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A NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE TO FROG MODEL KITS


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On 03/03/2017 at 11:38, IanC said:

Lovely stuff. That P-61 artwork looks great.

 

Can anyone post the P-40? It was the only one I remember building.

 

I grew up on Airfix and Matchbox instead.

 

Hi Ian, here you are............the FROG P-40 Tomahawk................a lovely model with superb decals I remember

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/1408816/tomahawk_5.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by adey m
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Thanks for looking and for the kind comments chaps :).

 

I hadn't thought about the decals. I realise it's because they didn't need thinking about :D!

 

I had forgotten four others I have: A genuine FROG Barracuda that I bravely started to build a year ago, then Special Hobby released a new kit :huh:.

 

Im always dubious about starting a pristine FROG, here in Oz they command quite good prices in the style of box e.g. of the Tomahawk box, fourth picture down in the post above. I'm quite sad I got stuck into it now. I think it's fairer to finish it than consign it to the recycling. I'll just do it OOB and enjoy :).

 

There was one that surprised me; a SMER rebox of the FROG Firefly. I'm close to painting that one; it comes with a vac-form canopy (as well as the FROG one that was always clunky).

 

Then a Novo Beaufighter XXI. The Hasegawa ones are as rare as rocking horse :poop:and way out of my price range. I got it for $20 secondhand last year (about £12). Uncharacteristically it has a vast mis-mould, a big gap right under the port cockpit window. An awkward spot, but I'll beat (fill!) it into submission.. :thumbsup2: 

 

Finally, one of my absolute FROG favourites, the Vultee Vengeance. I put it on the 'wait' pile as I wanted to try to make something that is an improvement on that twin machine gun in the back; the one that looks like something from Star Wars :lol:!

 

Another good thing about FROG kits; we're really well looked after with vac-form canopies, the really nice ones from Falcon. They make a world of difference.

 

All if this has made me want to grab them out of the 'wait' stash. I'll do it tomorrow. If anyone's interested I might do some 'kuta wip' threads, to force me to finish them. That would make Mrs. T, at the least, a lot happier!

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

PS: Does anyone else think that the NOVO decals are very poor in comparison with original FROG ones?

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I never built any FROG kits as a kid and can't remember seeing them, but spending a lot of time in rural Oz probably explains that.:)

 

For me it was Matchbox (bought from Woolworths or Coles) or Airfix from local newsagents or (very, very sometimes) toy shops.

 

Since restarting in the hobby in 2015, and discovering the joys of internet shopping, I've aquired a couple of genuine FROG kits and a few NOVO or NR (nameless Russian) reboxings, and (my favourite) the Zvezda re-boxing of the 'Southern Cross'.

 

Love the original boxings and would be happy to participate in a FROG group build!

 

DennisTheBear

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1 hour ago, TonyTiger66 said:

 

 

Finally, one of my absolute FROG favourites, the Vultee Vengeance. I put it on the 'wait' pile as I wanted to try to make something that is an improvement on that twin machine gun in the back; the one that looks like something from Star Wars :lol:!

 

Another good thing about FROG kits; we're really well looked after with vac-form canopies, the really nice ones from Falcon. They make a world of difference.

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

PS: Does anyone else think that the NOVO decals are very poor in comparison with original FROG ones?

Hi again Tony,

 

you are right the Vengeance is special. It may require quite a bit of work between the cockpit and a somewhat too square front... Despite the new releases, just like you I want to tackle it. But in French markings!

Never seen a Novo kit! Should I congratulate myself?

 

JR

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13 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

PS: Does anyone else think that the NOVO decals are very poor in comparison with original FROG ones?

 

Does anyone else think that the NOVO decals are very poor in comparison with original FROG ones?

 

Yes Tony, even though the NOVO decal sheets were identical to the FROG ones the quality was definately not.................

 

However they are useable if you use this method,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,give the NOVO decal sheet two coats of Gloss Varnish, then carefully cut them out and when you put them in the water the varnish holds them together. Use Gloss varnish as this has a flexibility for when you apply the decals around curved surfaces.

Then when the decals are dry on the model give them a coat of Matt varnish.

 

resized_6e817336-0a9c-49d8-a871-2b56af46

 

This is my NOVO copy of the FROG 1/96 Caravelle with NOVO decal sheet. Those decals were a daunting prospect knowing what I knew about NOVO decals.

However, I applied my tried and trusted method as above and the end result is below.................

 

resized_d96d726b-bc95-49cb-b956-6a1949da

 

cheers,  Adrian

Edited by adey m
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3 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

Thanks for looking and for the kind comments chaps :).

 

I hadn't thought about the decals. I realise it's because they didn't need thinking about :D!

 

I had forgotten four others I have: A genuine FROG Barracuda that I bravely started to build a year ago, then Special Hobby released a new kit :huh:.

 

Im always dubious about starting a pristine FROG, here in Oz they command quite good prices in the style of box e.g. of the Tomahawk box, fourth picture down in the post above. I'm quite sad I got stuck into it now. I think it's fairer to finish it than consign it to the recycling. I'll just do it OOB and enjoy :).

 

There was one that surprised me; a SMER rebox of the FROG Firefly. I'm close to painting that one; it comes with a vac-form canopy (as well as the FROG one that was always clunky).

 

Then a Novo Beaufighter XXI. The Hasegawa ones are as rare as rocking horse :poop:and way out of my price range. I got it for $20 secondhand last year (about £12). Uncharacteristically it has a vast mis-mould, a big gap right under the port cockpit window. An awkward spot, but I'll beat (fill!) it into submission.. :thumbsup2: 

 

Finally, one of my absolute FROG favourites, the Vultee Vengeance. I put it on the 'wait' pile as I wanted to try to make something that is an improvement on that twin machine gun in the back; the one that looks like something from Star Wars :lol:!

 

Another good thing about FROG kits; we're really well looked after with vac-form canopies, the really nice ones from Falcon. They make a world of difference.

 

All if this has made me want to grab them out of the 'wait' stash. I'll do it tomorrow. If anyone's interested I might do some 'kuta wip' threads, to force me to finish them. That would make Mrs. T, at the least, a lot happier!

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

PS: Does anyone else think that the NOVO decals are very poor in comparison with original FROG ones?

 Have the Vultee vengeance. I found it the last place you would think: Southern California 

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Even though it had the nose of a Comet.

 

I have a Frog bf109 in the card package and

most of an He219 & I too like the picture on the box.

 

Lots of FROG kits on the bay, some at decent prices too!

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   Image result for FROG hms TorquayImage result for FROG hms TorquayImage result for FROG hms Torquay

 

   Image result for FROG hms Torquay

 

Image result for FROG hms Torquay

 

Somebody converted the model into HMS Plymouth........what a lovely model

 

1/500 FROG and NOVO HMS Torquay.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by adey m
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Image result for FROG HMS Undine

 

Image result for FROG HMS UndineImage result for FROG HMS Undine

 

Image result for FROG HMS Undine

 

 

 

I may be an aircraft nut but the Royal Navy Frigates of the 1960s fascinate me.

 

Edited by adey m
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27 minutes ago, Crossiant Oliver said:

When did frog and airfix switch from bags to boxes?

Airfix went for blister pack's before boxes on their series one kits must have been in the mid to late seventies,didn't Frog do a WW1 battleship

at some point?

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6 hours ago, adey m said:

 

Hi Ian, here you are............the FROG P-40 Tomahawk................a lovely model with superb decals I remember

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawkImage result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawkImage result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/1408816/tomahawk_5.jpg

 

 

 

 

Now we're talking! I remember building this kit as a kid - and many others like it in bags, not boxes. Airfix and Frog were sold that way at the local newsagent, where I used to drool over them regularly. Larger kits were usually bought from Myer (a big department store here like Harrod's but nowhere near as flash!) on day trips into Adelaide.

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Great idea for a thread.

 

I missed out on Frog as just too young for them when they were in production.

When I started seriously making models in my early teens (early 1980s) there were aircraft that I really wanted to build that were my favourite types, such as the Gannet, Shackleton, Sea Vixen and Javelin. 

I was overjoyed when I found out that some old British company used to do these kits and eventually tracked some down. 

I found them to be delightful kits, the Shackleton must have been a real treat when first released, and to my mind is still quite something to behold.  I love the way that it came in a box about a 4th the size of the current Airfix one!

 

Couldn't believe my luck when I found out that they did a Britannia and Comet, built the Novo versions of those, I think the Brit

was made from bakelite though! 

I wonder where those 1/96th airliner and bomber molds are now?

 

Frog always seemed to capture the shape of the real thing reasonably well, some of the kits, like the Gannet, were really basic but were easy to detail and make your own.

 

I still have a stash of Gannets, Shacks and even a DH110 to build one day.

 

Edited by 71chally
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Just looking at King Kit's quite large Frog selection,What's the significance of gold token boxings they seem to fetch a great deal

more than standard ones?

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8 hours ago, Crossiant Oliver said:

When did frog and airfix switch from bags to boxes?

 

Hello Crossiant Oliver

 

The first time I saw FROG kits appear in plastic bags in the village Post Office was about 1969. Up until then all their model kits were in boxes.

 

The first FROG model that I built from a bag was the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk which my sister gave me for my Birthday in 1970.

 

In 1974 FROG decided to package all kits in production into uniform boxes.

 

The final year of FROG kit production was 1976.

 

AIRFIX Series 1 bagged kits started appearing in plastic blister packs attached to a card header about 1973.

 

However some Series 1 kits would not fit into the new slimline blister packaging and so these were transferred into Series 2 boxes, kits such as the Corsair, Buffalo, and Whirlwind helicopter were amongst these..

 

cheers,  Adrian

 

Edited by adey m
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1978 NOVO issue of FROG 1/96 Caravelle Twin Jet Airliner

 

resized_20d0cab0-63d4-4c3b-b246-78f92019

 

resized_04154371-27a5-45e8-a7a7-63a7133c

 

resized_9aaa257c-a094-4a9f-adb9-ef6ff0b7

 

resized_a3f153c3-fd71-465a-90a5-2796c5c2

 

resized_868767c8-5fbf-4c13-ab30-e5144d31

 

resized_1125afc5-3e88-4322-98f7-98507e80

 

resized_842e9b67-bbd7-40e3-9fe0-fd6c978a

 

resized_8cdd4e43-da1f-406d-ba13-392ab79e

 

1/96 NOVO FROG Caravelle which I built about 1995.

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15 hours ago, adey m said:

 

Hi Ian, here you are............the FROG P-40 Tomahawk................a lovely model with superb decals I remember

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawkImage result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawkImage result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

Image result for FROG P40 tomahawk

 

http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/1408816/tomahawk_5.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Yes thats the one - the boxed version. Thanks for posting.

 

I seem to also remember doing the Baltimore and SB2 but they were Novo not original Frog.

 

 

 

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1968 FROG issue of the Hasegawa Nakajima G8N1 Renzan

 

resized_3879b980-2d8b-4b3a-950a-f8e9444f

 

resized_c509a865-7e35-49ff-965e-e422e879

 

I photographed this kit at the Southwell Racecourse model show a few years ago while the model kit trader looked on..........................

 

Image result for hasegawa renzan

 

Image result for hasegawa renzan

 

Image result for hasegawa renzan

 

 

Image result for hasegawa renzan

 

Image result for hasegawa renzanImage result for hasegawa renzanImage result for hasegawa renzan

 

A various selection of the Hasegawa issued Renzan.

 

 

Image result for hasegawa renzan

 

Yes........this aeroplane really did exist.............

 

They were intended to be used for one-way suicide raids on the United States.................................

 

Edited by adey m
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What a fascinating thread! Especially as until I joined Britmodeller, I don't recall ever seeing any other than Airfix or Monogram kits during the '60's. I can vividly remember a friend of mine making a Monogram F4-U corsair, but I only ever made airfix.

 

It's entirely possible that it's my memory at fault, as I'd be surprised if Frog kits never made it to Cardiff where I grew up, but I don't recall ever seeing Frog kits in the newsagents or Woolworths where I bought kits. 

 

Now I understand why there are so many modellers around the Frog kits on traders' stands at shows!

Edited by Whofan
Punctuation!
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Ah Frog...

Got to know them in shops only for about 3 years, as I started modelling in 1973 and the brand disappeared in 1976...

In my small town (less than 40 000 people) we were quite lucky:

  • Frog in the local hardware store (!), piles of boxes.
  • Heller in the local toy shop,
  • Airfix, Revell & Monogram in the model shop (yep, we had one!)
  • Matchbox in the newstands

Ah, what a time it was, nowadays there's zero shop selling kits in my place (and the closest is about 1h drive)...

 

Back to Frog, I built quite a few over time, Ar234, Marauder, Do335, Spitfire, Typhoon, Gannet... unfortunately most of them "died" because of well, my poor building abilities, the house moves and that kind of things..

I've been able to get a few thanks to model expo sellers, like the Sea Vixen, Sea Venom, Swordfish, Blenheim...

44 years after my first kit, may be I'll be able to do justice to those wonderful memories of an era when we just built kits, not caring (much) about precise colour or whatever!

Edited by Hamster Volant
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