Archive for the ‘Plastic Model Kit History’ Category

History of the Hawk “Weird-Ohs” Plastic Model Kits

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

By Bill Campbell -Edited by Alan Bussie When he provided me the information for his biography and Hawk Model Company, Bill was kind enough to write a history of the phenomenal “Weird-Ohs” model kits that he developed. – AB After reviewing some of the dangling questions voiced on the internet by people ...

A Biography of Artist Bill Campbell - Illustrator For Hawk Plastic Model Kits

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

By Bill Campbell and Edited by Alan Bussie Bill Campbell has had a steady and successful career in commercial artwork and marketing. In modeling circles, he is known for his 250+ box illustrations (mainly for Hawk Models) and as the creator of the eccentric and popular “Weird-Ohs” model line. ...

The History of Marusan – the First Japanese Plastic Model Kit Manufacturer

Monday, February 8th, 2010

By Alan Bussie In the USA, Revell, Monogram and Aurora are synonymous with early modeling. However, the name Marusan is equally well known in Japan as the pioneer plastic kit manufacturer. The history of Marusan is not well known outside Japan. I am indebted to John Burns, numerous ...

Early Plastic Model Kit Development in the USA

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

Editors Note: every once in a while you run across someone with exceptional knowledge in a certain field. During an email exchange about older kits, I asked Dave if he would mind writing an article about early kits in the US. Dave's knowledge has been an education ...

The Elusive Revell Electra…will it ever return?

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

Editors Note: I came across this article tucked inside an old Revell Electra kit. It tells the history of one of Revell's rare and more desirable model kits as well as shedding light on mold modification. The photos have been added. I do not know the ...

The Life of a Plastic Model Kit Designer By Bruce P. Byerly

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

Editors Note: The appearance of the great AMT XB-70, F7F Tigercat and XB-35 Flying Wing kits was always a surprise to me. They seemed to appear from nowhere – from a company that almost exclusively made car models. Many years later I was fortunate enough to receive ...

A Pigeon Called Doolittle

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

By Jan R. Bussie As much as any nine year old boy could, I loved the seemingly endless days of summer fun while living at Koontz Lake. The sad days of the war years were coming to an end and there was a marked improvement in the post-war economic outlook. ...

Modeling in a Vacuum

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

by Jan R. Bussie As a young boy I was fascinated by the WW2 war news coming out of Europe. The bravery of the bombers and fast fighters pilots made them my heroes both then and now. In an effort to emulate these men I would fly my balsa glider in ...

The HO Scale Model Railroading Revolution of the 1940s

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

Late 1940s assembled wood/metal HO craftsman kit In the 1950s, “Consumerism” revolutionized the United States economy and social life. Two main items pushed the consumerist movement: discretionary income and free time. There had always been leisure time, but the activities that filled it varied. In the ...

A Brief History of Revell Plastic Model Kits

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

In the early 1940s, Lou Glaser, a California entrepreneur, founded an injection molding company. Precision Specialties performed contract work for other manufactures. In the early 1950s Gowland and Gowland designed the famous 1/16 scale "Highway Pioneers" line of 34 cars, which were the first mass-produced plastic automotive kits. ...