Aurora, Revell Monogram: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBgCRQ2wIvw
Tamiya https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evm_59y2S0o
Airfix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxaJgxXavc
Jo Han https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA6KvM7YXWc
Model kits of the USSR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5ticIELm1Y
Italeri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr1xyjVwzYQ
AMT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZmqZAn1rGU
MPC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPuv5nsFw7U
Hasegawa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u_Oh6nykik
Very interesting, thanks for sharing
Found these recently myself. Really fascinating stuff. Highly recommended.
Sweet find! Thank you
I watched the Aurora/Monogram/Revell and Tamiya videos, as well as a video for AMT (it was one of those side videos YouTube throws at you). One thing I learned, is that growing up, we (apparently) were pronouncing “Revell” and “Tamiya” wrong - Revell was pronounced “Rev-ell” - like it rhymed with “rebel”. And Tamiya, we said “Tuh-my-ya”, not “Tuh-me-ya”. Interesting to note how Tamiya’s 1/35th scale was developed!
I think Revell kits were a bit better than Monogram, even though Monogram had a slightly larger offering. But like it was said in the video, Monogram had some kits in 1/32nd scale, and others in 1/35th. And of course, if you wanted to build a tank and a jeep (for example), one would be in the 1/32nd scale and the other in 1/35th. Not that it would be that noticeable a difference, but still.
I remember getting a Monogram kit of an American 37 mm cannon, with 3 figures. I don’t think the kit came with a jeep, to pull the cannon around.
I remember Aurora came out with a line of armor in 1/48th scale. One nice little thing about those kits, they sometimes came with a molded “street scene” base - I think it was a King Tiger model I bought and it came with a base resembling a small bridge of some sorts.
As for AMT, I liked their 1/25th scale vehicles - I had all 3 fire trucks, plus the bulldozer, and several tractor-trailer kits. Unfortunately, the AMT instructions really sucked, and the fit of the parts wasn’t all that great. I still have a GMC “General” truck (as well as the box lid!), and I think I have another kit in the basement of a Freightliner cabover truck (it might be partially built - it was donated to me).
Ahhh, memories!
Thanks for sharing. These are great. I watched the one about Jo-Han a couple months ago. I love the histories of senior and expired model companies. I’ve only watched the one but want to watch them all.
Monogram Diorama sheet history
Model Industry History IV: Monogram Diorama Sheets | KitMaker Network
History of model scales
What is a scale model — a beginner’s guide to building great scale models | FineScale Modeler Magazine
Heller models: a brief history (youtube.com)
Guillow model company, a brief history (youtube.com)
FROG models: a quick look (youtube.com)
Atlantis models: a quick overview (youtube.com)
Minicraft Model Kits (youtube.com)
Lindberg Line models history (music) (youtube.com)
Renwal: a quick history (re-upload) (youtube.com)
Zvezda: a quick overview (youtube.com)
Trumpeter Models, a brief overview (youtube.com)
Lodela: The Mexican model company (youtube.com)
Hobbycraft Canada, a quick review (youtube.com)
ARII kit model company history (youtube.com)
Aoshima : Brief history (re-upload) (youtube.com)
Nitto kit model company: a brief overview (youtube.com)
Fujimi model company overview (youtube.com)
Verlinden Productions: a quick overview (youtube.com)
Matchbox Models: a brief overview (youtube.com)
Academy and Accurate Miniatures: Version 2.0 (youtube.com)
Bandai and Gundam: a quick history - YouTube
Hobby Time Models a brief history (youtube.com)
Cleveland models company (youtube.com)
HAWK/Testors Model company (youtube.com)
ESCI model compant: a brief history (youtube.com)
Estes model rockets: a brief history (youtube.com)
Topping Models, a brief history (youtube.com)
Sterling model company (youtube.com)
Comet Models: A brief history (youtube.com)
Plasticart a quick overview (youtube.com)
KSN Midori: a brief history (youtube.com)
Nichimo / Nichimoco, a brief overview (youtube.com)
The Aurora Files: Military aircraft mold costs (youtube.com)
The Aurora Files: Monster mold costs (youtube.com)
The Aurora Files Episode 2 (youtube.com)
ERTL model company history (youtube.com)
Dragon Models Limited (youtube.com)
The Max, Peerless-Max, Schrieber-Max model company (youtube.com)
A great little 1:35 model from Monogram I always felt was their rendition of the Little John missile:
Prompted by the memories above(!)
Inside Amusing Hobbies
MBK on Tour #026 - MBK on Tour # 026 - Visit at Amusing Hobby, production site Humen, September 2019 (youtube.com)
Where did you find that kit??? I’ve been looking for one for years.
Well, good luck Fred as they are indeed pretty rare! I’m pretty sure I got it from the Old Model Kits site - at the time I think they had 2.
Mind you, I had to sell my wife, car and house (I kept the dog) to fund it.
The plan is to replace the Jeep with a better version, and finish it as the prototype missile - which it is. As you probably know, the in-service version was a different beast. It does have a certain charm in that it was quite small (for a nuke), and is a neat little model. I doubt we’ll ever see many more or even a newer version, though one never knows.