Balsa Model Plane Kits for sale
StromBecker Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star - (F-80), C-32
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Good+
$56
Earlier issue most likely from the late 1940s where the aircraft is labeled 'P-80' instead of the 'F-80' on later issues. StromBecker was famous for this line of precarved hardwood and plastic kits. The carving is done to the final shape. When complete it makes an impressive desk top display. Includes all hardwood factory-carved parts, clear plastic canopy, hardwood stand with metal stand arm, full decals, sandpaper, sanding stick, wood filler, Casco Powdered Casein Glue, Casein Company Wood Filler and complete instructions. Never started. 100% complete with all parts and plans.
Comet North American NA-35 (Vega 35) - 17 1/8 inch Wingspan For Free Flight, 3301-198
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$34
From the early to mid 1960s. This stick and tissue kit can be powered by rubber as designed, converted to electric or built for static display. Features traditional construction techniques with quality, die-cut balsa sheet parts, stripwood, fully formed wheels and thrust button, wood stock as required, fully formed wire landing gear, rubber motor, plastic prop, wood thrust button, clear material for windscreens, a sheet of full color insignia, covering tissue and detailed, full-size plans and building instructions. Complete and never started. Comet was a famous manufacturer of stick and tissue flying and static models. In the 1930s Great Depression, they lead the low-priced kit revolution with the "Dime Scale" kits and famous advertisements in Model Airplane News magazine and others. Comet reached it's peak in the 1930s when they acquired the services of Carl Goldberg. Goldberg was a highly accomplished modeler with articles in Model Airplane News and famous designs that won him several National level competitions in the 1930s and beyond. (Carl Goldberg went on to found his own company and produced well designed and popular free-flight and RC aircraft). Comet survived the post World War economic slump and continued kit production until they were bought out by long-time competitor Guillow's in 1998.
Comet US Army Observation Y10-43 - 22 Inch Wingspan Flying Aircraft - (Y10 43)
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Good-
$56
Very rare kit from 1934. Stick and tissue kit almost never turn up from this early. This is a very nice model with excellent and highly detailed plans showing numerous drawings, parts layout and full-size templates, numerous detailing tips and excellent text instructions. They even have an actual photo of the fuselage being built. In addition there is a full size sheet of separate text instructions. The parts feature four sheets of printwood, strip wood in different sizes, original two colors of tissue paper, very large, colorful and comprehensive insignia sheet, fully carved wood prop, fully carved spinner and wheels, two sheets of sandpaper, a paper envelope of metal detail parts, clear canopy material with the window frames printed on, metal stock, quality strip balsa and balsa blocks and rigging cord. NOTE: the following fuselage bulkheads have been cut out and are missing but are full-size on the plans: #1, #2, #3 and #4. Otherwise inventoried with all other parts and plans present. Three other parts are neatly cut out and present. No other parts are cut. The box top is complete with all four sides and top but is tattered on and along the lower long side; there is also general wear and damage as shown. It does display better than the grade, but is rated as such due to the damage on the box sides The tray (bottom box) is 'very good-' with some wear to the edges. Inside, the superb plans are 'very good++.' They were never 'pinned down' for assembly, have no writing on them and the folds are solid (not fragile.) Flaws are a 3" closed tear and the normal yellowing.
Monogram B-24 Liberator Speedee-Bilt - Five Star Super Deluxe Kit, 1/60, H4-495
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$695
Dated 1954. Rare, desirable and very collectible one-and-only issue of this classic early multi-media kit with a fantastic internal box presentation. Includes numerous plastic parts in red, gray, clear and black, four unopened glass bottle of Mono*Dope that are still good, an unopened tube of MonoGlue still in the original mint box, all prefabricated wooden parts including the amazing Monofoil wing, three sheets of die-cut and factory painted wood (intact and unpunched), colored die-cut cardstock sheet, sandpaper, gun barrel plastic material, decals in amazing 'excellent' condition, 'near mint' instruction book and full size plans. Inside, the kit is factory new. All of the factory cardboard presentation material is present and in amazing 'near mint++' condition. The kit has never been started. The small parts in the three lower trays are still factory tape sealed. All other pieces were never sealed and they have been carefully inventoried complete with all parts, paperwork, instructions, plans and decals. The box top is graded well above average as 'excellent.' It has superb color and gloss but moderate edge wear at the center top as shown, a light crease at the lower right, other general wear and a very small factory tape tear on thye upper long side measuring 1/2" by 1/4 inch. Amazingly, the celluloid plastic parts range from no warping to very slight warping. This is very rare, as that type of plastic was unstable and warped easily over time. Before injection molded plastic kits were common, Monogram issued the famous 'Speedee-Bilt' and 'Super Kits' which featured injection molded details and precarved wooden parts. Of these, the Speedee-Bilt B-24 and B-17 were the finest. These kits are very rare today due to their relatively high original price of $4.95 and the fact that plastic kits had just come to the US market a year before and were gaining market share very rapidly. This kit must be shipped insured.
Monogram Speedee Bilt B-25 Mitchell - Wood and Plastic Model Aircraft, H-1
Wood and Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good
$369
Rare early Monogram kit from the early 1950s. Fantastically well detailed and presented multi-media kit with 34 injection molded clear, red, black and gray acetate and 57 die cut or shaped balsa parts including the famous Monofoil pre-formed wing. This example has never been started and is inventoried 100% complete with all parts, glue, dope, decals, sand paper, plans and instruction book. It still has all of the correct internal display cardboard as shown. NOTE: the decals are only in 'good' condition and have some damage as shown. Please note that this kit must be shipped insured. This is the first large-scale non-flying scale Speedee-Bilt model, the B-25 Mitchell. Before there were plastic models, there were wooden aircraft kits. These usually came in two types - solid and stick and tissue. The solid models were static and usually contained a few blocks of balsa and sometimes a detail part or two. These "Make Wood Look Like Plane" models required a very high level of skill in carving and finishing. The stick and tissue variety were slightly easier to build and provided the ultimate thrill - they could fly when complete with rubber power (and later with free-flight gas and eventually RC). They still required a great deal of skill, so manufacturers sought ways to make model building more accessible to everyone. One idea was pre-carving and/or prefabrication. This raised prices, naturally. Many manufacturers launched lines of 'easy' to build flying models but only Monogram succeeded in making an entire line at an affordable price that would actual fly. Monogram, however, wanted to make true scale models that could still be assembled easily. So they created the four large and highly detailed non-flying scale Speedee-Bilt bombers - the B-25, B-26, B-24 and B-17. The kits were a tremendous success and sold well in the early to mid 1950s.
Guillows De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk -17 inch Wingspan Rubber Powered Balsa Wood Kit, 903
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc++
$18
This is a scale stick and tissue rubber powered flying model that features die cut balsa parts, vacuform nose, wheels, plastic propeller, hardware, vacuform canopy, colored tissue, insignia and full size plans with detailed building instructions. Never started and inventoried complete with all parts and includes decals and instructions. Guillow's founder, Paul K. Guillow, was a WWI naval aviator. In 1926 he began producing wooden model airplane kits. His 'Shelf Models' were some of the earlier non-flying models in production. Guillow's grew during the model boom of the 1930s, and when the Depression hit the hardest, Guillow's responded with lower prices and became one of the low price leaders, frequently advertising in Model Airplane News and other leading publications. During the war, like most manufacturers, Guillow's was forced to alternative materials such as cardboard and pine. Guillow's survived the post WWII slump by creating many inexpensive profile flying rubber powered aircraft and gliders in the 1950s (along with North Pacific) which became famous - some are still available today. The stick and tissue lines have been updated with laser cut parts and are still in production as of 2009.
Guillows Messerschmitt Bf-109 - 16.5 Inch Wingspan Balsa Flying Model Airplane, 1/24, 505
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Sealed Exc++
$18
Still factory sealed. This 1976 stick-and-tissue flying model features quality die-cut balsa wood parts, light vacuum-formed plastic parts such as the nose cowl, exterior detail and a clear canopy, scale wheel set, rubber motor, plastic propeller, plastic thrust bearing, wire propeller shaft, covering tissue, accurate full-size scale plans, illustrated step-by-step building booklet and full color decals.
CZ Model North American P-51 Mustang - Metal Covered Solid Wood Aircraft Model, 1/48
Wood and Metal Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$68
Very rare kit from the late 1940s and in 'excellent' condition inside and out. This kit is from the end of the 'Golden Age' of model aircraft and includes much of the more advanced technology that was coming along at the time. The fuselage is 3D cut, the wings and tails are 2D (profile) cut, there is a resin or chalk cast canopy in 'excellent' condition, cast metal prop, printwood, a sealed bag of small parts, one glass bottles of CZ Adhesive (for gluing metal to paint), several sheets of detailed, embossed and pre-cut metal covering for the kit, very detailed and illustrated instructions and full size plans. The kit has never been started. The small parts are still in the internal factory sealed envelope and the other parts have been inventoried complete including all paperwork.
CZ Model Bell P-39 Pursuit - Metal Covered Solid Wood Aircraft Model, 1/48
Wood and Metal Model Kit, Box Condition: VG
$62
Very rare and deluxe model kit from the late 1940s. This kit is from the end of the 'Golden Age' of model aircraft and includes much of the more advanced technology that was coming along at the time. The fuselage is 3D cut, the wings and tails are 2D (profile) cut, clear canopy celluloid with the frames factory painted on in silver, a factory sealed wax bag that includes a cast metal propeller, fully finished nose & main wheels and more, printwood, several sheets of detailed, embossed and pre-cut metal covering for the kit, very detailed and illustrated instructions and full size plans. NOTE: this kit has minor, 'professional' quality sanding as noted: The fuselage and one wing have been sanded. The work is flawless. There is no other work done. The small parts are still in the internal factory sealed envelope and the other parts have been inventoried complete including all paperwork.
Guillows T-28D - 16 inch Wingspan Rubber Powered Balsa Wood Kit, 901
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Sealed NM
$19
Still factory sealed. This is a scale stick and tissue rubber powered flying model which features die cut balsa parts, vacuform nose, wheels, plastic propeller, hardware, vacuform canopy, colored tissue, insignia and full size plans with detailed building instructions. Guillow's founder, Paul K. Guillow, was a WWI naval aviator. In 1926 he began producing wooden model airplane kits. His 'Shelf Models' were some of the earlier non-flying models in production. Guillow's grew during the model boom of the 1930s, and when the Depression hit the hardest, Guillow's responded with lower prices and became one of the low price leaders, frequently advertising in Model Airplane News and other leading publications. During the war, like most manufacturers, Guillow's was forced to alternative materials such as cardboard and pine. Guillow's survived the post WWII slump by creating many inexpensive profile flying rubber powered aircraft and gliders in the 1950s (along with North Pacific) which became famous - some are still available today. The stick and tissue lines have been updated with laser cut parts and are still in production as of 2009.
Guillows Hawker Typhoon Mk1B - 18 inch Wingspan Rubber Powered Flying Model, 906
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$18
1970 scale stick and tissue rubber powered flying model. Includes die cut balsa parts, vacuform nose/spinner, wheels, plastic propeller, hardware, vacuform canopy, colored tissue, insignia and full size plans with detailed building instructions. The model has not been started. Inventoried 100% complete with all parts and instructions/plans present. Guillow's founder, Paul K. Guillow, was a WWI naval aviator. In 1926 he began producing wooden model airplane kits. His 'Shelf Models' were some of the earlier non-flying models in production. Guillow's grew during the model boom of the 1930s, and when the Depression hit the hardest, Guillow's responded with lower prices and became one of the low price leaders, frequently advertising in Model Airplane News and other leading publications. During the war, like most manufacturers, Guillow's was forced to alternative materials such as cardboard and pine. Guillow's survived the post WWII slump by creating many inexpensive profile flying rubber powered aircraft and gliders in the 1950s (along with North Pacific) which became famous - some are still available today. The stick and tissue lines have been updated with laser cut parts and are still in production as of 2009.
Hawk Ryan FR-1 Fireball - Solid Wood Airplane Model, 1/48, 76
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Fair
$34
For the advanced model collector and from 1945. Hawk was one of the few manufacturers making wooden kits to a constant scale of 1/48 in the 1930s. Hawk kits were considered high quality and very complete for that time and often included metal or plastic details. very complete and included metal details and superb quality drawings for the true scale enthusiast. The side of this box shows photos of 6 other built-up Hawk aircraft kits and gives a rare look at the product line. The model features a 2D cut fuselage, wings & tails, turned and completely finished hardwood cowling, plastic three blade propeller, fully finished wooden wheels, metal seat, clear vacuform plastic canopy (in excellent condition and not yellowed), wooden stock as needed, color decal sheet, a special heavy cardstock template sheet, sandpaper, special metal display stand and excellent, well-detailed plans. The model has not been started and is complete. NOTE: the box is water damaged and so are the plans and template sheet; both are still completely usable but no longer in 'collectible' condition. The decals are microcracking and lifting
Dumas Laird Super Solution - 24 Inch Wingspan Flying Model Aircraft, 401
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Sealed VG++
$36
Still factory sealed. This is a modern and well designed stick and tissue flying scale model designed for rubber power; however, many builders have converted these kits to electric free-flight and even R/C. This large scale kit features hand-selected laser cut balsa, contest rubber and plastic propeller, vacuformed details, color decals, full size plan, hardware, lightweight colored tissue and full step by step instructions.
Jetco Thermic 72 Glider - 72 inch Wingspan for RC or Tow Launch, G4
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$155
Jetco was a producer of high quality gliders (the famous Thermic series), rubber and gas free flight and radio controlled aircraft. Jetco kits used the best materials and are very well engineered and complete. This very large and successful design features full size plans, NACA 6409 Airfoil, shaped leading and trailing edges, die-cut ribs, tip-up elevator dethermalizer, detachable one-piece wing, factory-shaped balsa fuselage pod and more. Perfect for RC conversion. The model has not been started. The parts are inventoried 100% complete with parts and paperwork present.
Jetco Cessna 170 - 36 Inch Wingspan Scale Model For R/C Or Free Flight, S-5
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Good
$60
True wooden scale flying model of the sleek Cessna 170. This model has more than a dozen contest wins to it's credit and is designed for Radio Control but can also be flown free-flight. Features injection-molded plastic cowl front, die-cut balsa and plywood parts, formed gear, die-cut celluloid windows, shaped tapered wing edges, a very large full color decal sheet and more. Nothing has been punched out and the model is exactly as it left the factory. Never started. The hardware is still in the original factory sealed bag; all other metal, wood and plastic parts have been inventoried complete. NOTE: missing full size plans. They are available on-line. If you cannot find them on-line, I will send the purchaser a link to them. If you already have a digital copy, you can print full size at FEDEX/Kinkos. The decals are 100% intact but have water stains at either corner. The other 90% of the decals are damage-free and 'very good.'
Comet Supermarine Spitfire IX - 20 inch Wingspan Flying Balsa Airplane Model, 3402
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: VG
$34
1970s reissue of the older and still very popular kit. Features traditional wood/tissue construction, quality printwood, stripwood, nose block & dowels, fully finished wood wheels and thrust button, clear canopy material, rubber, tissue, propeller and detailed full size plans with building instructions. The model has not been started. Inventoried 100% complete. Comet was a famous manufacturer of stick and tissue flying and static models. In the 1930s Great Depression, they lead the low-priced kit revolution with the "Dime Scale" kits and famous advertisements in Model Airplane News magazine and others. Comet reached it's peak in the 1930s when they acquired the services of Carl Goldberg. Goldberg was a highly accomplished modeler with articles in Model Airplane News and famous designs that won him several National level competitions in the 1930s and beyond. (Carl Goldberg went on to found his own company and produced well designed and popular free-flight and RC aircraft). Comet survived the post World War economic slump and continued kit production until they were bought out by long-time competitor Guillow's in 1998.
Comet Grumman F6F Hellcat - 24 inch Wingspan Flying Aircraft, 3503
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: VG
$48
From the early 1970s Large scale issue for rubber or gas free flight, or easily converted to RC using today's tiny and light servos and receivers. The kit features traditional wood/tissue construction, quality balsa printwood, stripwood and spars, balsa stock as required, fully formed wood main and tail wheels, rubber motor, plastic prop and scale (you-build-it) balsa three-blade wooden prop, wood thrust button, clear canopy material, template/details cardstock sheet, insignia, white covering tissue and detailed full size plans with building instructions. Never started and inventoried 100% complete. Comet was a famous manufacturer of stick and tissue flying and static models. In the 1930s Great Depression, they lead the low-priced kit revolution with the "Dime Scale" kits and famous advertisements in Model Airplane News magazine and others. Comet reached it's peak in the 1930s when they acquired the services of Carl Goldberg. Goldberg was a highly accomplished modeler with articles in Model Airplane News and famous designs that won him several National level competitions in the 1930s and beyond. (Carl Goldberg went on to found his own company and produced well designed and popular free-flight and RC aircraft). Comet survived the post World War economic slump and continued kit production until they were bought out by long-time competitor Guillow's in 1998.
Comet Vought F4U-1 Corsair - 20 Inch Wingspan Flying Balsa Model Airplane - (F4U1), 3404-150
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Sealed VG
$39
Still factory sealed but there is a split on the right short side. This kit is probably from the late 1970s/1980s and is a reissue of the original 1950s model. Features traditional wood/tissue construction, printwood sheets, factory cut spars and stringers, fully formed and finished wheels, wood stock as required, propeller, rubber motor, thrust button, clear canopy material, full size plans, building instructions and covering tissue. These are the usual contents, but since the kit is still factory sealed it is impossible to determine. Comet was a famous manufacturer of stick and tissue flying and static models. In the 1930s Great Depression, they lead the low-priced kit revolution with the "Dime Scale" kits and famous advertisements in Model Airplane News magazine and others. Comet reached it's peak in the 1930s when they acquired the services of Carl Goldberg. Goldberg was a highly accomplished modeler with articles in Model Airplane News and famous designs that won him several National level competitions in the 1930s and beyond. (Carl Goldberg went on to found his own company and produced well designed and popular free-flight and RC aircraft). Comet survived the post World War economic slump and continued kit production until they were bought out by long-time competitor Guillow's in 1998.
Comet Messerschmitt Bf-109E - 18 inch Wingspan Flying Balsa Model Airplane - With Vacuform Canopy And Spinner, 3306-198
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Exc
$29
From the 1960s and features traditional wood/tissue construction with a rare vacuformed clear plastic canopy and spinner (still in mint condition and not yellowed) quality, die-cut balsa sheet parts, stripwood, fully finished main and tail wheels, wood stock as required, fully formed wire landing gear, rubber motor, metal propeller shaft/rubber hook, plastic propeller, wood thrust button, a big sheet of color insignia, template sheet with many details, covering tissue and detailed, full-size plans with building instructions. The kit has never beens started and has been inventoried complete. Comet was a famous manufacturer of stick and tissue flying and static models. In the 1930s Great Depression, they lead the low-priced kit revolution with the "Dime Scale" kits and famous advertisements in Model Airplane News magazine and others. Comet reached it's peak in the 1930s when they acquired the services of Carl Goldberg. Goldberg was a highly accomplished modeler with articles in Model Airplane News and famous designs that won him several National level competitions in the 1930s and beyond. (Carl Goldberg went on to found his own company and produced well designed and popular free-flight and RC aircraft). Comet survived the post World War economic slump and continued kit production until they were bought out by long-time competitor Guillow's in 1998.
Comet British SE-5 Scout Super Stars Series - 26.25 Inch Wingspan Flying Aircraft, 2601
Wood Model Kit, Box Condition: Good++
$44
This deluxe issue dates from the early 1970s. It is a large scale, robust design for rubber or gas free flight, or easily converted to RC using modern tiny and light servos and receivers. Box art is by Locher, who also did a great deal of the Monogram box artwork. Features traditional wood/tissue construction with all die cut parts, 'Tube-O-Matic' fuselage construction and 'Rugged Super X Simplified Non-Warping Wing' construction, a very large and colorful insignia sheet, detailed full size plans, building instructions, wheels, hardware, tissue and propeller. Never started. The small parts are still in the factory sealed bag; the parts that were never factory sealed have been inventoried complete. Includes color insignia and all paperwork. Comet was a famous manufacturer of stick and tissue flying and static models. In the 1930s Great Depression, they lead the low-priced kit revolution with the "Dime Scale" kits and famous advertisements in Model Airplane News magazine and others. Comet reached it's peak in the 1930s when they acquired the services of Carl Goldberg. Goldberg was a highly accomplished modeler with articles in Model Airplane News and famous designs that won him several National level competitions in the 1930s and beyond. (Carl Goldberg went on to found his own company and produced well designed and popular free-flight and RC aircraft). Comet survived the post World War economic slump and continued kit production until they were bought out by long-time competitor Guillow's in 1998.