Adams Model Kits
Adams Covered Wagon - (ex Miniature Masterpiece), 1/48, K213-88
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$85
Very rare 1958 issue. This highly detailed model includes wagon with detailed chassis, hitch & brakes, accessories & tools, display base, two Longhorn Oxen, horse, rider and two figures. The kit has never been started. Inventoried 100% complete including instructions. This kit has an interesting history. 'Miniature Masterpieces' was formed through an alliance of Lew Glaser (Revell) and Steve Adams (Adams Action Models) in 1953. Although the molds were made at Adams and it had the appearance of an independent company, the firm was run by Revell down to the prototypes being made at the Revell plant. Originally there was no evidence of the parent company on the surface. The State Coach of England was the first kit, issued in 1953. More kits of excellent quality followed. Revell completely took over the line in 1954 and in that year and the next, kits were labeled 'Revell' with a 'Miniature Masterpiece' label on the box top also. However, Adams broke the relationship with Revell in the later 1950s and began making kits under the Adams name with the original molds.
Adams Chuck Wagon - (ex Miniature Masterpiece), 1/48, K235-88
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc+
$85
Very rare 1958 issue. This highly detailed model includes wagon with detailed chassis & hitch, dinner bell, stew pot, coffee pot & lantern, two life-like cowhands, one sitting cowboy calf, dog, two horses, display base and more. The kit has never been started. Inventoried with all parts present, Adams "Circle A Ranch" decals in 'near mint' condition and photocopied instructions. NOTE: the instructions are high-quality, full size photocopies from the Revell kit. The original instructions are missing. This kit has an interesting history. 'Miniature Masterpieces' was formed through an alliance of Lew Glaser (Revell) and Steve Adams (Adams Action Models) in 1953. Although the molds were made at Adams and it had the appearance of an independent company, the firm was run by Revell down to the prototypes being made at the Revell plant. Originally there was no evidence of the parent company on the surface. The State Coach of England was the first kit, issued in 1953. More kits of excellent quality followed. Revell completely took over the line in 1954 and in that year and the next, kits were labeled 'Revell' with a 'Miniature Masterpiece' label on the box top also. However, Adams broke the relationship with Revell in the later 1950s and began making kits under the Adams name with the original molds.
Adams 105mm Gun Emplacement - Howitzer With 5 Man Crew, 1/40, K152-98
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good+
$54
NOTE: this is an Adams Box and Instructions but the plastic parts and decals from Life-Like (which if from the original Adams molds). Dated 1958 and a very well detailed mini-diorama kit. Features molded base and sandbags, elevating gun, moving left & right trails, radio, shell casings, full shells, ammo box and crew of 5 in-action G.I.s. Never started and inventoried complete with decals and instructions. Thanks to Paul Houk, we know this is not the same kit as the Revell 105. Although they have similarities, they are from completely different molds. I recently had the opportunity to compare them side-by-side and they are actually quite different.
Adams Aerial Missile Transporter - Cessna YH-41 With Hawk Missiles, 1/40, K-158-98
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good+
$135
This was Cessna's only helicopter design and was considered as a transport to quickly resupply remote Hawk SAM launchers. Very nicely detailed model features full cockpit and interior, pilot and co-pilot figures, opening cabin doors, missile loader figure and Hawk Missiles with cradles. Never started. It has been inventoried complete with all parts and includes decals and instructions.
Adams USMC Winnie the Whale LVT(A)(4), 1/40, K157-149
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: VG+
$135
Very rare 1958 high-quality model and the original issue from Adams. Features working bogies, flexible tracks, crew of two, four soldiers and more. Never started. It has been inventoried complete with all parts and includes decals and instructions. The box displays better than the 'very good+' grade but is rated as such because there is a small, narrow litho tear on the left short side. These molds must have had a very interesting history. The molds were cut in the late 1950s, either at Adams or by one of Revell's contractors. It appeared to be part of the Adams/Revell 1/40 line but only Adams issued the kit. UPC (Universal Power Master) had use of these molds in the 1960s are perhaps the early 1970s; however, the molds were probably in Japan as most if not all the UPC production occurred there. Around this point, SNAP plastics of Hillside, New Jersey acquired this kit along with many of the other ex-Adams military molds. While the UPC issues say 'Made in Japan' the SNAP issues say nothing of the origin of the manufacture; so perhaps they were made in New Jersey. 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 SNAP since there were in the same general part of the country. This is simply conjecture, however.
Adams Aerial Missile Transporter - Cessna YH-41 With Hawk Missiles, 1/40, K-158-98
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: VG++
$145
This was Cessna's only helicopter design and was considered as a transport to quickly resupply remote Hawk SAM launchers. Very nicely detailed model features full cockpit and interior, pilot and co-pilot figures, opening cabin doors, missile loader figure and Hawk Missiles with cradles. Never started. It has been inventoried complete with all parts and includes decals and instructions.
Adams Operation Missile Support - Honest John Rocket with Launcher Truck / 105mm Gun Emplacement Annie Oakley / 155mm Self-Propelled Gun Choo-Choo Bady, 1/40, G155-498
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: VG
$875
Very rare. First and only issue of this 1958 gift set with incredible box artwork. The box is in 'very good' condition with great color and gloss, only one closed split corner, no repairs, no fading or water stains, no tape or price tags or marks from either but plenty of typical light wear, edge wear and moderate corner wear as shown. All three kits are all very highly detailed with many working features. Inside, the kit has never been started and everything is as it left the factory. The correct internal cardboard dividers are present and in excellent condition. The parts that were factory sealed are still in the sealed clear bags; the parts that were never factory sealed have been inventoried complete. Includes all decals and all instructions. This kit will be shipped insured and double boxed.
Adams 280mm Atomic Cannon With 2 Gun Transporters - M65, 1/40, K153-398
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good++
$475
Very rare classic Cold-War kit from the late 1950s. The Atomic Cannon was the Army's 20 mile range gun that could fire shells that contains small atomic bombs. The model is very highly detailed for that time and features transporters with movable wheels, towing yokes, fully detailed cab interiors, complete suspension and elevating and swiveling machine guns; the Atomic Cannon itself can be configured for firing or towing positions, the barrel elevates by actual operating gears, the carriage rotates 360 degrees on platform and it actually fires 2 "Atomic" shells. Includes crew of 7. Inside, the model is factory new. It has never been started. The internal factory cardboard divider is present and in 'excellent' condition. The parts that were factory sealed are still in the factory sealed bags; the parts that were never factory sealed have been inventoried complete. With decals and instructions. The decals are very loosely rolled and in 'very good' condition with the typical yellowing as the main flaws. The instructions are in 'excellent' condition with minimal yellowing and a slight bit of wear and creasing to the right side of the cover page. The box has like-new color and gloss with no rips, no price tags or tag marks, no tape or tape marks (other than the factory sealing tape), four solid corners, no repairs and no fading. However, it does have very light age foxing (which is very difficult to see, it is so light) and light edge & corner wear with two small spots of moderate edge wear on the left vertical edge. the four box sides are in the same condition as the top except NOTE: There is one factory tape litho pull on the lower long side. It measures 1.5" x .5".The amazing M65 280mm atomic cannon originally started life as a conventional artillery piece. Development first began in 1944 before the first atomic weapon had been tested. Far from being 'just another giant gun', the M65 was carefully designed to be a very mobile and versatile weapon. Liberal use of aluminum and other light-weight metals kept the weight of the gun and both transports to about 85 tons, which is not much more than the largest conventional gun of WWII. As a result, it is light enough to be carried by trucks and cross bridges without collapsing them. Size was also a major factor, as it can fit inside landing craft, turn street corners of an amazingly small radius and travel as fast at 35 mph. The two transporters are required to move the gun, with one in back and one in front. Power is supplied to each tractor by a 6 cylinder engine with 375 horsepower. Both transmissions are manually controlled. These 4x4 machines can push, pull or parallel one another - with the gun slung between them. The driver of the front tractor has control of the brakes and throttles of both units and can communicate to the rear driver by telephone. The gun can be traversed in a complete circle and has a range of up to 20 miles. A complete 280mm batter consisted of two guns, four 5-ton trucks towing ammunition trailers, another two trucks pulling a pair of generator trailers (each with a 30 KW generator to furnish power to the guns, a 5th truck carrying four shell carts and a 2 1/2 ton shop van. The total crew was about 100 men. Each gun could be set up to fire in less than 12 minutes and can fire a round every two minutes.
Adams 280mm Atomic Cannon With 2 Gun Transporters - M65, 1/40, K153-398
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: VG+
$565
Very rare and even more so in this condition. Classic Cold-War kit from the late 1950s. The Atomic Cannon was the Army's 20 mile range gun that could fire shells that contains small atomic bombs. The model is very highly detailed for that time and features transporters with movable wheels, towing yokes, fully detailed cab interiors & complete suspension, elevating and swiveling machine guns; the Atomic Cannon itself can be configured for firing or towing positions, the barrel elevates by real operating gears, the carriage rotates 360 degrees on platform and it actually fires 2 "Atomic" shells. Includes crew of 7. Inside, the model is factory new. It has never been started.. The parts that were factory sealed are still in the factory sealed bags; the parts that were never factory sealed have been inventoried complete. With decals and instructions. The decals are absolutely flat and in 'Good++' condition with the typical yellowing and a very light stain as the main flaws. The instructions are in 'very good++' condition with very light wear and typical yellowing as the only flaws. The box has like-new color and gloss. There are no tears, no price tags or tag marks, no tape or tape marks (other than the factory sealing tape), four solid corners, no repairs and no fading. However, it does have light to moderate general shelf wear as shown, mainly on the edges. There is one small factory tape litho pull on the upper long side which measures 1/2" x 3/8". The amazing M65 280mm atomic cannon originally started life as a conventional artillery piece. Development first began in 1944 before the first atomic weapon had been tested. Far from being 'just another giant gun', the M65 was carefully designed to be a very mobile and versatile weapon. Liberal use of aluminum and other light-weight metals kept the weight of the gun and both transports to about 85 tons, which is not much more than the largest conventional gun of WWII. As a result, it is light enough to be carried by trucks and cross bridges without collapsing them. Size was also a major factor, as it can fit inside landing craft, turn street corners of an amazingly small radius and travel as fast at 35 mph. The two transporters are required to move the gun, with one in back and one in front. Power is supplied to each tractor by a 6 cylinder engine with 375 horsepower. Both transmissions are manually controlled. These 4x4 machines can push, pull or parallel one another - with the gun slung between them. The driver of the front tractor has control of the brakes and throttles of both units and can communicate to the rear driver by telephone. The gun can be traversed in a complete circle and has a range of up to 20 miles. A complete 280mm batter consisted of two guns, four 5-ton trucks towing ammunition trailers, another two trucks pulling a pair of generator trailers (each with a 30 KW generator to furnish power to the guns, a 5th truck carrying four shell carts and a 2 1/2 ton shop van. The total crew was about 100 men. Each gun could be set up to fire in less than 12 minutes and can fire a round every two minutes.
Adams Thor Missile at White Sands - With Launch Pad And Crew, 1/87, K162
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good+++
$225
This rare kit dated 1958 and features a well detailed Thor missile, complete launching tower and ground crew of three. Molded in gloss white and medium gloss gray. Decals and instructions are in amazing 'near mint' condition. Never started and inventoried 100% complete with all parts, decals and instructions. Please NOTE that the box displays much better than the 'good+++' grade. It is graded as such because at the factory, workers used black paint to remove the price extension from the kit number. The lower short side panel is neatly done, but they used a little too much paint on the top short panel and there is a run.
Adams Thor Missile at White Sands with Launch Pad, 1/87, K162
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: VG+
$210
Rare kit dated 1958. Very well detailed featuring Thor missile, complete launching tower and ground crew of three. Molded in gloss white and medium gloss gray. Never started and inventoried 100% complete with all parts, decals and instructions present.
Adams Thor Missile at White Sands with Launch Pad, 1/87, K162-98
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: VG++
$275
Rare kit dated 1958. Features a well detailed Thor missile, complete launching tower and ground crew of three. Molded in gloss white and medium gloss gray. Decals and instructions are in amazing 'excellent+' condition. Never started and inventoried 100% complete with all parts, decals and instructions. The box has great color and gloss, four solid corners, no fading, stains or repairs. It would grade higher but it has general wear as shown.