Kit # Name Scale Color/1st issue
100 Sopwith Tripe 1/48 black
101 French Nieuport 11 1/48 olive
102 Sopwith Camel 1/48 olive
103 SE-5 Scout 1/46 olive
104 German Albatross (1) D-3 1/48 green
105 Fokker DR-1 Triplane 1/43 burgundy
106 Fokker D-7 1/46 dk green
107 SPAD XIII 1/48 olive
108 Nieuport 28 1/48 lt. gray
109 German Pfalz D-3 1/48 gray
112 DeHavilland DH 4 1/48 olive
113 F2B Brisfit 1/48 olive
114 Curtiss JN-4 'Jenny' 1/48 yellow
125 DeHaviland (1) DH-10 1/48 olive
126 Gotha Bomber 1/48 burgundy
134 Fokker Eindekker 1/43 tan
135 Fokker D-VIII 1/48 dk. green
136 Halberstadt CL II 1/48 gray
141 Breguet 14 1/48 dk green
142 Albatross (1) (2) 1/48 lt. gray
Notes: (1) Aurora's spelling, not mine! (2) actually an
Albatros C-III although neither the box nor the instructions
say so.
Aurora first introduced its line of WW1 aircraft in 1956 with
the production of kits 101-106 - six single seat pursuits nicely
balanced between the western allies (Nieuport 11, SE-5, and
Camel) and the Germans (Albatros, D-7 and Dr. I). In 1957.
six more WW1 models were introduced - three more single
seaters (nos. 107-109) and three two seaters (112-114)
Aurora followed in 1958 with its two 'monster' WW1 kits,
the Gotha and the DH-10. (The Gotha was a rather obvious
choice for the German bomber and obviously a western
bomber kit was required for 'balance' but the selection of
the rather obscure DH-10 seems a puzzling choice - a
Handley Page 'bloody paralyzer' or a Vickers Vimy would
seem a more logical pick.)
In 1960, the Fokker D-VIII and the Halberstadt were produced
followed by the Sopwith Triplane and the Fokker E-III in
1963. The final two WW1 Aurora kits, the Breguet and the
Albatros C-III, appeared in 1964.
In 1973, Aurora entered into a marketing arrangement with
K&B, a California manufacturer of flying models, and produced
the series of K&B 'Collectors series' These models were produced
by Aurora but distributed by K&B and featured a large, squarish
white box with some impressive artwork and (be still my heart!)
a vacuformed diorama base for displaying the model! Aurora kits
marketed under the K&B name were the Sopwith Tripe (#1100).
Nieuport 28 C.1 (#1108), Pfalz D-III (#1109), DeHavilland DH-10A
(#1124), Gotha G.V (#1126), Fokker E-III (#1134), Fokker E.V
(D-VIII) (#1135), Halberstadt CL-II (#1136), Breguet 14 (#1141)
and Albatros C-III (#1142). Note that the K&B kits numbers were
merely the original Aurora kit numbers prefixed by a '1'.
Apparently, it was originally intended to 'upgrade' all the molds
for the K&B kits but apparently Aurora was either losing interest
in plastic kits or running short of money by 1973 because most
of the kits received only a new set of instructions and decals.
However, the Sopwith Tripe and the Gotha did get the
engraved markings removed from the fuselage (but not the
wings), the Pfalz had all its engraved markings removed except
the fuselage data, and the Fokker E.V had all its engraved markings
removed. The Breguet had the most extensive mold revisions,
with a completely revised set of wing moldings to incorporate
the bomb racks which had been omitted from the original Aurora
kit.
Aurora's 'last gasp' was in 1976 when it issued the 700 series.
Kit# Name color
750 Fokker Dr.I Triplane red (what else?)
751 Sopwith Camel olive
752 Albatros D.V tan
753 Fokker D-VII blue
776 Bristol F.2B Fighter tan
785 Gotha G.V green/black
786 DeHavilland DH-10 olive/black
754 Nieuport 11 'Bebe' (1) silver/black
755 Airco SE.5.A (1) olive/black
(1) was not actually issued until Jan. or Feb. of 1977
All of these kits had substantial 'improvements' to the molds
by the removal of all engrave markings and addition of a 'fabric'
texture to the surfaces. In addition, the Camel had 'ribs' added
to its wing undersides, the Albatros had its fuselage and tail
altered to more closely resemble a D.V., and the Fokker D.VII
got new machine guns, foot steps, and struts. Other minor additional
changes were made to some of the other molds.
In late 1977, all Aurora's plastic kit assets, including the WW1
aircraft molds, were sold to Monogram and Aurora ceased
all plastic kit manufacture. Reliable sources indicate that during
the transfer of the molds to Monogram, three of the Aurora
WW1 molds were damaged beyond repair - the Breguet, the
Halberstadt and the Albatros C.III. The other molds are apparently
still in the possession of Monogram's successor corporation but
with the exception of a short production of the Camel, the D.VII,
and the SE 5A in the '80's, none have apparently ever been
produced by Monogram.
And, I've got *lots* more if anyone's interested! Cheers, Bill
-- Bill Shatzer - bshatzer@ednet1.osl.or.gov - aw177@FreeNet.Carleton.ca "It's useless to fight the forms. You've got to kill the people producing them." Vladimir Kabaidze