Does anybody out there remember Monogram Speedee-Built models? They are from the early '50’s and were a mixed medium of balsa wood, plastic and tissue. Typical box scale yielded a model about 12-14 in. long. They made an F-86, an F-84, a Boeing Kadet, a Spad, an F9F Panther (my favorite) plus others that I have forgotten. Better yet, does anybody know if they are available anywhere?
Also, there was a line of wooden scale models, I forget the company, that were true beauties. They made a F-86D and a MiG-15 that were georgeous. Curved panels of balsa wood, no less.
Have I stirred any long-dormant memories?
Tony Ryan
Yes, I have fond memories of these kits from when I was a kid. I built at least one of each and it started me on a hobby that I still enjoy today. I don’t recall all of them but I know they did a P-47 T’bolt bubble top ( my favorite ) and a small Racer which I don’t recall the name. They were supposed to be flying models as I recall, but none ever flew very far. These kits would be strictly for collectors these days and probably very rareand expensive. I saw one on eBay a few weeks ago, but never cheked on what it finally sold for. Not sure about the other kits you mention but Strombecker and Guillow were making mostly wood kits during that time.
Rick
Tony:
I do remember the Speedee-Builts. I never built any of them myself, but one friend of mine built the B-24 Liberator, and another friend built the P-40. Can’t say for sure, but I think the racer may have been the Shoestring. That WAS between 40 and 50 years ago…
Jim
Tony,
As Bob Hope always said “Thanks for the memories”. I wax nastalgic every now and then, but then I look at a new Hasagawa, Tamia, and even a new Revel-Monogram kit and remember rivits the size of your fist!
I also remember the lack of detail, the decal placement molded into the plastic (Aurura), and no cockpit detail, ect.
I too have fond memories of the old Monogram kits, and the Hawk kits, and the Stromberg kits, and the Lindberg kits, and Aurura kits, etc.
Do you folks remember making your own liquid glue with acetone and sprue?
Remember Revell had its own line of paints? Oh well! rangerj
Yes, I do remember the Monogram Speedee-Builts. I had a great time building and flying them![:)] I used to use a Jetex rocket engine a they flew every time. The one I remember in particular was the F-84. On it’s first flight; I lit the engine, threw it straight up, it straightened out, flew in two large circles over the roof tops and made a perfect three-point landing right down the middle of the street. WOW! What a thrill![:p]
If these, and the Jetex engines, were available today, I would build them all over again. Easy to build and what fun!
Guess I’m just an old man trying to regain his youth. My wife says that I may grow old, but will never grow up.[:o)]
Pete
My favorite was the F-84. It was a super hand launched glider. Flew the pants off of it. Alas, I don’t think you’ll find one except on e-bay where the fetch a pretty price.
Tom
Pete,
You’re in luck! Jetex still exists! http://jetex.org/ Also, there’s more here
http://www.thestuarts.freeserve.co.uk/rapgal.htm
This thread’s got me thinking about the old Comet balsa and tissue flyers.
They used to cost a big ten cents.
Enjoy!
Ray
Were all of the Speedee-Built kits flying models ? I could swear that the B-24 built by a friend of mine was from Monogram, but maybe not. It was balsa with plastic cowls, props, canopy, turrets, and wheels. Was about the same size as the old “fit the box” Revell B-24, I think. I do remember that the P-40 built by another friend was flyable. This discussion brings back memories of the first all-plastic kits from Monogram that I built - a B-25 and PBY. [:o)]
Jim
Don’t forget the P-40 and Corsair as speedee builds.the racer was the Midget Mustang if I’m not mistaken and the bombers were B-26 Invader (which I gave one away awhile ago in a moment of weakness &%^^%%#$@&!!) B-25,B-17and B-24.I’m pretty sure the solid balsa ones were the F-86,Mig-15,P-51,F-84,and F4u.These were released right around the Korean war while these planes were still active.Don’t remember the F-86D.The solid balsa were around 1/72 or a little bigger,the speedee builds were closer to 1/32 except the Midget Mustang which was closer to 1/24.Have’nt seen any of them around for a long time,theres not to many of us left that know how to build them!
I still have completed B-24 and B-25 models (they also made a B-17 and a B-26 (the Invader, not the Maurauder) but I am not sure they called them “Speedee-Built”. They were all balsa and plastic, no tissue, and were a bit larger than the SB’s. My examples are still in pretty good shape considering their age (durn near 50).
I am delighted to read that I was not the only nutty kid to put a jetex on a Speedee-Built. My favorite was the F9F Panther with the engine mounted underneath at the C. of G. point. Attaching an approx 30 ft. line to a wing, getting a friend to light the fire, and off it roared. It flew remarkably well in this primitive U-contol mode and I was usually able to dead-stick it down with most pieces still attached. Oh but that was fun!!
Here’s a trivia question: name all the SB models; there were probably about 20 different ones. I remember the F-84, the F-86, the P-40, (not positive on P-47 and P-51) the Boeng Kadet, the Spad, the Ercoupe, the Ryan Navion (a beauty!) a red midget racer with wheel pants, don’t remember the name.
Does anybody remember prices? I seem to recall 49 cents, but that was in Canada where I grew up.
Thanks for that stroll down hobby memory lane, folks!
Tony Ryan
I sure would like to have one of those Midget Mustang kits. It is one of my all-time favorite airplanes, and I even considered building the real thing back in the days when I was still flying. I also remember Lindberg doing it in 1/48th plastic - I did build that one. [:o)]
Jim
Yes, the P-47 was one of the Speedee-builts.
Tom
Hi, I’m new to the forum, and I realize this might be old news, but the speedee-built kits are for sale again. A guy by the name of ron anderson is kitting these. All of the old “flyers” are available along with a few new ones. I don’t know if he has plans to make the multi-engine display only kits such as the B-24, B-17, B-25 and B-26. The new kits are exactly like the old ones and are a mix of carved balsa blocks, balsa formers and sheet balsa sides with stick and tissue undersurfaces and fuselage area behind the canopy. Injection molded cowls, rockets, bombs, etc. and very nice vacuum formed canopies round out these quintissential multi-media kits from the late 50’s…the only real difference beween these kits and the collectors items on e-bay is the balsa is not coloured, the plastic parts are grey insead of red, and the boxes do not look like the originals.
Kewel !! Does he have a web site where we could check them out ?
Regards, Rick
Also, the origional kits had clear plastic canopies, not vacu-formed.
The plastic in those kits was not typical styrene, but something a bit more rugged that was molded rather thick, and as a result, the clear windshield and turrets had a slight amber hue to them.
I built the old origional B-17, and now wish I had not. [;)]
Tom [C):-)]