Silver Oldie - FROG's 1950s-Era Javelin Prototype (OOB)

[Faust]

The ‘50s were an exciting time, with airplanes improving, performance-wise, in leaps and bounds, and with new, futuristic shapes taking to the skies in increasing numbers. Swept wings, delta wings, rockets and afterburners… it was as if all the sci-fi serials had exploded into life overnight. For aviation-minded youths of the time, it was only natural to want to build the “latest and greatest” of these new aircraft as soon as possible.

To that end, the modelling companies of the day often tripped over each other to be the “first out” with kits of new and racy planes, sometimes to the detriment of accuracy. In North America, Revell, Renwal, and Aurora battled fiercely in the styrene arena (Styrena?), while in Britain it was Airfix vs. FROG.

Recently, I had a chance to get some of these ancient gems, and I asked which one people wanted to see first. The winner was the FROG 1/72 Javelin, which represents a prototype, not even the initial service marks! Check out this classic beast at the link below!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/frog-1-72-gloster-javelin-prototype-oob/

[64Comet404]

I was hoping you were going to build this one, just to see what could be made of this kit. It's always amazing to see those first early examples of the art of tooling up plastic model kits.

[Faust]

I likely would have built it, but someone wanted to give me money for it, and that just means that I can fuel my obsession for more weirdness, so I had to let it go. 

I got a Matchbox Victor K.2 on the weekend, if that helps at all (likely doesn't, but you know, I tried...)

I can't get over how much nicer (relatively speaking, of course) the kit is compared to the ancient Revell F-94C. Now THAT.... that's a dog's breakfast! 

All things considered, it's not the worst kit I've seen or built. The Airfix Trimotor is worse in some ways, and the Pioneer 2 Su-15 is more crude, despite being 20-30 years newer, at least!

[64Comet404]

Pioneer kits are crude, but where else can you get a 1/72 Bugsmasher (Beech 18 Expeditor), apart from the badly pantographed version from Hobbycraft Canada. If you want to talk crude, bring out the Merlins and the other short-run kits. Whittling them out of wood may be easier!

BTW, nice build-up on the Japanese kamikaze plane. How can that magazine get all those Eastern European names down in print, but can only write 'A', instead of Adam? ?‍♂️