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We all love Matchboxes don't we? I know I do!

I thought I'd put a post together with all my built up ones, as there was a thread recently about Matchboxes that provoked a bit of interest. Apologies if you've seen them before :D

First up, the Wellington pair. Fresh from the build bench for the commemorative Maurice Landi group build at UAMF.

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A Swordfish,

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HE70

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Lysander

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Boeing P-26

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Cosair duo

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And lastly, the Norseman.

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These were all oob builds of original Matchbox releases apart from the Norseman, which had added interior detail.

They were all really easy, relaxing builds, again, apart from the Norseman. I love building the unpainted ones, it's really quick and a perfect cure for AMS or modellers block!

Hope you've enjoyed looking at these, add your own!

Jen.

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Guest snipersmudge

ahh matchbox kits! i spent my youth saving pennys to buy then, used to love the stands that they came with great stuff

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I have very strong memories of a mate having built a Matchbox Alphajet (unpainted), and remember being quite jealous at the time. I built a few of their smaller kits, but they only really came to my attention when I got their 1:32 Spit as a present. I think it wasn't long after my first forray into that scale with a Hasegawa Spit, so my folks must have realised that I was ready to do it justic (with brushes, no filler etc. - remember I was only wickle!). I did the 109 and the Dauntless soon after, which is why I've collected almost the full set of their 1:32 kits... with the exception of the Puma :(

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Great Stuff, Matchboxes! They are thoroughly enjoyable to just to build OOB!

The unpainted ones really remind me of my early model building. In a way it's great seeing them like that!

I have enjoyed!, and so I'll add some of mine too...

F-86A/5 Sabre

I built this purely OOB as a tester for the Citadel Mithril Silver finish. It was brush painted and I liked the results... although it comes out 10 times better when sprayed...

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Lightning F.6

This is also OOB, done to test the Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver finish, brush painted again, but I didn't like it as much (Not tried spraying it yet)

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And finally, A Meteor NF-14 that I built about somewhere about 15 years ago.

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Gotta love the Matchbox kits!

Karl.

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I have very strong memories of a mate having built a Matchbox Alphajet (unpainted), and remember being quite jealous at the time. I built a few of their smaller kits, but they only really came to my attention when I got their 1:32 Spit as a present. I think it wasn't long after my first forray into that scale with a Hasegawa Spit, so my folks must have realised that I was ready to do it justic (with brushes, no filler etc. - remember I was only wickle!). I did the 109 and the Dauntless soon after, which is why I've collected almost the full set of their 1:32 kits... with the exception of the Puma :(

You missed out on the Puma there mate, I remember it being the highlight of an xmas when I was a proper sprog. Assembled in a day, painted in camo (Interior left bare :winkgrin: of course!) and then repainted all silver a couple of days later for some reason, but it did look flash to me anyway!

:tumble:

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I love the old Matchbox kits. I have fond memories of building a number of them in a caravan on the banks of Lake Bala, whilst it lashed it down with rain for two weeks. Didn't have to paint them as they were pre coloured. The unpainted builds look very neat though. To neat in fact. Wheres the obligatory glue fingerprint on the canopy coupled with stringy plastic glue hanging from the fuselage.?

Having built a few more over the last 12 months I still like them. I just work on the principle that a bit of hard work never hurt anyone.

Nige.

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Well, if we're posting up Matchboxes...

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All from the ARC Matchbox Madness GB 2006 (another coming next year), apart from the Seafox which was part of the 'Splash' GB hosted by our very own Doc Fester in happier times.

Steve.

PS Neil, that is a wonderful job on what is often considered a right bugger of a kit.

Edited by Bennygman
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I love the old Matchbox kits. I have fond memories of building a number of them in a caravan on the banks of Lake Bala, whilst it lashed it down with rain for two weeks. Didn't have to paint them as they were pre coloured. The unpainted builds look very neat though. To neat in fact. Wheres the obligatory glue fingerprint on the canopy coupled with stringy plastic glue hanging from the fuselage.?

Having built a few more over the last 12 months I still like them. I just work on the principle that a bit of hard work never hurt anyone.

Nige.

Jeez,you too,eh!lol

One of my fondest childhood memories was of Dad making the model up for me while I watched & then me 'flying it' around the house. I must've been 6 or 7 at the time. early 70's.I remember a white & light blue plane.Cant for the life of me remember what it was.

Remember the Dinky toy planes in the square bubble top boxes?

Merv

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Oooh yeah!

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This young man is doing some serious dogfighting between the RN Phantom and the Me 109 E (trop).

LOL! I remember they were well made them toys, Was'nt Dinky a subsidury of Matchbox?

Merv

PS,Your Da must've got the wallpaper from the same shop as mine! :analintruder:

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I well remember the excitement when Matchbox kits first came out - and in those days I fully appreciated the multi colour plastic, clear windows in the box and unusual subject matter.

Some of their subjects are still fairly unique.

Here's a few more recent ones of mine!

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Great Stuff, Matchboxes! They are thoroughly enjoyable to just to build OOB!

The unpainted ones really remind me of my early model building. In a way it's great seeing them like that!

I have enjoyed!, and so I'll add some of mine too...

F-86A/5 Sabre

I built this purely OOB as a tester for the Citadel Mithril Silver finish. It was brush painted and I liked the results... although it comes out 10 times better when sprayed...

5782ed96.jpg

181fc996.jpg

Lightning F.6

This is also OOB, done to test the Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver finish, brush painted again, but I didn't like it as much (Not tried spraying it yet)

b05525a7.jpg

281f2ace.jpg

And finally, A Meteor NF-14 that I built about somewhere about 15 years ago.

9336fc6e.jpg

Gotta love the Matchbox kits!

Karl.

Brush painted? Flippin' incredible work!!

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It seems strange that so many modellers still build Matchbox kits - childhood tugs maybe?

I remember clearly when Matchbox kits were first realeased back in the early 70's the boxes alone were enough to make you want to spend your pocket money. Did my bit towards Matchbox sales that's for sure.

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Some cracking builds there guys! Glad I posted it now. The Wellington bomber was my first ever kit, my dad made it for me when I was about 5 years old. It's taken me all this time to get around to doing it/them again!

When I was little I actually didn't do very many Matchboxes as my main shop had Airfix and Heller, but I love the colours and the box art. I have a very vivid memory of going to my cousins house for a visit and gazing covetously at his Spitfire 22, and then going down to his local toy shop and fighting over the only two seat Lightning they had in at the time! :lol:

There's more to come from me, I have the said two seat Lightning, Walrus, Stranraer, Gladiator and Fury in the stash, as yet unbuilt.

Jen.

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It seems strange that so many modellers still build Matchbox kits - childhood tugs maybe?

I remember clearly when Matchbox kits were first realeased back in the early 70's the boxes alone were enough to make you want to spend your pocket money. Did my bit towards Matchbox sales that's for sure.

Even back in the mid 80's,Matchbox was the only kit's the Malcome Club at Bruggen stocked!

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