I was perusing my ebay Searches the other day (and I wish now I'd have book-marked it), there was a seller that was offering the original instruction sheets from Monogram models that were printed in the 60'-70's and although I wasn't interested in buying any (they were listed @ 2.99, right now, I have my search limited to 1/48th Monogram Airplanes --.99 to 5.99), they were of a good enough quality to read the couple paragraphs on the first page that was always about the subject being modeled... It's history, users, etc... Tamiya used to do a couple pages of background & development of it's subjects as well..
I miss that too...
During the 90's, Monogram released a bunch of it's kits in their original 60's "Blue Boxes" too, complete with re-prints of the instruction sheets.. Some folks bought them, thinking they'd found an over-looked deal on a collector's item in their LHS but they didn't look for the second copyright date printed opposite the original date... I disappointed a couple folks that approached me with their "incredible finds"...
I think that my favorite one was always that Corsair painting with the armorer walking out carrying the ammo belts... Although it was an odd painting, being an F4U-4 on a South Pacific Island wearing the Navy's post 1947 National Insignia and the ammo was .50 cal (the "dash 4" had four 20 mike-mikes).. Revell's 1/32 kits were the hands-down winners in box art though...
Revell's re-releasing the old Monogram kits has been a real treat for me... I hope they eventually resurect all of them, armor & cars too... They're a scratchbuilder's dream... And if you're a frugal modeler like me (ok, cheapskate), then you have a plethora of kits offering years of enjoyment...
Speaking of cars... So far, I've got "Rommel's Rod" again, as well as "The Red Baron" & "Cop-Out" car kits... Hoping to see others like the "T'rantula", "Garbage Truck", "Boot Hill Express", "Beer Truck", and "Paddy Wagon" in my stash someday soon... (BTW, the 1/72 Dr 1 that comes in the "Red Baron" kit had found it's way into one of my shadow box dioramas.. Nuthin' wrong with that little gem, either...)