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Quick trip down memory lane

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  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Katy, TX
Quick trip down memory lane
Posted by Aggieman on Sunday, March 27, 2022 9:57 PM

The very first model kit I ever put together was Monogram's P-40B Flying Tiger, at age 3. In about the same time frame, I did a couple of other old Monogram kits that had proven elusive to find in recent years - Snoopy and His Sopwith Camel, and the Red Barron's Fokker tri-plane.

Well, one could find those early '70s (1971, I think) kits on eBay, but for prices that made one think they were more valuable than a kidney, or an arm and a leg.  But thankfully, Atlantis stepped in with their acquisition of these molds and have returned this fun kits to online store shelves.

Now the Snoopy/Red Baron builds I did at age 4 did not survive my childhood, but tracings my mother made of the kits' boxart, as well as a wood cutout she did of Snoopy's Sopwith Camel boxart did.  Roughly 50 years later, I got to do these kits again, and I am so happy to have had the opportunity.

These kits are snap-together kits, with minimal parts, stickers instead of decals, multi-colored plastic, and wireless motors that allowed safe operation of the props.  Unlike when I was 4, I actually did use paint and glue on these builds, in very limited places. I painted Snoopy's helmet green, the google strap brown, his eyes/eyebrows black, outlined his teeth with black, and his dog house stand red.  For the Red Baron, I painted his skin flesh color, blue eyes, brown eyebrows and mustache, and brown goggle straps.  I glued the head pieces together on both as I was not happy with the quality of the snap-fit there.  But everything else is snapped together, for potential deconstruction (and storage in the boxes, that I am going to keep).

I believe I spent 3 total days building both of these, although without paint these could have been completed in just a few minutes.  But it is kits like these that remind why we get into this hobby - because it is fun!

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Sunday, March 27, 2022 10:14 PM

That brings back alot of memories for me.That is cool.

  • Member since
    July 2019
  • From: Vancouver, British Columbia
Posted by Bobstamp on Monday, March 28, 2022 1:27 AM

What fun! Snoopy and the Red Baron was one of our son's favourite books, and Charles Schultz was a member of American Kitefliers Association, which my father founded. As a reborn modeller, I too find myself going back to the "good old days," but now with good tools and a lot more time and paint and even some scratchbuilding of details. 

Bob

On the bench: A diorama to illustrate the crash of a Beech T-34B Mentor which I survived in 1962 (I'm using Minicraft's 1/48 model of the Mentor), and a Pegasus model of the submarine Nautilus of 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas fame. 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Monday, March 28, 2022 9:21 AM

Those are great little kits.  My wife did those - and they are really nice little kits.  The switchless props are a nice touch.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Monday, March 28, 2022 9:39 AM

Pretty nice that you were able to hang on to that stuff.

  • Member since
    July 2015
Posted by MR TOM SCHRY on Monday, March 28, 2022 10:06 AM

I had the Red Baron kit when I was a kid and snatched both of these up when Atlantis rereleased them.  I've made the triplane already and the Camel is coming up soon.  You did an awesome job on your two kits.

TJS 

TJS

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Monday, March 28, 2022 5:18 PM

That's a pair of fun builds the Aggie! They sure put a smile on my face! Thanks for sharing them with us here.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 11:09 PM

I never built them when they were first issued, but I built the Atlantis reissues with my grandkids.

 

The props turn better with the battery in backwards.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

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