Posted 5 years ago
Toyrebel
(215 items)
I've been looking for one of these in good shape for a while. This the first issue of The Mongram Phantom Mustang model kit # PA67 released in 1961. It's 1/32 with a clear outer skin to show all the inner components of a P-51. It has two electric motors that turn the prop and lower/retract all landing gear and there "doors". It also drops both wing bombs individually. This kit was the top of the line Monogram airplane kit in 1961. It cost $7.00! That was BIG money for a model in '61', probably the Monogram 1/8 scale Big T hot rod is the only Monogram kit that cost more. It's been constantly rereleased up to this day. It'll cost you around $50.00 for a new issue. I've built three of these during my lifetime. The first was when I was about 10 and was this first version. This kit is NOT for rookie model builders or or the easily frustrated. It has 144 parts and it takes more than just gluing it together. You have to make sure the parts of the working features are aligned and moving properly. The wing bomb mechanisms are very tricky to get working right. But it is a fascinating model of a great beautiful aircraft(one of my favorites). My first one suffered a crash from our cat. I built the later black box version when I was in Jr. High and a rerelease in the early nineties. This was a model engineering marvel when first released, it's well respected in the modeling field as a legendary kit.
This model is in the best shape I've seen one in for some time. The box is in great shape. The guy I got it from had it since the 60's. He had the tissue paper used to keep from scratching the clear parts and they're immaculate. The two "Mity Mite" motors are still sealed in their bubble dome packing. This and The Visible V-8 engine by Renwal are my favorite model kits of all time. They were always displayed on top shelf above the other models. If you built these you had acheived "super-modeler" status, everybody drooled when they saw it. I'd like to buy a new issue kit and build it to display next to this. This was one my dream models from my childhood and I'm glad I found this kit!
Thanks,
Toyrebel
That is a great kit. I look forward to seeing a built up one.
I'm probably going to buy a new kit from Amazon, Apache. Getting this has brought back those old memories, it is a cool kit when built, especially with all of the operating features.