worldslaziestbusker Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) Nostalgia's not what it used to be, but I get very excited when I find a Matchbox kit in a garage sale or second hand store. The kits held little in the way of fine detail and some featured excessively deep trenches for panel lines but I enjoyed building these kits through my youth and miss their sometimes very oddly selected multicolour sprues and their exciting boxings (dramatic art, cellophane window, adverts for other Matchbox kits on the side). Their catalogue included some types or marks of types no-one else was molding. Their product lay somewhere between kit and toy. Whether that market share ceased to exist or is currently vacant, I can't tell. There are no kits in the local toyshops where a selection of Matchbox product formerly occupied shelf space, I know that much. Miss you, Matchbox. I look forward to working up the remaining examples of rainbow molded oddities in my stash and to stumbling over more of your product in the darkened corners of op-shops and garages. Memory lane, now available in website form! Edited June 16, 2015 by worldslaziestbusker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 They actually had some decent models of bi-planes like the P-12 and others. The panel lines were fine and they went together well. I keep looking for them at our contest every year. sometimes I get lucky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Just got their B-17 the other day. First one of those I've been able to come across. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RiderFan Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 The Matchbox 1:72 Flowerclass Corvette is still an amazing model when it's built up right. The largest parts count I've ever seen in a single plastic kit and easily converted to RC made it even more popular. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john53 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Built 2 of the Matchbox Lancasters. The most enjoyable trouble free builds I ever did. There are better but these looked the part and were fun!---John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aaronw Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 They really aren't bad kits, particularly when you consider the era they were being made, most can be made into nice models with a little detail work. They were also willing to take on subjects nobody else was or has even with the increase in small manufacturers. Interwar builders would be much poorer without Matchbox and their Vickers Wellesley, Handley Page Heyford, Armstrong Whitworth Siskin, Fairey Seafox and the mentioned Boeing P-12. Revell does occasionally reissue some of the kits although lacking the colorful multi tone plastic. I've done a few in recent years, so it is not all nostalgia when I say they still hold up pretty well. The Lysander was a re-issued Revell kit, but the rest were original Matchbox in glorious multi-hue plastic. A.W. Siskin III Vickers Wellesley Fairey Seafox Westland Lysander Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 For some reason I always liked the Lysander. Didn't they do a Vickers Vimmy? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Ghost 531 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 For some reason I always liked the Lysander. Didn't they do a Vickers Vimmy? No, the Vimy was a FROG kit. They're still available from Russia I think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevan Vogler Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I cut my modelling teeth on Matchbox kits and still get nostalgic for them. The real charm of Matchbox for me was that they weren't afraid to make kits of some quite unique and less mainstream subject matter, like the Wellesley, Stranraer and HS-125. Right now, I have their 1/72 Percival Provost T.1 on the go but am taking a great deal more care with it than I did when I first built it at around seven years old. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Funny thing.!.. The kit you have chosen to show us for your topic was actually my first model!!! Gift by a friend back in 1985!!! Lot's of good memories.!.. By the way, even if Matchbox's kits were not the best and/or most accurate in shape/detail level, you can still find some fellow scale modellers here as well as, in foreign scale modelling forums that have build a few high-quality examples!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thommo Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) My favourite topic I collect 1/72 Matchbox aircraft kits & now have 62 out of 106 possibles (original boxings only - I buy later boxings but tend to build these). Like you, I grew up with them and love em. Some of my happiest memories were browsing the limited selection of Matchbox kits in the newsagents in our little town in the 1970s, choosing which one to build. I've made a few too, adding some scratchbuilt details mostly to the empty cockpits: Made the Lanc with my nephew one Xmas holiday when he was 10. He did a lot of the airbrushing. Edited June 17, 2015 by Thommo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thommo Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) Sometimes, I went to town on the cockpits: My eye's are not so good now though, probably need to invest in one of those magnifying thingys. Edited June 17, 2015 by Thommo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
worldslaziestbusker Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Thanks for the enthusiastic responses, everyone. I was especially pleased to see images of what people have done with their Matchbox styrene. Some great work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Rat Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 What other manufacturer would even think of doing a Heyford? The name Matchbox should always be uttered reverentially, with true homage to whatever modeling gods influenced them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RiderFan Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) A couple of photos of an old build of mine. The Matchbox 1:72 Flower class corvette. I built this model many years ago (it's RC converted) and is now resting in the front hall display of the Peachland BC Legions Club. Edited June 17, 2015 by RiderFan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 This is their 1/48 scale FJ-4B Fury that I built about 15 years ago or so...right after I finished Grand Phoenix released theirs :(/> Some say this is still the best Fury kit in '48 scale in terms of shape...but I sure tossed a lot of parts at it out of the spares bin to get it to look somewhat acceptable. I wish aftermarket decals were available for them at the time too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 :D, Beautiful work there Thommo, RiderFan and Whitey. Thommo, was that 2 seat Mirage modified? I seem to remember the Matchbox kit having the early style tail fin with the leading edge notch whereas ours had that notch filled in by the leading edge. I spent many hours working on A3-101 at OCU back in the day. The duals were a little easier to work on than the singles, particularly if you had to change the aircon duct sensor. Five minute job in the dual, at least four hours in the single. I also like the Norseman, Corsair, Helldiver and of course the Sabre. I know that one is modified. That Buckeye is also very nice. I don't recognise the cockpit between the Buckeye and the Corsair though. That ones got me intriqued. What is it from? Whitey your Fury is great and I appreciate seeing Matchbox kits made well. RiderFan, what can I say about your Flower Class corvette? I almost bought one of these years ago and I'm sorry now I didn't take the opportunity. It was very reasonably priced for what it was but I just couldn't at that time see it on the shelf in the cabinet. There would have been no room on that shelf for aircraft. , Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thommo Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 :D/>, Beautiful work there Thommo, RiderFan and Whitey. Thommo, was that 2 seat Mirage modified? I seem to remember the Matchbox kit having the early style tail fin with the leading edge notch whereas ours had that notch filled in by the leading edge. I spent many hours working on A3-101 at OCU back in the day. The duals were a little easier to work on than the singles, particularly if you had to change the aircon duct sensor. Five minute job in the dual, at least four hours in the single. I also like the Norseman, Corsair, Helldiver and of course the Sabre. I know that one is modified. That Buckeye is also very nice. I don't recognise the cockpit between the Buckeye and the Corsair though. That ones got me intriqued. What is it from? Whitey your Fury is great and I appreciate seeing Matchbox kits made well. RiderFan, what can I say about your Flower Class corvette? I almost bought one of these years ago and I'm sorry now I didn't take the opportunity. It was very reasonably priced for what it was but I just couldn't at that time see it on the shelf in the cabinet. There would have been no room on that shelf for aircraft. :cheers:/>, Ross. Ross, the Mirage came as a 2 seater OOB. I just got some after-market ejection seats, decals and a few other bits kindly supplied by an ARCer. And I scratched up a few other bits. The cockpit is for the Sabre, just my scratch build artistic licence. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Beautiful work Andrew (82Whitey51). Is the figure from a Monogram kit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) I used to love building the Matchbox 1/72 kits in my early years of model building. Back in the 70's and early 80's my meager monetary earnings from doing odd jobs allowed me to bike down to the LHS and pick up a model on weekends. Relatively simple kits that went together fairly well for a young guy excited to "fly" his new model. I remember the Tempest kit fondly as I loved that gaping intake under the chin (many happy "flights" around my backyard attacking the bad guys... those were the days...:rolleyes:/>). The F-86 Sabre, He-111, and Victor were also favorites of mine. I wish I had them back actually as they have long since gone. I may need to look for a couple to build for nostalgia sake. We need to start an unofficial ARC Matchbox thread. Regards and happy modeling all! Don. EDIT: I forgot to mention how much I loved their 1/72 armor kits as well. They came with a figure(s), display/diorama stand, and were quite well detailed for their time and even by todays standards. Edited June 19, 2015 by Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spectre711 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I built the He111 for the Antishipping GB, but the panther not too long ago and have a 188 still to build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 ... We need to start an unofficial ARC Matchbox thread. ... Propose a Matchbox GB! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Wow...great works on those Matchbox kits!!! I miss those years (how was it to be a kid? I'm starting to forget!)...and I miss their catalogue, covering so many interesting types. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and works. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I have a few Matchbox kits stashed away and built some in my younger days as well. While others mentioned the prop aircraft they did, I loved some of their unique jet subjects as I have the YA-10A and F-14A (with prototype/FSD aircraft details) in my stash for building. Don't forget they had the only T-2C Buckeye in styrene for many years, not to mention two seater BAC Lightnings and Hunters (and the early model F-86A Sabre, something still lacking in 1/72 as far as up to date kits go). Some of my favorites from when I was younger were the A-7D, F-5A and F-5B. The A-7 was memorable given it offered the option to build it with a maximum loadout of no less than 24 Mk. 82 bombs on four pylons (and two Sidewinders if I recall correctly)! Granted some kits were better avoided, such as the F-4K/M Phantom, but usually you got something pretty dang good when you cracked open a Matchbox kit and it didn't break the bank in the process. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 :D, You fellows aren't the only ones who miss Matchbox. I like their esoteric subjects like the Siskin, P-12, Heyford, Stranraer Dornier Do 28 etc. I wish someone would bring them back or that Revell would continue to make them. , Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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