Short history of vacform models?

[Kurt H.]

4 minutes ago, K5054NZ said:

Unfortunately the reason I'm asking is because many (most?) of the Execuform kits listed on Scalemates don't have kit numbers. Just a small thing, but I'd like to rectify that.

 

As an aside, I have his Lockheed 10 underway as a desk display model. What have you got hidden away? I'd love the Convair 340/etc and the Hughes XF-11.

 

If I recall correctly, a DC-2 and a B-28.

[Charlie D.]

Mike Herrill is still alive and well in his 90s and and currently  producing an abbreviated line of kits.

 

 

[Charlie D.]

Gerald Elliot in the U.K. is also still producing kits and was recently gauging interest in a 1/48 B-45 vac kit. 

[tempestfan]

A lovely history thread for my first post here 🙂

Did anyone mention Formaplane yet? They were among the "UK big three" (for 72nd kits) from the early 70s to the mid/late 80s I think. In Germany there was Classic Plane (Detlef Schorsch from Essen), who started some time around 1983 I guess, and specialised primarily in biplanes. Nova had been briefly mentioned, their range was small but their kits huge, with a C-135, C-141, Vulcan, and some Soviet bombers - would have to check. Made by (or for) Archer's Model World in the US.

There were also some very competent (and some not so) Vacs from the Eastern Block, as has been mentioned early MPM's were essentially vac (and I think they also did the mouldings for the Karo As multi media kits), like a Miniplast PZL P.46 Sum (looks exquisite on the sheet), a small range by JMK (with injection parts), and the single JWK kit I own is a very good-looking Defiant.

As to the early ones, slightly later than the Wimco Hollows, there was a French manufacturer named Ventavia, who did a small range of 6 types. @Rob de Bie, you may recall them from a certain kit collecting forum.

And as regards technique, I'm not quite sure that all Rareplanes were female-moulded from the beginning - their Vindicator is very, very soft in overall moulding. Their XP-67 is pretty sharp, with engraved details, but is a kit I only ever saw once (and luckily bought).

Finally, Execuform @K5054NZ: I only have a Convair 240 (or 340). I will have a look if I can find my catalogue from a specific mail order outlet from ca. 1987, who stocked (or at least listed) a huge amount of vac kits, and IIRC they carried Execuform.

 

OK, found it. The listing for Execuform is:

Consolidated Coronado

Bellanca C-27A

Canadair Challenger

DC-2

DC-5

Lockheed 10 Electra

Spartan 7W

Vultee V-1A

Cessna T-50/AT-8/-17

Curtiss AT-9

Convair Sea Dart

Fairchild PT-19

Howard DGA-15

Stinson AT-19 Reliant

Vultee BT-13

Waco UC-72

Abrams PC-4 Explorer

Curtiss O-52

NA O-47

Stinson L-1

Douglas OA-4 Dolphin

Curtiss XP-31

Curtiss XP-87

Northrop N1M

Northrop XP-56

Ryan X-13

Vultee XP-54

 

Beech XA-38

Consolidated PB-2A

Fairchild 91

Curtiss A-18 Shrike

Douglas B-18

Douglas XB-42

Douglas XB-43

Martin XB-51

F2H-3/4

Ryan FR-1

B-17C/D conversion

Grumman Mallard (listed as conversion, but price looks like full kit - slightly higher than DC-2 and 5)

CV-240

CV-340/440/540/580

Hughes XF-11

PBM-5

Sikorsky S-43

 

Prices were rather stiff, considering what pocket money bought me in 1988. Regrettably, no numbering. Other US manufacturers listed are War Eagle and Eagle (but not Eagle's Talon). 

Nova kits have their official numbers, which are:

2001 XB-35

2002 Tu-22 Blinder

2003 KC-135

2004 Vulcan (not listed, but must be - my only Nova kit)

2005 F-105F/G conversion (has a remark on the marketing sheet reproduced it was reviewed in Scale Models Sept. 1980)

2006 C-141A

2007 C-141B

2008 Su-15

2009 Tu-22M/26 Backfire

 

I'd hazard a guess the Su-15 appeared some 6 to nine months after 1 September 1983. Apparently Mr Archer did not think (new) vacs still viable after 1985. Given that Esci/AMT kitted  50% of the Nova full kits - and apparently did beg, steal and borrow (with an emphasis on borrowing) for their later kits, I wonder how much research and design of those is owed to Nova.

Edited October 24, 2023 by tempestfan
Adding the listings

[Ben Brown]

Welsh Models has been around for decades. He’s moving his line to resin, but some of his vac kits are still available.

 

Wings 48 and 72 had some great kits, as did Karo-As. There was a company that made a nice D4Y1/2 Judy, I think their name was Aviators, that had some other good 1/48 subjects. Can’t recall what they were, though.

 

Ben

[Charlie D.]

Aviators made a 1/48 P-40N and A P-43 ( still have it in the stash!). There were others but I can’t recall!

[Ben Brown]

11 hours ago, Charlie D. said:

Aviators made a 1/48 P-40N and A P-43 ( still have it in the stash!). There were others but I can’t recall!

I  seem to remember they did a 1/48 G4M Betty long before Tamiya released theirs.

 

Ben