a couple ? about models brands and their history

I can't recall when the arrangement ended, but I seem to recall that in the early -mid 80's, Minicraft was the North American distributor for Hasegawa, hence the "Minicraft-Hasegawa" branding.

I recall Italeri being spelt "Italerei" in the late 70's but I'm pretty sure it had changed by the mid-80's.

I think the Italeri (and Fujimi) kits started turning up in the yellow Testors boxes in the mid 80's. If you have the end-opening "yellow" boxes, you may have the copyright date at the bottom right of the back panel.

The Opel Blitz was originally  released in the '70's, (sfaik)

The same kit was box-popped (same kit, different box) by Testors in a US distribution deal.

The same kit was again box-popped by Revell.

Don't know when they went on a vowel-diet...

I worked part time in a hobby shop in 1977  and I remember the yellow box  Testors/Italeri kits then.  The Revell boxing of them seems to have occured in the early eighties,  I still have a collection of every box type they did, even a few of the orginals.  Ah..those were the days.  Still love the orginal Hetzer box with the neato painting on the box, Funky paint job and all.

Double D