I don't specificaly about the MM brand, but I believe Testors started the enamel line in the late forties.  By the time I started modeling, 1947, they were a major supplier of model airplane dope for flying models.  Pactra was another popular brand of dope.

Not sure exactly when they started, but I remember when they first came out, and that was some time in the early to mid 80s.

I vaguely recall the line coming out in the latter half of the 70's. But that's just a guestimate on my part. That's when I first remember seeing them at one of the local hobby shops.

They were there when I started up in the early 80's I really appreciated all the FS colors and the international colors them and Tamiya were my go to paints.

Hi;

       If I am correct it was the latter part of the 70s . I had just started using Humbrol pretty heavy and my LHS suggested I try these. I stayed with them till they went away. The Humbrol I stopped when they started to be hard to get and were dropping a lot of colors. Now I am drifting through the various Acrylics with a switchback to Testors in the little square overpriced bottles!

I saw MM go on the shelves in 1981 along with their new line of plastic models.  I first used MM paints that summer with a Testors 1/35 Jeep, 1/72 Corsair, and their 1/72 B-25 "Doolittle" Mitchell I got that summer during a big marketing campaign they were doing. Like Monogram, they came with an instruction booklet on dry-brushing and mixing their new paints with their "begginers" airbrush kit, which I also got.  I might say Testors and my LHS launched me into a new rhelm of model building that summer.  

In the 80s, Patra had a line of military paints in the bigger round bottles that I think were the nexus of the Model Masters line when Testors took them over. It was a hostile takeover. This quote is from 2014:

Costas K

PACTRA was founded by Alfred L. Davenport Jr. a Honored WWII U.S. Naval officer (1921-2010).

I had the privilege to know this fine and exceptional gentlemen.  He was very dedicated to the hobby. PACTRA produced the finest paints, as well as the best BALSA I ever took to my hands.

In 1972 I first took in my hands the PACTRA International range of colors. I was amazed of the fine spray lines and full and smooth coverage I could get with these super colors.

Then all stopped around the late 80’s or early 90’s if I remember well.

I remember Alfred L. Davenport Jr. telling me, that one morning, all of a sudden, he was informed that TESTORS acquired the majority of the shares of PACTRA and we has dismissed from president. His words were, that he lost all the efforts of his life, he lost his company, in one night.

TESTORS then bough, Floquil, Polly-S and became the monopole of US made hobby paints.

Now they damped all these fine products, as they succeeded the final goal. Kick the competition out of the market. Not that good for all of us, the dedicated modelers.

 

Actually these brands produced paints for the real enthusiasts. This is a small market share for a big company like TESTORS. It is peanuts for them. On the contrary if these brands were still in small “hands”, they could still be in the market and make all of us, the models specialists, happy

That story sounds like what I thought had happened to the other US brands. 

Rob Gronovius

In the 80s, Patra had a line of military paints in the bigger round bottles that I think were the nexus of the Model Masters line when Testors took them over. It was a hostile takeover. This quote is from 2014:

 

 

Costas K

PACTRA was founded by Alfred L. Davenport Jr. a Honored WWII U.S. Naval officer (1921-2010).

I had the privilege to know this fine and exceptional gentlemen.  He was very dedicated to the hobby. PACTRA produced the finest paints, as well as the best BALSA I ever took to my hands.

In 1972 I first took in my hands the PACTRA International range of colors. I was amazed of the fine spray lines and full and smooth coverage I could get with these super colors.

Then all stopped around the late 80’s or early 90’s if I remember well.

I remember Alfred L. Davenport Jr. telling me, that one morning, all of a sudden, he was informed that TESTORS acquired the majority of the shares of PACTRA and we has dismissed from president. His words were, that he lost all the efforts of his life, he lost his company, in one night.

TESTORS then bough, Floquil, Polly-S and became the monopole of US made hobby paints.

Now they damped all these fine products, as they succeeded the final goal. Kick the competition out of the market. Not that good for all of us, the dedicated modelers.

 

Actually these brands produced paints for the real enthusiasts. This is a small market share for a big company like TESTORS. It is peanuts for them. On the contrary if these brands were still in small “hands”, they could still be in the market and make all of us, the models specialists, happy

 

It appears to me the real issue with Testors began when RPM bought them in 1984. From that point going forward RPM decided to start buying up the competition and over time just decided to eliminate those lines eventually as they did back in 20'. Publicly their position was that those lines "dwindled" was the term they used at that time. The truth was they just didn't support those lines and helped facilitate the closing of those lines. If RPM would have done just the opposite and supported those lines-Pactra, Model Master, Floquil, etc. they could be still a strong force in the hobby. But that is the issue with conglomerates.  They are focused on the bottom line and streamlining. 

If hypothetically I was a businessman in the financial position to make a run at buying Testors from RPM I would. Once bought I would bring back those very lines that so many modelers used and enjoyed. Bring back, improve the quality, expand the colors, etc. I had someone in the hobby say to me that in order for Testors to even have a chance in the market again they would have to "reinvent" themselves. I say re-establish. I think it could be done. Surround yourself with the right people, go back to what was successful, improve it, etc. Would it be a battle? Yes, absolutely. It would be a challenge. But it would be one that would be fun to take on to see if you could do it. But you would have to buy it out from RPM first. Their the problem. 

 

 

 

 

I used to use mostly Polly-S/Polly Scale acrylics till Testors bought them out and shut them down. Then used Testors since that's what the local hobby shop had in stock. Now the guy running the local hobby store is retiring so I guess it won't matter that I have to mail order everything...

Southpawslingshot

 It appears to me the real issue with Testors began when RPM bought them in 1984. From that point going forward RPM decided to start buying up the competition and over time just decided to eliminate those lines eventually as they did back in 20'. Publicly their position was that those lines "dwindled" was the term they used at that time. The truth was they just didn't support those lines and helped facilitate the closing of those lines. If RPM would have done just the opposite and supported those lines-Pactra, Model Master, Floquil, etc. they could be still a strong force in the hobby. But that is the issue with conglomerates.  They are focused on the bottom line and streamlining. 

If hypothetically I was a businessman in the financial position to make a run at buying Testors from RPM I would. Once bought I would bring back those very lines that so many modelers used and enjoyed. Bring back, improve the quality, expand the colors, etc. I had someone in the hobby say to me that in order for Testors to even have a chance in the market again they would have to "reinvent" themselves. I say re-establish. I think it could be done. Surround yourself with the right people, go back to what was successful, improve it, etc. Would it be a battle? Yes, absolutely. It would be a challenge. But it would be one that would be fun to take on to see if you could do it. But you would have to buy it out from RPM first. Their the problem. 

I think the actual demise of Model Masters began when "serious" modelers started using Mig and AK brands and other cottage industry paints. For a while, using Testors anything was more of a tsk tsk finger wag, along with not using the better photo etch company, certain brands of aluminum barrels and real metal tracks.

There was a large period of time when it seemed like elitists ruled the forums. Casual builders who built OOB or used lesser aftermarket items or finishing techniques were marginalized.

We are often our own enemies.

Switching all of their paints over to the "Acryl" line probably didn't help either.  You almost had to have masochistic tendancies to want to use the stuff with all of its issues.