1970's - Kits that came with a picture frame???

[BIG X]

Does anyone remember some kits from the 1970's?  There were two aircraft in each kit & when you had built them the kit also contained a plastic frame with rods that came out of each side to pose the aircraft on???  The box art itself formed the "picture" inside the frame???  I seem to remember the kits were a sky blue in colour???

 

Did I just image this???  I haven't seen any reference to them on the web - but maybe you remember them too???

 

Who made them & what aircraft were in the kits???

[Charlie Hugo]

If my non existent memory is correct it may of been Frog that did them.

[Seahawk]

Not a figment of your imagination: they were the short-lived Frog equivalents of Airfix's Dogfight Doubles.  Afraid I can't remember any of the pairings but I seem to recall a desert-camouflaged Ju 88 figuring somewhere.

[Andrew Jones]

Definately Frog , they did quite a few of their kits with the frames.

 

Andrew

[BIG X]

So, I'm not going round the bend (just yet) - phew

 

I seem to remember having them on the wall in my bedroom.  The rods themselves had a ball & socket on the end - to perfectly angle the aircraft (I think) - a pretty cool way of displaying my "works of art" - Happy Days!!!

[modelldoc]

It's definitly FROG, they had Bristol Beaufort against Me-109, Spitfire Mk I against Junkers Ju-88 and Bristol Beaufighter against Focke - Wulf 190.

 

modelldoc

Edited December 31, 2016 by modelldoc

[hovering]

I remember my brother making the Beaufighter /FW-190 one.. but I've just been looking online for it and could only find the something similar with the airfix double so thought I was mistaken... so thanks modelldoc for the confirmation!

[BIG X]

Has anybody got any pictures of these?

[Hook]

They were called 'FROG Combat Series"- some info and pics here:

 

http://www.modelkitcollecting.com/topic514.html

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Work In Progress]

Here's a nice big one

click through to "larger image"

http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot.aspx?LotId=497284&Section=7076

Edited December 31, 2016 by Work In Progress

[BIG X]

WOW!!!  Thanks for that - The BoB packaging rings bells - after seeing the movie I probably pestered the life out of my dad until he bought them for me (what a horrible child I was) - Thanks for sharing - BRILLIANT!!!

[hovering]

Here is the JU88 one..

Edited December 31, 2016 by hovering

[BIG X]

I think I remember that cutting the picture & the title out of that stiff cardboard was nearly as tricky as making the models  

[JWM]

Not only Frog had supports. But Frog had a  nice movable joint in a later type. Airfix had transparent U-shape base and sloped support. Revell and Monogram had circle base (like a slice of globe) with stright a bit cone-like support... Always non-tranparent. All companies made some, even some behind Iron courtain like Polish RUCH (transparent or not) or GDR VEB Plasticard (never tranparent) had own style. I think it is likely that I have some of that still somwhere in boxes of spare parts...

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

[Graham Boak]

 

Lindberg had a rather nice stand made from two interlocking Vs of transparent plastic, fitting into the underside of a top piece.  From the top of the this part there was a piece of stiff metal rod, fitting into a button on the underside of the model.  This allowed the model to be repositioned at different angles.  Kiel Kraft had one similar in principle but opaque plastic and no top piece, the top of the vertical part of the stand fitting into the model.  But that is a long time ago and I only had two KK, so memories may be misleading.

[Work In Progress]

Also, remember the Matchbox one for which the base was a stylized M, and the top which plugged into the belly of the model was a ball joint?

[bradleygolding]

I think I had the Hurricane vs Stuka one.

 

Steve

[waistgunner]

I have a double set from Revell China or Japan ? I will get in my stash and check it out .

Happy New Year Everyone !

 

[Guest]

Back in the 1960's Revell made alternative scale kits known as S (for scale) kits. The criterion for the various scales depended on whether it could fit in a standardized box. The reason for this seeming digression is that the box art was framable, and were painted by the top aviation artists of the time. Artists like Don Greer, Valigursky, and a few others. It was just a great period for plastic modeling, in fact, I lived just a couple of miles from the old Revell factory in Venice California. This was way before plastic modeling got so involved. There is something to say for the days when just building the kits OOB and trying to not get glue on the clear parts, and the stars on the decals right side up! Anyway, if you can find one of these kits that is in good shape, treat yourself to a classic build.

Cheers

[Flankerman]

I can remember the Revell kits having a clear plastic part that fitted amd glued into a slot on the underside of the model - with a ball-shaped bit sticking out.

 

This ball fitted into a two-part 'clasp' on the clear stand - with the clasps held together with a metal circlip - like a ball and socket joint.

 

This enabled the model to be displayed at any angle relative to the stand.

 

The number of times I broke my nails trying to get that circlip fitted......... character building!!

 

Ken

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Flankerman said:

I can remember the Revell kits having a clear plastic part that fitted amd glued into a slot on the underside of the model - with a ball-shaped bit sticking out.

 

This ball fitted into a two-part 'clasp' on the clear stand - with the clasps held together with a metal circlip - like a ball and socket joint.

 

This enabled the model to be displayed at any angle relative to the stand.

 

The number of times I broke my nails trying to get that circlip fitted......... character building!!

 

Ken

Yes, I failed to mention that. Back then you could expect a clear plastic stand in Revell, Lindbergh, and Aurora kits. I tried to collect all the S kits I could on my meager allowance of 50 cents a week (the kits were generally 98 cents a piece) and I dutifully cut out the box art. I learned to collect these things because my Blackpuddlian step dad gave me all his English cigarette cards that he collected as a boy with pictures of Hawker Harts and other prewar aircraft. Ahh, the last great days of the Empire!  Anyway, I still do have on sealed kit from the time that I will just pass on to my son, the F7U Cutlass. One of the great things about these kits is that the pilots, attached to their sculpted seats, were superbly crafted, you could even see the smile on their faces! Great times.

Cheers

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Flankerman said:

I can remember the Revell kits having a clear plastic part that fitted amd glued into a slot on the underside of the model - with a ball-shaped bit sticking out.

 

This ball fitted into a two-part 'clasp' on the clear stand - with the clasps held together with a metal circlip - like a ball and socket joint.

 

This enabled the model to be displayed at any angle relative to the stand.

 

The number of times I broke my nails trying to get that circlip fitted......... character building!!

 

Ken

Yes, I failed to mention that. Back then you could expect a clear plastic stand in Revell, Lindbergh, and Aurora kits. I tried to collect all the S kits I could on my meager allowance of 50 cents a week (the kits were generally 98 cents a piece) and I dutifully cut out the box art. I learned to collect these things because my Blackpuddlian step dad gave me all his English cigarette cards that he collected as a boy with pictures of Hawker Harts and other prewar aircraft. Ahh, the last great days of the Empire!  Anyway, I still do have on sealed kit from the time that I will just pass on to my son, the F7U Cutlass. One of the great things about these kits is that the pilots, attached to their sculpted seats, were superbly crafted, you could even see the smile on their faces! Great times.

Cheers

[keith in the uk]

I have the Blenheim & 109 B OF B set no F512 , any one know if there is any value to these kits ? 

[RJP]

On 01/01/2017 at 6:57 AM, Flankerman said:

I can remember the Revell kits having a clear plastic part that fitted amd glued into a slot on the underside of the model - with a ball-shaped bit sticking out.

 

This ball fitted into a two-part 'clasp' on the clear stand - with the clasps held together with a metal circlip - like a ball and socket joint.

 

That certainly brought me up short, a long forgotten detail from the 1950s!  My older brother had a Revell (B-29?) that had that impossible contraption but he (and I when I was old enough) early on decided stands didn't help the realism and from then on they were binned as soon as the box was opened.

 

Airfix kits had stands of varying sizes, I suppose to match the size and weight they had to support. The completed models were prone to falling over at even the suggestion of a feather duster and by the time their 1/72 B-29 came along it was simply no longer question.  Memory is whispering there was a stand, perhaps big and black.

 

Airfix kits that came to North America in various re-boxings had black teardrop shaped stands with a textured surface.  For its new 1/72 series of biplanes Monogram opted for little domes with truly vertical vertical bits.  They attached through a small circular hole in the belly - much easier to fill and a lot less prone to having the AMT body putty of the day come dislodged.

 

What a ghastly thing memory is!

Edited January 2, 2017 by RJP
punctuation

[BIG X]

I've been pondering how I might recreate this style - with an old frame & a picture of some sky - the trouble is how far it will stick out from the wall & how much dust it would collect  happy memories though.