Friday, May 1, 2020
Sun with Clouds
12 C 54 F
Sun with Clouds
12 C 54 F
I was browsing the Internet, when I came across a most-interesting website. The sight was one that sold old model kits, the type that you used to put together with glue. Revell, an American manufacturer was very popular in the 1950's -1970's while later on there were many more competitors. I wrote to the company (Oldmodelkits.com), and received a fast reply. The owner is Mr. Alan Bussie and below how he replied
In Alan's Own Words
"I have been a life-long model builder. My father bought me my first kit
when I was 4 years old. It was a Lindberg custom pick-up truck and I
promptly ruined it in the worst way possible. My father wisely made it
vanish and replaced it with a Monogram Cessna 180 and his steady hand of
instruction via demonstration. This was a real blessing, because after
watching and working with dad on a few kits, he cut me loose and it was
nothing but fun from then on.
When I was young, my dream was to have a hobby shop. By high school I
had forgotten that dream and concentrated on work: aerospace
engineering, frame-off antique car restoration, chemical engineering,
factory management and ultimately management consulting and change
agent. But things were happening in the background, and in 1997 I found
myself buying and selling old model kits for a hobby. It was very
addictive and since I was on the road consulting, this was my sole night
activity in the hotels other than calling my wife.
Initially we sold in on-line auction venues or classifieds. The first
move to a unique, self-owned website occurred in 2003 with the launch of
the first (very primitive) Oldmodelkits.com. The first (and much
needed) revision was a completely new site, launched in 2006. Shortly
after that, my wife quit her full time teaching job to do OMK. I
followed in about 3 years. This is all we do, full time. The business
is literally a mom and pop operation, but credit and thanks must go to
David Parker for being a brilliant webmaster in more ways than I can
recall.
Usually there are 5,000 to 6,000 kits in stock and another equal or more
amount in storage. The most common question is "Where do you get all
these kits?" Well, they come from such a wide variety of sources that
you would not believe me if I told you. Shows, stores, estates,
collectors, builders, warehouses, closed down hobby shops and much, much
more.
There is yet another side to the business that was completely
unexpected. Occasionally I am fortunate enough to help with a magazine
or newspaper article, museums putting displays about a local model kit
manufacturers or a famous box artist, consulting for antique shows
producers and helping here and there with details in model history
books. This is very rewarding simply because it brings modeling history
to people who normally would not see it."
when I was 4 years old. It was a Lindberg custom pick-up truck and I
promptly ruined it in the worst way possible. My father wisely made it
vanish and replaced it with a Monogram Cessna 180 and his steady hand of
instruction via demonstration. This was a real blessing, because after
watching and working with dad on a few kits, he cut me loose and it was
nothing but fun from then on.
When I was young, my dream was to have a hobby shop. By high school I
had forgotten that dream and concentrated on work: aerospace
engineering, frame-off antique car restoration, chemical engineering,
factory management and ultimately management consulting and change
agent. But things were happening in the background, and in 1997 I found
myself buying and selling old model kits for a hobby. It was very
addictive and since I was on the road consulting, this was my sole night
activity in the hotels other than calling my wife.
Initially we sold in on-line auction venues or classifieds. The first
move to a unique, self-owned website occurred in 2003 with the launch of
the first (very primitive) Oldmodelkits.com. The first (and much
needed) revision was a completely new site, launched in 2006. Shortly
after that, my wife quit her full time teaching job to do OMK. I
followed in about 3 years. This is all we do, full time. The business
is literally a mom and pop operation, but credit and thanks must go to
David Parker for being a brilliant webmaster in more ways than I can
recall.
Usually there are 5,000 to 6,000 kits in stock and another equal or more
amount in storage. The most common question is "Where do you get all
these kits?" Well, they come from such a wide variety of sources that
you would not believe me if I told you. Shows, stores, estates,
collectors, builders, warehouses, closed down hobby shops and much, much
more.
There is yet another side to the business that was completely
unexpected. Occasionally I am fortunate enough to help with a magazine
or newspaper article, museums putting displays about a local model kit
manufacturers or a famous box artist, consulting for antique shows
producers and helping here and there with details in model history
books. This is very rewarding simply because it brings modeling history
to people who normally would not see it."
That was just "part" of what he had to say. His biography is very illustrious, and If I had more time, I would write a blog in auto-biographical style about the many different and interesting people that I have communicated with in these last 8 years!
Before I continue with Alan and his company, I have to tell you a funny story.
When I was about 12 or 13 years old, I was a model builder. One day, I'm assembling an airplane. I was used to following the instructions, but only read 1 instruction at a time. Anyway, I had assembled both sides of the airplane body, and then I assembled the 2 wings, each with an underside and a topside. There was a very "special" clear glue that you used to assemble the plane. It was very sticky to say the least. I'm now ready to read the next instruction. And what does it say.? Make sure you position the propellers inside the 2 parts of each wing BEFORE you glue the 2 wings together. Ugh! Did I get a shock! Fortunately, The glue had not dried enough, and I was able to disassemble the wings, insert the propellers, and then re-glue the whole wing assembly. That was a good learning experience.!!!!
Each model is described with information about the model. It may include the year of manufacture, and it includes different categories as to the condition of the model, pieces ,box, and plastic wrapping.
The information on the model below is:
"Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Sealed Excellent++
Still factory sealed. 1996 reissue of the classic Four Star kit from 1963. Features wings fold properly as on actual aircraft, retracting landing gear + arresting hook, pilot figure, rotating prop and wheels and a load out of bombs, drop tanks and rockets."
Alan's on-line store has 1000's of kits for sale, and they are very diversified. They include, airplanes, jets, battleships, rockets, cannons, submarines , cars, and even a lunar bus. from the movie 2001, A Space Odyssey. There are also different manufacturers such as Revell, Aurora, Hasegawa,Tamiya, and Renwal, to name a few. The models also come in different materials such as plastic, balsa wood, and "vacuform".
Alan and his company are always buying and selling. Buying results in
new model kits always been made available for purchase. I just checked on the prices of new model kits (buying on Amazon on the net in Canada), and the prices were in some cases equal in price or more than on Alan's website. So if you don't mind building not only a model of an old ship or car from Alan's website, then this is a great opportunity to check Alan's website.
Don' forget that it's important to check the scale
(relative size of model to the original "real" ship or car model)
of the kit whenever you buy one anywhere. The term scale is most often expressed as a fraction .
So when you see a scale of 1/35, that means that your model will be 1/35 the size of the original ship, car, or boat the model size is made.
So that's it for today.
Alan's post reminded me in a good way the olden times when I was a kid.
I'm sure anyone who has ever built models would remember those times, if they too happened to see a model kit on the net or even in someone's home.
Please take care,
and as always,
have a great time of the day or night,
wherever you may be.
You can always reach me at
oldantiquetoys@gmail.com
Stacey Bindman
