wannsee Posted February 15, 2020 Share Posted February 15, 2020 Gentlemen, As the webmaster of Frog Model Aircraft which I am sure you know, I am looking for some history of Revell GB so as to put a page on my site. A lot of great kits were produced in the UK including the "Small Frame Box series" plus a lot of classics including the Rotodyne. I have the current Revell history books but scant mention is made to the UK operation. Does anyone know the history and details of the factory at potters bar? Many thanks in advance Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted February 15, 2020 Share Posted February 15, 2020 I have a Revell GB "Catalogue 1960-1961". Each Revell logo has "Manufactured in Great Britain". Some kits I've never heard of and some still going like the Dr.I Triplane! Did Revell actually make kits for the Rover 3 Litre or Ford Consul De-luxe? The only address is where it says "Published by Revell (Great Britain) Ltd., Maidstone House, 25-27 Berners Street, London W.1." That's in the heart of the West End and the old building (it's recently been redeveloped) looks like the sort of place many companies would have been based in. Presumably the manufacture was elsewhere, if not already at Potters Bar? Manufacture in the UK was pretty much essential back in those days of exchange control, I assume less US dollars leaving the country for mould loan(?) and licensing, than would have been needed for importing entire kits. Thus Revell could compete in UK market for the pocket money market with Airfix and Frog. Cheers Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted February 15, 2020 Author Share Posted February 15, 2020 Thank you ! Maidstone house has indeed been re-developed. In my collection of small frame boxes, 60% are marked made in Great Britain whilst others just say Revell Inc california. Also instruction sheets vary with some saying Litho in GB. I agree about the exchange control thought. Also were the tools made in the UK? I am trying to find records but unlike Frog I cannot find anything at the moment The hunt continues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted February 15, 2020 Author Share Posted February 15, 2020 (edited) One point of interest the box art was very English as well as the wonderful art of the late Brian Knight, with his iconic style. I understand that when Revell GB ceased operations the moulds were transfered to Germany. Like Frog many of the moulds still survive and are in use by Revell to this day. Edited February 15, 2020 by wannsee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B (Sc) Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Those small frame boxed kits with the 'art' style illustrations included some excellent kits for their day. In particular I thought the Bf-109E was very neatly moulded and the P-47D and I think Corsair with opening canopy were terrific, Those illustrations really caught my eye as a kid back then. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 On 2/15/2020 at 10:53 AM, wannsee said: Gentlemen, As the webmaster of Frog Model Aircraft which I am sure you know, I am looking for some history of Revell GB so as to put a page on my site. A lot of great kits were produced in the UK including the "Small Frame Box series" plus a lot of classics including the Rotodyne. I have the current Revell history books but scant mention is made to the UK operation. Does anyone know the history and details of the factory at potters bar? Many thanks in advance Martin Have you thought of giving the current Revell UK a shout? You may find that someone there could be of help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bradley Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Try contacting Al Bean at the IPMS/UK Revell Modelling SIG - https://ipmsuk.org/directory/revell-modelling/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWFK10 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 2 hours ago, John B (Sc) said: Those small frame boxed kits with the 'art' style illustrations included some excellent kits for their day. In particular I thought the Bf-109E was very neatly moulded and the P-47D and I think Corsair with opening canopy were terrific, Those illustrations really caught my eye as a kid back then. The Kittyhawk had an opening canopy too. I remember being tremendously impressed by it, as well by that terrific box art and the shark mouth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 The Tempest in that series was the first kit I ever completed and painted with anything resembling the proper colours back around the mid-1960s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 3 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said: Have you thought of giving the current Revell UK a shout? You may find that someone there could be of help. I certainly did. I contacted Revell, who are now based in Germany and had an email exchange with their PR agency, who said they had no information about the UK operation but did suggest I contact a John Embleton who worked at Potters-Bar and would know all about it. I asked them for his contact details but was told they do not have any! So does anybody know John? I have also tried Potters-Bar library also with no luck. I am sure the information is out there !! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 When i was looking into this for the Classic British Kits SIG a few years ago, I wrote a letter to the local paper asking for any ex-employees to get in touch. It was published, but I didn't get any correspondence as a result... I guess at the time it was 30 years on from Revell (GB)s heyday... Good Luck! best, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 How about Revell UK? The address and phone number are Unit 10, Old Airfield Industrial Estate, Cheddington Lane, Tring, HP23 4QR (tel) 01296 660291. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatalbert Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I grew up in Potters Bar,the Revell building was in Cranbourne industrial estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Getting interesting !! "Revell of UK Limited" does indeed exist in Tring, oddly it was formed in 2019 and is mainly concerned with R/C models. It is owned by Revell gmbh but sadly does not have any info on the previous Revell UK Ltd. My investigations will continue Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Since Hobbico took it over most of Revell is mainly concerned with R/C models... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 A strange one ! Does anyone remember Revell in plastic bags? Unlike Airfix and Frog the instruction sheet is in the bag and not printed on the header. This D V11 has a blank header and just the artwork on it. I have not seen any other examples of this. Odd to say the least ! One small point of interest is the model number H9632 is printed on the artwork Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackem01 Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 I may be blowing smoke here, but would any old records exist at Companies House. I don't know how long they have to keep them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share Posted April 4, 2020 18 minutes ago, mackem01 said: I may be blowing smoke here, but would any old records exist at Companies House. I don't know how long they have to keep them. No, a very valid point. I have tried Companies house and no records appear. I am going to try to find historic records. Thanks for your feedback Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 On 3/30/2020 at 4:38 PM, Des said: The Tempest in that series was the first kit I ever completed and painted with anything resembling the proper colours back around the mid-1960s. Snap!, I remember getting the kit from the local newsagent for 2s6d and painting it in a vague interpretation of Day Fighter Scheme. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Humm Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 (edited) On 3/30/2020 at 10:29 PM, wannsee said: A strange one ! Does anyone remember Revell in plastic bags? Unlike Airfix and Frog the instruction sheet is in the bag and not printed on the header. This D V11 has a blank header and just the artwork on it. I have not seen any other examples of this. Odd to say the least ! One small point of interest is the model number H9632 is printed on the artwork There were quite a few of these, I think. I have the FW 190, I've seen the DH2 and P11C and know someone who's seen the P-36, I-16 and SE5a. I think these date from the mid-1960s, as the logo is the "Authentic Kit" version which seems to have been dropped around 1968. Edited April 5, 2020 by Richard Humm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 I have never come across the kits in bags, all the 'small' Revell kits I remember came in boxes with fairly striking box art. I sell recall the DH2 as it was one of the first models I rigged with stretched sprue after reading an article in Airfix Magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Seem to remember that Revell had offices in/near Bedford, possibly the Kempston area (A6/Kempston Road), might be worth looking there! Mind you, memory often lets me down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 20 hours ago, Richard Humm said: There were quite a few of these, I think. I have the FW 190, I've seen the DH2 and P11C and know someone who's seen the P-36, I-16 and SE5a. I think these date from the mid-1960s, as the logo is the "Authentic Kit" version which seems to have bemen dropped around 1968. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannsee Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 And here is another interesting Kit, the 1/72 Polikarpov 1-16, first issued by Revell GB in 1964. Not one of Revell's best moulds, it would take a heroic modeller to get it right. For the collector its a nice one for the collection. This example issued in 1987 exclusive to MilSlides * is interesting as the box retains the Brian Knight artwork, the instructions are the original 1960's but state printed by Revell gmbh in Germany and a new set of decals are included. The box sides are also in German and show © Revell Inc and the German address in Bünde together with © Revell 1964/1987 It is moulded in the original green plastic and one of the wings still has Revell GB Ltd © moulded on the inside ! So was this model produced in Potters-Bar or had the mould already gone to Germany? Ebay recently have had quite a few of these on sale for around £5, I know I have some! * Milslides did have a deal with Revell in the 80's for exclusive models including the 1/32 Beaufighter which I have in my collection 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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