TOPIC:

Matchbox "annual" which only appeared once. The renditions of various diecast road vehicles & plastic kit aeroplanes on the cover are as close as it gets to their actual products, the contents seem to be articles on various mechanical things (modern dockyard, aircraft carrier & so on), and tales (some illustrated) of real or fictionalised derring-do.

No doubt many well meaning nans & grandads bought them as gifts for Christmas 1979, they are neither rare nor expensive now. I anticipate getting several visits to the dunny out of it


My family weren't much for giving this sort of book, I think I had the Rupert the Bear annuals from 1973, 74 & possibly 75, but after that anything large-format after had to be at least slightly educational (such as the Hamlyn Children's History of Britain (1977) or Space Wars Fact & Fiction Featuring Space Cadet (1980), though a cool(er) uncle managed to sneak in the Starksi & Hutch annual 1978) before they were deemed "not serious enough"

 



 

  

I thought I’d probably want to have a go at some other aero builds before committing to the Matchbox kits. Having a go at one I did have in my youth (maybe 1979/1980?) but somewhat messed up would be a good start.I had the 1970 original (or more likely, the 1976 rebox) of the Revell Corsair F4U-1 “the Sweetheart of Okinawa” (not very PC now ) , but there have been many issues since on basically the same tooling, including a semi-current F4U-1 with different paint & transfers. 

TBH though, I wouldn’t find the modern blue box design & grey plastic anywhere near as the “correct” older box & blue plastic moulding, which is why I bought this for only a little more than the cheapest new one  The box top is quite bent, and many engine parts are already off the sprue, so I don’t think anyone’s going to go into conniptions if I actually build it. 

The corsair is my favourite plane

The first matchbox I found par hasard. From 81 like me. And abused.
I have to search my yellow challenger. My favourite.

Corsair, and Spitfire must be one of the top 5 iconic planes of that time.


In my catalog collection I have these two.
Think I used to own the little booklet of the Matchbox cars as well.

I have also Revell and Hasegawa catalogs from the same time period.