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antique/rare models

Greetings one and all! This is my first visit and posting. I put together models when I was a youngster with my uncle. I am now 51 and uncle has long since passed. To my surprise, he left me with a box of model airplanes. I was told by my neighbor who put me onto the news group to read and perhaps post the list of models. I have spent the better part of this day reading all the postings and replies. I continue to be completely blown away with how things have changed. Growing up, all we had was Testors and Comet paints and awful brushes. I will list what I have, and perhaps someone can give me an idea of what they are worth. I suspect that they are too valuable to assemble and paint, as I have been advised that all of the models are out of production and some of the manufactures are likewise gone by the wayside. I appreciate your patience and understanding that I am a complete novice. (I was really good as a kid but haven't done a model in 20 years at least) Here we go, the list by maker, type model, kit number and the year as closely as I can determine by the box or instructions. All are complete with instructions and decals. A couple have been dry-fitted, but are complete. Given that most are 1950's vintage, there are a few places on the box where insects nibbled away at the corners of the boxes while stored in Uncle's basement. I have listed the scale where that particular info is available either on the box or instruction sheet. In some cases scale is not listed and I am advised that the scale was what ever fit into a (roughly) 4x15 in box. These kits were made prior to the plastic bag type packaging, except as noted.

  1. Comet (Hobycraft, Inc), Grumman S2F Tracker, kit # PL-801-98 "authentic scale" perfect & complete (decals & instructions) Large pieces dry fitted, but small parts still on plastic bars. There is no date on the box, or instruction but from the look of it, late 50's early 60's.
  2. Revel-Monogram, Sopwith Camel, kit #197:198, dated copyright 1957 and
1959. Opened for dry fit as above. Complete with decals and instructions.
  1. Monogram 4-Star "Plastikit" 1/12th scale (1 inch = 1 foot), Wright Cyclone 9 Radial Aircraft Engine (C9HE) Deluxe model-motorized with stub prop and engine stand. No painting required from the Monogram Hobby-Tech Series, PE252M-298 dated 1959. Complete and near perfect. Features a cut-away cylinder head. Pete says it's extremely rare and I defer to his superior knowledge of models. The box is likewise in perfect condition.
  2. Hawk (mfg) Convair 880 (1960) model #519-98. complete. Delta Airlines decals, perfect condition features 45 parts.
  3. Hawk Viscount (1956) decals for Continental Airlines kit #506-98. complete and perfect. Features 82 parts.
  4. Revell "Authentic kit" Douglas DC-8 (1958) Jet Mainliner, kit #H248:98. complete with decals and inst. Perfect.
  5. Hawk- BOAC, Dehavilland Comet IV, (1958), Model #H507-98 complete with decals and instructions. Minor insect damage to corner and one end of box otherwise perfect.
  6. Revell- Fairchild F27 Propjet Transport, Kit #H297-98 dated 1958 complete with decals and instructions. Perfect.
  7. PYRO- 1915 Model T Ford "Vintage Brass Car" (easy now, it's plastic, but features a brass looking radiator on the box--go figure) dated 1967, kit CS451-100. Red plastic. Complete with instructions. There is no mention of any decals in the instruction sheet.
  8. Monogram 1:24 scale, Ferrari Testarossa unopened plastic bag. 96 pieces, dated 1991 complete with instructions. That's the lot, there are a few model cars that have been assembled and painted, T-bird, Lincoln continental, Cord, '32 Ford coupe/hardtop/convertible. I realize already built items are most likely of little value so what ever my son does not want, I'll photograph and shoot them out to ebay. If anyone can help me with the fair market value of the airplanes I'd appreciate it, and in return I will give first preference to members of the news group. This is about all the info I can provide at this time. I will be happy to re-check the items and answer questions or what ever I can to be helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read my first posting. I look forward to corresponding and hopefully make a contribution to the group. Best Wishes, Bruce
Reply to
Bruce Apple
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Hello and welcome!

There are at least four avenues I know of for the sale of "Out of Production" (OOP) kits.

Here are the URLs for two places that I have been buying from for about three years now that carry a lot of OOP kits. You may want to try and contact them regarding the current resell value of some of these kits:

1) C.A. Hood :
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Gasoline Alley Antiques:
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You may also see mention of "John F. Green" models. An outfit that dealt exclusively with OOP kits. However, John F. Green closed up shop earlier this year.

In addition, Nostalgic Plastic:

3)
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I believe is still running a web site, although their "brick and mortar" store closed earlier this year.

4) Finally, there is always eBay. I'd look for the same/similar kit in "Active/Completed" items and see what the going price is.

Hope this helps, Best wishes, John M.

Reply to
John R Meloro

For those who were kind enough to respond, thanks, I was able to locate everything on my "laundry list" and was pleasantly surprised at the information I found. Firstly, the kits are only worth what they will fetch at auction. At least I have an idea of what the kits retail for and I was considering setting the reserve at 80% of retail and let the bidders bump it from there. I am new at this, so if someone has an alternate strategy, I am listening carefully! From what I could find out, it appears that most of the airplane kits are worth around $100 each. The real killer was that there were people who were perfectly willing to shell out $20 and up for an empty box, i.e., no model but the bare box and perhaps an instruction sheet. A few items were so rare, that I was unable to find them anywhere. The Comet kit of the Gruman S2F (stoof) hasegawa has a new one for 18.00USD. I'm very fond of this particular bird as I flew in one from the decks of the Intrepid. I'm tempted to snag the kit, and sell the rare bird to a collector who would appreciate it. The dark horse was the Monogram 4 Star Wright Cyclone radial engine... I located one kit, incomplete and damaged priced at 125 USD. My question here is, if a messed up kit is worth 125, what is one that is in pristine condition worth? 20%, 50%, double? I don't want to be greedy, definitely not my style, but I don't want to give it away only to have someone else turn around a sell it for double (for example) which strikes me as too much like shooting myself in the foot. I would appreciate any further guidance offered to this novice. Thanks to John R. Meloro for the invaluable info he was kind enough to send, roughly

40 minutes after I posted. Damn fast these Ethernet connections, gotta love it. Best wishes to all Bruce
Reply to
Bruce Apple

Bruce, the Comet S2F moulds went to Aurora along the way and was re-released by them many times. If you find a listing for the Aurora kit you can probably add a few dollars to the price because you have the older, rarer kit.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Bill Banaszak

Reply to
jerry 47

"Bruce Apple" wrote in news:daprb.137779$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.tampabay.rr.com:

I bought one of those engines in a newer boxing for like $20. I don't think it was regarded as anything to unusual.

Just my 2 cents

Frank

Reply to
Gray Ghost

You never know. I bought a sterling balsa and white metal kit of the Missouri BB63 on ebay about 2 years ago for USD 220.00. Two more sold within 3 weeks for up to 330.00. Never got around to building this really big model so a year later thought I would sell it on ebay. Looked around and the several i found sold for 130.00 to 156.00. I still have it.

Reply to
ARMDCAV

I'm not sure where you got your average price of $100 per aircraft kit, but I think you're going to be disappointed if you feel that the models that you've listed are going to fetch those kind of bucks. I just checked completed auctions for Hawk Comet IVs and 880s, and both were closer to $20 - 25 each. Glencoe's re-release of the 880 and Viscount severely reduced the values of the original kits. The Revell large scale Camel might go a little higher. I just had a Revell DC-8 go for about $40, although another "S" kit like yours just went for $75.

The thing with eBay is that it's all about TWO people who need to want it bad. And it's funny what can get caught up in a frenzy. (An Airfix Lancaster just went for over $100. Huh? But it can happen.) And it's also funny what can happen if you don't get those two people who are hot to trot. Or if there's several of an item available.

I've sold a lot of kits on eBay (I do this for a living), and more often than not, I'm happy and pleasantly surprised. You have a box of basically free models. Whatever you get for them will be much more than the orginal purchase price. eBay is the ultimte marketplace. It certainly can't be said that eBay sets any type of price for an item. But it certainly sets the price for what two people think the item is worth at that time.

You should set the items below $10 to start. Your auction listing fees will be less. (I think all of them will bring over $10 with no problem, so you might even be able to go with $1 as starting bid as suggested earlier.) No reserve, unless you want to keep them. And let the market do what it will do. Whatever you make on them, you are ahead!

I'm not sure why you're worried that someone else might snatch them up and make more off them than you. First off, I don't think kit dealers are able to troll eBay for "bargains" unless they have a specific customer for an item. I certainly have never found a kit for auction on eBay that's jumped out and said "you can make much more off me than the current bid". Secondly, as long as you are happy with the selling price, why should you worry what the buyer (whoever they might be... modeler, collector or vendor) might end up doing with them?

Congrats on the box of kits! After all these years, it's still a pleasure to me to drool over a stack of vintage plastic, and I'm sure they brought back some great memories for you as well.

Good luck with your auctions!

Jeff Garrity Rare-Plane Detective

Reply to
Jeff

I've dealt with Rare Plane Detective. They are fine and honest folks. Jerry 47

Reply to
jerry 47

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