Casey Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 Looking at older Revell kits such as the Lincoln Futura and '56 Cadillac Fleetwood, we see they both contained two figures: It seems by the time the '58 SMP/AMT kits hit the shelves, figures had fallen out of favor and we were left with only the vehicles, and nobody to ride in them. Why did new kits no longer include figures? Is it because model kits were moving away from 1:48/O-scale and their association with model railroading? Maybe it was an extra cost/materials vs. value issue for AMT, Revell, etc.?
Harry P. Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 The '57 Ford Skyliner also had a figure of a guy and a girl. Don't know why figures in models disappeared... it was pretty cool to have them included in the kit. My guess would be what it always is... it was a decision based on $$$.
disabled modeler Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 I wish they hadn't disappeared from the kits...to me it was one of the selling points like the old 3 in 1 kits...they cant save the companies that much plastic but could cost a customer at times. I have actually gotten kits,build ups just for the figures with them.
Harry P. Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 2:14 AM, disabled modeler said: I wish they hadn't disappeared from the kits...to me it was one of the selling points like the old 3 in 1 kits...they cant save the companies that much plastic but could cost a customer at times. I have actually gotten kits,build ups just for the figures with them. It's not the cost of the plastic, it's the cost of creating the masters.
martinfan5 Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 Revell NASACR kits from I want to say 2003/4- to when they stopped making them came with a driver figure
Eshaver Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 Didn't the Beatnik Bandit II Have a Ed Roth Figure ? Some one gave me one and told me it was from there . I have to say, a good likeness of Ed too. Ed Shaver
John Pol Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 I think that all the drag cars that they come out with should have drivers. Its just looks right to have a driver figure. John Pol
Longbox55 Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 2:21 AM, Eshaver said: Didn't the Beatnik Bandit II Have a Ed Roth Figure ? Some one gave me one and told me it was from there . I have to say, a good likeness of Ed too. Ed Shaver Yes, it did. The Road Agent also has a figure of "Large Father", along with his grinning rodent friend.
62rebel Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 the last fairly realistic figures that came in a kit were probably the Fonz and the Sweathogs when MPC retooled the Monkeemobile and the Superfly kits in the late '70's. the Club De Mer, Futura, and Cadillac from Revell are the only semi-current kits that have figures with any fidelity to them. AMT had Laurel and Hardy (google them, kids) in several T's in the late '70's, and the MPC Gangbusters Lincoln had some awful "gangster" types.... MPC's 75 Dart had a driver, as well.... we sure could use some, shall we say, cost-efficient figures in styrene. Fujimi's 1/24 stuff is great, but EXPENSIVE. and Ulrich's Mini-Men take some real craftsmanship to do anything realistic with.
gray07 Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 The bear bait chevette came with to figures,
440 Dakota Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 2:40 AM, John Pol said: I think that all the drag cars that they come out with should have drivers. Its just looks right to have a driver figure. John Pol the current Mongoose rail has 2 figures in it
SuperStockAndy Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 Just be glad they don't have some big eye looking at them... (Anyone who got the last issue of MCM will get this)
Casey Posted February 12, 2012 Author Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 2:01 AM, Harry P. said: My guess would be what it always is... it was a decision based on $$$. That could very well be. Maybe it was because figures were considered too toy-like?
Kit Basher Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 The Model King Blue Max F/C has a driver.
Agent G Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 The "other" mag did a comparison once awhile back. Seems all those early figgies didn't stay faithful to scale. It was kind of like the old box scale kits. Build a model that fit in a specific box. Have a driver that fit in the out of scale interior. G
Casey Posted February 12, 2012 Author Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 5:27 AM, DoubleD said: have they really disappeared? seems like Revell hasn't forgotten about them. no one mentioned the Dick Landy figure from the '68 Dart kit of his car or the Ken Miles I actually typed then deleted a disclaimer of sorts, indicating that I was asking about figures which were for the most part intended to be used in or with the vehicle, versus Revell's semi-recent pre-painted figures which are intended to be displayed alongside the vehicle. The figures in the '56 kits are specifically designed to be placed inside the vehicles, and are unfinished, like the rest of the model kit, hence why I chose not to include anything die-cast based or pre-finished. At any rate, the question still stands.
my name is nobody Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 this '66 GTO isnt that old, and it has a seated, driver......er, ....uh figure included in the kit:
HotRodaSaurus Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 I would think you need to be pretty good with a paint and brush to make the figures realistic. I could never do it, mine always came out looking like the ladies had ear to ear mouths when I imitated the lipstick on the Cadillac woman, the guys bow tie looked like a clown version So I kept my figure painting to a minimum and settled on the Li'l Coffin and Rommel's Rod skeletons.
HotRodaSaurus Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 6:31 AM, they call me nobody said: this '66 GTO isnt that old, and it has a seated, driver......er, ....uh figure included in the kit: I hope that suit was fireproof!
von Zipper Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 The Monogram Kurtis Kraft kit has a driver and a mechanic figure.
The Modeling Hermit Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 In my opinion, the best figures to actually be included in a kit, came in Revells 59 Ford convertible which still surfaces every few years. The worst were from the Revell 57 Ford wagon.
jerseyjunker1 Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 On 2/12/2012 at 6:31 AM, they call me nobody said: this '66 GTO isnt that old, and it has a seated, driver......er, ....uh figure included in the kit: love that tiger
disabled modeler Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 Many of the older kit dies had figures and other optional parts, accessories made into them...even the Lincoln Futura figures can be modified to look as others and better with some work. Just would be nice to see the extra goodies make a comeback.
Tony T Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 Dave-I recently bought some Ulrich Mini-Men online from here.
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