A NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE TO FROG MODEL KITS

[Fredag]

On 2/11/2018 at 6:14 PM, Strangeways said:

This is currently on eBay, a Russian re-boxing of the Frog 1/72 P-40. As is obvious from the box art.

 

Obviously a P-40 (seaplane?)with the well known 16 cylinder All-is-one engine. The artwork is, as the squadron codes, Gold!

[adey m]

Thanks Convair, your FROG models are a delight. The FROG Boston is a surprise to me, it looks more like a Boston than the AIRFIX one did.

 

cheers Adrian

[Convair]

Thanks Adey m! I bought this Havoc as a bag kit, there was not the original box (nor decals). Glad I kept the instructions sheet.

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the poor quality of the photo. I also kept the part 37, I did not want to do an A-20G, I preferred a RAF A-20C in desert colours. For some reason I cut off the original propeller blades (I could not find the hubs in the spares box). The original main wheels are still on the sprue. Cheers!

Edited February 14, 2018 by Convair

[adey m]

FROG D.H. SEA VENOM F.A.W.21/F.A.W.53  ( 1973-1976 )

 

 

 

 

 

FROG Sea Venom F.A.W.53 in Royal Australian Navy markings at the Huddersfield model show last Sunday.

 

 

 

An old model that can still be made into something splendid in the hands of gifted modellers.

[adey m]

 

 

FROG Focke-Wulf Ta 152H  ( 1970-1976 )

 

Kit modelling has been an important part of my life, so much so that a particular model can take me back to a particular time or event or a song on the radio.

 

This model takes me back to August 1971 when our dad took us to Robin Hoods Bay for the first time and at the bottom of the hill next to the sea was a small Post Office with this kit displayed in the window.

 

 

I bought this pristine original issue at the model show in Huddersfield last Sunday.

 

 

Superb full colour painting guide on the reverse.

 

 

I am going to build this model. The parts look crisp and well shaped and detailed. The decals are not missing anything. I just hope I can make a convincing job of the mottle without an airbrush.........as FROG intended back in 1970.......with the shortened paintbrush bristles

 

Cheers, Adrian

[Max Headroom]

Adrian!

 

I hope you’re going to do a WIP on this.

 

Trevor

[dogsbody]

My FROG Boston doesn't have the turret parts. It must have been added by AMT.

 

 

 

Chris

[FAAMAN]

The Ta 152H is one of my fave Frog kits, good shape and nice detail (really needs a decent cockpit and wheels at least) mine is in need of a full rebuild after sever damage.

My son reckons if Darth Vader were around in WWII he would've flown a Ta 152.

The pic of the RAN Sea Venom at the Huddersfield show has the Oz 'roo roundels facing the wrong way, they are always to face forward!!!!

[Neil.C]

20 hours ago, Convair said:

Thanks Adey m! I bought this Havoc as a bag kit, there was not the original box (nor decals). Glad I kept the instructions sheet.

 

 

 

 

 

Nice to look back to the time when the building instructions were all written out in order rather than the sometimes confusing exploded pictures we see now. 

[adey m]

22 hours ago, dogsbody said:

My FROG Boston doesn't have the turret parts. It must have been added by AMT.

 

 

 

Chris

Hi Chris, you have the original issue FROG Boston with the curious bulge under the rear fuselage halves which was later removed.

 

I too have never seen that A-20 turret canopy included in any of the UK issued FROG Bostons.

 

Adey

 

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by adey m

[adey m]

5 hours ago, Neil.C said:

Nice to look back to the time when the building instructions were all written out in order rather than the sometimes confusing exploded pictures we see now. 

Remember..................just FOLLOW THE NUMBERS

 

cheers, Adey

Edited February 15, 2018 by adey m

[adey m]

 

Later boxed issue of the FROG Ta 152

 

 

 

A nice example in flying mode on an AIRFIX stand I found on the web.

Edited February 18, 2018 by adey m

[stevej60]

Hi folk's more inspiration on show in this thread I'm really enjoying a few Frog build's and still have a few I'd like a crack at,without getting to

complicated can someone explain the time line for the main boxing's or bag's it really would help for future purchase's for decal condition etc.

[dogsbody]

5 hours ago, adey m said:

Hi Chris, you have the original issue FROG Boston with the curious bulge under the rear fuselage halves which was later removed.

 

I too have never seen that A-20 turret canopy included in any of the UK issued FROG Bostons.

 

Adey

 

 

 

Geeze! I never noticed that belly bump before. Looks a bit knocked up, for sure.

 

Chris

[Convair]

My kit has that rear fuselage bulge, I didn't remove it. Sorry! 

 

Edited February 16, 2018 by Convair

[Max Headroom]

The story I read was that in using reference photos for the Boston a draftsman mistook an engine fairing peeping underneath the fuselage as a fuselage bulge.

 

Trevor

[adey m]

17 hours ago, Convair said:

My kit has that rear fuselage bulge, I didn't remove it. Sorry! 

 

It is not everyday that someone lets you look at their undercarriage and belly bump.............................

 

Actually Convair your FROG Boston looks good from this angle too and that bulge looks like it is supposed to be there............a superb build of a golden oldie

 

Nice wheel wells too..............

 

cheers, Adey

 

[Neil.C]

On 15/02/2018 at 20:16, adey m said:

 

Later boxed issue of the FROG Ta 152

 

 

 

 

A nice example in flying mode ( crash landing mode with seized engine ) I found on the web.

Aah, those clear plastic stands that used to come with Frog and Airfix models - why don't they include them in models now?

[Eric Mc]

Frog stands tended to be solid colour - usually grey.

[adey m]

On 15/02/2018 at 23:46, stevej60 said:

Hi folk's more inspiration on show in this thread I'm really enjoying a few Frog build's and still have a few I'd like a crack at,without getting to

complicated can someone explain the time line for the main boxing's or bag's it really would help for future purchase's for decal condition etc.

Well Steve, I will try and simplify a bit of what is rather complicated in so far as the timeline for FROG kits is concerned as they have been around in one form or another for many decades.

 

The first thing I would say is not to be too concerned about the condition of the decals as these are easily replaced with better modern ones. If you do want to use the original FROG decals in a build then go for the 1970s issue kits that had two decal options in the box or bag. I do not know who produced these decals but they were excellent and I still have forty five year old FROG decals in my spares which seem as good as new and which I do use with no problems. FROG decals were always my favourite, thinner and more accurate than AIRFIX say and they adhered well. They also do not seem to yellow with age like others do.

 

The NOVO kits of the late 1970s have the same box art and decal options of the FROG kits they replaced but the decals just disintegrate in water.

The kits themselves though were still very buildable. The plastic quality especially the clear parts is not as good as FROG and they tend to have more flash on the parts. The plastic is also brittle with age.

 

The earlier FROG production runs of a kit will have crisper parts and better fit than later production. You can be looking at a production run of 135,000 for a kit such as the Baltimore.

 

FROG kits of German wartime aircraft were shunned by NOVO and a number of these were acquired by REVELL and released under their label. These will probably have cleaned up moulds and will have more modern decals.

 

 

At top is the 1960s issue of the Boston with just one decal option. The fuselage halves also suffer from having a curious bump moulded under the rear fuselage which was an error made by the draughtsman.

Below it is the 1970s issue with two decal options. The decal quality is better and the fuselage bulge has been removed.

 

 

The single decal option colour guide on the 1960s Boston box.

 

 

The two decal colour option on the 1970s issue Boston.

 

 

Late 1970s NOVO issue of the Baltimore. Still retains a FROG feel with the original FROG artwork.

 

 

NOVO issue of the Baltimore still retains the FROG decal options and colour guide.

 

 

Original 1970 issue of FROG Ta152. In the late 1960s FROG decided to try a cheaper form of packaging instead of their usual boxes and copied the AIRFIX type header and clear plastic bag for their smaller subjects and some of the bigger ones too like the HP Herald. The wonderful FROG colour guide was still retained and appeared on the reverse of the card header.

 

 

Later 1970s FROG  issue of the Ta152 now appears in a box.

 

 

Earlier REVELL issue of the FROG Ta152.

 

 

Latest REVELL issue of the FROG Ta152.

 

 

A FROG model that appeared too late to appear in a FROG box but issued later by REVELL.

 

 

Parts of the FROG HE 115 as moulded by REVELL show the quality of the last FROG kits.

 

 

 

 

My 1960s FROG Black Series Hurricane IIc

 

 

Contents of my 1960s FROG Hurricane IIC showing the quality of the mouldings and the decals.

 

 

The NOVO and FROG issue Lysander packaging compared

 

 

A comparison between a FROG issue boxed Lysander and the later bagged NOVO Lysander. Note the difference in the plastic used.

 

 

My 1960s issue of the FROG Macchi MC202 in its Black Series box

 

 

Having some fun by clipping the beautifully moulded parts of the 50 year old model together....................

 

cheers, Adey

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by adey m

[adey m]

1 hour ago, Neil.C said:

Aah, those clear plastic stands that used to come with Frog and Airfix models - why don't they include them in models now?

Hi Neil, I think the stands disappeared with the demise of pilots to put in the cockpits.................

 

The stand supporting that FROG Ta152 is in fact an AIRFIX one.

 

cheers, Adey

[TonyW]

47 minutes ago, adey m said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Neil.C said:

Aah, those clear plastic stands that used to come with Frog and Airfix models - why don't they include them in models now?

 

 

I suspect it's a cost issue.

It used to be that the box cost more than the kit inside but once the price of oil shot up, things got reversed. An ounce or two of clear plastic deleted would be quite a saving over the whole range.

 

Tony.

[224 Peter]

Ive just picked up this thread and read through.. talk about a trip back in time. 

 

I must have bought most of this kits in the 1960s, interestingly the two main sources for me were "Hook Cycles and Radio" on the roundabout junction of the A3 and A243, quite a cycle ride from Claygate, and another Cycle shop in Esher, at the other end of the high street from Woolies...

 

In the stash I have an unboxed 1/72 Whitley, without transfers or Instructions: it could be the Frog one, or Airfix: how can I tell the difference? 

 

 

[Eric Mc]

I doubt it's an Airfix kit as Airfix have only issued (a very lovely) Whitley kit in recent years. It will definitely be the FROG kit or one of its Russian produced descendants.

 

Apart from appalling decals, the early issue Novo kits were virtually identical to the FROG originals. I always found the plastic a bit softer but the packaging was pretty much identical. In fact, I have read that the packaging and printing was still carried out in the UK, even though the bits of plastic were coming in from the USSR.

 

Eventually however,  all aspects of production were moved to the USSR which is the point where the nice Novo packaging disappeared to be replaced by the awful box art and cheap paper instructions as seen in the (barely recognisable) P-40 above.

[Neil.C]

5 hours ago, TonyW said:

 

 

 

I suspect it's a cost issue.

It used to be that the box cost more than the kit inside but once the price of oil shot up, things got reversed. An ounce or two of clear plastic deleted would be quite a saving over the whole range.

 

Tony.

I guess probably true.

 

Unfortunate as I like to have an undercarriage up now and then.

 

Was surprised when I got a little grey stand in my Academy F4F recently.