Matchbox Wellesley

[chris1966m]

For its age, and given its not a mainstream kit, this model plane (depicting a 14 Sqd a/c based in Transjordan) goes together quite well straight out of the box.....

...and makes a change from the usual Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica subjects for this modeller ;)

Decals (all roundels replaced from spares) are on the thick side and their age and quality shows in the pics - in fact might need to touch up some areas again and matt varnish them - amazing what the camera sees

...now back to that (old matchbox) Ju188 that i started over 8 weeks ago :)

[The Defiant Man]

Very nice:cool

[Martin Bull]

I have to confess a liking for those old Matchbox kits - some quite unusual models and schemes which have never been repeated.....:(

[Graham]

I have to confess a liking for those old Matchbox kits - some quite unusual models and schemes which have never been repeated.....:(
Same here, I was looking around different sites this morning at the Matchbox HP Heyford and AW Whitley kits.
Nice build Chris, thanks for showing us.

[Martin Bull]

I remember about 3-4 years back Hannants had a whole load of s/hand unmade Matchbox kits in at cheapo prices - the scene in the shop resembled a cross between a jumble sale and the Poll Tax Riots.....:eek:

[DCRanger]

The kit I think is very dated now but the Geodetic structure is rendered very well on the wings. Very nice.

[Dutchie]

Good piece of work:cool: this one looks great:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :)

[Wolster]

Very nice, one of the few Matchbox kits I didn't build as a kid. Hell of a wingspan for a single engined job!

:cool

[stan]

Same here, I was looking around different sites this morning at the Matchbox HP Heyford and AW Whitley kits.


Wasn't the Whtley a Frog kit? (I personally preferred Frog to Matchbox- mainly becausethey were cheaper at the local shop :o )

Quite a bit of the old Matchbox stuff is still available under the Revell brand I belive.

[Garethster]

The Wellesley (to my eye) is one ungainly looking aircraft (got one in my stash fo a later build) - does anyone know what the doodads hanging under the wings are? I'm guessing long range fuel tanks? :unsure:

[DCRanger]

They are bomb carriers which could carry up to 2,000 of bombs. At the time it was thought that an internal bay wasn't possible because it would weaken the geodetic structure, that of course was over come in the Wellington.

[Graham]

Wasn't the Whtley a Frog kit? (I personally preferred Frog to Matchbox- mainly becausethey were cheaper at the local shop :o )

Quite a bit of the old Matchbox stuff is still available under the Revell brand I belive.
You could well be right, I looked at so much stuff the other day and I'm easily confused these days :confused: :confused: . It's an age thing the wife keeps telling me.:o :LOL: :LOL:

[Agent X20]

Wasn't the Whtley a Frog kit? .

and at a premium too...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200419072980

[ZS-VAN]

Very nice, one of the few Matchbox kits I didn't build as a kid. Hell of a wingspan for a single engined job!

:cool

You don't say! :LOL: Could be a powered glider! Nice build although like Garethster, an acquired taste. She's not a pretty brd!

[Wolster]

Funny when you think we went into WW2 against a major military superpower with aircraft designed to put down insurgents in Iraq and now we are trying to put down insurgents with aircraft designed to attack a major military superpower!

:rolleyes:

[col]

One of the modelling mags did a review of the Matchbox Wellesley last month and rated it quite highly esp the endering of the geodetic/fabric. Mst hunt one out at the next Duxford show.:)

[BSG-75]

I have to confess a liking for those old Matchbox kits - some quite unusual models and schemes which have never been repeated.....:(

I used to love them and did loads over the years, often sticking to their original colours! - The Beaufighter, Hurricane, FW-190, Lysander I remember well in 1/72. Didn't they also do a coastal command Halifax?

The 1/32 scales were excellent, I had the Lysander (which resulted in me having a perfect outline of a 1/32 Lysander wing in matt black on my bedroom floor :rolleyes: ) the SBD and the Mk 24 Spitfire.

They do still turn up at airshows, I can't speak for the quality of the moulds now, but to my young eyes they were perfect and a happy memory from childhood.

[Wolster]

I used to love them and did loads over the years, often sticking to their original colours! - The Beaufighter, Hurricane, FW-190, Lysander I remember well in 1/72. Didn't they also do a coastal command Halifax?

The 1/32 scales were excellent, I had the Lysander (which resulted in me having a perfect outline of a 1/32 Lysander wing in matt black on my bedroom floor :rolleyes: ) the SBD and the Mk 24 Spitfire.

They do still turn up at airshows, I can't speak for the quality of the moulds now, but to my young eyes they were perfect and a happy memory from childhood.

It was all that was available locally when I was a kid. I still get them off Ebay, if you get the original ones they are not to bad (but I see the lack of detail now that didn't matter as a kid). I also bought some of the chinese copies of Ebay, they are terrible!

[The Defiant Man]

As this appears to have turned into a Matchbox appreciation thread....:p :D

I remember, many moons ago (mid '70's)., building the Matchbox Buccaneer.....can still remember the different shades of blue plastic......it earned me a Cub Scout badge!:LOL: :o

[Upkeep]

I have to say, that is one cracker of a model. Nice job, Chris! This one is guaranteed NEVER to be done in diecast! (unless IXO decides to do it)

Agreed -- that aeroplane is a 'mutt' alright, but a classic of the early (pre) war British stable. I would say it falls into the Blenheim Mk I and Fairey Battle category of stubborn optimism. All that said, I'd seriously consider adding that to my collection with my Mk II Halifax. Very cool, in a weird sort of way, eh?

Matchbox is a brand that I know nothing about, as it came later and I was only involved with the other earlier makes (Airfix/FROG/Revell/Monogram, etc). I do hear it is not too bad for antediluvian kits, yes?

http://www.oldmodelkits.com/jpegs/Matchbox%20PK-123%20Wellopen.JPG
PHOTO: Old Model Kits (Description here) (http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=16288&manu=Matchbox&scale=1/72)

/U

[maple 01]

Remember 'Battler' Britain divebombing the Ities with beer bottles from a Wesllesley? Naturally they surrendered in droves!

*Yes, we really used beer bottles as ordnance

[KO-B]

I had the Wellesley, although never got round to building it. Eventually it, and a job lot of other kits including the 1/32nd Tiger Moth were sold for me on the 'Bay by a freind, ironically just a few months before the diecast aircraft bug bit hard. Regretting letting it go now.

I also had the Matchbox Wimpey when it was first released and can remember even then being very impressed with the geodetic effect on the wings, much better than the old Airfix kit where this was represented by thin raised lines if I remember rightly, and more subtle than you see on Corgi's diecast nowadays, although this effect must be very difficult to achieve in metal.

The Lysander was another favorite as well, thought lining up the wings and struts was going to be a problem with that one, but everything seemed to almost fall into place.
(Much appreciated at a time when kits were hastily built to be shoved into a school bag:eek: in order to take part in the playground battles we used to have. Good days.:) :LOL: )

KO-B

[Upkeep]

(Much appreciated at a time when kits were hastily built to be shoved into a school bag:eek: in order to take part in the playground battles we used to have. Good days.:) :LOL: )

KO-B

And just around the garage, out of sight from Mom's kitchen window, more than one Airfix Ju-88 went down in flames -- and I mean in FLAMES!! :LOL::LOL: (That'll teach jerry to wander into Spitfire-country!)

Good days indeed.

/U

[BSG-75]

As this appears to have turned into a Matchbox appreciation thread....:p :D

I remember, many moons ago (mid '70's)., building the Matchbox Buccaneer.....can still remember the different shades of blue plastic......it earned me a Cub Scout badge!:LOL: :o

take a look here :

http://www.matchboxkits.org/index.php?cPath=27&osCsid=q6vut1ug0nqhhgvjs07cmpb054

some of the box labels have changed but the art work is the same, W H Smiths on a Saturday afternoon or a model shop in Reading for me to buy mine. Look at the range, a Seafox, Coastal Command Halifax, Heyford, a Sabb J-29, a Stranraer... that P-40 scheme needs to be done in die-cast !

[prune]

Didn't they also do a coastal command Halifax?



Yep,unbuilt one in my loft along with a Wellington.

[col]

take a look here :

http://www.matchboxkits.org/index.php?cPath=27&osCsid=q6vut1ug0nqhhgvjs07cmpb054



That's solved a mystery for me.:) I can't recall the 1/48 scale kits but was convinced I once saw a 1/48 Fw190 on a 2nd hand stall. And there it is on the website. Were these only released for a short period?

[BSG-75]

That's solved a mystery for me.:) I can't recall the 1/48 scale kits but was convinced I once saw a 1/48 Fw190 on a 2nd hand stall. And there it is on the website. Were these only released for a short period?

I don't know Col, I had a recollection of the Mk VIII Spitfire, another good choice from them, not "typical", but I can't remember when they made them. I'm not that good with plastic models so can't speak for the quality and accuracy of the Matchbox range, I just remember them warmly from my childhood.

I'll keep a close eye out at an airshow or two in the summer though, and see if a trip down memory lane is in order.

I recalled that I had the 1/32 Tiger Moth as well, but I gave that away during a house move before I got to building it, a floatplane version was an option as well. There was some real out of the (match)box thinking on some of these.

[Cruver Collecter]

I have been reading the Osprey Fiat Cr 42 Aces issue, and it was neat to see how many times the Wellesley is mentioned. Of course either being shot down or strafed on an airfield. Definitely makes the Vickers Wellesley a real warbird. (Also Vickers Vincent pops up a few times in the issue too.)

[KO-B]

And just around the garage, out of sight from Mom's kitchen window, more than one Airfix Ju-88 went down in flames -- and I mean in FLAMES!! :LOL::LOL: (That'll teach jerry to wander into Spitfire-country!)

Good days indeed.

/U

Been there, done that! Remember on one occasion rigging up a fishing line from the bedroom window down to the back garden and sending a few "Ruddy Great Flamers" to an early demise.
The neighbours were NOT impressed...:o ;)

Then there was the time I tried to reinact the Battle of Midway in my room with nothing more than a large tea tray, some cheapo toy plastic warships bought from the local newsagent, and some parafin...
Surprisingly hard to extinguish when you're called down for yer tea...:eek:

KO-B

[Upkeep]

Been there, done that! Remember on one occasion rigging up a fishing line from the bedroom window down to the back garden and sending a few "Ruddy Great Flamers" to an early demise.
The neighbours were NOT impressed...:o ;)

Sounds like I wasn't alone in my use of applied pyrotechnics. :LOL::LOL:

My days of doing that ended abruptly when my Brother and I were admiring our handy-work after school as a police cruiser quietly rolled up our back alley and caught us in the act. :unsure: (Ooops!) They thought we were trying to set the garage on fire. :eek: Eventually my Mom came out and sorted everything. I was grounded for two weeks and not allowed to buy any models for the same amount of time. The next day I had bought my first Airfix Wellington. So much for parental authority, eh? :D ;)

Good days . . .

/U

[Upkeep]

Remember 'Battler' Britain divebombing the Ities with beer bottles from a Wesllesley? Naturally they surrendered in droves!

*Yes, we really used beer bottles as ordnance

How would you have dealt with all the broken glass? :unsure:

:LOL: We used spent 'D' size flashlight batteries. Those things would smash most toys -- especially aircraft models 'caught' on the ground!! :D:D (Thank gawd for that Airfix Lancaster -- the only bomber powerful enough to carry 8 'D' size batteries with ease!!)

/U ;)

[KO-B]

Good days . . .

Adulthood can suck sometimes, can't it?;)

KO-B

[Acklington]

In my case it was the Airfix "Emergency Set" that resulted in my Sopwith Camel being incinerated - well they had to have something to practise their 'crash rescue' on!:D

Also, I still can't do the ruddy ironing without fondly remembering the six threads stretched tightly across the 'afterdeck' as the Airfix Hawker Seahawk and Douglas A-4 Skyhawk came in with hooks dangling ..... :LOL:

[Upkeep]

Adulthood can suck sometimes, can't it?;)

KO-B

It certainly can. And it is for that very reason I still keep a Lanc around and a few of these 'D' size jobbies. :D;)

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/upkeep/DAF/gibbo_roller_550.jpg

"Contact! Chocks away!"

/U :LOL:

[Agent X20]

Sounds like I wasn't alone in my use of applied pyrotechnics. :LOL::LOL:

The application of certain fireworks to models was fair game, be it to create an 'Anderson' like explosion with bangers strapped to the side of a model or to send a lump of plastic into outer space.. two rockets attached to a B17.... the latter was a rather unspectacular disaster as getting two rockets to fire simultaneously... it did not go vertical.. more horizontal .. into and out the other side of the greehouse... spent a few days in the cooler for that..:)

[spitfire]

The application of certain fireworks to models was fair game, be it to create an 'Anderson' like explosion with bangers strapped to the side of a model or to send a lump of plastic into outer space.. two rockets attached to a B17.... the latter was a rather unspectacular disaster as getting two rockets to fire simultaneously... it did not go vertical.. more horizontal .. into and out the other side of the greehouse... spent a few days in the cooler for that..:)


Hilarious Agent,
I have to admit to blowing up a few models myself, never tried the rocket thing though, hmmm.

[Cruver Collecter]

Scale Aviation Modeler International's January issue has a model review on the old Matchbox Wellesly kit. Pretty neat review.

[Upkeep]

Scale Aviation Modeler International's January issue has a model review on the old Matchbox Wellesly kit. Pretty neat review.

January, you say, eh? Hmmm . . . we're often a month behind, so I'll have a look at my magazine shop tomorrow, as I sure wouldn't mind seeing that.

Thanx for the tip, CC.

/U :)

[Upkeep]

The application of certain fireworks to models was fair game, be it to create an 'Anderson' like explosion with bangers strapped to the side of a model or to send a lump of plastic into outer space.. two rockets attached to a B17.... the latter was a rather unspectacular disaster as getting two rockets to fire simultaneously... it did not go vertical.. more horizontal .. into and out the other side of the greehouse... spent a few days in the cooler for that..:)

Oh wow . . . that not only sounds inventive, BUT exciting too!! Must have been worth the time in the 'cooler'. :D

/U

[KO-B]

The application of certain fireworks to models was fair game, be it to create an 'Anderson' like explosion with bangers strapped to the side of a model or to send a lump of plastic into outer space.. two rockets attached to a B17.... the latter was a rather unspectacular disaster as getting two rockets to fire simultaneously... it did not go vertical.. more horizontal .. into and out the other side of the greehouse... spent a few days in the cooler for that..:)

Now Anderson, or should that be Derek Meddings, came up with some cracking explosions didn't he? You were probably on the receiving end of a couple yerself.

Oddly enough, never did do any model/firework related 'experiments', but did have some hair raising rocket related incidents when I was old enough to know better.
I do remember me and a friend taping a couple of rockets together to make a multi-stage monster (fortunately in a remote location) lighting it (well he lit it, I bravely stood back at a "safe" distance observing and offering advice and helpful encouragement)
Took off at a 90 degree angle heading nicely away from us....
...until the second stage kicked in and it performed a neat 180 straight back towards me.
Amazing what you can outrun if you need to.:o Fortunately, said home made ICBM ran out of oomph before it reached me.
So suitably chastened and newly aware of the dangers of playing with fireworks, we immediately went and did it again...
After that we decided that trying to put snails into orbit was probably safer.
(For us anyway)

We now hand you back to your topic.

KO-B

[Acklington]

Another wizard wheeze was to head for the Town Moor (public grazing land) and find the freshest and largest cowpat. Insert a penny banger, light the fuze, and retire. Not far enough, as it transpired. We then tried adding a tin can on top, after the fuze was burning. Yes, the can did achieve orbital velocity, but the sh-1-t also came out sideways and we definately hadn't retired far enough!

One lad kept asking if he had managed to clean his face properly - "of course you have, we replied....";)

[Upkeep]

Anyone know what that wingspan might be (either inches or mm's)? Sure looks like the 'U2' of WWII. :D;)

/U

[Cruver Collecter]

Anyone know what that wingspan might be (either inches or mm's)? Sure looks like the 'U2' of WWII. :D;)

/U

Kind of big. 12.43 inches, 31.5 cm.

[Upkeep]

Kind of big. 12.43 inches, 31.5 cm.

Oh dear . . . that is rather large, eh? :unsure: Getting close to Welly dimensions. Thanx again, CC.

/U