The following is a listing of the entire Aurora WW1 series
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 1977All 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
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