Mould family tree...

Ohh Yes! I've been saying for years that you have to be a Sherlock Holmes to keep track of the way molds float around these days. It is very frustrating to see a new kit announced and then open the box and find it is an old dog that you allready have, just a new box and maybe decals. That is one genuine service that comes out of this and other modeller's news groups. We can swap notes and keep track of these things. The way Hobbycraft and Academy swap molds is a real salsa dance! And who would have expected Hasegawa molds to be showing up under the Revell label??
Bill Shuey

Agreed. I've asked several times here about some of the more obscure BMW (car) molds I stumble across. It turns out that I now know about as much as anyone since they're usually both rare and obscure. You almost need to be an expert on the 1:1 subject *as well as* on the molds to keep them all straight as well as avoiding such things as a car body *one scale foot too short* (sad, but true, Heller-AirFix). As for the Hasegawa/Revell molds with which I'm familiar, it seems that the moldmakers at Hasegawa and Dragon have gotten so good at replicating the 1:1 that it's difficult to tell their molds of similar subjects (BMW E36s) apart. Revell would do well to 'borrow' from either of them whenever they can. -- C.R. Krieger (Been there; done that)

I don't know of any, alas. On the Do 17 particularly I can say that in 1/72nd Airfix did do a Do 17E and Frog, Monogram and Lindberg did Do 17Zs. None of those kits share any parts or design with each other. I'd rate the Monogram the best kit of the 'Z's, followed by Frog and Lindberg.
Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Find a copy of John Burns' PAK 20 or wait for PAK 21. It's three years old, but that cov ers about 85% of the plastic, vacuform and resin aircraft kits ever produced.
I don't think that John would mind a direct quote from the book
Pg.27, Dornier Do 17 twin engine multi-role bomber all versions (3-4) Airfix 1/72 (Bilek,Gunze Sangyo, MPC, SK Model, Toltoys); Airmodel 1/48; Airspede 1/144; Czechmasters 1/48; Frog 1/72 (Matchbox, Modelcraft Canada, Revell, Tsukuda); Hobbycraft 1/48; Italeri 1/72; Lindberg 1/72; Mavi 1/72; Monogram 1/72 (Hasegawa); Replica 1/72; Schmidt's Vacumodellbau 1/32; WK Models 1/48.
The entire front section (pgs.8-80) are done in this manner. Pgs.81-424 are listed (and illustrated) by kit manufacturer. That's where the type is given by variant. For example:
Pg.286 under Mavi is kit #7028 Dornier Do 17E.
If you need a contact address for John let me know and I'll post it here.
Tom

I got to get me one of those. Some of those brands I've never heard of. Thanks, Tom!
Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

You might like to renew your subscription to ESM 72 as well. Vol.9, #2 is out this week. It's been a long time since Vol.2. Full color cover and back cover now with far more box art. All back issues still available, too.
Tom

We have a 'you can open box' policy in our shop, even if it's shrink wrapped. We want everyone to see what they are buying.
Interestingly, Toyway, who bring Academy into the UK, shrink wrap after they get the kits! I know that this is needed in some toy shops but as Tamiya and Hasegawa don't shrink wrap then I question why Toyway does Academy.
David SBX Model Shop of Montex Masks to the world!