Posted: 2/21/2011 7:21:21 PM EDT
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What happened to all the good model kits that used to be made about 18 years ago?
I used to like building and painting them when I was a teenager. I'm sort of looking at getting back into it but, I can;t seem to find much for Trucks. I'm looking for something tractor trailer related. Peterbilt 379's KW W900's... |
| Look on ebay. There hasn't been much of a mainstream semi kit market for a while. squadron mail order may carry some truck kits by Italeri. Most likely they were once marketed here as Testors. Model truckers are largely underground now building short run resin kits. |
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Are you kidding the kits are better, resin kits, photo-etch details. They just of course cost more. I found this one. http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/ita/ita553857.htm |
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What happened to all the good model kits that used to be made about 18 years ago? I used to like building and painting them when I was a teenager. I'm sort of looking at getting back into it but, I can;t seem to find much for Trucks. I'm looking for something tractor trailer related. Peterbilt 379's KW W900's... GO HERE |
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Quoted:
What happened to all the good model kits that used to be made about 18 years ago? I used to like building and painting them when I was a teenager. I'm sort of looking at getting back into it but, I can;t seem to find much for Trucks. I'm looking for something tractor trailer related. Peterbilt 379's KW W900's... No batteries, no fun..... |
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Trucks were always a very small niche in the market. Revell Germany still makes some nice stuff, but it's mostly European. Ertl/Amt has reissued a number of them, including the Pete 379. Goggle "Evers Toy Store" in Dyersville, Iowa.
As far as kits in general, the hobby has undergone a renaissance in recent years. The Chinese are making some really nice stuff. Kits today are better than they've ever been. Unfortunately also more expensive. |
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Well that place is a trip down memory lane. As a kid, I must have built most of the Monogram and Revell airplane kits and several of the WW-II tank/halftrack kits they have there. I still have a P-61 kit in my garage thta is just waiting to be put together. I think at one point I built on average 2 kits a week. My dad was always bringing one home for me to build. |
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I remember the good old days when any department store would have a whole aisle dedicated to models and supplies. Even down both sides of the aisle. I think I might have made too many models without adequate ventilation when I was a little kid. I used to have probably 75 at one time. The painting, the glue the Hey did you guys see that? |
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Afraid I can't answer as to truck or auto models. I am not sure how they fare nowadays but it was always a pretty small segment of the hobby.
I can say the airplane model segment is booming! A lot more than I thought it would be when I got back into it. All sorts of models to choose from and heck, you often have depth in aftermarket stuff for one particular model. |
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I remember the good old days when any department store would have a whole aisle dedicated to models and supplies. Even down both sides of the aisle. I think I might have made too many models without adequate ventilation when I was a little kid. ^ this! It really sucked when they started selling the "non-toxic" glue, that stuff SUCKED. I wish I still had all those I built. Some were very cool. |
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I just picked up a Peterbilt 359 model to build. It is generic one you can find anywhere but I was looking to get back into model building. This guy has got some nice builds on his page. http://www.timstrucks.com/ |
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I remember the good old days when any department store would have a whole aisle dedicated to models and supplies. Even down both sides of the aisle. I think I might have made too many models without adequate ventilation when I was a little kid. I remember those days too, and I miss them. Luckily for us ALOT of the old kits are being reissued. Also there are many places on line where you can find older kits. With the internet, you can actually search for all the kits that are available. In the old days you pretty much had to take what you could see on the shelves at the store. I wish I could find more of the old Monogram military models. Apparently they are pretty rare. I would like a complete set. |
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www.squadron.com On their front page there you can downlod the catalog and see how many kits are offered today and the variety. Lots of botique makers of kits now that are top quality. Photo etched and resin has changed the industry with lots of high quality kits and quality add ons for them. You just don't see them sold down at the toy store like you used to. I'd say there are a ton more kits and a lot more quality kits than there were 20 to 30 years ago or more. Howver, it's no longer a young persons hobby and more of an adult or advanced adult hobby for the majority. |
WOrking right now on an old Italeri 1.35 scale M923 5-Ton Truck. Originally wanted to customize it into a modern "Gun Truck", like the ones we escorted in Iraq...
But right now, I have only completed the bed, chassis frame and cab; work keeps me busy and my weekends I spend either sleeping or doing something else. 
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