Oldest Model Kit?

[Valvefloat]

Who here has the oldest model Kit?

50s, 60s...older?

Let's see

[StevenGuthmiller]

I'm not sure what you're looking for, but the "oldest" model kits, (as far as cars go) were probably made of wood and came much earlier than plastic kits.

Plastic car models started somewhere in the early to mid 50s, (my guess) and were assembled promotional models made of acetate plastic.

The way I look at it, the styrene plastic model kit really began, (or at least began to take off) in 1958 with the beginning of the "annual" kit.

AMT and SMP were probably the most prolific, offering a number of different makes and models.

Johan jumped on the band wagon around 1959, although they had also been heavily involved in the promo market prior.

I don't know where Revell fell into the picture, but my guess is in a similar time frame.

 

It's quite possible, (or probable) that there were some rogue earlier kits than 1958, but I think it's generally accepted that that was the genesis of the modern plastic model kit.

I have a number of AMT/SMP models from 1958, but I doubt that you would be able to call them "the oldest model kit".

 

I'm sure others may have a more comprehensive take on very early kits that I'm not particularly familiar with.

 

Here are a few of my AMT/SMP 1958 annuals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[stitchdup]

Frog made the first plastic kits before ww2. It was all aircraft in 1/72. the first plastic car kit was revell's maxwell. I had a couple of the frog boxes but they eventually disintegrated due to age. frog later just reboxed other manufacturers kits. I had the amt mercedes gullwing in a frog boxing but someone offered me more than it was worth so its long gone now and replaced with 2 tamiya kits

[espo]

I agree with Steven on the wooden model cars. The first one I did was around 1952 of a '32 Ford roadster and was little more than a block of wood with two pieces of thin, soft wood that you would glue to the sides and sand to shape. The two axels would be nailed to the bottom of the wooden block and again some nails to attach the hard rubber tires to the axels. the first plastic models that I can remember were bought in 1954 at a local toy store and were basically copies of dealer promos. 

[Mark]

I've got a Jeep kit made by a company called Megow.  One is pictured in Dennis Doty's book on building and collecting model cars (later updated and divided into two volumes). 

The Jeep kit was composed entirely of wood and printed cardboard, and was sold during World War II.  Lionel was selling a "train set" made pretty much the same way, as all steel and materials to make electric motors for their normal products were reserved strictly for the war effort.

[Mothersworry]

1/32 scale Revell / AMT 1955 Chrysler New Yorker St. Regis circa 1954. 

[TarheelRick]

Amazing it is a Revell/AMT model kit. Begs the question when did AMT begin kitting models and when did they separate from Revell?

[GLMFAA1]

Since I was born in the 50's and had two older brothers. The first automobile models I recall were the Revell Highway sets.

greg

[Mark]

2 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

Amazing it is a Revell/AMT model kit. Begs the question when did AMT begin kitting models and when did they separate from Revell?

AMT sold unassembled promotional models as early as 1953.  I know a guy who recently bought an unassembled '53 Ford convertible Indy Pace Car promo.  It's not the Lindberg kit, it's the original promo model with metal chassis and one-piece interior bucket.

AMT got involved with Revell apparently because they had connections with the 1:1 auto industry while Revell did not (at that time).

[Carmak]

This is my oldest unbuilt 1/25 scale plastic model car kit. It is a 1955 AMT 3 car assembly kit (the Buick is missing).  I also have 2 built cars from a 1954 AMT 3 car assembly kit. AMT first offered 3 car assembly kits in 53 and I think we have a member that has one.

These are essentially un-assembled promos molded in Acetate plastic. in 1958 AMT introduced a series of 3-in-1 kits that were also essentially unassembled promos, sold individually with custom parts and molded in white Styrene plastic. The 1958 kits were really a sales hit and effectively started the golden age of model cars.

[NOBLNG]

5 hours ago, espo said:

I agree with Steven on the wooden model cars. The first one I did was around 1952 of a '32 Ford roadster and was little more than a block of wood with two pieces of thin, soft wood that you would glue to the sides and sand to shape. The two axels would be nailed to the bottom of the wooden block and again some nails to attach the hard rubber tires to the axels. the first plastic models that I can remember were bought in 1954 at a local toy store and were basically copies of dealer promos. 

Boy, the hobby has sure come a long way since then. Now you can print your own extremely detailed kit at home.

[Valvefloat]

Amazing information guys thank you very much it's just interesting to see the history of our Hobby

[OldNYJim]

10 hours ago, stitchdup said:

the first plastic car kit was revell's maxwell

Huh!  Interesting!  I’ve been building their ‘P-1’ Midget kit recently, but I didn’t realize they had made something before that in plastic.  The ‘P-1’ was meant to represent, well, plastic kit number one…wasn’t aware of the ‘Maxwell’.

Thanks for posting about that…fun rabbit hole of research for me to go down!

 

EDIT: duh, my flu-addled NyQuil powered brain didn’t make the distinction between Revell and Monogram.  MONOGRAM’s first plastic kit was the Midget, Revell was a different company then.  As you were!  

Edited April 18 by OldNYJim

[Bugatti Fan]

The oldest plastic vehicle kit I can remember was a French kit of Cugnot's Steam Tractor. I think it was made by a small company named Les Teuf Teuf, but didn't appear to make any other kits afterwards. Scale may have been 1/32nd. Not seen one of those kits in over 50 years, so relying on distant psst memory.

 

[Chris V]

This is the oldest kit in my collection: The 1956 reissue of Monogram’s “Ford V-8 Hot Rod”, originally issued in 1954.

The tooling was susequently altered into the “Drag Strip Hot Rod” 

 

 

[bobss396]

I know one collector-kit vendor, he has some ancient stuff. He knows a little of the history too.

The oldest un-builts I have are AMT kits that date back to 1961 and 1962. 

I knew one guy in my club, no longer with us, he took pride in building up kits from around 1958.

[NOBLNG]

4 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

The oldest plastic vehicle kit I can remember was a French kit of Cugnot's Steam Tractor. I think it was made by a small company named Les Teuf Teuf, but didn't appear to make any other kits afterwards. Scale may have been 1/32nd. Not seen one of those kits in over 50 years, so relying on distant psst memory.

 

 

[von Zipper]

The oldest kit in my stash is this Revell  Chris~Craft cabin cruiser from 1953 , the box is beat up but the kit inside is mint

[stavanzer]

While not my kit, this article makes for very interesting reading. A fascination story.

It's not a car, but a ship. It is a Monogram kit. It shows how our Grandparents built models in the 1950's.

https://modelingmadness.com/review/misc/horrellchipreview.htm

 

[Bainford]

2 hours ago, stavanzer said:

While not my kit, this article makes for very interesting reading. A fascination story.

It's not a car, but a ship. It is a Monogram kit. It shows how our Grandparents built models in the 1950's.

https://modelingmadness.com/review/misc/horrellchipreview.htm

 

An interesting little read, Alan. Thanks for posting.

I dig this quote from the kit instructions;
 

“A builder of a Monogram kit strives to be a GOOD builder. Each model is far better than his previous one because he has more patience and spends a few extra moments on each detail.

Everybody admires his work and respects his ability. Do a good job and you will be proud of your ships.”  

Edited April 18 by Bainford

[1972coronet]

I'd venture to say that this is the oldest kit :

[stavanzer]

My Favorite Comic Strip.

[Bucky]

1 hour ago, 1972coronet said:

I'd venture to say that this is the oldest kit :

So, THAT'S when the Carolina Squat got started!!

[OldNYJim]

18 hours ago, Chris V said:

This is the oldest kit in my collection: The 1956 reissue of Monogram’s “Ford V-8 Hot Rod”, originally issued in 1954.

The tooling was susequently altered into the “Drag Strip Hot Rod” 

 

 

I’m envious - I have a replica of this box art on my to-build list!  What color plastic is yours molded in?

Edited April 19 by OldNYJim

[Bugatti Fan]

Thanks for the update Nobling. 

 So the company was named Precisia who made the Cugnot Steam Tractor and Les Teuf Teuf was their kit series. The steam tractor is the only one I can remember. It would be interesting to find out what other kits were in their series.I

I can remember the very first plastic car kit I ever built was the ancient 1/32nd scale Bentley Blower. Airfix continued to re release it from those tired old moulds for many years since. Looks really crude now but has potential.

Edited April 19 by Bugatti Fan