Injection molded plastic assembly kits are the popular (and about the only) means currently available on the market to make small scale display models. With pre-molded and formed parts, the kits have become highly detailed (and expensive in many cases) - creativity and craftsmanship are not necessarily required to assemble the plethora of plastic parts into a recognizable airplane, but the authentic painting, reworking parts, weathering, customizing with added detail, diorama settings, etc. have elevated plastic kit "bashing" into an art form - go to any IPMS show and marvel at the miniature airplanes which defy your visual perception - they appear to be real airplanes yet your eyes signal that the craft is only a few feet away! I have a few on display in the gallery that were constructed by a professional and they are elegant, yet any 8-year-old could have assembled the same kit parts to create an equivalent form, just not elegantly.

Of course, plastic kits haven't always been around, although if you are a "boomer" or a later addition to the planet's burgeoning population, you may easily believe that hobby shops (an endangered species) have always been built around a cluster of plastic kit boxes. At one time you could even walk into your local hobby emporium (if it wasn't run by a crotchety old man) and open one of those kit boxes to review the contents. Now they're sealed in a non-permeable plastic wrap and you are considered to be a potential thief if you suggest that you might like to peek inside of that sacred container of plastic pieces.

The majority of hobbyist-built solid display models were constructed from wood until the plastic revolution struck by around 1950. Wood model kits commanded the market from their beginnings in the late 1920s up to the advent of plastic model kits. Wood kits varied greatly in quality and difficulty of construction - some were just blocks of wood and a plan, but others had pre-carved and pre-cut parts, some very nicely formed. By the end of WWII, and into the 1950's, many wood kits became more sophisticated with the addition of metal and plastic detail parts along with accurate decals. Many examples of wood kits are offered on this website and the history of one well known wood manufacturer, StromBecKer, can be viewed by Clicking Here. Solid wood kits (a natural, "green" product!) became an insignificant part of the hobby market as the 50's proceeded and the oil-based plastic industry took over (so that's what happened at the gas pump).

The first injection-molded plastic kits did not originate in the U.S., nor were they sold here in quantity (see Penguin Hart info below). The British FROG Penguin assembly kits, in 1:72 scale, first came out in 1936. The first plastic kit was the Gloster Gladiator with a date of November 30, 1936. The 1:72 scale was commercially established by the British Skybird series of wood kits earlier in the decade. The early FROG Penguin kits were made from cellulose acetate but wartime shortages dried up the supply of plastic and FROG made a few 1:72 wood kits with plastic parts until 1946. The original Series 1 of FROG Penguin cellulose acetate kits was completely dropped by 1949. FROG went back into the plastic kit business in 1955 with a new series of kits, but now constructed of polystyrene.

The Lines Bros. Ltd. FROG Penguin Hampden, Kit 58P, in 1:72 scale, came out in February 1940. Production wound down as WWII precluded the use of plastic for non-strategic items. The plans were well drawn and a very detailed instruction sheet was included.

Although not widely advertised nor generally known by the dedicated plastic kit collector, the FROG Penguin plastic kits were sold/distributed in the U.S. prior to WW2. Peter van Lune, a FROG historian, has uncovered a FROG Penguin Hawker Hart kit which has on it undeniable evidence that it was sold in the U.S. The label clearly states that the kit was imported by H. Hudson Dobson of New York. H. Hudson Dobson, as distributor, issued catalogs for Dinky toys in the late 1940s and 50s - they had a showroom at 200 Fifth Avenue in New York and were headquartered in New Jersey. I don't have information as to whether the Penguins were ever included in a catalog by this firm. Anyone know? A photo is also shown below of a 1939 Dinky catalog cover which has the H. Hudson Dobson stamp on the cover - perhaps all of the distributors catalogs were of this type.

The Penguin Hawker Hart kit box and a detail of the H. Hudson Dobson label are shown below.

The first American plastic kits were introduced in the late 1940's; the Varney 1:48 scale PT-17 Kaydet may be the first and appears to be the first advertised in model magazines with a full page in the May 1946 Air Trails. This PT-17 kit is semi-solid and made of yellow acetate and is representative of the desk-type manufacturer's models, such as Topping, being offered at the time. The Hawk Model Company came out with a 1:48 scale, all plastic kit (#600) of the Curtiss R3C-1 with a plan dated 1946 and they had a line of seven plastic kits on the market by 1950. Lindberg came out with six 1:48 scale racers in 1948-1950 carrying the name of O-lin. Renwal and Empire also had kits that came out during the later 1940s, so any of these companies could have been the "first," an honor that will probably never be established.

A selection of plastic kits from the 1950s and 60s are offered below; some are relatively common and others are scarce. Almost all of the boxes show some shelf wear - scuffing, a wrinkle or a bend, aging etc. Contents, in many cases, have been "examined" by the original owner and parts may be separated from the trees. However, I do guarantee that each kit is complete to your satisfaction; I'm not going to count parts so if you're not satisfied that all the parts are there, then send it back. No trades. Also, if it's not on this list, I don't have it. I can email pictures of individual kits.

REVELL

H633:50 Warbird S.E.5a 1:72 $12.00
H270:198 "S" Fokker Triplane DR-1 1:27 $95.00
H258:98 "S" Martin PBM-5 Mariner 1:112 $150.00
H297:98 "S" Fairchild F.27, 7 decal sets 1:94 $150.00

H1836:150 Apollo BOX ONLY $7.50
H241 "S" Douglas A3D Skywarrior $95.00
H239 "S" Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune 1:104 $155.00
H287 "S" Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 1:139 SORRY SOLD
H256 "S" Capt. Eddie Rickenbackers SPAD 1:27 $100.00
H269 "S" Douglas AD-6 Skyraider $SORRY SOLD
H197:198 "S" Sopwith Camel 1:28 $95.00
H211:380-A Catalina PBY-5A Black Cat including 33 rpm record 1:72 $SORRY SOLD

H1552:598 Allison Prop-Jet Engine moitorized 3/32"=1" $SORRY SOLD

H223:98 "S" H-16 Piasecki Transporter 1:96 (see Helicopter Page)

COMET

PL-24 Aero Commander 680 1:81 $SOLD
PL-802:98 Convair B-58 Hustler 1:96 $55.00
PL-501:69 Republic P47 Thunderbolt 1:53 $30.00

AURORA

102-79 Sopwith Camel 1:48 Oval logo $40.00

374-198 PBY-5A Catalina 5/32" scale, West Hempstead 1:74 $150.00
375-198 Convair B-58 Hustler 5/32" scale 1958 $65.00

110-.69 De Havilland Tiger Moth DH 82A 1958
139-00 Temco TT-1 Jet Trainer (ex-Strombecker) 1962 $65.00

HAWK

503-98 Viscount Picture Gallery multiple decals 1:96 $155.00
209-200 Lockheed U-2 1:48 1962 $110.00
563-100 Westland Mk II Lysander 12 1/2" $25.00
565-130 Cessna Super Skymaster 1/4" 1968 $30.00
510-100 Ryan ST/PT-20 1:48 1966 $30.00
215-200 Grumman F8F-2 1/4" Bearcat Chrome Plated 1968 SORRY SOLD
562-100 Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat 1/4" $22.50
600 Curtiss Racer 1:48 Red,White,Blue one-piece box $175.00
601 Gee-Bee II 1:48 Red, White, Blue one-piece box $175.00
207-200 Authent-I-Plated Lockheed T-33 1961 $25.00
618-60 Supermarine S6B 1:48 SOLD

LINDBERG

72542 Curtiss P6E 1:48 $SOLD
567 B-70 1:169 $45.00
404:29 Knight Twister 1:48 $35.00
R503:79 Republic Seabee 1:48 Boy Craft $SOLD$
533-98 Winnie Mae 1:46 $48.00

MONOGRAM

PA148:150 AC-47 Puff the Magic Dragon pre-painted 1966 $45.00
PA31-149 TBF Avenger 1958 $47.50
PA53-98 A3J Vigilante 1:76 $45.00
PA33-98 F-105 Thunderchief 1:72 $50.00
PA66-98 Grumman F4F Wildcat 1:48 1960 $36.00
PA54-149 Douglas SBD Dauntless 1:48 $48.00

PA30-99 Wright Brothers Kitty Hawk 1:40 $50.00
PA58 Grumman Gulfhawk STARTED $SOLD
P20 SA-16 Albatross 1957 1:72 $75.00
PE 252M-298 Wright Cyclone 9 (c9 HE) motorized 1"=1' 1959 $SOLD$
PD40 Missile Arsenal 1958 with booklet 31 models (see Missiles Page - $600)
PA67-498 Phantom Mustang F-51D 3/8"=1' 1961 $255.00

P19*98 TWA Lockheed Super-G Constellation PlastiKit 1:131 Four Star $250.00

RENWAL

212:100 2 for $1.00 Antoinette 1908, Voisin Farman 1:72 Aero-skin fabric not printed $20.00
550:149 NIKE Box Only $5.00
802-1095 The Visible V8 Transparent Operating Auto Engine 1/4 size 1960 $275.00

AIRFIX

1415-100 Boeing Clipper, Craft Master 1:144 $SORRY SOLD

ENTEX

8515B Beech Bonanza V35 1:48 $10.00

AMT

T638 Beechcraft G17S Staggerwing 1:48 1977 $SOLD
T639 Stinson Reliant SR-9 1:48 1961 $50.00

UPC

5052-100 Jake Aichi E13A1 1:50 Marusan $$10.00

IMC

401:200 Lear Jet 1:40 $40.00
482-100 F-100D Super Sabre 1:72 Batle Damage Parts 1956 $30.00

PYRO

321-1.49 Hall Springfield "Bulldog" 1961 $35.00

STALCO

SWF 298 Space Needle Century 21 Official Hobby Kit 1962 $300.00

HOBBY-TIME Western Coil & Electric

901:98 U.S. Army Convertiplane Bell XV-3 1:43 (see Helicopter Page)

NICHIMO

3500 Hughes H-500 Helicopter "1/20 Identical Scale" motorized (see Helicopter Page)

Models and kits may be ordered by contacting CollectAir through theFeedback Link at left, top margin, or calling (805) 560-1323 or cell (408) 828-2810 (preferred) or email collectair@verizon.net. Payment by cash, check or credit card. Mail to CollectAir, 1324 De La Vina St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Credit card ordering info is given on the Products page.