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Airfix 1/72 Gloster Gladiator


Doug

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Matchbox did indeed excel with their small biplanes, but the Gladiator didn't get this treatment and looks more like one of their standard runs. That anyone prefers it to the Heller demonstrates the extreme flexibility of mankind.

Yes, the Gladiator, Hurricane and Spitfire 8 came out in Remus kits - also Mustang? I don't think this implied that the tools did not go to Russia, as I'm pretty sure I've seen a reference to the Spitfire, at least. Time to check the Frog bible, perhaps. Ahh....why don't Matchbox and Airfix have a book of this quality devoted to them? Six Remus kits, 1977-78, the four mentioned plus Wildcat and Ta 152. Temporarily leased from Novo after the end of production but before being shipped to Revell (the Ta152) or USSR. The Gladiator was planned for Novo production but it never appeared. 10000 Mustangs were produced for Novo, no known number of Hurricanes were produced but they have been collected. There are no known Novo examples of the other three, planned but not produced by Novo - though have been since.

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There's no doubt that Matchbox absolutely excelled with their small bi-planes. I'm happy to see Revell bringing the Gladiator back at what I'd expect to be a very reasonable price.

Me too John, I missed out on their last Matchboxing so it be interesting to see what decals choices Revell put into the reissue.

I remember having the FROG tooling in a different package marketed by Remus, not unlike the Airfix blister packs. I think it had FROG artwork and I'm fairly sure I bought it from the toy department of our local Boots the Chemist in the late 1970s. I don't remember seeing a Novo Gladiator, now I think about it.

I can't remember if its in the Lines/Hellstom book or not but there was a suggestion that the Russians may have rejected the Frog Gladiator because of its Finish connection, just like they did with the Fokker DXXI, even though (AFAIK) the kit never featured Finish decals. Of course there is then the inconsistency of other kits that were used by the Fin's still being produced, but hey ho!

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The Gladiator is indeed in the book, and is listed under at least three separate Soviet "companies". However, all three are categorised as "existence possible, information uncertain", at least as of 1989. A second edition would be good.

As the discussion was about the quality of the kit "as provided", my skills (or rather, lack of the same) are not relevant. Thankfully, perhaps. I do not consider that displaying my models would add anything to the sum of human happiness or knowledge, and certainly not to mine. Particularly as, in this cse, I do not have a finished Gladiator model to present.

The rest of you can switch off now. I did try to express my amazement without employing direct insult, but why did I bother? As an argument, "Let's see your models" is on the same level as "rivet-counting accuracy nazi": the last refuge of those without intelligent retort. If you wish to continue this puerile posturing go ahead - at least my postings are making someone happy. But you do need to sharpen your rhetoric.

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Well I'll just have to wait till October to get my hands on one then, won't I!!!

In the best traditions of "Bullseye", Doug here's what you could have won...

DSCF5074.jpg

That's the original issue with the separate lid, IMO the best kit packaging ever designed.

Edited by Jonathan Mock
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I don't think this implied that the tools did not go to Russia, as I'm pretty sure I've seen a reference to the Spitfire, at least.

Spitfire VIII/IX definitely, got one in my stash with instruction I can't read(cyrillic) Got two of those Matchbox Gladiator thingys as well. :P

Steve

Edited by stevehnz
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I must have missed a post which has been deleted otherwise the last part of Graham's post doesn't really make sense. I have both Gladiator kits and in a direct comparison can say the Matchbox kit holds up very well with the Heller. The detail is very crisp and restrained and I would say the wing detail in particular is better than the Heller kit. The Heller kit itself has the annoying holes and the incorrect wheels but is still a fine kit. The Matchbox kit has a poor cockpit and canopy but is actually easier to build. Then again the Heller canopy is in three parts but cannot be modelled open as it is too thick. If you have the red and beige plastic Matchbox version, though, it is a devil to paint - I don't know why Matchbox used the red plastic. Both build up into fine models with the Matchbox kit capturing the charm of the aeroplane very well and I actually prefer it for this reason.

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Matchbox art was always inspiring. That and the fact our local shop sold them for 50p was what got me into modelling as a kid.

Thanks for posting that up as a reminder Jonathan. To go off-topic for a moment; does anyone know the artists name?

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Matchbox art was always inspiring. That and the fact our local shop sold them for 50p was what got me into modelling as a kid.

Thanks for posting that up as a reminder Jonathan. To go off-topic for a moment; does anyone know the artists name?

Roy Huxley, equal to Roy Cross IMO for his kit ox illustrations.

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Just to add my tuppence worth... :closedeyes:

I bought the Frog Gladiator recently - in a Remus guise bizarrely enough - to build as a comparison to the Matchbox one! I've not had a crack at either the Heller or Airfix moulds, but I found the Matchbox kit to be fairly undemanding, although as has been mentioned - and is normal with the era it was moulded - it lacks somewhat in the cockpit fittings!

Having gone over the Frog kit, it does seem somewhat tricky - especially with the wings, and I'm guessing a lot of filler is going to be needed. It also feels distinctly 'clunky' next to the Matchbox kit, but I tend to find that that's pretty much standard with most Frog kits anyway!

As an aside - mine's moulded in the dark blue plastic Frog used in their last days and features a bona fide set of Frog decals - albeit badly cracked. I'm guessing it's a Margate product...

Roy Huxley, equal to Roy Cross IMO for his kit ox illustrations.

Couldn't agree more - his Victor box art is a masterpiece!

Chris

Edited by English Electric
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Roy Huxley, equal to Roy Cross IMO for his kit ox illustrations.

Thank you Jonathan and yes, couldn't agree more. The Matchbox artwork was a style I've always aspired to when painting and I'd love to own a print or book of his collected works. He must have been a very prolific artist given the number of kits Matchbox produced over the years.

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