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Build List - Matchbox '50th Anniversary' Group Build (08 Jan - 19 Jun 2022)


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I'll kick off with PK-451, the Packard Victoria. I have 150-odd other Matchbox kits to choose from, but this will do for starters. I already have a built unpainted one (see below), but a bagged, cheap buy last year got me a builder to paint as per the box top.

 

There may be other builds later, to fill in gaps that others haven't done.

 

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Edited by Mike Dean
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5 hours ago, TonyW said:

Coming from left of field, I'll be kicking off with an AMT rebox, the 1957 Chevy coupe, PK4112. It won't be the only one from this series but it will do as an opener.

 

 

4 hours ago, Mike Dean said:

I'll kick off with PK-451, the Packard Victoria. I have 150-odd other Matchbox kits to choose from, but this will do for starters. I already have a built unpainted one (see below), but a bagged, cheap buy last year got me a builder to paint as per the box top.

 

There may be other builds later, to fill in gaps that others haven't done.

 

36 minutes ago, airfixpeter said:

Put me down for PK-505 Tiger moth as I succumbed to temptation and pressed the buy it now button. 

 

 

Thanks lads.. some really nice contributions there with the very real prospect of even more to come! 

 

@TonyW - Great to have you onboard, you were a major build contributor last time around so we look forward to what you have planned in 2022, best of luck mate. 

 

@Mike Dean - I’m so thrilled to see one of these large Matchbox Vintage cars being nominated Mike and with 150 other Matchbox kits waiting for some bench time, I appreciate you looking through the list to find something unique. I think a Matchbox stash photo is required after a statement like that ! Looking forward to your build(s). 

 

@airfixpeter - Those ‘Buy it Now’ buttons do possess some mysterious finger grabbing gravitational force, don’t they? Yet another excellent choice with the big Tiggie. So good seeing these large Green Range 1/32 kits being built, they were impressive in their time and with some small effort still look great today. 

 

The build list is starting to fill up, please keep them coming as the excitement is starting to build. 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

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3 minutes ago, Adam Poultney said:

I'm sitting this one out.... if I wasn't at uni and had a bit more space I'd be tempted to try converting the Matchbox Victor into a prototype.

 

That’s OK Adam, good luck with your Uni studies. This GB does go for the best part of five months and you don’t necessarily have to build a big large V Bomber you know?? Anyway, feel free to check in and get inspired by a bunch of middle aged modellers desperately trying to rekindle their youth! 

Cheers.. Dave 

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I have a small question that has puzzled me for a while. Why on earth did Matchbox decide to do models in three colours? I mean I understand Monogram/Revell would do it for the sprue  with the guns and wheels, but Matchbox would do the Fuselage and wings silver( understand that, makes sense) but then tail surfaces, drop tanks green (Huh?) and anything else white or maybe black (double huh?) Granted the two kits i have are from the 70's and psychedelics were in vogue. dumb question I know but as the saying goes "Inquiring Minds gotsta know" you know? Thanks in advance.

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26 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

Why on earth did Matchbox decide to do models in three colours? I

 

As far as I know the coloured plastic was just a marketing exercise to attract the younger modeller. It was a novel approach and allowed for a splash of colour to ones modelling shelf if you didn’t want to paint your plastic kits. Some of the colour combinations were a little out there, however as you say, it was the 70’s! 

Cheers.. Dave 

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This GB looks like it's going to be epic!

 

I am definitely going to do the Churchill bridgelayer tank. I picked that kit up when I lived in Beijing and really regret not clearing the story of all the other dirt cheap vintage MB kits they had....

 

As a stretch goal I will try one of either the Auto Union racing car or the MG TC.

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16 minutes ago, bianfuxia said:

This GB looks like it's going to be epic!

I am definitely going to do the Churchill bridgelayer tank. I picked that kit up when I lived in Beijing and really regret not clearing the story of all the other dirt cheap vintage MB kits they had....

As a stretch goal I will try one of either the Auto Union racing car or the MG TC.

 

That’ great news @bianfuxia the Orange Series Churchill will be a great kit to see built. Now I know what you mean about kicking yourself when you should have bought more kits, my life is chock full of those moments! Should you decide to add a Car model to this GB, can I sway you over the Auto Union way?? I believe we’ll probably see a few more MG’s come up soon, however I don’t recall hearing any hints of one of those Silver Arrows kits being suggested so far. 

 

Cheers and enjoy this GB when we finally make a start.. Dave 

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11 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

I have a small question that has puzzled me for a while. Why on earth did Matchbox decide to do models in three colours? I mean I understand Monogram/Revell would do it for the sprue  with the guns and wheels, but Matchbox would do the Fuselage and wings silver( understand that, makes sense) but then tail surfaces, drop tanks green (Huh?) and anything else white or maybe black (double huh?) Granted the two kits i have are from the 70's and psychedelics were in vogue. dumb question I know but as the saying goes "Inquiring Minds gotsta know" you know? Thanks in advance.

 

It's  Matchboxes use of multi coloured plastic that seems to draw attention, but unpainted models were far from uncommon in the day. 1960's FROG instruction sheets suggest polishing their bare plastic with metal polish for a high shine on bare metal aircraft. I've bought and sold a ton of early built models over the years and a fair few were unpainted. A significant proportion have been painted in less than accurate colours as well. Matchbox recognised this and used different colour plastics as a selling point for a large section of their intended market. 

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11 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

I have a small question that has puzzled me for a while. Why on earth did Matchbox decide to do models in three colours? 

 

Well Two colours for the smaller Purple Series which had two sprues and Three for the next Series up which had three Sprues etc. 

 

The wording on PK-1 included

 

“Quality engineered in two colours” 

 

and 

 

“Finished model with parts and decals as supplied - no painting necessary.”  

 

Note that a Parent would probably have answered this Question by saying “Because.”  

 

Psychedelics was the 60s by the way ... although I doubt that those who really went through that time remember anything!  

 

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7 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Should you decide to add a Car model to this GB, can I sway you over the Auto Union way?? I believe we’ll probably see a few more MG’s come up soon, however I don’t recall hearing any hints of one of those Silver Arrows kits being suggested so far. 

 

 

Auto Union.

 

Silver Arrows?

 

Dave @Rabbit Leader I think you might have offended fans of both Auto Union (and it’s descendant Audi) AND Mercedes Benz in one go there!  

 

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25 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Auto Union.

 

Silver Arrows?

 

Dave @Rabbit Leader I think you might have offended fans of both Auto Union (and it’s descendant Audi) AND Mercedes Benz in one go there!  

 

Well according to Wikipedia both the Auto Union and Benz teams were known as the Silver Arrows

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Arrows

 

 

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28 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Auto Union.

Silver Arrows?

Dave @Rabbit Leader I think you might have offended fans of both Auto Union (and it’s descendant Audi) AND Mercedes Benz in one go there!  

 

 

Weren’t both marques called Silver Arrows in reference to Germany’s Silver Racing colour?

If I’m wrong I don’t apologise, I drive neither make and am most unlikely to ever do so as well. 

 

Edit - see bianfuxa’s Wiki comment above. 

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Just now, Rabbit Leader said:

 

Weren’t both marques called Silver Arrows in reference to Germany’s Silver Racing colour?

If I’m wrong I don’t apologise, I drive neither make and am most unlikely to ever do so either. 

Yep you're right.

 

After living in China and being almost run over countless times by CCP cadres in their black Audis, I have to say I'd never want to drive one either! Now I'm in Australia I can't say I appreciate them much better here either 🤣

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2 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

 

Weren’t both marques called Silver Arrows in reference to Germany’s Silver Racing colour?

If I’m wrong I don’t apologise, I drive neither make and am most unlikely to ever do so as well. 

 

Edit - see bianfuxa’s Wiki comment above. 

 

Sorry Dave my mistake. 

 

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I have both a Heyford and a Stranraer in the stash. I nearly completed a Heyford in the past (long story) and did build the Stranraer as a kid. Put me down for the Heyford. I'll have another go. Does anyone have WW2 era photos of a Heyford?

 

I can always build the Stranraer in the Big and British.....

 

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Re the multicoloured sprue  thing. I believe Matchbox thought if they could get their kits into the same shops that the die-cast cars were in, the multicoloured aspect would give them edge over Airfix etc in the young modeller stakes. Browns and yellows seemed to be around a lot and one of my acquaintances always reckoned the seventies was made in 'Brownovision'. I can remember being home for Easter from Uni and buying the Fury from our local newsagent and being very impressed by it. I was 19 and reading 'Scale Models' and starting to take model building a bit more seriously in terms of care and detail. My girlfriend was heavily into painting and sewing and so no real issues over spending time modelling. 

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9 hours ago, Rob S said:

Sorry Dave my mistake. 


Gotcha… Dave 1 - Rob 0

 

Hey Guys, I’ll update the list and respond to you all a little later. Out all day while daughters at another rowing regatta.. it’s hot, sweaty and goes all day long - fun hey!

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Pat has given me the go ahead for the Twin Otter (PK-127) where I had built up an interior already, but has said that it under the 25% rule (yippee!), so please pop me down for that one, and I will also try to do my Stranraer (PK-601) as it is an extended GB.

 

Cheers, 

 

Ray

Edited by Ray S
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