Fwd: RE: WWI aircraft (Glencoe)

Thomas Eisenhour (t_eisen@ix.netcom.com)
Sun, 28 May 1995 05:54:49 -0700

---- Begin Forwarded Message
Return-Path: <majordomo@pease1.sr.unh.edu>
Received: from unh.edu by ix.ix.netcom.com (8.6.12/SMI-4.1/Netcom)
id IAA11271; Wed, 24 May 1995 08:27:36 -0700
Received: from pease1.sr.unh.edu by unh.edu with SMTP id AA13318
(5.67b+/IDA-1.5); Wed, 24 May 1995 11:26:28 -0400
Received: by pease1.sr.unh.edu (931110.SGI/920502.SGI)
for @unh.edu:mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca id AA18412; Wed, 24 May 95
15:21:40 GMT
Received: from seaccd.sccd.ctc.edu by pease1.sr.unh.edu via SMTP
(931110.SGI/920502.SGI)
for /usr/local/majordomo/wrapper resend -l wwi -h
pease1.sr.unh.edu wwi-outgoing id AA18407; Wed, 24 May 95 11:21:35
-0400
Received: from seaccc.sccd.ctc.edu by seaccd.sccd.ctc.edu with SMTP
(1.38.193.4/16.2) id AA15245; Wed, 24 May 1995 08:28:07 -0700
Received: from cc:Mail by SCCCGATE.SEACCC.SCCD.CTC.EDU
id AA801328580; Wed, 24 May 95 08:16:11 PST
Date: Wed, 24 May 95 08:16:11 PST
From: stonto@seaccc.sccd.ctc.edu
Encoding: 51 Text
Message-Id: <9504248013.AA801328580@SCCCGATE.SEACCC.SCCD.CTC.EDU>
To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu
Subject: RE: WWI aircraft
Sender: owner-wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu
Precedence: bulk
Status: RO

I am not real impressed with the Glencoe models. The Smer
kits are a little better in the molded-in detail, I think,
than most of the Glencoes. On the other hand, you have to
sand off a the places where the decals go on the Smer kits.
I picked up a Supermarine Walrus (Smer) and my heart sank as
I looked at all the sanding I have to do before even
starting any assembly!! I mean WHY??

Something you need to understand is that the molds for these kits were
not made by Glencoe. These are re-releases of kits originally produced
by various, now defunct, model manufacturers back in the '40s,'50s and
'60s. The Grumman Duck and the Martin MB-2, for example were ITC kits.
The Seabee, produced by Olin (later Lindberg) dates to the late '40s!
These are not great kits but they are (typically) the ONLY
injection-molded kits of these subjects. They were issued during the
"toy" era of plastic models - thus the molded-on markings. I don't
believe Glencoe changes the molds one bit, they just add some new
decals and a box.

I think the only aircraft-subject kit Glencoe created are the Albatros
D.IIIs. Verify?

The SMER kits have an interesting history. Most of SMER's molds were
acquired from Artiplast, an Italian company started in the mid-'60s.
Artiplast used other companies' molds for most of its kits. The
Nieuport 11, Sopwith Camel, Se-5a, Fokker Dr.I, Fokker D.VII, and
Albatros D.III were from Aurora molds, while the DH-2, Avro 504K, and
Bristol Bulldog came from Merit. It appears Artiplast produced the
Walrus themselves. The source of this information is _The Collectors
Value Guide for Scale Model Plastic Kits_ by John Burns.

Unsolicited editorial: I think Glencoe is doing a great service to
modellers by reissuing these old kits. I will now be able to build a
Nieuport 28 without having to shell out $40-50.

Yours in styrene,

Tom

Tom Eisenhour
t_eisen@ix.netcom.com