Frog Group Build

[MerlinJones]

This is intended as a bit of a 'heads up', to alert you all of a Group Build, occurring as a part of the Classic British Kits SIG season of activities. This will take place in our Home on the Web, the Unofficial Airfix Modellers Forum;

http://gregers.7.forumer.com/index.php

27th January to 28th April 2007

As the title block says...

Frog are classed as Classic British Kits and rightly so. As a main competitor to Airfix, Frog also had the bottle to cover less "mainstream" subjects and managed to produce, in kit form, many of the Aviation Greats, from the Alcock and Brown Vickers Vimy and Amy Johnson's "Jason", through to the Gloster Whittle E28/39 "Pioneer" and Fairey Delta 2.
Besides the run-of-the-mill Hunters and Lightnings, Frog also sought to model most other RAF types, including the Shackleton, Wyvern and Gannet...kits only now being re-tooled by the likes of Trumpeter. Frog also modelled the V1 "Buzz Bomb", to a standard that Airfix, sadly, were unable to match.

Although initially very basic in terms of detail, with pilots being just a set of head, shoulders and the top part of the seat moulded in place, fit of parts wasn't bad and accuracy was okay. They were pocket money kits and quickly built. Biplanes often came with rigging maps and, when Matchbox joined the modelling meleé, Frog were quick to launch their brill and ace "Skybase" stands!

When Frog finally bit the styrene dust, the moulds went a-travelling. Soviet Novo were the first label to carry old Frog kits and, unfortunately, the tools were not best looked after, nor was the plastic used the right temperature/consistency, or some such. That said, thanks to Novo, many ex-Frog kits are still cheaply available on eBay, (...just don't bank on using the decals).

Revell acquired Frog moulds and sold some of their ex-Frogs in Matchbox boxes. Revell also sold some gems under the own label, the Sea Vixen being one of them.

Frog kits also appear under Toko, Eastern Express and, latterly, Chematic packaging. The latter sells out of Poland and, having acquired a Shackleton, I can say that they've obviously cleaned up and repaired to tools so that the kits produced are as minty crisp as they were when Frog first produced them. (The Whitley looks good as well).

Whilst focussing on aircraft, Frog did produce some other kits, including small scale warships.

So, for 3 months, participants in the Build can make as few or as many Frog kits as they like. Models can be built out of the box, or after-market parted to death.

I intend to advertise this Build elsewhere on Thinternet and look forward to seeing a gallery of fine Frog models.

Of course, it goes without saying that Whiffery is expected!

Regards,
Bruce

[The Rat]

Although initially very basic in terms of detail, with pilots being just a set of head, shoulders and the top part of the seat moulded in place, fit of parts wasn't bad and accuracy was okay. They were pocket money kits and quickly built.

And once models like that, and the 'pocket money' philosophy behind them, left the scene, our hobby was poorer for it.