Martin MB-2 Heavy Bomber

GM,

   You have some good kit "History" there.  That UPC kit has the same parts as the Ringo (ITC), ergo, the same as the Glencoe.  The UPC kits difference is more flash per Photo's I have of the parts.  There should be some figures with these kits too.

   The Glencoe Kit comes up often. It is said to be slightly smaller than 1/72... but who cares.  Pair it with an old battleship in a "forced perspective" Dio and Gen."Billy" Mitchell rides again.

   Nino

UPC was a company that was around in the '60s. They sold reboxed versions of other companies kits.

In this particular case, the UPC MB-2 according to Scalemates is a rebox of an "original" kit sold by Marusan. 

Marusan inturn was known for both selling repops of other companies original molds. But also for pirating other models. I can't find where this one falls. The original ITC kit came out in 1959, the Marusan kit in the early sixties. My own guess would be that Marusan pirated the ITC model.

The kit in the OP was an ITC mold, reboxed by Kleeware, reboxed by Ringo (ITC brand), then by Glencoe.

The contents of that UPC box may be an adventure.

I am getting a model of this aircraft in a trade, it is 1/50th scale by a company called UPC.

I have the Glencoe kit and have no idea what the Ringo kit is like.  I have been examining the Glencoe kit, as I hope to get it on the bench soon.  Like most Glencoe kits, it isn't great for fine detail.  Since I have not started building yet, I have no idea how good the fit is.

I have had a few Glencoe kits that were real stinkers, but by and large most of my efforts with the brand have resorted in fairly nice builds.  The lack of details shows if you examine them up close, but from a distance they look fine.  Their Curtiss Condor is a real gem!

They are basically the same kit. The Glencoe kit likely has more modern decals. The kit is a bit smaller than 1/72 if I recall correctly, and it is very basic - it was initially released in the late '50s or early '60s. But it is the ONLY kit of the MB-2 ever.