Monogram and Revell large bombers

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hello, everyone!

I was wondering if anyone can tell me the history of some of Monogram’s and Revell’s large bomber kits, specifically, the B-17 and B-24 kits.

When I was an active modeller as a kid, up through 1982, I had built Monogram’s B-17G and B-24J. I had never heard of Revell offerings of a B-17 or B-24 in any scale other than 1/72 (eg. I never saw any larger-scale bomber from Revell in my local hobby shop, nor in other stores where I bought models (like Woolworth’s, Jamesway, and remember Kiddie City?)

I’ve since taken up modelling again, and from what I have seen on various websites, there is a Revell 1/48th B-17, (B-17F?), that apparently was a contemporary of Monogram’s kit. Also, I’ve seen that Monogram later released a 1/48th B-24D (and then re-released it as a ProModeller kit).

So, I was wondering:

When did the Revell B-17 get issued? How different is it from the Monogram kit, and after Revell bought Monogram, did they continue to isse both kits, side by side, or was the Revell kit phased out?

And did Monogram ever release a B-17E?

When did Monogram issue the B-24D?

One last question: When you first saw the Monogram B-17G and B-24J, did you ask yourself, like I did, why they didn’t issue kits of the earlier marks of those planes, the -E and the -D? Sure, Monogram may have chosen the more numerous variants of both planes, but to me, it’s the B-17E and the B-24D that are bound up with some of the most famous stories from the air war. For the B-17, don’t most of us think of the Memphis Belle? And for the B-24, don’t most of us think of the raid on Ploesti? I thought, at the time, I would rather have seen those birds.

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Brad

2

Hello Brad,
Some kit history here, http://www.swannysmodels.com/B17G.html where else lol.
It’s a bit of an intimidating model for someone of my skill level. Pretty awesome though if you can put together the time and patience to see it through, 26" wingspan, cripes you’d need to rent hanger space to build it [8-]
All the best,
Mick C.

3

Wow! Thanks, much for the link, Mick! There is a ton of info there on the B-17 kits.

It’s interesting to me that I never even heard of a Revell Fort in 1/48th, until I got back into the hobby a couple of years ago. I never saw it anywhere, here in my neck of the woods, southeastern Pennsylvania. Whether it was a good ol’ hobby store, like everyone remembers, crammed with kits and full of info (ours was Penn Valley Hobbies in Lansdale-still there, too), or a department store chain that also carried models, I only ever saw the Monogram kits. We had other Revell kits, of course. Monogram’s response must have been swift, indeed!

I doing now what I like to call nostalgia builds, buying up and building the kits I built as a kid, and the bomber kits are on the list. I guess many modellers go through the same thing.

Again, thanks for the response!

Brad

4

Monogram released the B-24D originally in the early/mid 80’s(around 83/84 I believe). Probably because of the same thinking as you had by modelers for an earlier war variant. They later re-issued the kit in their Pro Modeler line complete with Ploesti markings and other odds and ends to dress it up and help justify the higher pricing of that line. As for me, I would have been happy to see more variants of both bombers released. There was some serious amounts of changes built into the different models during their wartime service. Not that I had or have the room to display them, but looking is always nice.

The B-17 question were already answered in the last post quite well[;)]

5

If I remember correctly, the Revell 1/48 B-17F appeared around 1983, and though I didn’t build it, I remember the letters to magazines and hobby shop talk in those pre-web days. Builders hated it. And it didn’t have a very long shelf life, though it was re-released a few times, I’m pretty sure.

People could get the perfectly good Monogram G, tried and true, with no big fit problems, and that apparently was more important than having an F model. BTW, the massive and wonderful Zotz B-25G decal set (about ten sheets, something like 20 planes represented, plus odds and ends) has a couple of F models stuck in there.

As for the B-24D, I’m not sure when its release was, but I think very early 80s. All I can say is, I had great fun building it many years ago. I built mine as a polka-dot assembly ship (I used a 1/4" hand-held hole puncher like you used in school, and a bunch of frisket film. There were four different colors of dots). I found the scheme in a book of Liberator profiles. It was not the least bit taxing, nor intimidating, I would imagine, even for a modeller of modest experience, and the build was free enough of fit problems to be a ball.

For the experienced builder, the Koster conversion kit for later B-24 models, and the conversion to make a PB4Y-2, can still be got from the man himself, and Zotz (them again) makes some enormous and beautiful nose art decals for the very late model B-24’s, such as the M. But they also make some for the OOB J.

TOM

6

Brad, I’m down the pike from you. I’d see these kits down here in philthadelphia when there were Hobby shops down here. Unfortuneately, there are only two left, (that I know of) after the one in Jenkintown just closed[BH]. Capelli’s in town is a great one. I do know Internet hobbies is not real real far from you. Pretty decent selection. One day I will make the trip up there to see the place in person. Where is this Penn Valley Hobbies, I would like to get there some time? Thanks.

Chris

7

I was thinking the “D” was released BEFORE the “J”. I recall building one before I moved to Oklahoma and that was in 1982.

Don’t know if this is gospel but, I know I built it before the move.

8

No, the “J” was definitely the 1st B-24 released in 48th. I remember building that one in the mid/late 70s. When I was a kid I built almost all their big kits except the B-36, B-29, and B-58. I love those old monster size kits. They were THE BEST Christmas presents!

9

My dad gave me two, count 'em two, 1/48 B-17s for my 10th or 11th birthday. One was the Monogram -G and the other was the Revell -F. That would have been the late 70s, say about 1978.

I used to love Christmas because for a time there it meant that I would be getting a new big bomber kit. One year it was a B-17G (I think I built 4 of those kits as a kid, and have added 1 more as an adult with yet another one in the stash); another year the B-24, the B-52, the B-29, and finally a C-47. Never got the B-36 for whatever reason, and I was out of modeling by the time they released the B-58.

Love those Monogram big birds.

10

I built the Revell kit a numbers of years back. It was allright.

When I was a kid, I used to look up at the top of my dad’s closet at the models he had sitting there, waiting to be built. Even as I grew older and on leave from the military I would always ask him, “Are you gonna build any of those?” “not sure, maybe”, he replied all the time.

My mom passed away in 2004 and she was a huge reason for me doing models, drawing, and fly fishing. I miss her. But it did bring my dad and I closer. After I finally got my pilots license and took him for the 1st flight with me at the controls, I got a huge moving box one day in the mail. My heart just stopped when I opened it. Inside was every single model I had always used to look at. In it was a note saying, I knew one day you would be ready for these. The box contained:

All of them are the orriginal, 1st issue in the box.

Monogram 1/48 B-17G

Monogram Kingfisher 1/48

Momogram 262 1/48

Monogram Spitfire MK I 1/48

And another box within the box. It it was all 14 of the WWII birds I used to watch him build and hand paint as far back as I can remember at 6 years old. They used to hang form my cieling and I would spend hours and hours pretending I was up there after “Jerry”.

Good times and memories. I want to finish the B-17 in individualy cut panels of foil applied…good lord…what have I gotten myself into? LOL

Brent

11

Thanks to everyone for the responses! It looks like we share a lot of the same memories and nostalgia for these kits.

I got my 17’s and 24’s as Christmas presents, too, and the B-29. With that one, I learned the lesson that many kids do–about Christmas, that is–that a surprise is better than satisfying curiosity beforehand. I peeked, saw the model, and later realized that it would have been better to have been truly surprised Christmas morning. Well, half the fun of modelling is lessons learned, isn’t it?

To Chris, if you’d like to visit Penn Valley Hobbies: I don’t know where you are in Philly, but the easiest way is to get to 309 and head north to Colmar. Lansdale’s Broad Street hits 309 at the light there, at Yum-Yum Donuts. Turn left on Broad, take it into Lansdale to Main, turn right on Main and go about 8 blocks or so. PVH is on the right-hand side of the street, 837 West Main. They also have a website, www.pennvalleyhobbies.com, and now use eBay as well.

For all of the manufacturers who have come (and some, gone) since 1982, and all of the great kits that can be had, I still enjoy the old Monogram kits, and don’t pass them up, when I find them.

From Monogram, on the bench, in various stages of completion:

2 P-47Ds (1 razorback, 1 bubbletop)

2 P-40Bs

2 TBF-1C Avengers (well, OK, you need to do some modifying to make them -1Cs)

1 TBD (that kit was a revelation to me in 1977, compared to the Navy planes that had gone before)

Of course, those share space with a Lindberg Goshawk, an Aurora F4B-4, a Pyro Hawker Fury, Hasegawa’s 1/700 Essex, and about 100 toy soldiers from Stadden, Imrie-Risley, Puchala, and homecast molds. Plus a Phillies bobblehead from the '50s, who has a crack at the back of his head that I need to patch.

I sometimes think I’ll finish this stuff at the same time that the Phils make it back to the World Series ;o)

12

I was thrilled to see and pickup recently a reissue of the Revelle SBD in 1/48. I remember building that kit as a kid, and having a blast dropping the bomb off it to bomb cutouts of the carriers at Midway. I am looking forward to doing this kit again. I may pickup another one for my son to build at the same time.

Steve

13

Brad, Thanks for the directions. I’m going to try to get there this weekend ( if the bride doesn’t have anything planned already)

Chris

P.S. don’t worry about those PHIGHTIN’S, This week coming up is going to be the getting over the hump for them. I’ll be at least at one game each one of these series.