While I’m not as hardcore into all the fine details as many armour guys out there, I do like me some good old ground-pounding, mud-churning armour to build once in a while. I rarely, of course, indulge in larger or more expensive kits (the Takom G6 Rhino is a dream of mine, and likely will be for a long time to come). No, I prefer simpler, smaller more (gasp!) fun kits.

To me, that means old-school, small-scale stuff, like Fujimi and Matchbox 1/76. Of the two, it’s no surprise to most who know me that Matchbox kits are my absolute favourites. I LOVE them, and I am forever glad that Revell seems to reissue them regularly. One such kit that got a reissue just recently was the 1/76 Pak 40 and Sdkfz. 11 halftrack, one of the larger “multi sets” that Matchbox originally came out with to expand their armour range.

Check out what’s in the box of this newly revived masterpiece below!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/1-76-revell-matchbox-pak-40-sd-kfz-11-out-of-box/

A blast from the past alright. I built many of these way back. Mostly a 1/35th builder now, but found an old Matchbox M16 buried in the stash and have dragged it out for the Anti-aircraft Group build. Couldn't resist adding some detail to it though. Still a WIP but...

Those added bits at the back of the MG mount really helps.

Thanks Biggles.

Ah, a blast from the past. I loved the old Airfix and Matchbox kits. So easy to build, but always a start of a Diorama.

Nice.
I just started one of these myself. Love the old Matchbox armour kits, especially the sets giving a couple of different vehicles. The Char B and Renault set will always be a favourite of mine.

I agree, the multi-kit sets are awesome! I still haven't found a Char B1 and FT-17. That, and the Morris/Jeep set I've never seen. I've got a line on an LRDG set, though. Hopefully that'll work out!

These kits really are fun and fairly simple, but great fodder for improving your skills. Plus, they're of neat vehicles and don't take up a lot of room!

The Morris/17pdr/Jeep and LRDG sets are really nice.
Hopefully Revell will reissue them. Currently both of those are going for silly money on evilbay. I recently saw an original Matchbox LRDG go for more than Tamiyas 1/35 LRDG Chevvy! Crazy!

Planning on posting some photos of mine when I'm done.

My favorite is the M-19 Tank Transporter. What a great little kit. You can do a lot with it.

Ahh, this brings back some memories... Maybe it's time for another Matchbox Campaign?

Wait... That would mean I'd have to buy one first.

Alright, with all this nostalgia talk I finally can't keep my fingers quiet? We've had a few Matchbox campaigns here on Armorama so Stefan's suggestion is not without merit. For those unfamiliar, this interest in the old Matchbox company and their products started the first campaign dealing with their Braille Scale vehicles was suggested and organized and run during 2010. Anyone interested can find the Feature about the campaign at Matchbox Nostalgia Campaign.

Along this same topic, there is a book review on this site of "The Story of Matchbox Kits 1973-2000" and it can be found HERE.

As for the kit Adam (Mechworker) has mentioned, Matthew Lenton (first circle) built this kit for the first Matchbox campaign and I present it here for your viewing pleasure.

97 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

PK-171 FirstCircle 2 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

PK-171 FirstCircle 3 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

And my humble build for the campaign was:
DSC00569 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

DSC08297 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

I dare to suggest that over the years people here have probably built every 1/76 offering from Matchbox but I am open to stand corrected?

Perhaps "someone" should indeed suggest to the Campaign Administration that a "Son or Grandson of Matchbox Nostalgia Campaign" be planned or aranged?

Cheers,
Jan

That I like! Looks really good when complete and the dusty desert finish is nicely done

I believe the 2010 Matchbox campaign was the first I entered. Think I built the Comet for it. There was also a Matchbox aircraft campaign over on Aeroscale not long after. I remember building the Seafox for that. Fantastic kit that deserves a reissue. I've also built the F-101 and Siskin for other campaigns.

There are quite a few campaigns going on presently, but we could propose one for next year perhaps? Maybe open it up site wide to include aircraft, cars and their ships? Would give me time to decide which one from the stash to build.

Steven (phantom_phanatic309),

Not sure if the 2010 campaign was your first but you did do the comet.





Of the 28 original 1/76 kits all but two were built leaving us without the LRDG Chevrolet and Jeep (PK-173) and the Diamond ‘T’ Prime Mover (PK-174). However, just for consistency I'll add a picture of one of the missing kits that I built.

DSC00545 by Jan Etal, on Flickr


Cheers,
Jan

That's the one!
28 kits? I'll have to check them all and see what I have and missing at some point.
If we do another I do have the LRDG and Diamond T so can fill those gaps.

Stephen (phantom_phanatic309),

IIRC, somebody in the first campaign was supposed to do the Diamond 'T' but they sadly dropped out of the campaign before they actually started the build. . As I had already built my set of the LRDG group it couldn't qualify. Ahhhh, but fond memories.

Cheers,
Jan

Shame because it's a really good kit.
I've somehow managed to acquire about 3 or 4 of them. I only ever got the first because I had a Stuart with rotten tracks that I thought would be good to fit on the trailer. I'd attempted the Airfix Scammel first but gave up because how horrific a kit it is. And they were still churning that piece of c**p out until recently.

If anyone has a 'horrific' Airfix Scammel kit send it to me!

I built one when I was a kid, pretty good OOB build but I'd like to do one to my current standards.

BTW, I don't recall any problems in the build. (Well there were no windows to get glue on, so that helps!)

I can well imagine that it was a fantastic kit at one time. But the molds have seriously deteriorated. A lot of flash needs to be carved off especially on the wheels. I remember there were some other fit problems too, but I would have to find it out to remind myself exactly what they were. Probably worth me having another go with it.

Airfix did some really good small scale vehicles, but over using them for the last 40+ years has taken its toll I'm afraid to say.

My we are going back a ways with the Airfix Scammel. I built one when I was still in grade school. Got one as a gift a couple of years ago and it was so bad with flash and bad moulding that I sold it to a fellow modeller that wanted the wheels. 🙃 Airfix was the main player in town for small scale kits for quite a while.

Cheers,
Jan

I would be up for another Matchbox group build. I still have a couple of kits I found in the box with the M16. However, given the cost that original Matchbox seem to be getting, we might need to allow Revell reboxes in!!

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Matchbox-1-76-Sd-Kfz-II-7-5cm-Pak-40-BMW-R-75-Plastic-Model-Kit-40171/142670037541?hash=item2137cc0225:g:bdEAAOSwxOFabCLw

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Matchbox-Models-HMS-Ariadne-Abdiel-Class-Minelayer-Plastic-Model-Kit/183220166423?epid=707672485&hash=item2aa8c5df17:g:fP8AAOSwcNxa9SfD

Well now... My comment has taken a life of its own!

As for the earlier campaigns, I did build the LRDG kit, but not sure whether it was for one of the campaigns:



So that leaves the M19?

If we're going for another campaign, I would surely allow Revell reboxes, as we have done in the past campaigns. Whether or not to include air and other kits, I'm unsure. On the one hand there have been several manufacturer-based campaigns in the past. On the other hand, including only armor limits it to a nice batch of 28 kits.

Cheers!
Stefan

Hmmmm Stefan,

YOU would surely allow...? Is that an indication that a leader for this fledgling campaign is surfacing/has surfaced?

Perhaps if one wanted to expand the campaign but still keep it focussed on ground vehicles and allow larger scales? Just a thought as I'd have to check the Matchbox Book to see if there were any or many.

PK-176 Torchy 2 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

Cheers,
Jan

It's funny how the few stinkers Airfix did give such a negative opinion on their 1/76 range these days. Today I had arrive in the post the German Recce set and Panzer IV and they look really nice. Sure the turret sides in the sd.kfz 222 are a little thick, but the best that could be achieved back then. Their Bofors and Morris truck has long been a favourite of mine too. And the recent toolings are fantastic. I had hopes they would produce lots more than just the Cromwell, King Tiger, Jeep and Bedfords. Unfortunately they seem to have lost interest and are again reissuing the ancient kits in a collectable classic range. I do wonder if it will be a success?

Matchbox and Airfix were the best. Without them we would not have generations of AFV modelers, we wouldnt have Armorama. I start a build of one nostalgia kit every year on 25th of December.

Oh yeah Airfix were one of the first and fantastic that they're still going strong. The recent stuff is really nice.
But anyway, think I went a little off topic there.

Wonder if we could also do a small scale armour campaign some time after a Matchbox build? There are some really nice kits around these days that often get overlooked by the bigger kits.