Freightdog aquires Skybirds '86 range and some Aeroclub products

[Dave Swindell]

@Colin @ Freightdog Models has announced he's aquired the Skybirds '86 range and some Aeroclub products from John Adams:-

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1125378069594726&set=a.261948272604381

"I am pleased to announce the purchase of the Skybirds’86 range from John Adams, originally produced by Mike Eacock and passed to John on Mike’s passing. This includes all the original masters from kits released between 1986 and the early 2000s, along with a number of unfinished masters that were never made available. I hope to release several of these during 2025, and also re-issue a number of viable items from the back catalogue of previously available items. John has also passed me a few items from his Aeroclub Models range along with the plastic tube, rod and strutt material. I also hope to revamp these for release in 2025."

 

 

 

 

[Acky190]

A repop of the Scimitar would sell like hot cakes! 

[2996 Victor]

Excellent news all round!

[JamesP]

The Prentice is the one I'd like to see reissued though probably not the most popular subject - AZ has done the MD5 and DH Hornet recently. I've got the Scimitar and they are challenging multi-media kits using low-tech production techniques. I hope Colin will update how they are produced using more modern processes, as we've come a long way since.

Edited December 1, 2024 by JamesP

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Totally agree IIRC the only IJ kit of the Prentice ever released- possibly the only ever kit actually!

 

 

[Paul Lucas]

1 hour ago, JamesP said:

The Prentice is the one I'd like to see reissued though probably not the most popular subject

It's coming. . .

Trust me. . .

 

 

[Alex Gordon]

I enjoyed building mine

 

 

Good luck to Colin,this is good news.

[2996 Victor]

10 minutes ago, Alex Gordon said:

I enjoyed building mine

 

 

Good luck to Colin,this is good news.

Looks fantastic! What's the scale?

[Dave Swindell]

3 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

What's the scale?

Seventytooth

[Alex Gordon]

1/72nd.I'll sort out the photos in the build thread https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234952355-skybirds-86-percival-prentice-in-172nd-scalefinished/ ,Onedrive has changed their way of doing things and they don't work all of a sudden.

[2996 Victor]

Just now, Dave Swindell said:

Seventytooth

Ho hum, 48th is my preferred echelle, alas.

Great modelling!

[Mr T]

I built one in 2017, which had been sat around in my stash for a long while. It is a kit where following the instructions is an absolute must, link below

It would be nice if Colin had received the moulds for the Gamecock, Grebe and Woodcock from Aeroclub, as no one else has ever done them since John (I know there must be a few Merlin kits out there, but they all pre date the Aeroclub ones, and well, they are Merlin) 

 

[Eric Mc]

I'd like to see the return of the white metal accessories - propellers, engines, wheels, ejection seats etc. I loved those.

 

And Aeroclub also did decals.

[KITCAT]

Go go for it I would love to see the Halberstadts and a lot more too

[manuel]

14 hours ago, Alex Gordon said:

1/72nd.I'll sort out the photos in the build thread https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234952355-skybirds-86-percival-prentice-in-172nd-scalefinished/ ,Onedrive has changed their way of doing things and they don't work all of a sudden.

I've a look at your work 👏  but definitively not Tamiya base. You have got a beauty of " a little better" than merlin kit.
Manuel

[bentwaters81tfw]

21 hours ago, Acky190 said:

A repop of the Scimitar would sell like hot cakes! 

Does that make it go up or down in value? Asking for a friend.

[71chally]

3 hours ago, Eric Mc said:

I'd like to see the return of the white metal accessories - propellers, engines, wheels, ejection seats etc. I loved those.

 

And Aeroclub also did decals.

They also did full kits which have still not been bettered by other manufacturers, the Canberras and DH Venoms for example.

 

Hopefully this means a well earned retirement for John Adams.

[Mr T]

I think most of the accessory moulds are in landfill. John said he got rid of about four tons of stuff a couple of years  ago. 

The Venom would be nice. 

[Aeronut22]

5 hours ago, Eric Mc said:

I'd like to see the return of the white metal accessories - propellers, engines, wheels, ejection seats etc. I loved those.

 

And Aeroclub also did decals.

An Aeroclub white metal bang seat went a long way in keeping the nosewheel on the ground.

[Eric Mc]

Yes - they weren't just for looks 

[fightersweep]

The Prentice would be great to see again. Wonder if the Aeroclub Pilatus P.2 will re-appear. Another subject not that well covered.

[Giorgio N]

Guess that when people here mention the Venom they mean the 1/48 mixed media kits?

I have a 1/72 Venom and it's not really something that would be very competitive today. On the other hand I remember the 1/48 kits as highly praised in their days

[CarLos]

Great news! I hope Colin releases at least the Friedrichshafen G II.

 

Carlos

[Caerbannog]

Would like to know what "few items from his Aeroclub Models range" means. I liked their 48 scale kits and the accessories and conversions. But in combination with MrTs landfill comment I am a bit affraid that some moulds are now lost forever. Although I doubt John Adams would bin moulds which are not very useless. How about the masters? The original post could also mean that John still holds most or the Aeroclub items.

[alt-92]

Orrrr... once you decide to wind down your business, put the moulds up for sale and there are no takers at all.. 
What do you do then? Keep them clogging up space forever?