Nostalgia, it's not what it used to be...

[kapam]

Hey @TonyW, @Johnson, @stevej60, @Yorkshire man, @Army_Air_Force and others, keep it up!

Those pics of completed model + kit box are so cool!

Wish I could offer up some similar pics but my boyhood efforts of the early 70's are no longer extant (and would look woefully inadequate anyway).

I guess for Americans it was Revell and Monogram, but for we British Empire citizens it was Airfix (mostly) plus Frog and (later) Matchbox.

May this thread continue! 🙂

[TonyW]

The Matchbox Group Build currently underway here is going to provide a few new entries from me in this thread.

 

Matchbox kits really did hit the ground running when they turned up. Some 'proper' modellers got a bit sniffy about the multi coloured plastic used, but a coat of primer or paint dealt with that  pretty quickly.

As far as subjects go, think of some of the companies gems, The Heyford, Privateer, Victor, Flower Class Corvette, The Wellesley, the 1.32 cars, the AFV's with bases, the list goes on and on. If ever a company deserved a Group Build, Matchbox must be right up there. I'm not alone with that thought as there are currently over two hundred (!) builds underway and the GB has months to run yet. Check it out, it's well worth a look.

 

Here's my current contributions to the GB. More will be added as they get completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a few older builds...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More as they happen.

 

Tony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Army_Air_Force]

Here's a trip down memory lane!! My dad built this wooden airport for a Christmas present one year. It hosted many bedroom and garden airshows over the years!! Did anyone else have their own model airshows as a child?

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Army_Air_Force
spelling error

[TonyW]

What a terrific couple of pictures.

They are enough to make you bin the photoetch, pop outside, and mow the lawn into an airfield pattern.

 

Thanks for adding them.

[Pete in Lincs]

Hello Control, Septic calling....

 

Nostalgia, Old films. Happy.

 

(It's Angels One Five, in case anyone was wondering)

[Neil.C]

20 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Hello Control, Septic calling....

 

Nostalgia, Old films. Happy.

 

(It's Angels One Five, in case anyone was wondering)

Great film with a great cast.

 

Hawkins, Gregson, Denison and Gray.

 

Wonderful stuff. Real aircraft as well.

[TonyW]

The Matchbox Group Build continues with it's vice like grip on my building and collecting. You won't find me complaining though!

 

Here's a couple of Shop Window type displays featuring the brand.  Colourful or what?

 

 

 

[IanC]

Wonderful things.. 

[Sergei]

An excellent array! Since I started building again I have hunted down a number of Matchbox kits and have built them. The first was the Stranraer about 20 years ago and since then I have added the Heyford, Wellesley, Sea Fox, Piston Provost, Meteor, Siskin, Skynight, Buckeye and Walrus.

 

When they came on the scene they raised the bar in my view and the kits have aged very well. They benefit from modern techniques and accumulated skills. I enjoyed the Stranraer so much I picked up a second one, but not for £2.99 I might add!

[Maginot]

What an exciting assortment of kits. I'm drawn to the seaplanes and flying boats. I spy a Fairey Seafox on floats in the mix. Extraordinary!

[ColinChipmunkfan]

What a great series of Matchbox photos thank you again for posting, lovely to see them and the boxes from my youth.  Matchbox soon proved themselves imaginitive and groundbreaking in the industry making kits other manufacturers wouldn't even dare to produce; just a few examples being the Heyford, Stranraer, Provost, Seafox, Fury, Siskin, Wellesley.

Colin

[Neil.C]

Lovely display Tony. 

 

Matchbox often went for the slightly unusual models. 

[Roberto]

Wow. Amazing collection! Those box arts are beautiful, and I love the builds 👍

[TonyW]

There's only a couple of weeks left before the Matchbox Group Build winds up, best get a move on if you fancy a build or two....

 

I've been in multi coloured plastic heaven since the first day of the GB, and the build rate has been very satisfying so far. There should be one or two more before the close of play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TonyW]

Here's a Matchbox Marauder, built with only a tube of glue to complete it, just as a cash strapped youngster might have done back in the seventies.

Bare bones Matchbox plastic, in nearly right colours, and kit decals. The decals behaved perfectly after all these years. A fun build.

 

 

 

[TheOxley]

The Hendon Airfix guy was prob a bit chuffed… 😉

[Markh-75]

On 21/03/2018 at 08:25, TonyW said:

I'm building a Fury and a Hurricane over in the Hawker Group Build thread, the Hurricane is very nearly done now, and a couple of pictures I took this morning will fit in here I think...

 

 

 

 

I remember the little blue tubes of polystyrene cement, and I also remember having some of those glass bottles, a long time ago, I was 10 (I'm 59 now), I remember seeing most of these models at airshows in tents, all for sale, especially the ones in the bags! Boy does this take me back! This has been a brilliant post!😀 In the early part of this thread you talked of a building in the garden; I take it this is now built? You could convert a shipping container; I've seen these converted into all sorts of things, or even a garden outhouse with double glazing!
I have the spare room downstairs for my 'operating theatre', and I have two cabinets down there with all my US Navy and US Marine aircraft in; I keep the USAAC and USAAF aircraft and the vehicles up in my room! So wherever I go I can see my models and diecasts! Thanks for a great post and a nice trip down memory lane!😀

[Markh-75]

On 11/03/2022 at 14:42, TonyW said:

The Matchbox Group Build continues with it's vice like grip on my building and collecting. You won't find me complaining though!

 

Here's a couple of Shop Window type displays featuring the brand.  Colourful or what?

 

 

 

The Privateer was my first 'biggie' a couple of years back!😀 (still got another one to build!)

[TonyW]

8 hours ago, Markh-75 said:

 In the early part of this thread you talked of a building in the garden; I take it this is now built? 

 

The building is up, but not completed. That real world out there keeps getting in the way of dreams. I'm still plugging away at the big shed , even if it is currently a store for all kinds of other stuff. Summers here though and outside work is back on the agenda, and I'm cautiously optimistic regarding the model shed at this point. I'll let you know how things have panned out later in the year.

[Markh-75]

1 hour ago, TonyW said:

 

The building is up, but not completed. That real world out there keeps getting in the way of dreams. I'm still plugging away at the big shed , even if it is currently a store for all kinds of other stuff. Summers here though and outside work is back on the agenda, and I'm cautiously optimistic regarding the model shed at this point. I'll let you know how things have panned out later in the year.

Yes, life does that, things happen that require more immediate attention, life patterns and habits change; its been a big thing for me to learn too, but garden wise our weather isn't great right now, not enough to inspire me to go and do anything in it! so I carry on with other things and do a bit of modelling. Often I find that the things that take more time work out for the better, gives more time to think, consider options! Its party why I have relaxed alot more regarding my models, there's NO big hurry, I'm not building for shows, just for me, and I have to ration my attention in different areas but modelling needs concentration, and that's not something I have a big store of.Though sometimes I do surprise myself! I dont worry about how little time I've put into a model, because it will always be there just waiting for me to get back to it.

Here's hoping you can get loads done on your man-shed this summer!😀

[phil23]

On 5/13/2022 at 7:52 PM, TonyW said:

Here's a Matchbox Marauder, built with only a tube of glue to complete it, just as a cash strapped youngster might have done back in the seventies.

Bare bones Matchbox plastic, in nearly right colours, and kit decals. The decals behaved perfectly after all these years. A fun build.

 

 

 

 

My all time favourite Matchbox kit... like the building approach as well. You've made my day!

[Pantherhawk27263]

On 2/3/2022 at 4:57 AM, TonyW said:

The Matchbox Group Build currently underway here is going to provide a few new entries from me in this thread.

 

Matchbox kits really did hit the ground running when they turned up. Some 'proper' modellers got a bit sniffy about the multi coloured plastic used, but a coat of primer or paint dealt with that  pretty quickly.

As far as subjects go, think of some of the companies gems, The Heyford, Privateer, Victor, Flower Class Corvette, The Wellesley, the 1.32 cars, the AFV's with bases, the list goes on and on. If ever a company deserved a Group Build, Matchbox must be right up there. I'm not alone with that thought as there are currently over two hundred (!) builds underway and the GB has months to run yet. Check it out, it's well worth a look.

 

Here's my current contributions to the GB. More will be added as they get completed.

 

I have always been a fan of Matchbox. Yes, they had some issues with their kits, yet they covered subjects no one else did, and they always had excellent decals. They had the first 1/72 F-101B, the first 1/72 Tornado F.3, the best British Phantom for years, and many more kits that other manufacturers ignored. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Pantherhawk27263
Amended my text to stand out better

[tomkil]

There's something wonderful about seeing these kits in 'period' finish.  I sold off all my old kits at a car boot sale after we cleared my mum and dad's house.  Boy do I regret it.  

[Neil.C]

21 hours ago, tomkil said:

There's something wonderful about seeing these kits in 'period' finish.  I sold off all my old kits at a car boot sale after we cleared my mum and dad's house.  Boy do I regret it.  

 

I agree.

 

Definitely a nostalgic look, almost like looking at an antique.

[Mr T]

Matchbox kits first appeared when I was 19 (so you can all do the math, I am a grumpy old git) and the ones that attracted me were the subjects that no one else would touch as I was already infected by the modelling bug, which has been lifelong. Wonderful photos of the kits. I built the Siskin for the Matchbox GB and with a surprisingly small amount of work it holds up well even today.