A couple. of classics, and one I have searched for for years
I have found myself more and more drawn to vintage kits. Maybe it's getting older and waxing nostalgic, but I find them fun and much less stress than modern super kits, which I still like, hello Tamiya F-4B!. So I picked up the original issue of Monogram's P-38. For decades this was the gold standard and the only viable P-38 in 1/48 scale, the rivets are sublime. Next came a '93 re-issue. of Revell's Gemini capsule, a '68 pressing of Revell's 1/72 B-24, again for years. the gold standard for a 1/72 B-24. Then, my "Grail" kit. Monogram's Sand Crab. I had one as a boy, and have looked for one on and off over the years. ebay has had them for upwards of $200, I saw one with missing parts in a moldy box for $50 once at a hobby shop. Then I googled it one day an BAM! Etsy, an antique store had one $50 plus shipping! Score! I pushed my 1/48 F-4B aside and started in! Love the vintage plastic!
I plead guilty - for me, old kits are the reminder that "the good old days" weren't necessarily.
But to each his own and I bet with modern skills you will do things with these kits you never did before. With really great results.
I think it depends on the kit, some are just awful, but others build nicely if you just take them for what they are. I've seen both the P-38 and the B-24 built into beautiful kits. Now, me I will just build them as nostalgia builds for the fun of it and buy modern kits for ones I want to make actual "accurate" kits of.
Nice collection, Rob!
Looking forward to them!
Great stuff! Still have the Revell FW200 Condor, same vintage as the Lib. Remember sending the dime in to get the Mercury and Gemini Capsules. Did the P-38, always wondered why anybody would want to do that ugly "droop snoot". Enjoy!
I fully get the nostalgia thing with these old kits, it's like going back to easier times when we were kids , for me in the U.K. it's ancient Airfix offerings and yes most of them (not all though) can be built into presentable representations with some effort.
Enjoy !
Back to the old days, Rob @robertandy
For sure you will turn those into excellent models.
Looking forward to that.
Ironically, I've been trying to start working on the Tamiya F-4B, too and I've been overwhelmed by where to start the thing (only thing I've glued together is the intakes.) After mulling it over, I spent a 1/2 hour looking for another kit to build that wasn't as mind blowing.
Yeah Dan, I actually had built up quite a bit of enthusiasm for the Tamiya kit, when this arrived. Tamiya kits can be intimidating, the there's the stress of mucking up close to $100 kit. Fortunately Tamiya kits are so well engineered it's hard to do.
I also really like the old kits, Rob (@robertandy). I tend to gravitate toward Monogram and Revell. I am old enough that I remember building all of these kits when I was a kid. I am also old enough to remember that most of these kits used to cost just a buck or two. Oh well. The P-38 was one of my favorites, and I built it in all three "flavors".
Nice haul, Rob. I have a weakness for certain older kits too. Especially Monogram. P-47s, Typhoons, Kingfishers, P-39s, and the Century series jets.
Nice score Rob, I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun building these. The P-38 can be made into a nice model I added an Ultracast seat and some wheels to mine to spice her up a bit. Look forward to seeing your nostalgia builds when you post them.
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You win the intertoobz for today Mr. Bebout, with that outstanding build!
That kit is one of my favorites. I have built it out of the box a few years ago and really enjoyed. Here it is with kit decals. Later editions had one paint the front of the cowls in yellow.
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Your posting brings back fond memories of building those kits as a kid. I was lucky to grow up in LA where my uncle worked for Revell in Venice during the later 50’s and 60’s. I got to visit the factory many times and saw how kits were made. Barrels full of colored styrene bbs everywhere. Needless to say I had endless kits at my disposal that I just slapped together and painted with a brush, sniffed all that glue without any thought to the raised detail, poor fit or overall accuracy of the kit. I also never thought to save any.
I’ll never forget the great Revell box art by artist John Steel. Anybody remember those?
Looking forward to your B-24 and Sand Crab build, Rob.
Oh yes John Steel, The Box Art Den has a bunch of his work.
https://boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/search?album=1&q=John+Steel
Thanks for all the replies, I do love a modern kit like the F-4B, but these old ones are mostly fun. I rarely try and enhance them, maybe drill out and exhaust, or blank off a see through area, but thats about it.
Nothing like a blue box Monogram, have fun, Rob!
I still have a built classic Monogram P-38L that is still in my collection. The rivets are a bit much but the dimensions and look are great. I admit it is pretty heavy due to the nose weight necessary to keep it standing on all three wheels. I still have the Revell 1/24 and 1/48th Gemini kits in my stash and have/will build them to current standards. The original Monogram 1/48th lunar module is still the best out of the box. What a great history. Great to see the article.
Yeah the rivets are a bit much, but still for the time pretty great, and WAY better than the infamous Trumpeter rivet montsters!
The Monogram kits from the '60's and '70's are a favorite of mine. They give you a chance to do some 'old school' modelling, and they will reward your effort with something uniquely yours.
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Ain't that something! Just purchased a "White Box" edition of the Monogram P-38 about ten minutes ago off e-bay. Took a while to find one at a reasonable price. Anyone who knows my history knows I love building vintage kits. Brings me back to the 1970s when there was no aftermarket and scratch-building and creative gizmology (ala Shep Paine) was all the rage. Yeah, I build a Tamiyagawa kit from time to time, but they really don't present much of a challenge or the use of the creative process, not to mention, they cost an arm and a leg. Currently, I'm finishing up a Monogram Hawker Typhoon then it will be on to the P-38. Good luck with your haul and enjoy.