Articles for the ‘Plastic Model Kit History’ Category

The Kits of Pyro Plastic Company - An Illustrated Guide

Saturday, March 9th, 2013

By Alan Bussie Many thanks to Carlton Shanks, John Burns and all the KCCers for their extensive research and documentation Pyro is unique in plastic models because the subjects for kits were not selected by popularity.  Pyro was a very successful company without model kits.  Since the production of molds was subsidized ... Read the rest of the article...

William (Bill) Morris Lester – The Father of Modern Injection Molding and Founder of Pyro Plastics

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

By Alan Bussie I would like to thank artist and friend Michael Boss.  Without his research this article would not be possible.  Please note that any photos without credits are from the internet.  If you did not receive credit or any of these photos are copyrighted, please contact me for credit ... Read the rest of the article...

A Biography of James (Jim) Pettit Cox – The Father of Modern Model Box Artwork

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

By Alan Bussie My sincere thanks to Art Cox.  Without him this biography would not have been possible. Box artwork is a major part of model kit collecting.  In many cases, the illustration is more important that the contents!  The most colorful and desirable kits are from 1953 to the early 1960s, ... Read the rest of the article...

The Story Behind Megow Balsa

Thursday, September 6th, 2012

Anyone who knows of the Golden Age of Model Aircraft has worked with balsa wood.  This excellent article was printed in several of the Megow Company catalogs during the 1930s and 1940s.   Fred Megow got his start selling balsa and wood stock from the famous 'Green Cabinet' in local ... Read the rest of the article...

Jack Leynnwood – Artist and Model Kit Box Art Illustrator

Monday, November 29th, 2010

By Michael Boss and Mary Ridgway Editors Note: Michael Boss is an illustrator who was good friends with Jack Leynnwood from 1971 till Jack's passing in 1999. This article was written by Michael and Mary in 1995. Thank you both for a superb inside look at one of ... Read the rest of the article...

Red Ball Ltd - Pioneer HO Kit Manufacture Since 1939

Monday, October 11th, 2010

By Alan Bussie While researching Red Ball Ltd., I came across a unique article that had been deleted from Wikipedia. Fearing that one day the history of this famous kit line would be lost, I began research on this pioneer model manufacture. Fortunately, the information could be ... Read the rest of the article...

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 ... Read the rest of the article...

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. ... Read the rest of the article...

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 ... Read the rest of the article...

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 ... Read the rest of the article...

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 ... Read the rest of the article...

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 ... Read the rest of the article...

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 ... Read the rest of the article...

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. ... Read the rest of the article...

A Brief History Of Monogram Plastic Model Kits

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

The name Monogram is synonymous with quality in model kits. The founders, Jack Besser and Bob Reder, had a clear vision of what constitutes an excellent model kit and how to transform that into mass production. Not surprisingly, Monogram proved to be a profitable company for many years. Early ... Read the rest of the article...

A Brief History of Aurora Plastic Model Kits

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

Aurora was one of the most prolific names in American Modeling from 1952 to 1977. The line was very diverse and included aircraft, ships, tanks, missiles, figures (monster and many others), science fiction, automotive, animals, guns, totem poles, HO train items, electronic kits, "Coppersmith" sets, prehistoric scenes and more. The ... Read the rest of the article...