Info Wanted on World War Two Aurora Model Kits

I was wondering if anyone can tell me if Aurora issued a series of World War Two Soldiers. Germans, Japanese,Austrailian, Russian and American. The Box art would have been done by Schenck. Email at snipped-for-privacy@msn.com. Thanks

Reply to
Fmarsh
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From the back of "Red Knight's" (#474) instruction sheet I find a USAF Pilot, US Sailor, US Marine and US Army Infantryman. No era is listed nor are any kit numbers.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

I remember these. They were about 1:10 or maybe a little bigger (stood about 8" high). The USAF Pilot (aka "Steve Canyon" - but no copyright infringement there, the author cut a deal to get his character made) is Korean War era, maybe a little later. The soldier is also Korean War or early

1950s. His weapon is an M-1 and he's carrying the old "Pineapple" type grenades. The sailor is dressed in the old Class A uniform (paint it white or blue, your choice) and the Marine is wearing Dress Blues. Aurora also made a Green Beret in that same scale, with an M-16 and modern grenades. The problem with these figures was (IMNSHO) that they were too static. Even with a good paint job, they came off looking like department store manniquins. BTW, you could also add Glencoe's Soldier and SEAL to this mix; they're about the same scale and the soldier has helmets for either Korea or the modern "Fritz" type. Not sure about the weapons carried however. These Aurora figures are generally available most of the time on eBay, but bring your wallet cause they ain't cheap. The pilot (the best of the bunch in my opinion) can run as high as $250 for a complete unmade kit with a busy auction.
Reply to
Old Timer

Someone did a resin recast of the Pilot. I have one in my stash. ISTR someone is planning a recast of the Green Beret.

Reply to
frank

What I have are six different pieces of commercial art by the the artist Schenck. I was told they are the box art for a series of Aurora Model Kits. There is a Japanese Foot Soldier, German Africa Corp., German Officer, US Paratrooper, Brithish Desert Foot Soldier, and Russian Soldier. I bought these from the artists estate many years ago (He also did Illustrations and cartoons for Playboy Magazine) and put them away. I recently rediscovered them in my Basement ( Which oddly enough has come to look like the warehouse scene at the end of 'Indiana Jones and the temple Of Doom') and decided I should frame these up. (which I did). It is possible that the sets were never issued, the artwork is interesting anyway. I guess it is possible the sets were issued by another model kit company in the chicago area, as SCHENCK lived here. If anyone thinks a photo would help of the items, email me and Ill shoot one off. What I was interested in doing is getting the series to display with the work if it was published. Any help would be greatly apprieciated. Fred Marshall - FMASH on eBay - snipped-for-privacy@msn.com

Reply to
Fmarsh

I think FSM did a story on Aurora's never-issued kits. I don't recall any soldier figures but they almost got another knight figure out - the Green Knight. There were several interesting planes that never made it out the door, too.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

Fantasy Modeler (remember them?) did during the mid 1970s. The article, "Project Cancelled", lists a Batcopter (based on a Bell 47), The Phantom, Ming the Merciless, and the Rack, as well as Robby the Robot, an original Alien Warrior, Martian War Machine, Gort (from the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still"), the Loch Ness monster, the Metaluna Mutant and the Fly. The FSM article, part of their "Kit Classics" series, talked about the Green Knight, a Martine TM-76 Mace, A Chris-Craft Sport Fisherman, Henry Hudson's "Half Moon", Carl Casper's "Ghost" (a show car), a Bull Elf, Tarzan vs. a Lion (completed as Hercules), an F-14 Tomcat, an updated "Godzilla" and a "Racing Series" program including a Chrysler

426 engine w/blower and a Donovan (?) 417 engine.

For what its worth, the prototype model of the Green Knight was on eBay a couple of years back. I even bidded on it early on. The final price, over $2,500, was the highest ~I~ ever saw a model go for.

Reply to
Old Timer

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