Lindberg

[DutyCat]

So my brother in law rolls in here today (from Atlanta) for Christmas and hands me a Lindberg B-58. Tells me his dad, who worked on them, bought it many years ago, and that he would never find time to build it or do it justice. I was giddy because I figure it is rare OOP kit and it would be interesting to see what it is worth (not that I would sell it, of course). Well, apparently, not much. It is pretty common and has some shape issues, especially the tail. I took a look in the box, and it seems pretty nice for an old mold. Not up to modern standards, but it will build up nicely with some effort. I am going to build it and give it back to him for Christmas next year.

I tried to do a little research online. I found some reviews for the kit, but I could not find the Lindberg web site anywhere. Is this company still around? They still seem to have new kits on retail shelves and online. Has someone taken them over and is still using their name on kits, because the company is non existent on the internet.

*edit* NOW I find their site! I wonder why I missed it before?

Edited December 24, 2011 by DutyCat

[Hawk10]

Try here:

www.lindberg-models.com/

[DutyCat]

Try here:

www.lindberg-models.com/

Thanks. See *edit*

I don't know why it did not show up in my initial search. It must have been down for an update or something. In any case, I see the B-58 is still in production after all these years and despite it being "box scale." Also, just looking at their photos....a large percentage of their aircraft models look like they are aimed at kids from 40 years ago and have only a passing resemblance to the real subject.

The B-58 seems like one of their better efforts, however.

The company really needs a change in philosophy.

[Aaronw]

Lindberg is a hodge-podge of stuff, some of their kits, particularly their cars done in the 1990s onward are quite good, some of their older kits are quite toylike with moving parts and motorized kits.

Their catalog is full of others kits picked up as they went under, you can find Palmer, Pyro, Hawk and even an old AMT kit in their line up along with actual Lindberg produced kits. Lindberg made a big comeback a few years ago re-issuing a ton of their long out of production kits. Some are quite good, some a good place to start, some not so good but the only game in town and a few way outdated and not the only game in town so what were they thinking. They did produce a few new kits as well with a couple of 2005 Dodge Chargers (very nice) and a 1/72 Japanese sub (nice kit detail and fit wise, but apparently horribly inaccurate).

Best bet is to ask about any of their kits that interest you.

I think the B-58 is about 1/64 scale.

Edited December 24, 2011 by Aaronw

[eharrold44]

Just looking at the box art alone, most of their aircraft kits are unworkable if you're talking about building even a halfway accurate model. The shapes are way off on pretty much all of them. I couldn't find any decent builds or sprue pics when I looked around a few months ago, so that probably tells you all you need to know. Price and nostalgia are the only selling points, really.

I do have good memories of building a 1/72 Lindberg Mirage as a kid. It's not even close to looking like a real Mirage III, but I didn't know any better when I was 8.

[Scott R Wilson]

So my brother in law rolls in here today (from Atlanta) for Christmas and hands me a Lindberg B-58. Tells me his dad, who worked on them, bought it many years ago, and that he would never find time to build it or do it justice. I was giddy because I figure it is rare OOP kit and it would be interesting to see what it is worth (not that I would sell it, of course). Well, apparently, not much. It is pretty common and has some shape issues, especially the tail. I took a look in the box, and it seems pretty nice for an old mold. Not up to modern standards, but it will build up nicely with some effort. I am going to build it and give it back to him for Christmas next year.

I tried to do a little research online. I found some reviews for the kit, but I could not find the Lindberg web site anywhere. Is this company still around? They still seem to have new kits on retail shelves and online. Has someone taken them over and is still using their name on kits, because the company is non existent on the internet.

*edit* NOW I find their site! I wonder why I missed it before?

They're supposed to release a 1/32 F-35 sometime in 2012.

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=195611

[Patrick_Nevin]

Just looking at the box art alone, most of their aircraft kits are unworkable if you're talking about building even a halfway accurate model. The shapes are way off on pretty much all of them.

Hmm. I bought the Me262 recently, largely because I seem to own examples of all the other kits in 48th. It is an ancient model (IIRC the first one of its kind) and should be credited as such and for the time it was designed, but it still goes for sale to unsuspecting punters for the same £15 that'll get a very different, state of the art alternative. If you look at the pictures on that handy site the nose alone should set alarm bells ringing. Thankfully I didn't pay full price - after some thinking have decided to build it OOB, as spending months to make it...well, as good as even the old Monogram is straight off the tree crossed the 'pointless' line for me :)

Happy Christmas,

Patrick

[AVGBob]

I think of Lindberg as more a toy company than a model company.

[Aaronw]

Just looking at the box art alone, most of their aircraft kits are unworkable if you're talking about building even a halfway accurate model. The shapes are way off on pretty much all of them. I couldn't find any decent builds or sprue pics when I looked around a few months ago, so that probably tells you all you need to know. Price and nostalgia are the only selling points, really.

I do have good memories of building a 1/72 Lindberg Mirage as a kid. It's not even close to looking like a real Mirage III, but I didn't know any better when I was 8.

A lot of their 1930s 1/48 aircraft are fairly decent (P-6E, PT-17 etc). They require some scratchbuilding for interior details like most 1960s kits, but I've seen some that were built up very nice. Their HH-3 Jolly Green Giant is also tolerable, although you will need a Sea King to detail it to current standards. Their Sea King is the same but not worth bothering with since in 1/72 we have at least 3 others to choose from and even the old Airfix kit is better.

They also have the old IMC "battle damage" kits, probably not the best kits but they were cool when I was a kid.

Edited December 24, 2011 by Aaronw

[eharrold44]

I did find a decent build of a Lindberg P-6E floating around:

Rochester, NY IPMS

The shape doesn't look bad, though I'm not all that familiar with the plane. I could see that kit turning into something really nice with some added rigging and detailing. I'm not sure if I'd take it on with the Classic Airframes kit already on the market, but at $10 you probably can't go wrong.

[AVGBob]

I did find a decent build of a Lindberg P-6E floating around:

Rochester, NY IPMS

The shape doesn't look bad, though I'm not all that familiar with the plane. I could see that kit turning into something really nice with some added rigging and detailing. I'm not sure if I'd take it on with the Classic Airframes kit already on the market, but at $10 you probably can't go wrong.

I looked at the link. The thing doesn't look right. Kinda thick. Wonky, for lack of a better term. I would not touch lindberg stuff unless I had no other option. I would rather throw my ten buck in the toilet.