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Matchbox the 50th Anniversary GB Chat


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@thommo That's an impressive pile of Matchbox goodness! My 12 year old inner self approves greatly.

 

Had a rummage through my Matchbox stash, but many are in the "collection" and not in my "building" stash. However, I did stumble across one duplicate which has tempted me to leave my wingy thing comfort zone and venture into the realm of wheelie things:

 

51367121273_5cfd01f45e_w.jpg

 

I've only partly assembled a bit of the engine so far, so it's largely unbuilt. Being an Essex boy, I may have to throw this into the GB hat by law.

 

Steve

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This GB inspired me to get the removal boxes of Matchbox kits out from under the house yesterday, and do an inventory on them again.

 

I have 70 of the 107 1/72 scale Matchbox original issue kits (65% of them).

 

I also have 17 duplicates, including 3 PK-2's, the little Spitfire.

 

It is interesting the order in which Matchbox decided to produce different aircraft - I can understand the Fury, Spitfire, Zero, Hurricane etc. were early cabs off the rank, but the Strikemaster, Alpha Jet, F-5A ???  I guess they decided they needed some jets in there with the early props?

 

When I first started collecting about 15yrs ago, my strike price for buying them from anywhere on the planet was about AU$10 including postage.  There is no way I can do that now.  Not only have postage prices gone crazy (esp. from the U.S.), but kit prices have at least doubled to quadrupled.  I looked on Ebay y'say for the first time in ages and some kits I could get for $5-10 were now offered for north of $80.  Madness.

 

I'd like to get all 107 original issues, but damn the prices 😮.

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13 hours ago, thommo said:

This GB inspired me to get the removal boxes of Matchbox kits out from under the house yesterday, and do an inventory on them again.

 

I have 70 of the 107 1/72 scale Matchbox original issue kits (65% of them).

 

I also have 17 duplicates, including 3 PK-2's, the little Spitfire.

 

It is interesting the order in which Matchbox decided to produce different aircraft - I can understand the Fury, Spitfire, Zero, Hurricane etc. were early cabs off the rank, but the Strikemaster, Alpha Jet, F-5A ???  I guess they decided they needed some jets in there with the early props?

 

When I first started collecting about 15yrs ago, my strike price for buying them from anywhere on the planet was about AU$10 including postage.  There is no way I can do that now.  Not only have postage prices gone crazy (esp. from the U.S.), but kit prices have at least doubled to quadrupled.  I looked on Ebay y'say for the first time in ages and some kits I could get for $5-10 were now offered for north of $80.  Madness.

 

I'd like to get all 107 original issues, but damn the prices 😮.

An impressive collection. There are many old Matchbox kits I'd like to build. Just for old times sake.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

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13 hours ago, thommo said:

I have 70 of the 107 1/72 scale Matchbox original issue kits (65% of them).

 

That's certainly some collection Thommo and one that I would dearly love to have myself. I'm with you on the stupidly rising costs of Matchbox kits, however people keep buying them, so you probably can't blame the sellers for that.  

I will look forward to seeing which one(s) you build, however deciding what kit might be the hardest part of all! 

Cheers and welcome along.. Dave 

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14 hours ago, thommo said:

 

It is interesting the order in which Matchbox decided to produce different aircraft - I can understand the Fury, Spitfire, Zero, Hurricane etc. were early cabs off the rank, but the Strikemaster, Alpha Jet, F-5A ???  I guess they decided they needed some jets in there with the early props?

 

 

Someone once said to me that it appeared that Matchbox had two distinct Aircraft Design/Manufacturing “Teams” - one doing the early stuff and one doing the modern stuff which may explain the “old” / “modern” “balance. 

 

Also for 1972/3 the “modern” ones are fairly straightforward choices actually for small (Purple Series / “Series 1”) “modern” aircraft. 

 

Strikemaster - I don’t think anyone else had done one before then and it predates the Airfix kit by some years. 

 

Alpha Jet - same again and if I recall correctly the Matchbox kit is based on the prototype?  

 

F-5A - widely used small jet with as far as I recall only the older Airfix Freedom Fighter available in that scale at that time. 

 

Placing yourself back then are there any other modern Subjects that you reckon they should have done?  (Disregarding some of the slightly bigger modern Subjects that they did later on in the Purple Range as the got more experience with moulding parts within the “Box” limitations.). 

 

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1 hour ago, Rob S said:

Placing yourself back then are there any other modern Subjects that you reckon they should have done?  (Disregarding some of the slightly bigger modern Subjects that they did later on in the Purple Range as the got more experience with moulding parts within the “Box” limitations.). 

 

A couple of ideas for European trainers, from that 1970s era.

Lockheed T-33.    Hasegawa would have been a very rare model-shop find at that time.   Heller first released in 1980.  The only other option - convert an Airfix kit.

North American T-6 Texan.  Only the Airfix Harvard in model-shops around that time.

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The parts for each of those might have been too big to fit within the two Sprues for the Purple Series Box size.  Easy way to approximately find out would be to lay out the major parts of the respective Hasegawa and Heller/Academy kits within two Purple Series Sprue areas and see if all of the parts can fit within those areas and be fed by appropriate design of runners. 

 

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57 minutes ago, thommo said:

Now you've got me back into this Matchbox lark again, you may be hearing from my wife shortly 🥷

 

 

 

When We hear from Her We’ll just tell her they are like Shares that appreciate over time and if she says “Then Sell, Sell, Sell!” we’ll just say “It’s not the top of the Market yet.”.  Knowing full well there will never be a top of the Market!  

 

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On 8/10/2021 at 8:01 AM, thommo said:

 

I have 70 of the 107 1/72 scale Matchbox original issue kits (65% of them).

 

... 

 

I'd like to get all 107 original issues, but damn the prices 😮.

 

OK so which 37 are you missing?  

 

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11 hours ago, Rob S said:

 

OK so which 37 are you missing?  

 

 

If anyone has any of these they want to sell, I'm all ears.

 

<Request for kits removed - this isn't the Buy/Sell area, and you don't have the requisite 100 posts anyway, sorry :shrug: >

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I’m a bit confused by your nomenclature (well that satisfies my quota of big words for the day!) as I understand the “blackbox” bit but some of those had issues before being “black boxed”.  Are you collecting every different issue/boxing of each kit?  

 

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1 hour ago, Beermonster1958 said:

Certainly count me in.

I've a couple of Victor kits awaiting attention!!

 

John

 

Welcome John

 

It will be terrific to see a Victor joining the GB, I feel guilty every time I see my own in the stash.

Hopefully you will encourage lots of others to build theirs.

 

Cheers Pat 

 

 

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I started my Matchbox Victor back in the mid 80's but it stalled shortly after when I saw the intakes (nothing an FOD guard can't hide though 🙂). I can't remember how far I got with it but if it's less than 25% I might be tempted to try and finish it. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Pat,

 

not sure at all if I have entered my name for this monumental GB... If I have, blame that on a failing memory due to a shortage of single malt. 

If I haven't then put me down for a FW 190 A-3/A-4, which is one of only three Matchbox kits in my stash... Shameful, yes I know.

Anyway, I shall be there when this GB starts!

 

JR

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I've been looking at kits from the Matchbox AMT era and have been reminded of so many kits I missed as a child. There are several available now as reissues that still appeal to me. So do a few of the 1/76 armour kits reissued by Revell. I'm sure I will make a decision by the time this starts.

 

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On 21/08/2021 at 10:15, TimJ said:

I started my Matchbox Victor back in the mid 80's but it stalled shortly after when I saw the intakes (nothing an FOD guard can't hide though 🙂). I can't remember how far I got with it but if it's less than 25% I might be tempted to try and finish it. 

 

Hi Tim

I'm confident the host can be persuaded to let your Victor join the GB when the time comes.

Between now and the GB starting is an idea opportunity to find it and see if it's still complete. 

Cheers Pat

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On 02/09/2021 at 17:57, jean said:

Hi Pat,

 

not sure at all if I have entered my name for this monumental GB... If I have, blame that on a failing memory due to a shortage of single malt. 

If I haven't then put me down for a FW 190 A-3/A-4, which is one of only three Matchbox kits in my stash... Shameful, yes I know.

Anyway, I shall be there when this GB starts!

 

JR

 

Great to have you with us JR  I can call off the search party now !

 

Cheers Pat

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On 03/09/2021 at 08:08, RevDWC said:

I've been looking at kits from the Matchbox AMT era and have been reminded of so many kits I missed as a child. There are several available now as reissues that still appeal to me. So do a few of the 1/76 armour kits reissued by Revell. I'm sure I will make a decision by the time this starts.

 

 

Hi Rev

It's lovely having a choice, just whatever you do don't list them or Enzo will be ready to deliver his catchphrase and it always takes a few weeks for the sedatives to work before we can calm him down again :frantic:

Cheers Pat 

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Hi Pat,

 

I know I have at least one Matchbox plane in my stash, probably two, and maybe even three so count me in. Don't think I have any tanks but I will check nearer the start date.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

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4 hours ago, PeterB said:

Hi Pat,

 

I know I have at least one Matchbox plane in my stash, probably two, and maybe even three so count me in. Don't think I have any tanks but I will check nearer the start date.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

Great to have you with us Pete, this one is going to be a bit special  !

 

Cheers Pat 

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I think the postman is try to increase my blood pressure. He's just brought me these 2 nice and easy kits to build.

 

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The Stranraer was a bargain £14 quid. The Heyford was a little more at £22. I built the Stranraer as a kid and I remember it being hard to do the wings / engines. I'd do the rigging now so I'm thinking it will be a whole new level of difficulty.

 

I haven't ever finished a Heyford. I got about 70% of the way there about 12 years ago when I started building again but it didn't get finished and then got really broken in a house move so now I have another to redeem myself.

Edited by Richard Tucker
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