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Matchbox II GB Chat


Arniec

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On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 10:11 AM, old thumper said:

I would just like to say how good it is to see so many people getting involved in this group build. Nice to know that Matchbox has not been forgotten.

I don’t think Matchbox will ever be forgotten. The A-7D Corsair was the first kit I built on my very own - quite badly I must add. I’ve still got 48 pristine Matchbox cars from the mid/late 70’s that even my kids played with (under the watchful eye of Dad of course!) and what other model manufactuer can boast about having some of the most unique aircraft subjects ever kitted. 

 

Its a shame that the Matchbox name is not as well known now as it once was, however this company did more for me than any other toy brand whilst I was trying to understand what this big bad world was all about. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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Question for the host's 're part started kits.

 

I have the Matchbox 110 in the stash that is started but I am unsure if it qualifies as less than 25 per cent. Basically stages 1 and 2 out of 11 have been completed. That's 8 out of 52 parts assembled. 

So can you tell me if I can enter it in to the GB or not? 

 

Cheers Greg 

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I might see what armour is out there for a second entry,I would love to get the Char B and Renault tank set but they are pretty rare my LMS has

Revell's re-box of the white half track which had a great base as far as I can remember,built the firefly a year or two back

SDC12852640x480_zpsbaaa3f7d.jpg

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OK, I admit it - everyone's photos and wonderful display of Matchbox stashes has got me hooked - I'm now seeking official permission to join this Matchbox II Group Build?

Below is my meagre stash of Matchbox kits. The classic Heyford was a gift from my Sister for my 12th or 13th Birthday, however I'm sure most of the others were purchased either via online websites or at local swap meets. So which one of these kits do you think I've chosen to build for this GB??   

 

37614843132_db0e2d26f6_b.jpg

 

Well actually, I'm afraid to say its none of these! 

Believe it or not, all this chit chat and wonderful images of completed Tempests had me thinking a fair bit over the last few days. 

I was scouring the online web stores and various forum market places, however as someone else pointed out tracking down a copy of a Matchbox Tempest is not exactly a cheap exercise these days. 

To be honest, most Matchbox kits on eBay are way too expensive, however someone must be buying them otherwise they wouldn't be this price I suppose.

 

Now in my teenage years I had attempted to cross-kit a Heller Tempest V with the radial nose and wing root intakes of the Matchbox kit. 

It all took shape, however for one reason or another never got finished. When I saw Black Knights silver painted Tempest Mk.VI it got me thinking - whatever happened to that old project? 

To my great surprise, I delved into the stash and found an old box full of Tempest, Typhoon and even parts from an old Frog Sea Fury! 

Amongst all this light grey plastic was the tell tale green and dark grey sprues of around 95% of the Matchbox Tempest kit!! 

 

36934056324_cb29af27c0_b.jpg

 

As you can see at top left, the wing intakes had been cut off, however I salvaged these bits from the failed Heller project and (I reckon) with a little effort they are useable. 

I do not appear to have the right hand side of the Sabre engine cowling, however BM Member Scimitar (and a top bloke) has come to my aid here and a set of cowls and a prop spinner are making their way over from the UK as we speak. I'll need to use a prop from the Heller kit and have a set of Falcon Clear Vax canopies that I may try, but think they could be too much effort.

 

So here we are - I have a kit ready to go with more bits on their way. I have no idea of colour schemes as yet, so will get to that a little later. 

Should it all work out, I intend to finish this kit in good time in order to tackle one of the (smaller) subjects in the first photograph.

I will probably need to take a 2-3 week pause in-between as I've promised someone that I will need to build and review a new kit, not yet for sale!!

 

So with your permission I would like to join and start this Tempest kit in this great Matchbox II GB.

 

Cheers... Dave.  

 

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5 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

 

I was scouring the online web stores and various forum market places, however as someone else pointed out tracking down a copy of a Matchbox Tempest is not exactly a cheap exercise these days. 

To be honest, most Matchbox kits on eBay are way too expensive, however someone must be buying them otherwise they wouldn't be this price I suppose.

 

 

 

Ebay prices for Matchbox kits are way to expensive for me also. I mostly get my Matchbox kits from shows where a Tempest for example would normally go for around £5, the same kit would probably work out about £12 or £15 inc postage on Ebay.

I may well do a Tempest in Indian markings later, pretty sure a Stuka will be first up though.

 

 

Here's my Matchbox Tempest from a couple of years back, re-scribed but with the original transfers.

 

37393955070_b005dc2fe4_k.jpg

Edited by old thumper
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Even though I didn't sign up for this GB after seeing the great start that others have made and getting all nostalgic for times long gone I would like to join in if I may. The only Matchbox kit I currently have is the T-34 so that's what I intend to build. I used to love building their armour models and have especially fond memories of building the Puma, Chaffee, Wespe and Priest in particular, may have to look  out for a few at Telford!

 

Craig. 

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ArnieC and Gents, being a 'vintage kit' type of guy, I can't miss this fun, if it is OK to join at this late stage - I was just in the process of kicking off another build to take me up to when the 'Airfix The Golden Years' GB hopefully starts.

 

I have to admit that I have never built a Matchbox kit but I do have six in the stash, three of which are the He115! (Again, after reading a thread on BM, I got obsessive about tracking down the Frog/Revell version of the He115 and initially got the wrong end of the stick and bought a Matchbox instead - mis-advertised as it was part assembled and messed up so I got another one but with different decals, then I finally got the unmade version I was after).

 

I think someone else is going to do an He115 so I could do the 3-colour version as a bare build. Alternatively, I could do the Victor, Do.X or Heyford.

 

The Matchbox kits look to be 'robust' and it would be a bit of new ground for me so bound to be challenging.

Edited by Ventora3300
addressed wrongly
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18 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said:

Gents, being a 'vintage kit' type of guy, I can't miss this fun, if it is OK to join at this late stage - I was just in the process of kicking off another build to take me up to when the 'Airfix The Golden Years' GB hopefully starts.

 

I have to admit that I have never built a Matchbox kit but I do have six in the stash, three of which are the He115! (Again, after reading a thread on BM, I got obsessive about tracking down the Frog/Revell version of the He115 and initially got the wrong end of the stick and bought a Matchbox instead - mis-advertised as it was part assembled and messed up so I got another one but with different decals, then I finally got the unmade version I was after).

 

I think someone else is going to do an He115 so I could do the 3-colour version as a bare build. Alternatively, I could do the Victor, Do.X or Heyford.

 

The Matchbox kits look to be 'robust' and it would be a bit of new ground for me so bound to be challenging.

The more the better. Welcome to the GB. I already like the choice you want to make.

 

Cheers,

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Will start the Phantom soon but also contemplating the Gladiator as a Sea Gladiator. 

 

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On 11-10-2017 at 6:09 PM, GREG DESTEC said:

Question for the host's 're part started kits.

 

I have the Matchbox 110 in the stash that is started but I am unsure if it qualifies as less than 25 per cent. Basically stages 1 and 2 out of 11 have been completed. That's 8 out of 52 parts assembled. 

So can you tell me if I can enter it in to the GB or not? 

 

Cheers Greg 

You are in. Nice to see you here.

 

Cheers,

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Just a thought? 

I like the way that quite a few of the build thread titles here start with the Matchbox PK- # number. Just wondering if those that haven’t could rename their thread titles likewise. 

 

Call me Mr. Fussy, however I’m all in for neatness and I reckon this constant format would look quite smart. 

 

As I said at the start - it’s just a thought, nothing’s mandatory so over to you fellow Matchbox builders for possible consideration. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

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18 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said:

Did Matchbox ever have a Catalogue or regular Magazine which advertised their kits? Sounds like I missed out!

I remember catalogues being available in my yoof - think they covered both the diecast and plastic kits in one publication.

 

IanJ

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Wot he says; Matcbox didn't have a magazine the way Airfix did. Kits were listed in a catalogue with the diecast vehicles, usually crammed into the last few pages. But they regularly advertised in the comics and Airfix magazine

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2 minutes ago, John_W said:

They used to run double page adverts in "Scale Models" with the tagline "The things people do with our two/three colour kits" focusing on one of their latest kits with a masterclass type build.

I remember these very well. I still have the original Heyford 'Masterbuild' advertisement and am sure there were ones for the Privateer, 1/32 Tiger Moth and Flower Class Corvette.

 

Matchbox did produce a kits only catalogue from their earliest days to somewhere in the late eighties / early nineties.

Here is a link to their Catalogues - http://www.matchboxkits.org/index.php?cPath=28&osCsid=lg27n7ud9a1tujtccpv6a67eu6

These are all listed within the excellent Matchbox.org website.

 

Cheers.. Dave   

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A small part of my treasure. Box number 37. Matchboxes without boxes, with ugly boxes or missing plastic parts that exclude them from the main collection. One of them I will build in that group. Difficult to choose. Viggen, Meteor, Buccaneer or Jaguar T.2?

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10 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Looks like a great collection all the same.

Cheers.. Dave 

The collection contains about 400 Matchboxes. I'm suffering from Matchboxoma Malignum.

 

 

Want to see the Viggen? OK. It was actually my first choice. That lady looks good in red.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/AWA1/101-200/walk200_viggen/walk200.htm

 

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