The Gallery

Latest additions to THE GALLERY
CORSAIR II YACHT Douglas Blakeley's excellent built of the Corsair II yacht He says - "I was pretty proud of how the yacht came out"

Dee Anne Clarke has built a number of Glencoe kit, the builds that are often featured on the Glencoe Models Facebook page McDONNELL XV-1 CONVERTIPLANE	The Convertiplane, finished as a Vietnam-era medevac unit, which was one of the proposed variants. As per the proposal, the interior is fitted out with two stretcher bays and a fold-down seat for one medical attendant
The first ever all-plastic 'space kit' - the FLYING SAUCER or UFO For a time Glencoe issued the original Lindberg Flying Saucer. Dee says - "This is very much my take on it, using parts and decals from spares and scratch-building supplies. The wording on each side is alien for ‘ACME’"	"Note the multiversal wrench for in-flight maintenance, usually involving violent blows..."
PIASEKI ZV8P AIRGEEP	Dee finished this as it might have appeared in service, armed with the proposed 105mm recoilless rifle. Photos exist of a prototype fitted with what looks recoilless rifle. Here this rifle came from a Dragon M274 Mechanical Mule kit, with the spare flechette rounds coming from a Renwal M50 Ontos. Seat belts and most of the decals came from the spares box
Dee Anne Clark's build of the three Soviet era military vehicles These are 1:32 scale, and were original ITC kits They are all based on the same chassis	PT 76 Amphibious Tank
FROG 3 Battlefield Rocket	BTR-50 Personnel Carrier

Latest additions to THE GALLERY

CORSAIR II YACHT

Douglas Blakeley's excellent built of the Corsair II yacht

He says - "I was pretty proud of how the yacht came out"

Corsair

Dee Anne Clarke has built a number of Glencoe kit, the builds that are often featured on the Glencoe Models Facebook page

McDONNELL XV-1 CONVERTIPLANE

Convertiplane

The Convertiplane, finished as a Vietnam-era medevac unit, which was one of the proposed variants. As per the proposal, the interior is fitted out with two stretcher bays and a fold-down seat for one medical attendant

Convertiplane

The first ever all-plastic 'space kit' - the FLYING SAUCER or UFO

UFO

For a time Glencoe issued the original Lindberg Flying Saucer. Dee says - "This is very much my take on it, using parts and decals from spares and scratch-building supplies. The wording on each side is alien for ‘ACME’"

UFO

"Note the multiversal wrench for in-flight maintenance, usually involving violent blows..."

PIASEKI ZV8P AIRGEEP

Airgeep

Dee finished this as it might have appeared in service, armed with the proposed 105mm recoilless rifle. Photos exist of a prototype fitted with what looks recoilless rifle. Here this rifle came from a Dragon M274 Mechanical Mule kit, with the spare flechette rounds coming from a Renwal M50 Ontos. Seat belts and most of the decals came from the spares box

Airgeep

Dee Anne Clark's build of the three Soviet era military vehicles
These are 1:32 scale, and were original ITC kits
They are all based on the same chassis

Soviet tanks

PT 76 Amphibious Tank

FROG 3 Battlefield Rocket

FROG 3

BTR-50 Personnel Carrier

BTR-50

Peter Alway has been building up his collection of Glencoe's MINI KITS (Originally 'Precision Miniatures' from ITC).

These are - as their name suggests - very small kits, but for their size reasonably detailed
There are a wide range of subjects as indicated here, and they can also be placed with other kits to build up dioramas

Their size is indicated by the USS Constitution - right - in Peter's hand!

Other MINI KITS can be seen in examples further down the page

Constitution

USS Constitution

Constitution

USS Constitution

Cadillac

1903 Cadillac

Packard

1900 Packard

Bearcat

1914 Stutz Bearcat

Model T

1915 Ford Model T

Wright Flyer

Wright Bros - Flyer

Spirit Louis

Spirit of St. Louis

Cabbage Head

Cabbage Stack

Huntington

Central Pacific

Viking Ship

River Boat

Southern Belle River Boat

Tugboat

Coastal Tug Boat

Junk

Chinese Junk

Space Station

SPACE STATION

Rick Rufo has been chronicling his build of the Space Station on the Glencoe Facebook pages.
Scroll down for his build of the 3-Stage Rocket

THE STORY OF SPACEFRAME USAF 60-21577...

Some intriguing conversions using the Moon/Marsliner by David Hart in the UK.

David primarily builds in 1:144 scale - he is a member of the IPMS '12 Squared' SIG - and as Glencoe uses '1:144' as the scale for its edition of the original Strombecker kit, (even though over the years others scales have been attributed to it!), here it conveniently fits his remit.

Besides creating the models, David has written the 'reel' story behind each build, in an alternative time-line, which is very entertaining and worth including here!

In 1952, the General Electric Fusormak made space flight practical. The Douglas Space Craft 2 of 1959 made it economical. The models represent the 42nd DSC-2 spaceframe, USAF 60-21577.

Entering service in 1963 as a VCSF-2, she served initially on flag officer runs between the old Clavius spaceport and Baskin-Robbins AFB, UT.

After a varied USAF career, Sure To of Selenium, WV, bought her in 1997 from Ed's Wreckin’ ‘n Spacecraft Spares at Lagrange 3. Ed fitted an uprated reactor from a DSC-6 and an eckso (Asteroid Belt slang: exoskeleton) for asteroid towing.

In 2014, having avoided an orrie (where a fatigued eckso collapses – probably from Japanese origami) and other hazards of asteroid towing, she returned to Ed's. By 2017, HeritageSpace, of Miami, FL, had restored her original configuration, for nostalgia excursions to low Earth orbit.

By 2024, demand for heritage LOE flights had fallen, customers preferring a $140 (oxygen extra) RyanSpace Moon trip. 21577, with its powerful low-mileage reactor and sound spaceframe, was sold to Beauregard Bingley, MIT graduate and renegade spacerodder of Nusquam, KY. It was for use in his "FTel" project, regarded as a scam by most reputable physicists, who never got invited to Beau's cookouts.

In 2029, Beau and "Spirit of Nusquam" disappeared near the Moon. A search for wreckage was unsuccessful, but eight days later the ship reappeared in Earth orbit, where it was intercepted by a Northrop FSF-9 launched from William Cody class SSBN USS Wyatt Earp. Bingley’s spectroscopic records and camera film showed he had orbited Barnard's Star, six light years from Earth. The era of human interstellar flight had begun.

21577 is now preserved at the Bingley Starflight HQ in Nusquam.

David Hart

VIP Transport - 1963

[The years quoted are for the supposed time-line]

The Moonliner is mostly built stock with home-made decals and the 'USAF' from the spares box. The building and pad are scratchbuilt from sheet styrene

David Hart

Asteroid Tug - 1997

Besides the Moonliner center section, this also uses Peco model railway bridge parts and Evergreen girder sections. The box section on the far left is the crew cabin, which David reckons could, '...separate for rescue by the US Space Guard or maybe even by an RNLI lifeboat!'
The screws that attach the craft to the asteroid are actually wall fixings. The asteroid itself is molded from Das clay and uses N-gauge ballast

David Hart

[left] Lunar Lady - 2015

The Moonliner is mostly stock, with the buildings from card tube and square Evergreen sections

David Hart

[above] : Spirit Of Nusquam - 2029

Besides the Moonliner basis, the outer sections are Evergreen, and model mesh.
The 'Navy intercepting ship' right is a section from a droptank.
The base is a NASA image of the Florida coast

BONES TO PICK...

Glencoe's stegosaurus and tyrannosaurus rex skeletons,
built by Joe Couture

He modified them to raise the tails, as current thoughts of paleontologists reckon the tails didn't drag!

Pictured at a local model show, where Joe says
"a few people asked me about the kits...", all of which just goes to prove, 'dinosaurs never go out of style...'

GRUMMAN J2F2 DUCK 1:48 scale

above : Two schemes built by Bob Duffy

USS OREGON

left : his build of the USS Oregon, in Spanish- American War gray

Bob asks...
"Can you reissue the old Subchaser model kit?"

COVERED WAGON 1:48 scale

An interesting build by Clara Johnson, who says...

"I very much enjoyed this build, the fit of the parts was good and the molded detail still appears sharp.
I added some extra details to the model - a plow, a chicken cage, with chicken, and various sacks of provisions and wooden boxes for the interior of the wagon.

I used the base that was provided with the kit and added a scale saguaro cactus to give it interest.
The whole is mounted on a rustic wooden base, salvaged from a pallet."

Clara adds...

"I'm looking forward to the release of the Medicine Wagon."

LUNAR LANDER

Yet more from Ray Lagrant

This is the Lunar Lander with more of Ray's expertise with LED lighting

The full effect can be seen here in the YouTube video

Ray says... "I lit the crew cabin and added a red 'dome light' on top. The rocket exhaust is custom lit also"

"Thanks again for re-popping these great 'Concept Space Craft' model kits"

SPACE WHEEL

And more from Ray Lagrant

This time the Space Wheel - and with Ray's usual approach to adding LED lighting - seen very effectively in the last picture and here in the YouTube video

He replaced the condenser pipe tubing, that stretches from the outer edges to the inner hub, with brass tube

Ray says..."Thanks for the great 'early space' exploration kits"

VICKERS VISCOUNT

Built by Frank White
in the markings of Capitol Airlines

Frank says...: "I reworked the transparencies using the 'clear glue' method; re-shaped the windscreen frames; dropped the flaps; placed the kit's standing pilot figure in the cockpit and posed two of the passengers by the finished plane. The natural metal finish is compliments of the Molotow chrome pens and sealed with Pledge floor polish."

VICKERS VISCOUNT

Built by Greg Bale
in the markings of Trans Australia Airlines c.1967

Greg says... "The decals were home-made, drawn up on my PC, and printed on my inkjet printer. It's a lovely kit that I greatly enjoyed building.
I was impressed how good the parts fit was, considering its vintage. Thank you for making it available once again."

THE 3-STAGE ROCKET

More from Ray Lagrant, this time the 3-Stage Rocket - complete with lighting

Note the interesting adaptation of the service tower

Click here for the video

McDONNELL XV-1 CONVERTIPLANE

Built by George Prosnik

George says... "I upgraded the cockpit although I did not correct the door configuration per the actual aircraft"

He based this on photographs of the real plane on display at the
US Army Aviation Museum, Fort Rucker, AL

This is the first prototype - there were only two - the second, at the NASM Silver Hill facility, can be seen further down these pages

CURTISS CONDOR

Frank White took the Curtiss Condor kit,
did a little re-shaping of the windscreen and wing strut positions, but as Frank says...
"The passenger and crew figures were getting anxious to get underway, so after the paint job, and adding the rigging, she was ready to fly"

The props were made to spin via a fan!

You can see more of Frank's work on his Pinterest page

The THOR MISSILE

built by Kevin Carroll

Kevin says ...

“(A) fun, stress-free, nostalgic build of a kit that is almost - almost - as old as me!”

An intriguing build of the MARS LINER - now back to the 'Moon' - with added lighting
This was expertly done by Ray Lagrant
Ray says..."I used green/red LEDs for the cockpit, blue LEDs for the windows and a blinking red LED for the emergency exit door"

Rick Rufo has built the 3-Stage Rocket with some details of his own

Rick adds ...

"... Thank you for the wonderful kits."

The THOR MISSILE as built by Mike Terre.
The only modification he did was to add a cable and hook to the hoist on the side of the launch pad.
Mike also says, "Great kit, very good fit considering the molds were made in 1958. Please keep those old kits coming, this 63 year old modeler feels like a kid again when he builds them"

The Bell X-1B as built and detailed by Steve Eggers. He, appropriately, works for Bell Helicopter, the successor to the Bell Aircraft Corporation

The standing figure is borrowed from the
Monogram 1:48 scale B-17

scroll down for more photos of the built kit, and the real plane at the USAF Museum, Dayton, OH

USS Oregon

More excellent builds from Gary Bonolo,
this time the USS OREGON Battleship

Gary removed the middle deck, as per the prototype, and applied deck texture to the rest. Railings come from chicken wire!

As Gary says, "A fun and challenging build"

Convair 880 Ken Miller

Above: Ken Miller has modeled the TWA Convair 880 with suitable weathering, given it was standing for years in the 'boneyard'
at Mojave Airport, CA
The actual plane was scrapped in 1999

Right: Tory Mucaro, of New Jersey, sent a photo of his build of the MARS LINER, here returned to the original Moonliner scheme
Note the two tiny figures on the base, which he has added for scale

Scroll down for more Moonliner builds, and for the link to where one of the originals is still on display

Gary Bonolo sent these photos of his Glencoe builds

Left : the ever-popular 3-STAGE ROCKET

Directly below: the CONVAIR 880
in aftermarket Delta markings

Convair 880

Below: the CORSAIR II yacht, fully rigged

'Man in Space' NUCLEAR POWERED SPACE STATION
and 3-STAGE ROCKET

by Rob Craig

Rob Craig Space Station

GRUMMAN J2F2 DUCK and REPUBLIC SEEBEE

Tony Smith, of Somerset in the UK, has sent photos of
two Glencoe Model builds

Right and directly below are his take on the Grumman Duck, built to represent the aircraft that appears in the movie Murphy's War

Below these, his Seebee build

An amazing photographic selection of models has been sent
by Mike Maynard
The conversion of the AIR GEEP into a 'Sea Geep' - below and right - is particularly inventive

Sea Geep

scroll down for photos of another build and the originals at the
Army Transportation Museum, Fort Eustis, VA

Sea Geep

Above and above right: Mike's various conversions
from the U.S. COAST GUARD boat

Into space with Mike :
Right: l-r : the RETRIEVER ROCKET, LUNAR LANDER, with added diorama details, and the
3-STAGE ROCKET

Below: the NUCLEAR POWERED SPACE STATION, in authentic yellow

Below right: a conversion to the MARS LINER

Project Merlin

SPACEMEN & WOMEN

Here is the set of Spacemen and Women (and Robots) detailed by 'Josellas Tiberias' (aka Joel Tavera)

More photos can be found on the Cult TV 'site.
(click image to take you there)

Thanks to Joel, and to Steve Iverson of Cult TV, for use of the photo

These figures were originally made by Archers

GRUMMAN J2F2 DUCK

Thanks to Bob Busing for sending his photos of his build of the Grumman Duck

It looks great - and you can find out more by clicking the photo for his You Tube slide-show of the build...

(opens in a new window)

GRUMMAN J2F2 DUCK

...and click this photo for even more images of the model on You Tube

MANNED OBSERVATIONAL SATELLITE

Designed by Convair Engineer, Dr Krafft Ehricke, this was a 1950s design for a space station Interestingly it did not follow the usual shape for the time - that of the classic wheel shape

Manned Orbiting

Manned|Orbiting

This was a Strombecker kit, first issued in 1959
Scaled at 1:200

TYRANNOSAURUS REX

The bare bones of Jurassic Park!

The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex

Originally an ITC kit

Now reissued - see CATALOG

MINI-KITS - LE SABRE

The Future - as it should have been...

The Mini-Kits Le Sabre poses by the 3-Stage Rocket
- maybe the personal transport of the pilot?

NUCLEAR POWERED SPACE STATION

Originally a Strombecker kit from 1957

This is the same model that appears on the box for the Glencoe Models' issue of the kit

(See CATALOG)

This model also featured in a detailed build in
Fine Scale Modeler, May 1998

EXPLORER 1

The first successful U.S. artificial satellite, launched February 1, 1958

Turning the handle 'clicks' out the telemetry signal sent out by the satellite!

Also features a detailed interior

The kit was originally issued by ITC in 1959

Scale 1:6

BELL X1B

The only conventional plastic kit of this record-breaking rocket plane in 1:48 scale
Originally produced by Strombecker

The photo shows the NASA 'silver' version and an earlier color scheme in 'roll-out orange'

Decals supply markings for USAF, NACA and NASA

One of the several pilots who flew the plane was
Neil Armstrong

The original plane is on display (below) at
The USAF Museum, Dayton, OH

McDONNELL XV-1 CONVERTIPLANE

The kit features rotating blades, sliding access doors and 3 figures - two standing and a pilot

Originally an ITC kit, scale 1:32

Two prototypes were built and both survive
One at the Army Aviation Museum, Fort Rucker, AL (scroll up)
The other in storage (below) at the
NASM Paul E. Garber facility, Silver Hill, MD

FROG-3

A Soviet Union early battlefield rocket, known to them as an R-9 Luna

Transported on a modified PT-76 tank chassis

This is technically an artillery rocket, rather than a guided missile, but whatever, it is still a piece of history from the Cold War

Originally an ITC kit. Comes with 3 figures

Scale 1:32

US NAVY SEAL

The model of the famous US Navy SEAL,
in SCUBA gear

Originally produced by Precision Plastics

This is in 1:8 scale, the standard scale for many other figure kits

PIASEKI ZV8P AIRGEEP

It worked! The Airgeep, would have been a 'flying Jeep', but was canceled in favor of more conventional helicopters

The kit comes with figures and markings for the prototype (pictured) and US Army

Originally an ITC kit, scale 1:32

The two remaining originals are on display - below -
US Army Transportation Museum , Fort Eustis, VA

MINI KITS : CLASSIC ROADSTERS

From both sides of 'The Big Pond'

A British MG-TD and American fifties T-Bird

In 1:72 scale, so suitable for a wide range of diorama possibilities

Such as, pose by a similarly-scaled airplane of the period

MINI KITS : INDY RACER

An alternative use for the Mini Kits Indy Racer

Here it has been turned into a down-hill racer, being carried in the pickup bed of an AMT 1:25 scale Chevy

THE WHITE HOUSE

Also known as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, DC - the official residence of the
President of the United States of America

Scaled at 1:87, or H0, this is ideal for railroad modelers.

This was originally a Marx kit

Attack by Flying Saucers is optional...

JUPITER C

The launch rocket for the Explorer 1 satellite. It is officially 'Juno 1', but is usually referred to as the 'Jupiter C'

This started life as a Hawk kit, first issued in 1958, the same year as the launch

The kit comes with 2 figures.
The square base shown here has been added

Scale 1:48

M274 MECHANICAL MULE

Shown here as depicted in the kit, in military markings, but also as a more colorful 'civilian' version

Originally an ITC kit / scale 1:15

Below is an example on display in the grounds of Fort Hood, Killeen, TX
Below that are two examples, slightly more the worse for wear, at the Russell Military Museum in Illinois