sets of decals, so you could lay one set over the other, in the hope of creating a white, rather than a pink, fuselage flash!
Needless to say, modern ex-Matchbox kits have more perfectly formed decals than you can shake a kipper at.
Another source of Matchbox kits is the Far East. Kits were, once upon a time, produced in Hong Kong and these turn up on the likes of eBay from time to time. These come with different coloured plastics, although the colours are often somewhat more lurid than the original tones, (fluorescent pink and white Alpha Jet, anybody?) The decals are also of inconsistent quality and the detail seems a tad softer than the originals. That said, in spite of the distance they’ll travel to join your modelling stash, they are still good value.
While most of their aircraft were in 1/72 scale, they did produce some glorious 1/48 and 1/32 kits. I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for their 1/48 Kamen Seaprite and 1/32 Tiger Moth.

Matchbox also produced a delightful range of 1/76 AFV kits. Again, these were in the multi-coloured plastics, although the colours used involved earth tones, greys and greens. Again, kits of few parts, with the finer details moulded onto the main kit bodies and, therefore, losing some of that detail, these were easy to put together and fitted well.
What’s more, each model came with its own mini-diorama stand, so the Sherman Firefly, for example, sat upon half a bridge, the Puma had its own piece of street and so on.
Brilliant.

Matchbox also produced a range of larger scale motorbikes and cars, with tended to be, in my opinion, cheaper, nastier versions of the Tamiya models…together with a series of waterline 1/700 warships.
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
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Aircraft

Post by JamesPerrin »

compiled by MerlinJones

Aircraft

Purple Range - Aircraft Kits 1/72 Two Colours

PK-1 Hawker Fury
PK-2 Spitfire Mk.IX
PK-3 Boeing P-12E
PK-4 Mitsubishi Zero
PK-5 Dornier Alpha Jet
PK-6 Focke-Wulf Fw 190
PK-7 Westland Lysander
PK-8 Gloster Gladiator
PK-9 Bell Huey-Cobra
PK-10 BAC Strikemaster
PK-11 Hawker Hurricane IIc
PK-12 Northrop F-5A
PK-13 P-51D Mustang
PK-14 F4U-4 Corsair
PK-15 Gnat MkI Trainer
PK-16 HS Mk-1 Harrier
PK-17 MeBf/109E
PK-18 Grumman Hellcat
PK-19 MIG-21
PK-20 Dassault Mirage IIIC
PK-21 Messerschmitt 262
PK-22 P-47D Thunderbolt
PK-23 Hawker Tempest
PK-24 Brewster Buffalo
PK-25 Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA
PK-26 Henschel HE 126
PK-27 Hawker Siddeley Hawk Became Hawk T.Mk1 The Red Arrows in 1982
PK-28 Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
PK-29 Douglas Skyhawk
PK-30 Percival Provost
PK-31 Curtiss P-40N
PK-32 North American F-86 Sabre
PK-33 Saab J-29F
PK-34 Fiat G91Y
PK-35 Curtiss SBC3
PK-36 Fairey Seafox
PK-37 Sea Harrier
PK-38 SA 360 Dauphin
PK-39 Northrop F-5B...Re-Tooled from PK-12
PK-40 Lockheed TF-104B Starfighter...Re-Tooled from PK-28
PK-41 Mikoyan MiG-21 MF...Re-Tooled from PK-19
PK-42 T-2C Buckeye
PK-43 Bell OH-58D
PK-44 Dassault Mirage IIIB...Re-Tooled from PK-20
PK-45 BAe Harrier GR 3...Re-Tooled from PK-16
PK-46 BAe Hawk 200
PK-47 Mystere IV. A
PK-48 MBB/Kawasaki BK-117
PK-49 Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIC/Mk.IID...Re-Tooled from PK-11
PK-50 Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX/Mk.XVI...Re-Tooled from PK-2
PK-51 Focke Wulf FW190A-3/A-4/R6...Re-Tooled from PK-6
PK-52 BAC Sea Harrier FRS.1...Re-Tooled from PK-16/45

Orange Range - Aircraft Kits 1/72 Three Colours

PK-101 A-7D Corsair 2
PK-102 BAC Jaguar
PK-103 Bristol Beaufighter Mk-X
PK-104 Curtiss Helldiver
PK-105 Supermarine Walrus Mk1
PK-106 Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer
PK-107 Dornier Skyservant
PK-108 Westland Lynx
PK-109 Junkers Ju 188
PK-110 Hawker Siddeley 125-600
PK-111 Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
PK-112 Fairey Swordfish
PK-113 Messerschmitt 410
PK-114 BAC Lightning
PK-115 Messerschmitt Bf 110
PK-116 De Havilland Mosquito
PK-117 Hawker Hunter
PK-118 Lockheed P-38 Lightning
PK-119 Saab Viggen
PK-120 Boston Havoc
PK-121 Fairchild A-10A
PK-122 General Dynamics F-16A
PK-123 Vickers Wellesley
PK-124 Grumman Panther
PK-125 Norseman
PK-126 BAC Lightning T. Mk 55
PK-127 Twin Otter
PK-128 Jaguar T.Mk.2...Re-Tooled from PL-102
PK-129 Meteor NF-11/12/14
PK-130 Panavia Tornado F. Mk. 3
PK-131 Saab SK-37 Viggen...Re-Tooled from PK-119
PK-132 Heinkel He 70F-2/G-1/He 170A
PK-133 Westland Wessex HAS.31/HU.5
PK-134 Douglas Skyknight F3D-2/F3D-2T2

PK-203 Mil Mi-24 Hind

Red Range - Aircraft Kits 1/72 Three Colours

PK-401 Heinkel He 115
PK-402 Vickers Wellington
PK-403 Heinkel He 111
PK-404 McDonnell F4 Phantom
PK-405 North American B-25 Mitchell
PK-406 Grumman F-14 Tomcat
PK-407 Martin Marauder B26
PK-408 Canberra
PK-409 Dornier Do 18
PK-410 Grumman EA-6B Prowler
PK-411 McDonnell Voodoo
PK-412 McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG. 1/FGR. 2
PK-413 Boeing Vertol Chinook

PK-415 McDonnell Douglas AH-64A Apache

Brown Range - Aircraft Kits 1/48 Three Colours

PK-460 Spitfire Mk.VIII
PK-461 Me Bf109G
PK-462 Focke Wulf Fw190
PK-463 F4U-1A Corsair

Green Range - Aircraft Kits 1/32 Three Colours

PK-501 Spitfire Mk.22/24
PK-502 Messerschmitt Bf109E
PK-503 Douglas Dauntless SBD
PK-504 Lysander
PK-505 De Havilland Tiger Moth
PK-506 De Havilland Venom
PK-507 Puma

Green Range - Aircraft Kits 1/72 Three Colours

PK-551 Handley Page Victor K. 2 Tanker
PK-571 Dornier DoX 1/144 ex-Otaki

Brown Range, 3 Colours 1/72 Scale

PK-601 Supermarine Stranraer
PK-602 Avro Lancaster
PK-603 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
PK-604 Handley Page Halifax
PK-605 Handley Page Heyford
PK-606 Consolidated Privateer
PK-607 Mikoyan MiG-29A Fulcrum
PK-608 McDonell Douglas F-15C

PK-701 HP Victor

Brown Range - Aircraft Kits 1/48 Three Colours

PK-651 AD-5 Skyraider
PK-652 North American F4-JB Fury
PK-653 SH-2F Sea Sprite

Airliners...all sorts of daft scales here!

PK-801 Boeing 747 1/390 scale
PK-802 Boeing 727 1/280 scale
PK-803 B737 1/200 scale
PK-804 DC-10 1/320 scale

1/72 Later boxings...by Revell Germany, under the Matchbox name;

40002 Mitsubishi Zero
40003 Boeing P-12E

40006 Northrop CF-116 (F-5B)
40007 Lysander
40008 Gloster Gladiator
40009 Bell Huey Cobra
40010 BAC Strikemaster
40011 TF-104G
40012 MC202 Folgore ex-Frog

40014 F-4U 1D

40016 Mikoyan Mig 23MF 1/144 Scale
40017 Messerschmitt Bf109E
40018 F-6 Hellcat

40020 Fiat C.R.42 Falco

40022 Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
40023 Tempest MkVI
40024 Brewster Buffalo

40027 Hawk T.Mk.1/51 \\\\"The Red Arrows\\\\"
40028 F-86A Sabre
40029 Douglas A-4M Skyhawk
40030 Provost TMk1
40031 Curtis P-40N Warhawk

40034 Fiat G91Y
40035 Curtis SBC-4
40036 Fairey Seafox
40037 Fiat G91Y
40038 SA360 Dauphin
40039 Northrop F-5B
40040 Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter
40041 Mikoyan MiG-21MF
40042 T-2C/E Buckeye
40043 Bell OH-58D Aeroscout
40044 Mirage IIIB
40046 BAe Hawk 200, BAe
40047 Dassault Mystére IVA
40048 BK-117 Medicopter
40049 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IID/IIC
40050 Spitfire Mk.XVI/IX
40051 Fw190A4
40052 MiG21 bis \\\\"Fishbed\\\\"
40053 Alpha Jet, BAF, AT-01
40054 MiG-21bis Fishbed
40055 Dassault Mirage IIIBZ
40056 Fiat CR42 Falco
40057 Tornado GR Mk.1 \\\\"Desert Storm\\\\" 1/144 scale
40058 FA-18 Hornet 1/144 scale

40061 Dassault Mystére IVA
40062 Gloster Gladiator
40063 Curtis P-40N
40064 Sea Harrier

40100 Me262 \\\\"Blitzbomber\\\\"
40101 Corsair II A7D
40102 Dornier Do28D-2 Skyservant
40103 Bristol Beaufighter MkX
40104 Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver

40107 Sepecat Jaguar T2

40109 Junkers Ju-188
40110 Douglas A-20G Havoc/Boston IV
40111 Junkers Ju87
40112 FaireySwordfish I
40113 Me410 B-1
40115 Messerschmitt ME-110 D-2/C-3
40116 De Havilland Mosquito Mk.IX/NF30
40117 Hunter T.Mk7/F Mk.58
40118 Lockheed P-38 L/J Lightning

40120 Fairey Swordfish II/III

40122 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon Thunderbirds
40123 Wellesley Mk.I
40124 Gloster Meteor NF11/12/14

40127 dH Twin Otter

40130 Panavia Tornado F Mk.3
40131 LTV A-7D/E
40132 Heinkel He.70F2
40133 Westland Wessex HU-5/HAS-31

40135 Dornier Do335 A-6 ex-Frog
40136 Westland Wessex HU.5
40137 A-7D (Desert Storm)
40138 Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II Desert Storm
40139 Tornado F3 Royal Saudi Air Force

40141 F-16B IAF 1992
40142 Buccaneer (Desert Storm)
40143 Yakolev Yak.15
40144 Fokker D,XXI ex-Pioneer
40145 AH-1J Sea Cobra
40146 F-16B Tigermeet
40147 Horton Ho229 A-1 ex-Pioneer
40148 Hawker Sea Fury T20 ex-Pioneer

40150 Noorduyn Norseman IV/UC-64A
40151 SAAB SK37 Viggen
40152 BAC Lightning F2A/F6
40153 Grumman F9F-4/5 Panther

40161-40167 are Warships
40171 - 40183 are AFV's

40200 Focke Wulf Ta-154 ex-Pioneer
40201 Beech AT-11 Kansan
40202 Heinkel He.219 UHU
40203 Mil-24 Hind D

40405 Heinkel He115

40413 CH-47 Chinook

40415 McDonnell Douglas AH-64A Apache

40418 McDonnell RF-101 B/F-101 Voodoo

40420 Lockheed C-130 Hercules 1/144
40421 McDonnell Phantom FG.1/FGR.2

40606 PB4Y-2 Privateer
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
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JamesPerrin
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1/76 AFV's

Post by JamesPerrin »

Compiled by MerlinJones

1/76 AFV's

PK-71 Sherman Firefly
PK-72 A-34 Comet
PK-73 Panther Ausf-G
PK-74 Panzer Ausf-L
PK-75 Humber Armoured Car
PK-76 SdKfz234/2 Puma
PK-77 SdKfz124 Wespe
PK-78 M16 Halftrack
PK-79 M24 Chafee
PK-80 JagdPanther
PK-81 Panzer II Ausf-F
PK-82 Rusian T.34
PK-83 SdKfz251/1 Hannomag
PK-84 Honey Stuart
PK-85 SdKfz232 Radio Car
PK-86 M-40 155mm Gun
PK-87 Panzer IVL/70
PK-88 Krup Protz Kfz69 with 3.7 Anti-Tank Gun
PK-89 105mm HMC "Priest"
PK-171 SdKfz11/7.5cm Pak40/BMW R75
PK-172 Morris C8 Mk.II/17pdr Gun/Willys Jeep
PK-173 Long Range Desert Group 30cwt Chevrolet and Jeep
PK-174 M19 45 tonTank Transporter Vehicle
PK-175 Montys Caravan/Daimler Mk.II Scout Car
PK-176 Char B1 bis/Renault FT.17
PK-177 Churchill Bridgelayer

Later boxings...by Revell Germany, under the Matchbox name;

40071 Sherman Firefly
40072 A-34 Mk.1 Comet
40073 PzKw Aus.G Panther
40074 PzKfpw 111 Ausf-L Panzer
40075 Humber Scout Car Mk.11
40076 SdKfz234/2 Puma
40077 SdKfz 124 Wespe
40078 U.S. M-16 Half Track
40079 M-24 Chaffee
40080 Jagd Panther
40081 Panzer 11 Ausf-F
40082 Soviet T.34/76c
40083 SdKfz 251/1 Hanomag
40084 M3/A1 Stuart Honey
40085 SdKfz 232 Radio Car
40086 G.M.C. M-40 SPG
40087 Panzer Jaeger IV L/70
40088 Krupp Protz Kfz.69 + A.T.G.
40171 SdKfz 11+PAK40+BMW R.75
40172 Morris C.8 Mk.11+17pdr.+Jeep
40173 LRDG 30cwt Chevrolet/Willys Jeep
40174 M-20 Diamond"T"+M-9 L/Loader
40175 Leyland Retriever + Daimler S/car
40176 Char B.1bis + Renault FT.17
40177 Churchill A.V.R.E.Bridge layer
40178 Challenger MBT
40179 M-1 Abrams
40180 Sturmgeschutz IV Assualt Gun
40181 Sherman M4A1 (76mmGun)
40182 Leopard 2A4 MBT
40181 Sherman M4A1 (76mmGun)
40182 Leopard 2A4 MBT
40183 T-80B Soviet Main Battle Tank
40711 M-109G Self-Propelled Gun
40990 M-47 Patton Tank
40991 M-41 Walker Tank
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
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Automotive

Post by JamesPerrin »

compiled by MerlinJones

Automotive

Again issued in 2 colours of plastic, although the colours were much more sympathetic to the original. In addition, there were \"Metallized parts and simulated tyres.\"

Blue Range - Automobile Kits 1/32

PK-301 Aston Martin Ulster
PK-302 Bugatti Type 59
PK-303 Porsche 917-10
PK-304 Jaguar SS100
PK-305 Surtees TS16/03
PK-306 MG TC Sports
PK-307 Mercedes Benz SSKL
PK-308 Porsche 935 Martini
PK-309 Tyrell P34/2
PK-310 Citroen Légere
PK-311 \"Liqui Molly\" Porsche 935
PK-312 Auto Union
PK-451 Packard Victoria
PK-452 Rolls Royce Phantom Mk 1

Brown Range - Motorcycles 1/12

PK-701 Suzuli RG500
PK-702 Harley Davison Electroglide Classic
PK-703 Vincent Black Shadow
Pk-704 BMW R100RS

1/43 Scale, Snap-Fit

PK-2101 Custom 'Vette
PK-2102 1957 Chevy
PK-2103 1969 Mustang Mach 1 2+2 Fastback
PK-2104 '69 Camero SS 'Street Magic'
PK-2105 '68 Firebird 400
PK-2106 '69 Chevelle SS
PK-2108 1967 Camaro
PK-2110 1969 AMX

Red Crown Range - Cars 1/25 Snap-Together

PK-2301 Mazda RX7
PK-2302 Escort RX-3
PK-2303 Ford Exp.
PK-2305 Custom Turbo Firebird
PK-2306 Cheverra Z28
PK-2307 '78 Corvette
PK-2308 '81 Camaro Z 28
PK-2501 Jeep CJ7
PK-2510 Jeep
PK-2512 1981 Toyota Fire Chief 4x4
PK-2513 Toyota 4x4

Red Crown Range - Cars 1/25

PK-4101 Thomas Flyer
PK-4102 '63 Corvette Coupé
PK-4106 Capri II
PK-4111 '51 Chevy 51-1 Bel Air Convertible
PK-4112 '57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop
PK-4116 '55 Chevy Nomad Wagon
PK-4120 VW Golf
PK-4133 T-Top Camaro
PK-4134 Monza SS
PK-4135 '50 Ford Convertible
PK-4141 Macho Mustang
PK-4142 '41 Plymouth Coupe
PK-4146 Mercedes Benz 300SL
PK-4147 Eckler Corvette
PK-4153 VW Sirocco
PK-4154 Shelby Cobra
PK-4156 1929 Model A Ford Roadster or '29 Model A Ford Hot Rod
PK-4157 1932 Ford Victoria
PK-4158 Mazda RX7
PK-4159 PC6 Penske Indy race car
PK-4162 Sunbeam Tiger
PK-4163 TC3 Plymouth Horizon
PK-4165 1981 Datsun 280ZX Turbo
PK-4167 1973 Mustang Mach 1
PK-4174 AC Cobra
PK-4175 Yankee Challenge
PK-4179 '76 Mustang
PK-4180 1932 Ford Roadster
PK-4181 1963 Studebaker Avanti
PK-4182 1963 Ford 289 Cobra
PK-4183 1959 Corvette

Red Crown Range - Vans and Pick-Ups 1/25

PK-4601 Chevy Blazer
PK-4603 1934 Ford Pickup
PK-4605 'Star Truk' Ford Pick-Up
PK-4611 Ford Ranger
PK-4617 Ford Custom - Disco Van
PK-4618 Budweiser - Ford 23T Delivery Van
PK-4629 Ford Bronco 4x4
PK-4630 Suburu Brat
PK-4631 Trail Blazer

Black Crown Range - Trucks 1/25

PK-6101 Peterbilt 359 Truck Tractor
PK-6102 Peterbilt 352 Pacemaker
PK-6104 Kenworth Conventional Alaskan Hauler
PK-6106 Kenworth K-123 Cabover
PK-6110 Peterbilt Wrecker
PK-6111 Mack R-Series Conventional
PK-6112 Mack Cruise-Liner Cabover
PK-6115 White 'Road Boss' Conventional
PK-6116 Budweiser Peterbilt Cabover
PK-6118 Pabst White Freightliner Cabover
PK-6120 Kenworth 'Movin' On' Truck
PK-6121 American La France 1000 Series Ladder Chief
PK-6122 American La France Pumper
PK-6123 Caterpillar D8H
PK-6124 GMC General
PK-6125 'Super Boss' Kenworth
PK-6126 Ford Shorthauler
PK-6128 Ford Louiseville 200 or Aerodyne Cabover

Orange Crown Range - Trailers 1/25

PK-6130 Volvo F10/F12/Globetrotter
PK-6133 GMC Astro

Black Crown Range - Trailers 1/25

PK-6602 Loadcraft 'Lowboy' Drop Deck Trailer
PK-6604 City Transporter
PK-6605 The Peerless 'Road Runner'
PK-6606 Fruehauf Tanker
PK-6608 Fruehauf Flatbed Trailer
PK-6609 Budweiser Fruehauf Van
PK-6611 Pabst Fruehauf Van
PK-6612 Fruehauf Firestone Trailer

Red Crown Range - Cars 1/25 Snap-Together

PK-6801 Aerodyne Cabover or Kenworth Aerodyne 'BJ and the Bear'
PK-6802 Kenworth Aerodyne
PK-6803 Mack Wrecker
PK-6804 Mack Superliner
PK-6805 Ford CL9000
PK-6806 Ford LTL
PK-6807 Kenworth Aerodyne 108 COE semi tractor cab
PK-6901 Suzuki Box Van
PK-6902 Trailmobile 'Tropicana' Reefer Trailer

Black Crown Range - Truck & Trailer Sets 1/43

PK-7101 '7 Up' Peterbilt Truck and Fruehauf Trailer
PK-7102 Goodyear Kenworth Truck and Fruehauf Trailer
PK-7103 Pepsi Kenworth Truck and Fruehauf Trailer
PK-7104 Dannon Peterbilt/Fruehauf Refrigerated Van
PK-7105 Peterbilt Wrecker and Truck
PK-7106 Peterbilt
PK-7107 Peterbilt Wrecker
PK-7108 Pepsi Fruehauf Trailer
PK-7109 Kenworth Coe
PK-7110 Kenworth Aerodyne Coe


Black Crown Range - Cars 1/16

PK-7502 1955 Chevrolet Nomad
PK-7503 '57 Chevy Nomad
PK-7504 '57 Chevy Bel Air Convertible
PK-7506 '55 T Bird
PK-7507 '55 Chevy Hardtop
PK-7508 '64 Mustang
PK-7509 '57 T Bird

Red Crown Range - Trucks & Trailers 1/25 Snap-Together

PK-7705 'BJ and the Bear' Big Rig Set
PK-7706 Kenworth Aerodyne and Trailer Big Rig Set

Blue Crown Range - Truck & Trailer Sets 1/25

PK-8101 Ford Short Hauler

Green Crown Range - Truck & Trailer Sets 1/25

PK-8401 Trailmobile
PK-8402 US Mail Ford Trailer/Trailmobile Van
PK-8403 Autocar Dumptruck
PK-8404 'Pa-Pa' Truck Super Boss Transporter

Gold Crown Range - Cars 1/12

PK-8801 1937 Cord 812

Gold Crown Range - Horses & Wagon 1/20

PK-8901 Budweiser Clydesdale 8-horse Hitch
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
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Warships

Post by JamesPerrin »

compiled by MerlinJones

Warships

Purple Range - Ship Kits 1/700 Two \"authentic shades of grey\"

PK-61 HMS Ariadne
PK-62 Narvik Class
PK-63 USS Fletcher
PK-64 HMS Kelly

Orange Range - Ship Kits 1/700 Two \"authentic shades of grey\"

PK-161 Graf Spee
PK-162 HMS Exeter
PK-163 USS San Diego
PK-164 HMS Tiger
PK-165 USS Indianapolis

Blue Range - Ship Kits 1/700 Two \"authentic shades of grey\"

PK-351 Bismarck
PK-352 HMS Duke of York

Gold Range - Ship Kits 1/72

PK-901 Flower Class Corvette

Later boxings...by Revell Germany, under the Matchbox name;

40161 Graf Spee
40164 HMS Tiger
40165 USS Indianapolis
40166 Admiral Hipper (1/720 scale)
40167 USS Arizona
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
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Sci-Fi

Post by JamesPerrin »

Compiled by MerlinJones

Science Fiction

One benefit for me, from the merger with AMT, was access to the new Star Trek kits. Bigger than the older USS Enterprise, these were launched to coincide with Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Not only was a lighting rig supplied, but there were brilliant multi-hued \\"rainbow effect\\" stick-on decals!
Okay, so they don't sound much today, but back then, we had to make our own entertainment, y'know!

Yellow Crown Range - Star Trek...with AMT

PK-5102 Star Trek USS Enterprise
PK-5105 Star Trek K7 Station
PK-5106 Star Trek Romulan Space Ship
PK-5110 Star Trek The Motion Picture USS Enterprise
PK-5111 Star Trek The Motion Picture Klingon Battle Cruiser
PK-5112 Star Trek The Motion Picture Shuttle
Star Trek The Motion Picture Klingon Battle Cruiser
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
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JamesPerrin
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Military Figures

Post by JamesPerrin »

Compiled by MerlinJones

Military Figures

Yellow Range - Military Figures 1/76

PK-5001 British Infantry
PK-5002 American Infantry
PK-5003 German Infantry
PK-5004 Afrika Korps
PK-5005 8th Army
PK-5006 Commando Force
PK-5007 Japanese Infantry
PK-5008 ANZAC Infantry
PK-5009 NATO Paratroops

Yellow Range - Military Figures 1/32

PK-6001 German Infantry
PK-6002 British Infantry
PK-6003 American Infantry
PK-6004 Afrika Korps
PK-6005 8th Army
PK-6006 British Commandos
PK-6007 Japanese Infantry
PK-6008 ANZAC Infantry
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:1) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
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gnomemeansgnome
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Re: Matchbox

Post by gnomemeansgnome »

Yep. Still have a corny kinda love for the Matchbox kits myself, and have amassed a good stash of them.
Ego no habeo consilium.

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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Matchbox

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Well, it's not a kit, but you do have to assemble it.

Image

Here's the provenance, so I guess it is a CBP at least ...

Image

and the particulars ....

Image

Not mine - belongs to a friend, who got it from an antique shop. He tried to "build" it but found 4 pieces wrong :frown:
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iggie
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Re: Matchbox

Post by iggie »

I bet the panel lines between each piece are monstrous!
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Matchbox

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

:lol: I'll give them a "noticeable" ....
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dogsbody
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Re: Matchbox

Post by dogsbody »

There was this AMT re-pop.

Image


Chris
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Phil Marchese
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Re: Matchbox scribing

Post by Phil Marchese »

Truth be told, yes at the time the recessed panel lines of the early Matchbox were wide. Although usually described as deep,that was not particularly true. A thin stretch of sprue would raise above the surface.

However, by today's standard the recesses are about average. Compare for instance the wing of the Matchbox B-17 to the nose of the Revell B-17. Moreover, many of the aircraft kits used a combination of recessed and raised panel lines. The raised lines were only slightly wider than the traditional FROG kits and we're acceptable.

What must be understood is that the change at Hasegawa to recessed lines was only a year or two old in the mid-70s and even Hasegawa was far from consistent, much less scale in their approach. As an example, look at the P-40 pair offerings.

Moreover, the Matchbox kits were aimed at the UK market which even today tends more to brush painting than the world market in general. Add the youth factor to the the brush painting factor and the Matchbox choice becomes a reasonable compromise for the mixed approach to detail in the mid-70s. Airfix kits were still firmly entrenched in the raised detail philosophy and that continued for much of the remaining 20th century. To fault Matchbox scribing as a predominant feature misses the admirable overall shape and superb subject or version choices.
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DavidWomby
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Re: Matchbox

Post by DavidWomby »

Well put, Phil.

David
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Matchbox

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Thanks, Phil, and welcome aboard !
Please take a moment to introduce yourself in the Welcome Forum.
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