Revell Plastic Models: When I was a kid, I built lots of plastic models - ships, planes, cars. If it was a model, I made it. I just saw that a site is giving away some models of a ship...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I was a kid, I built lots of plastic models - ships, planes, cars. If it was a model, I made it. I just saw that a site is giving away some models of a ship from Star Wars. I was curious about the price, so I looked it up. $30! It's all snap together, and it's not that complicated. Looking further, I see that $15 - $20 is not an unusual price for a model kit. That seems kinda pricey.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=revell+models

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Airfix over here, and I was the same. What I didn't get to glue together I drooled over! But I suspect, Jerry, that $15 - $20 is not much to pay today. Prices stand still for us, unfortunately, time does not.

londonfire Loc: NY to NC

Jerry, that's not a lot of money for some models today. There are some Japanese 'kits' that build large ships and trucks and they can go for $200-300, easy. You hardly see that stuff for sale today, only in dedicated model or train shops and they're about as common as camera stores. Right now there are some models for sale for $7-10 in a store called Ollie's down here but a very limited selection of things that never sold, anyway. They'll finish the season with about as many as they start with because that stuff is just not popular with kids today like it was with us. If it doesn't have an app on the box cover to put it together it's history. Remember how long you used to sit down and assemble a model? When was the last time you saw any kid sitting for more than 2 minutes?

jonjacobik Loc: Quincy, MA

My favorite was the Battleship Missouri - that was 1958 when WWII memories were fresh. Building them was fun and a challenge and the reason I worked as a paperboy.

GLS Loc: MIdwest

jerryc41 wrote:

When I was a kid, I built lots of plastic models -... (show quote)

As a kid I did a great deal of modeling. Continued building until I was about 23. After that got married. Hmmm enough said. But, must admit with current prices as they are most likely I wouldn't become involved again.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I did too Jerry, and Revell made some of the nicest plastic kits. An airplane might cost .$.98 to $1.49, and a really big one, like an aircraft carrier, cost $2.98 as I recall. That tells you how old I am and how much prices have changed😩

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jonjacobik wrote:

My favorite was the Battleship Missouri - that was 1958 when WWII memories were fresh. Building them was fun and a challenge and the reason I worked as a paperboy.

I think I built that one - a couple of aircraft carriers, too. The candy store down the street had dozens of models available.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

TriX wrote:

I did too Jerry, and Revell made some of the nicest plastic kits. An airplane might cost .$.98 to $1.49, and a really big one, like an aircraft carrier, cost $2.98 as I recall. That tells you how old I am and how much prices have changed😩

Right. $0.98 was no big deal, but $20 would make me hesitate.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

londonfire wrote:

Jerry, that's not a lot of money for some models t... (show quote)

Right, and that's too bad. Remember a few years ago when someone was selling rather large classic car kits with hundreds of parts - rubber, brass, chrome, steel? They were too expensive to tempt me. We have had hobby stores open and close around here for years. It's not the business to get into if you want to get rich.

Remember Duco Cement? I think I used that on every model I made. I can still remember the smell.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

jerryc41 wrote:

Right, and that's too bad. Remember a few years ago when someone was selling rather large classic car kits with hundreds of parts - rubber, brass, chrome, steel? They were too expensive to tempt me. We have had hobby stores open and close around here for years. It's not the business to get into if you want to get rich.

Remember Duco Cement? I think I used that on every model I made. I can still remember the smell.

I do remember Duco and Testers and Ambroid and after I got into wooden, powered airplanes, I breathed enough airplane dope (the kind you use to cover wings with silk) to kill a million brain cells - then I discovered girls (and cars), and that was the end of model airplane building. I actually saved all the engines (Fox, K&B, SuperTigre, Dooling, McCoy, etc) for decades and sold them all a couple of years ago and plowed the money into lenses 🤗.

I was incredibly lucky to have a part time job at a great hobby shop from age 16-19 in Chapel Hill, NC (home of UNC), so I played with planes, trains, slot cars, tropical fish, etc. - all the things an old time hobby shop had. The best time was Christmas. A dad would come in on Christmas Eve to buy his boy all the pieces for an elaborate HO train layout or an RC airplane, or an aquarium set up, and I’d help him spend $$ (and then, he’d bring in the plane after Christmas so I could teach them how to start the engine) - great fun! Best job I EVER had, even though it paid a whopping $1.00/hour.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Revell/Monogram is not the big player they once were. I'm working on a 1/48th scale RA-5C Vigilante. The kit listed for $75.00. I've added cockpit detail, resin seats, resin wheel bays, corrected exhaust, & metal landing gear. That's another $75.00. I have 45 kits in my stash only because I have very limited storage area and a limited group of aircraft I plan to build (reconnaissance & planes I've been associated with). I've been a member of IPMS USA (International Plastic Modeler's Society) for many years. Our national contest & conventions usually attract over 3,000 models. Next year's nationals will be in Phoenix, AZ. The days of $1.00 models are long gone unfortunately.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

nicksr1125 wrote:

Revell/Monogram is not the big player they once we... (show quote)

45 - wow! Post some shots (Please)

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Revell and Monogram were the model kits I used to purchase and assemble.
--Bob

jerryc41 wrote:

When I was a kid, I built lots of plastic models -... (show quote)

firtree Loc: Florida, USA

jerryc41 wrote:

I think I built that one - a couple of aircraft carriers, too. The candy store down the street had dozens of models available.

One of my brothers was into the ships and had a whole fleet of aircraft carries, battleships and cruisers. The other brother was into the hot rod type cars (I still have two of them in the bottom of my toy chest). I liked the old monsters from the movies, my favorite was the glow-in-the-dark Phantom of the Opera. Of course, that was back when you could afford the models from chore money. It is as if they are trying to change the perception of the model kits to appeal to the adult hobbyist rather than as a kid craft.
(P.S. and before anyone asks, yes, I do still have my toy chest. My father built these long bench seats out of cedar and pine before I was even born. The top opens and provides storage. Years ago my mother corralled all of my stuffed animals into one, so essentially it became mine and I have been dragging it around for decades.)

Dannj

TriX wrote:

I did too Jerry, and Revell made some of the nicest plastic kits. An airplane might cost .$.98 to $1.49, and a really big one, like an aircraft carrier, cost $2.98 as I recall. That tells you how old I am and how much prices have changed😩

That's my memory also. Don't think I'd be very good with the decals anymore...the ones you had to soak in water and slide off the backing to attach to the model. I still remember some of the smaller ones getting stuck to my fingers😊