1/40 152 SNAP 105mm Gun Emplacement - (ex Adams)
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
Rare early 1960s model from the original 1950s Adams molds. Well molded and detailed for that time featuring a display base, sandbags, elevating gun, moving trails, radio, shell casings, full shells, ammo box and crew of 5 in-action G.I.s. Molded in dark olive drab plastic. Never started and inventoried 100% complete with all parts, decals and instructions present. These molds must have had a very interesting history. They were cut in 1955 or 1956, either at Adams or by one of Revell's contractors. It appeared to be part of the Adams/Revell 1/40 line but Revell never issued the kit - they did issue their own 105mm howitzer, but it was completely different. The famous HO model train manufacturer Athearn then purchased the Adams molds. Ahtearn used the name SNAP for all plastic kit releases and slightly modified the molds by adding their name (SNAP) & logo to a part (or two) of each kit. This 105mm Gun Emplacement kit is made in the USA but is actually a SNAP export to Canada; the importer was 'International Games of Canada Limited' in 'New Toronto Ontario.' They used a silver overprint to block out the kit number and pric extension and then added '#152 in Canada $1.59'. Then UPC (Universal Power Master) either leased or purchased (probably the former) the Adams molds from SNAP in the 1960s. While most UPC kits say 'Made in Japan' the ex-Adams models do not and say 'Made in USA'. Things get even more interesting with the Life-Like issue. How Life-Like came across the molds is unfortunately unknown but it may have been in a bulk purchase of molds from Athearn since there were in the same general part of the country. This is simply conjecture, however.
This item has been sold.
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