FROG early jets

[raeman]

Evening gentlemen.

I've been wondering for some time now, does/has anyone built any of the early Frog jets.

I'm thinking of the V bombers, Comet,VC10 etc. Could even include the Short Sealand,Britannia etc. The one I would most love to see is The Frog Javelin, never seen one built ! photos or comments anyone please?

[JohnT]

Being an old fud I did build their Victor, Vulcan, Canberra, DH110 and Gannet as a boy. Very basic to say the least but reasonably accurate in outline I am told. Didn't matter when I was 10!

[bentwaters81tfw]

I have a Javelin built up. Could do with a facelift, it was a few years back (25). Makes up OK. Also built the Vixen, P1, FD2 and Attacker.

I also have the Comet and Caravelle, albeit NOVO repops. They are near the top of the build pile and will be done shortly.

[modelldoc]

I had build some kits,

so the Javelin:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15038082070/in/photolist-oUS6T5

(But not with the original markings, because it's a Novo kit.)

Here is my Comet, an original:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16438089306/in/photolist-r3zvfS-qKrJGe

Some more on the flickr page.

modelldoc

Edited January 25, 2016 by modelldoc

[David Womby]

I've done the Comet, the 1/96 Lancaster and their Hunter F1 I've also refurbished their Venom FB4 from one somebody had built years ago.

The Comet, Lancaster and Hunter all fit well and seem quite accurate. The Venom also seems accurate but is short on detail - well, they are all short on detail really.

I have had in the stash some others of their early days - Meteor F8, Gannet, Canberra PR3, FD2, Attacker, Seahawk, 1/96 Valiant, 1/144 VC-10. They all seem basic but accurate. I have lots of their later stuff too - Vampires, Javelins, Canberra B(I)8, Baltimore, Sea Vixen, Wyvern, Hunter FGA9, Hellcat, Barracuda, Swordfish, Sea Fury, Sea Venom.......... They made interesting stuff.

David

[GordonM]

Back before being trusted with the glue, my father built me the Barracuda, Gannet and Wapiti. I do remember them being unpainted, however I don't remember there being massive gaps or ridges so I'm guessing he assembled them well!

[Britman]

There was a very early Javelin from the fifties /sixties, my dad had one and the Dh110. Both were quite crude but still presentable. I still have his P1 (Lightning ) as he built it fifty years ago.

[tempestfan]

I had build some kits,

so the Javelin:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15038082070/in/photolist-oUS6T5

(But not with the original markings, because it's a Novo kit.)

Frog had two Javelins, the first was a 1 in the fifties, and later (ca. 1975) they did a 9. If yours was a Novo version, it must be the 9, as the mould for the 1 reportedly was lost in the "Kit Bermuda Triangle", together with a number of their earlier moulds (Venom 4, Meteor 8, Sabre [their own tool, not the Hase], the V's, DC-7, P.1, Whirlwind helo,...).

I've built a Novo version of the Sea Hawk (I know, I keep telling about it) 20 years ago. It's dead basic, and if you want soemthing detailed, well, do it yourself ! But it's also dead accurate in dimensions and shapes (much the same goes for the Gannet), better in shapes actually as the later Airfix kit. IIRC my Novo version of the SH had a marked step at the wing to root joint, but that was probably due to it being a Novo.

[BigReg]

Back in the olden days Black and Green tea had a scheme whereby you sent in the labels off the packets for gifts. My Mum got me the Frog Venom, it had two lead disks that fitted in the nose to prevent tail sitting. A tiny capsule of glue was included too.

Happy days!

David

[Nick Millman]

I've built a few in the past including Canberra, Meteor, Hunter, Gannet, etc., and I'm currently renovating a Venom which came already built with decals but no paint. I just build them as they were intended to be built, as Frog models rather than accurate replicas, concentrating on a good finish rather than worrying about adding detail, replacing stuff or the pre-shading/post-shading malarky. Shapes are generally ok and they still make nice wheels up desk models with their simplicity of line. Oodles of nostalgia for those who remember them when "new"!

For their second generation kits it's worth trying to obtain the earliest UK issues possible as many of the moulds suffered after their transfer to the Soviet Union and some were "improved" by AMT like the Zero, but then again some of them like the SB2 were always rather poorly moulded.

Nick

[bryanm]

Comments above echoed - basic and accurate. I'm finishing restoring my ancient Meteor F8 at present and will post on RFI when it's finished. The Javelin, Canberra and others are waiting in a box. The N.113 (Scimitar) is here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234991004-scimitar-f1-and-n113-172-xtrakit-and-frog/

It represents the final stage of the 1st prototype, WT854, with rounded nose, wing fences and short fuselage spine.

[Duncan B]

I still have a P1 unbuilt and it has the glue capsule IIRC.

Duncan B

[Martian]

I have an original DH110 in mint condition and a Sealand kit but to me they are really too valuable to build and more a piece of modelling history.

Martin

[bentwaters81tfw]

Forgot I have more. Canberra, been refurbed once. F-4K, still not properly finished. Gannets (3, 2 unbuilt), Wessex, Wyverns (3, 2 unbuilt). Sold a Javelin to a member here. Another Vixen unbuilt. Seahawk, DH88, Sea Venom, Neptune. 1/32 Bf-109E in the stash, Shack, maybe some more.

[mikestow]

Yes indeed!!As a School Boy in the early 50s we had only Balsa Keil Kraft and Veron,to work up to basic models,so when Frog came along with its 1950s injection moulded kits(The previous Penguin Frog ones usually were very warped!),I had most of the 72nd range.My Kids also built them,and I have rebuilt a lot of those that survived,some in their 3rd incarnation with ModelDecal and new paint schemes.The PIA and FD2 are extremely nice,when corrected,and I converted a Boot Fair built one to the second prototype WG763 with belly tank,adjusted sweep leading edge wings and guns,using Airfix F3/F6 spare bits!!The DH110 seems a cult kit,bit it can be built as the 2 prototypes,and for ages was the only kit available that could be converted to the FAW1 Sea Vixen,until Magna did a conversion for the FAW2 Kit.

The Javelin has a T3 type canopy,so use the Pavla/Falcon replacement one,but is the only kit with the early developement radar nose,but you have to find the Testors kit to get the first 2 prototypes,that also modify well.The Canberra has the correct length fuselage for a PR7,but needs huge weight to stop it being a tail sitter.Engines can easily be modded with John Adams bits,and the Undercarriage needs replacing,but all in all can make a very nice model.The smaller ones all make up as good models,with opening the undercarriage bays,aftermarket gear/wheels,decals etc,but I never did the 96th scale bombers.If you find an already built one for a rebuild,the early Polystyrene Cement tended to weld the 2 faces together so difficult to successfully dismantle,but can be done with patience,and seperating wings/tailplanes etc easier.Then you can have a rare model nicely rebuilt!!

Edited January 26, 2016 by mikestow

[Seahawk]

I've built a Novo version of the Sea Hawk (I know, I keep telling about it) 20 years ago. It's dead basic, and if you want soemthing detailed, well, do it yourself ! But it's also dead accurate in dimensions and shapes (much the same goes for the Gannet), better in shapes actually as the later Airfix kit. IIRC my Novo version of the SH had a marked step at the wing to root joint, but that was probably due to it being a Novo.

It was always the received wisdom that the Frog Seahawk was better for outline accuracy than the Airfix one. The old Frog Gannet had no wheel wells, crew heads moulded into the fuselage halves and, IIRC, very faint outlines where the markings and colour demarcations were supposed to be. But as an impressionable youth, nay, child, in those pre-Hasegawa days, I remember being impressed by its awesome fit. It fairly clicked together with next to no joinlines visible.

Had a DH.110 once (my father was near-missed by the wreckage of the real thing at Farnborough): remember the little lead weights rattling around in the nose. (Lead??!! Whatever would Health and Safety have to say nowadays?)

Edited January 26, 2016 by Seahawk

[general melchett]

Of the very early kits I have a few,..... a mint boxed P.1A, built up DH.110 and FD.2, started Britannia and Super VC10, 2 mint boxed Valiants, a built up Victor B.1 and ditto Vulcan B.1 all courtesy of Ebay and luckily won at extremely good prices.

Very basic but easy to modify into good looking models......especially the V-Bombers.

[The Cameraman]

Hi Guys n Gals,

those that know me won't be surprised to find I've a delightful Frog Beaver in my stash!

[AMB]

I built near all of them and they were all pretty basic, but good in outline. Today we have state-of-the-art replacements for the majority. Today those that never got replacements command high prices if unbuilt/mint/boxed such as the Sealand, English Electric P.1A and 1/96th Vickers Viscount. I believe the V-bombers, Viscount and Scimitar moulds ended up in New Zealand, the rest went to Novo in Russia. I am amazed that some of the moulds were still in use until fairly recently - the 1/96th Britannia by Novo then Eastern Express and even the Gannet by Revell!

[Martian]

Of the very early kits I have a few,..... a mint boxed P.1A, built up DH.110 and FD.2, started Britannia and Super VC10, 2 mint boxed Valiants, a built up Victor B.1 and ditto Vulcan B.1 all courtesy of Ebay and luckily won at extremely good prices.

Very basic but easy to modify into good looking models......especially the V-Bombers.

You have two FROG Valiants? You shouldn't have! Hand one over immediately!

Martin

[tempestfan]

You have two FROG Valiants? You shouldn't have! Hand one over immediately!

Martin

The queue starts behind me, Sir.

[Martian]

The queue starts behind me, Sir

No it doesn't!

Martin

[noelh]

The only built Frog Javelin I ever saw was in the catalogue and I was impressed by it at the time. I still have that Frog catalogue upstairs. They did a good catalogue Frog.

[general melchett]

OK well here's a few that I could actually get to in the Aladdin's Cave at Melchett Towers......I'd have to send Baldrick in armed with a Lee Enfield .303 to get at the rest !

I've got a few early catalogues as well, here's one from 1966 showing the V-Bombers in all their glory, (note the price of 10/6d).......I only managed to get the Victor back then but have since managed to acquire the lot.....

Two MIB Valiants both slightly different boxings.....one dated 1958 the other 1960, (with 'working retractable undercarriage' !). The only one I haven't been able to get hold of is the even rarer Triang boxing but I'm always on the look out....

A Victor B.1 Ebay win at £25 !

A DH110

The EE P1...

And a couple from a pile of FROG golden 'oldens acquired over the years....

Purchased from Ebay a part built Vulcan B.1, Fairey Delta 2 and Super VC10 are currently being restored and detailed and will hopefully be posted in the near future......

Melchie

Edited January 28, 2016 by general melchett

[tempestfan]

Lovely boxes - just in case you want to have it complete, IIRC there's a Type F boxing in Lines/Hellström terminology (only) for the Vulcan, which I was told is extremey scarce. The same seems to apply for the final boxings of the DH.110, Sabre and Canberra 3 - much rarer than the Type C (or what it's called).