For me it was the the Monogram P-47D Bubble top with F. Grabeski’s decals. That got me really started. Many a German fighter went down in flames with me and Gabby at the controls. The Monogram B-29 came out and that is when I started to get serious, tried to do it just like the diorama sheet said. I still am trying to this day. Ahh, the sixties were so much easier [:)]
Another one for consideration would be Tamiya’s 1:32 F-14A. It was the first “Super Kit” ( and on a downside the first kit to break the $100 mark). It pioneered the high detail kits we see today.
I would agree with all the Monogram 1/48 kits mentioned, with the B-17 at the top of the list.
But, the Monogram kit that captured my attention as a kid in the 70-80’s and is still one of my favorites today is the 1/72 B-52. Has there ever been another model kit that screamed louder to build me with my wheels up, bomb bay open, and hang me from the ceiling?
I will add my voice to the chorus singing the praises of Monograms 1/48 B17-G. I built it three times as a boy, and it was the 2nd kit I got as a recent returnee to the hobby. A wonderful interior and a darn good looking plane in it’s “Chow Hound” colors.
May I also add my own personal favorites, the Monogram 1/48 OS2U-3 Kingfisher ‘High Tech’ version and the Monogram 1/48 P61 Black Widow "Times a Wastin’ "
For some reason, I just couldn’t get enough of those two planes.
For me personally the first that springs to mind is the Monogram 1/48th SNJ / Havard / Texan model. I had been used to the likes of early Airfix, Frog and the first of the Matchbox kits and I was astounded by the level of detail in this one. secondly (and this has already been mentioned) the Airfix BT-K Spitfire MK1, the molds of which were reputedly altered to make the MK IX JE-J.(having had both models side by side on my bench I would say that this is almost definitly the case) For a third I would say the Hasegawa H60 series helicopters, the only kit I have built to date that has required NO filler at all. true state of the art molding.
All the best.
Greg
If you’re talking about continous production then the Monogram 1/48th B-17 falls behind. The B-52 was first produced in 1968 and is still going.
what about the Strombecker wood kits with decals for windows a pin or small nail to hold the props on and a weight that had to be inserted into the fuselage, capped off, and sanded smooth?
then there were the Aurora kits with solid wings that many started on. I should have done these in an old codger voice.
Many of the kits form the early days. Even the 70s to an extent. Before the time of resin and photo etch parts if you wanted to add detail you had to come up with a way to do it yourself. Since then why bother develping skills when someone else does it for you?
I once competed with a Airfix C-130 that I converted into a AC-130H and went up against a Airfix OV-10 with a detailed cockpit that was done with plastic and Elmer’s glue for the levers and other controls.
I have noticed that sometimes it appears that the modeler must have an exact reproduction of a subject. I don’t know if this is because the builder just loves his subject or is unofficially competeing with another person’s work he sees at a contest or on a forum somewhere. Some of this can be attributed to the judges at various contests,(especially the nationals), who get so carried away that they will carry around photos of a specific types of aircraft and if the pattern of paint or a little detail is different and doesn’t match his picture, he will reduce the score, not taking into consideration that aircraft do get modifications from time to time and his photo might be before or after a mod.
I don’t know if this helped but I should stop here, I’ve taken too much space and gotten off the subject slightly.
The original Airfix 1/24 Spitfire Mk1a caused real ripples when it first appeared. That one left a huge impression on me as a boy, and I still feel a great affection for that kit.
I suspect you will get different answers depending where you ask the question. Monogram kits weren’t so common here in the 1970s, at least not in the provinces. I remember first seeing those on a trip to London in the early 1980s, so things like their B-17G really didn’t really figure until some years later. With the early Spitfire being the great icon to most Brits, a symbol of national survival, the big Airfix kit was really significant,
Cheers,
Bill.
Hmmmm influential! Monogram has probably influenced most of our generation with their kits. The B-17 G would be a fitting representation of that although many would qualify as the kits that got me going in the hobby.
Next would be the Tamiya Zero. I say that one because it is another classic that has been around a long while and really made me appreciate the more precise engineering of the Tamiya fall together kits. Trumpeter and Hasegawa are following the example made by Tamiya for details and engineering.
Lastly although not my scale I would credit Italerie 1/72 scale Ju-52 because I know it well. The price and detail of Italeri made them special kits.Kept things real before the high priced wonder kits. The 1/72 scale was then the most diverse in number and types. I am a WWII builder but am certain some of there jets would qualify as well.
You make an excellent point Bill, and one which has become obvious as the responses roll in. The Monogram B-17 seems to have made quite an impression in its home market and I suppose that’s to be expected. It certainly seems to have earned its seat on the bus…
The big 1:24 Spit is possibly another and so far as British modellers are concerned an Airfix Spitfire HAS to be a contender, though I think the original (BT-K/JE-J) probably had greatest impact. I did a survey of modellers in our club a couple of years ago and asked everybody what their first model was - 50% said it was an Airfix kit and 50% of those said it was a Spitfire (even among those who don’t build aircraft now)! Of course this is in Australia but I bet it would be the same for Britain (or more so).
I’m starting to think that maybe the question should have been what series of kits made the most impact (in each market), I’d guess Airfix’s bagged 2/6d kits would be strong contenders in Commonwealth countries.
Michael
I’d make the suggestion for the Monogram P-40, P-47 and P-38 kits; these seem to be the ones that began the transition from working-feature “toy” models to more-detailed, better representations of the actual subjects that depicted specific versions rather than generic representations of a type. Just my $0.02.
I would say Hasegawa F-16 (I know Tamiya no beats it…now) since it set the standard when it came out in 1/48 & 1/32.
I also vote the Monogram B-17G & B-29 in 1/48. Ahead of its time and the “inspirational” leaflet with Shep Paine’s build gave us a goal to build to.
4th place might be the Monogram P-61 Black widow.
David
Monogram’s 1/48 bombers for sure, the B-17 specifically. I f you think about it, most plastic kits before these were lacking detail and featured moving parts. Plus they were just plain big!
As already listed, the B-17, P-47D and B-52 by Monogram. But I would also add their 1/48 P-51, F-86, F-4D, and TBD. All were well ahead of the current competition offered by contemporary competing companies. Each one set the standard for it’s class of model, single seat prop fighter, 50’s jet, Modern (then) fighter, and carrier bomber. The P-51 and P-47 in particular were the first kits that actually had proper wheel wells (detail on both sides of the gear doors), cockpits (with floors, seats, stick), etc…
I’m sorry guys but I’m going to have to disagree with you a bit regarding the Monogram stuff. While they may have been the first 1/48 scale to offer that level of detail at a reduced price there were plenty of other kits at the time with that or better detail. I was a toy store manager and then a hobby store manager in the mid seventies and we were getting numerous quality kits from Otaki, Nichimo, Tamiya and others that offered great detail in 1/48 scale. I built my share of the 1/48 aircraft from Monogram but also built plenty of others at the time. I think what’s making Monogram stick out in our memories might be the fact that they had distribution beyond the hobby stores and went into many of the department stores.
I have to put the most influential kits back into the 60’s when I built my first aircraft models from Aurora, Lindberg, and Hawk.
I’m not sure D. The P-47D Bubbletop and P-51B both date to around 1970 or so, or just a couple years older. No other company at that time put out something that offered detail of that sort until a few years later. Otaki, Nichimo, and Tamiya all would follow shortly with their answering kits, but I really think that these two were the pioneers of 1/48 static display models with what they did.
How about the Tamiya 1/32 F-14 of the early 1980’s wasn’t that one of the first super kits with a big price tag.
Could be. I’ll not argue the point because my memory isn’t that good.
Concurr… The Hawk and Aurora kits were some I bought as well, (who can forget the Zero molded in bright yellow and the Me-109 in metallic burgundy plastic?) and they were, while ok for the time, having some real wing-join issues (tab into slot) that Monogram didn’t. It used to infuriate my 10-year-old patience level that you had to glue the Aurora wings into the slots, then tape them up and walk away from it for a couple hours while the glue set… Aurora had those goofy molded outlines that located the decals for you, and both Hawk and Aurora had pilots that were a set of molded on heads & shoulders… Monogram’s cockpits were actually that back late 60’s with their later single-seat kits, Cockpits… Not a figure that got glued to an “armor plate” or seat tabbed to the side of the fuselage… I preferred Monogram over Hawk and Aurora even as kid…
The “Blue Box” B-model Pony, D-model Jug, P-40B, and Kingfisher were the ones you had to build…
Hi
I’d have to say the Monogram 1/48 scale kits. The first 2 kits I tried where their P-51D and P-40B. And while not up to todays standards they still standing up pretty well for their price and are of course still available on the Revell label.
All this of course is IMHO.
Seeya
Scott
I gotta agree with Lee Tree. The kits that had the Shep Paine booklets in them inspired me to scratchbuild details that would not appear in kits for another twenty years. They showed that a kit will look as good as you want it to. Mr. Paine’s books did not only apply to planes. I built the Mono M3 Grant just like Shep did. I still have it.
I think the Revell series of 1/32 kits put that scale on the map and kept it there. Now all we need is a 1/32 B-17 to top the list.
P.s., I also loved the Monogram OS2U Kingfisher. Is that coming out again any time soon. Or perhaps by any maker? I cannot believe that so cool and well known a plane is not available anywhere in any scale>