Innehållsförteckning för August 2023 från Diecast Collector

DUE to arrive at retailers in August, Matrix has confirmed a pair of 1/43 scale resincast Mini Clubman Estates, adding to its recent Mini-related releases of Paul McCartney’s Radford Mini de Ville and a brace of Riley Elf MkIIs. All will be limited editions, as is the norm with Matrix releases. The new Clubman Estate models will be available in red (No MXMM430171) or metallic blue (MXMM430172). Prices are yet to be confirmed, but will be around the usual figure for a Matrix release. For more information and to pre-order, contact your preferred Matrix Scale Models retailer.…

LAUNCHED to coincide with the centenary celebrations of the famous Le Mans 24 Hours, Ixo has just begun a new series that brings together 50 of its excellent event-related cars covering the last 100 years, from 1923 to the present day. Each of the 25 issues, published every two weeks, will comprise a pair of 1/43 scale replicas, priced at €24.50 including UK delivery, although UK customs charges will also need to be applied now, of course. To find out more, and to start your subscription, visit Ixo's specific web pages at www.ixocollections.com/en/45-subcription-collection-24h-le-mans.…

REGULAR contributor, Christopher Moor reports from the second annual Whanganui Toy Fair in New Zealand, which took place on 14th May. It was a big success despite competition from the country’s Mother’s Day commemoration. I’d missed last year’s show thinking “Oh, no! Not another toy fair.” The rave reports I’d heard made me change my mind, and I’m very glad I attended this year’s fair. I was number 85 in the queue of more than 100, waiting patiently and expectantly, outside Springvale Stadium, when the show opened promptly at 11am. Stall holders had travelled hundreds of miles from as far as Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington. They had tables of dolls, trains, kitsets, toy soldiers, a variety of plastic toys, books on toys, and the diecasts that brought collectors like…

1/43 & 1/76 scales OXFORD DIECAST Land Rover Discovery 1 Foxfire PRICE: £24.95 (1/43) or £8.95 (1/76) REF NO: 43DS1001 (1/43) or 76DS1001 (1/76) www.oxforddiecast.co.uk OXFORD Diecast's range of Land Rover products is most impressive, and it just got more so. Announced last year, the newly-tooled prototype samples were seen at Nuremberg earlier this year, but now the production examples have landed in the UK and are on sale, plugging another gap in the Land Rover line-up. So, here we have the Land Rover Discovery Series 1. Released simultaneously in both 1/43 and 1/76 scales, they make for a very inmteresting comparison side-by-side. The models are based on the vehicle type that Land Rover produced at the Solihull plant between 1989 and 1998. Both models carry the rregistration number F981…

Exactly one hundred years ago, France was establishing itself to the be the epicentre of the world of motor racing and interest from around the globe was incredibly high. With the first ever Le Mans 24 Hours having taken place in May 1923, a few weeks later, at the French Grand Prix, a newly-designed Bugatti would take part in its only race as a factory entry. 1923 FRENCH GRAND PRIX On 2nd July 1923, the French Grand Prix took place at the Circuit de Touraine, a few kilometres to the north west of Tours. The race was run over 35 laps of a 22.83 km circuit on public roads – which connected the towns of Semblançay, Charentilly and La Membrolle-sur-Choiselle – for a total distance of just under 800 km.…

Mattel announced that it is commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Matchbox brand earlier this year. Seven decades of diecast adventures are being celebrated by resurrecting some former glories and looking to the future. The new range comprises special limited-edition vehicles that pay tribute to Matchbox’s heritage of inventing highly detailed and realistic vehicles that have inspired generations of kids, while remaining a trusted brand for collectors. All the 2023 mainline releases will carry 70th anniversary on the packaging, but the special range goes a lot further. Those selected are a combination of collector favourites and iconic vehicles spanning seven decades, all wearing a grey paintjob with eye-catching orange, white and black graphics. But there is one in particular that really leapt out of the press release and caught my…

This issue, we now conclude the releases for 1967, with the new models from July to December. With a few less than the first half of the year, the quality was not diminished, however. Starting this instalment with July, of course, it’s a slow-ish start, with just two on the books by the end of that month. No 71 Tandem Disc Harrow was impressively detailed, with each disc cast as a separate component and the whole unit could be raised or lowered by a lever. This would also appear as part of a gift set later in the year. No 337 Customized Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray was a revamp of the No 310 Chevrolet Sting Ray that had been released in August 1963. Gone were the flip-up headlights and the…

In 1983, as it was getting to grips with its new acquisition from Lesney, Matchbox International was already coming up with some new ideas to maximise its investment. One of the initiatives, as the new company sought to get the most out of the basic 1-75 range, was to pair up models and repackage them. This was to be a more specific idea than the “Two” Packs concept that it had inherited from Lesney, where vehicles were sold together with an appropriate companion, such as a trailer. Branded as “Matchmates”, this was a small range of six pairs of vehicles, paired under the name of the manufacturer. The subjects chosen were interesting a mix of USA and Rest of the World releases and each pack was blister-packed and mounted on…

I well remember 1969 as the year that man landed on the Moon with Apollo 17 and all the ensuing excitement of the American space programme developing in the 1970s. Now, once again, the Americans are hoping to go to the moon with Artemis II next year. Naturally there had been space toys for many years, but these were mostly based on films, TV series or comic adventures. However, during the 1970s, the trend continued with models from the Star Trek, Space: 1999 and UFO and other Gerry Anderson TV series, all produced by Dinky Toys. These models were a far cry from the traditional Dinky Toys, but I suppose Meccano had seen the future. Its next step into the future was the release of the Dinky Toys No 355…

EMAIL YOUR LETTERS AND QUESTIONS TO rick.wilson@warnersgroup.co.uk OR WRITE TO US The Editor, Diecast Collector, Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH. LAMBORGHINIS, VAUXHALLS AND EVS TWO updates, as per the attached photograph, on my Vauxhall article (August 2022 issue) and more recent Lamborghini one (May 2023). As is always the way, an article is completed then along come more 1/43 scale models! The Lamborghini, by Minichamps, is a model of the one-off, high-performance Muira, known as the Jota, built in 1970 by Lamborghini's test and development driver, the late Bob Wallace, the car sadly being later destroyed by fire. The perhaps rather mundane, by comparison, GAMA Vauxhall Cavalier next to it is the more difficult to find hatchback version, which was given away in…

Regular readers of this page (and I know I am among friends) will have gathered that my adult life got off to a shaky start, but it gave me one advantage – early exposure to an unexpected death anaesthetised me to subsequent deaths as well as other shocks and unpleasantness. Later, this general emotional numbness allowed me to function in stressful professions with unsafe situations in which I acquired a reputation for being laid back – a dry-eyed stroller – a psychologically unhealthy state of mind, but useful in those circumstances. All good things come to an end, they say, and when I crashed I did it thoroughly. A process made harder than it should have been by stopping smoking – just one of many poor decisions I made at…

FOLLOWING on from the news of the newly-tooled wheel detail for Corgi’s specially-commissioned The Professionals Bodie’s Capri Mk3 last month, Professionalmania has received the final production sample, complete with the finished box and collector’s card. What an absolute stunner and it will look superb alongside the company’s recent release of Doyle’s Escort Mk2 RS2000 Scheduled for August production, numbers are limited – the previous Professionalmania commission sold out really quickly. To find out more, and to pre-order this magnificent model, drop Tony Buller an email at professionalmania@hotmail.com.…

IN the April issue, on page 26, in the report from Nuremberg, we reported on the forthcoming 1/76 scale Alexander Dennis Plaxton Panorama new tooling, commissioned from Holland Oto by Buckie Model Centre. There was an early prototype version on display in Germany that we shared in the magazine. But now, Chris Hall at the Buckie Model Centre has shared design cell images to demonstrate the first three liveries that will go into production shortly, scheduled to arrive in time to go on sale in late September or early October. There are three different liveries, which will all be available in three variations. Each variant is limited to 250 pieces. • Megabus livery: YX69LCA “Aberdeen Angus” (destination Aberdeen Via Dundee) YX69LCF “London Calling” (destination London M20) YX69LCC “Caledonian Cruiser” (destination…

1/18 scale TECNOMODEL Ferrari Dino 246 - Winner F1 British GP 1958 PRICE: £296.99 REF NO: 18116B www.ayrey.co.uk HELD at Silverstone, on 19th July, the 1958 British Grand Prix was won by talented Englishman, Peter Collins. It was his third Grand Prix win. He also won the 1955 Targa Florio with Stirling Moss. Sadly, Collins died during the German Grand Prix, just a few weeks after this Silverstone win. The stunning products that Tecnomodel produce are well-known to us all now, but everytime we handle a sample of the company's miniature engineering masterpieces, there is always that feeling of excitement. Each model comes in Tecnomodel's own special style of packaging, largely premium card-based and incredibly classy. It requires a certain procedure and several steps, making the whole process almost like…

Whilst both these models are 1/18 scale, the first up, from Solido, is a diecast of a limited edition, closeout series production car whilst the other, from GT Spirit, is a sealed resin portrayal of a unique custom car. Both have a lot in common, though, in that they each totally epitomise the American Muscle car image. DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HELLCAT – 2023 (S1805709) Just proving that (almost) all black can be just as striking as vivid paint jobs, Solido’s latest Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody is a visual treat of a model. Depicting the ‘Black Ghost’ version in Dodge’s line up of seven special edition models to mark the close-out of the series, the model captures the original totally. With just 300 examples said to have been produced, the ‘Black…

Back in 2020, Mike Pigott visited the French city of Mulhouse with its two spectacular transport museums dedicated to automobiles and railways. The cars on display included several important Bugattis, including an example of the Type 32, detailed over the preceding four pages. The city of Mulhouse, in the Alsace region of eastern France, is home to the Musée National de l'Automobile, the French National Motor Museum. It has a very interesting history – it was originally known as the Schlumpf Collection, privately owned by the wealthy Schlumpf brothers who were successful textile mill owners. The brothers were car fanatics, and used their wealth to collect classic cars. The Schlumpf brothers became obsessed with collecting cars, and amassed the world's biggest collection of Bugattis (over 120!), including three of only…

Some things take time to cook. The idea for all of this began at 35,000 feet, as my daughter Caroline and I flew home from the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, in 2015. We were de-briefing from the race weekend and talking about drivers, teams, the food at the circuit, and so forth, when we landed on the topic of the drivers who have won in Montreal. We kicked around the idea of a collection of models of Canadian Grand Prix winners through the years, and quickly realised that trying to put such a collection together would be a daunting task. We eventually zeroed in on models of those drivers who scored their first career F1 victories in Montreal. That thought ricocheted around my brain, but work, family and life…

One of my other hobbying passions is heritage railways and models thereof. There is obviously potential for substantial crossover of the two hobbies, as diecasts of all scales lend themselves perfectly to inclusion on railway layouts. Earlier this year, I attended the Gauge O Guild Spring Show, in Kettering. My initial reason for going was to meet up with Martyn Pring of Shamrock Trains to further discuss my Dinky bus upscaling project (see Workbench in the June issue), but I also took the opportunity to look for some diecasting inspiration. O gauge equates to 1/43 scale, so I expected to spot a fair few diecasts. There was plenty to be enjoyed, but the layout with the most interesting selection, with a tale or two to tell, was the stunning ‘Denton…

My name has proven to be a bit of a curse in some ways, on two fronts, and you might think that was reason enough for me to go and hide away on a remote island! Firstly, I share my name with a much more famous counterpart in the shape of the wonderful Paddington Bear author, who is sadly no longer with us. I found that there have been several other well-known Michael Bonds, but, until now, I have managed to escape the limelight. The other ‘curse’ is that my middle name is James. My parents never did admit that it was a deliberate choice, claiming hereditary influences, or something. Somewhat unsurprisingly, I was teased relentlessly at school, to the point where even the teachers thought that was my chosen…

WARWICK and Warwick held a Toys, Postcards and Cigarette Cards auction on 17th May 2023. The diecast section included many mixed lots, which its customers love, and Lot 215 sold for £780, with an estimate of £430. Lot 222 was an EFE collection and sold for £780 (with an estimate of £400). Corgi is always popular at its auctions and, to prove that poiont, Lot 259 sold for £660 with an estimate of £330. Lot 265 included a Corgi Buck Riviera No 245, Ford Consul Classic No 234, Fiat 1800 No 21, etc., and sold for £552 (it had an estimate of £200). Lot 268 was James Bond Aston Martin DB5 No 261 and it sold for £252, with an estimate of £180. Lot 271 was an Avengers Gift Set…

GERALD WINGROVE MODEL COLLECTION UP FOR AUCTION AT GOODWOOD MASTER model maker, Gerald Wingrove, made a career out of creating incredibly-detailed bespoke scale models. He also worked on projects for both Dinky Toys and Corgi Toys. Having retired in 2004, he passed away in 2019. Now a collection of his creations is up for auction through Bonhams at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed on 14th July. For more information, visit www.bonhams.com. LARGE-SCALE MERCEDESBENZ GULL WING DIECAST KIT ANNOUNCED BY IXO COLLECTIONS THE next 1/8 scale diecast kit from Ixo Collections is confirmed to be the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Unlike the partwork Porsche 917 documented over the past couple of years in this magazine, this new release can be bought in one transaction. It’s available now at www.ixocollections.com/fr/full-kit/250-full-kit-mercedes-benz300-sl.html. MODEL…

1/43 scale BBURAGO Red Bull Racing RB18 F1 2022 - #1 Max Verstappen PRICE: £22.99 REF NO: B18-38062V www.oneforfun.com VERSTAPPEN'S 2022 F1 season title, at first glance, appeared to be taken at a canter. The talented Dutchman, son of Jos Vertappen, won 15 of the 22 races throughout the season and his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, won two of the remaining seven as well. Formula 1 these days might appear to be more about the car than the driver, as those results suggest, but there's no denying that the boy Max has plenty of talent. The car's design team, led by the incredibly-talented Adrain Newey, certainly gave Verstappen and Perez a great car to work with. Perez finished 3rd in the title race, just 3 points behind Ferrari's Charles…

Two words that do not need much explanation, for anyone who has an interest in American automobiles, are “muscle cars”. This was the era when all excesses were allowed, when more power was never enough and some of the wildest cars ever were sold in the US. The phenomenon was so strong that “muscle cars” became an entry in The Britannica Dictionary: “an American-made two-door sports car with a powerful engine” became the official meaning. However, there’s so much more to it than just two doors and powerful engines. Historians believe General Motors launched the first car of this type as early as 1949, before the term was even coined. GM installed a 5-litre V8 engine under the hood of an Oldsmobile 88 and it all started from there. It…

Send us your completed form (or enter online at https://mail.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk/p/73DM-9I6/customer-feedback-survey-23) and you could be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift voucher. Entries close at midnight on 31st August 2023. 1. Do you read any of the following: ⬜ Diecast Collector ⬜ Collectors Gazette ⬜ Both 2. How often do you use Collectors Club of Great Britain (CCofGB) website? ⬜ Every day ⬜ Every week ⬜ Every month ⬜ Occasionally ⬜ Never 3. Do you find the CCofGB email newsletters informative and inspiring? ⬜ Yes ⬜ No ⬜ I don't subscribe to them 4. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being Strongly Disagree and 10 being Strongly Agree), how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements about CCofGB: The website is easy…

Following on from the fascinating discovery that Lone Star’s Impy cars went on to be manufactured in Pakistan (January 2023 issue), we now head back in time to focus on some unique Lone Star cars that were produced even further afield. This intriguing story takes us around the globe to the booming toy industry of 1960s New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND’S TOY INDUSTRY During the 1960s, strict import restrictions and tariffs were in place across New Zealand, as the government sought to protect its manufacturing industries. Imported toys were subject to tariffs which, by inflating the cost price, helped local toy producers maintain a competitive edge. Despite its small size, the baby-boom of the 1950s made New Zealand particularly appealing to overseas toy makers that were keen to gain a share…

This is possibly the weirdest range of diecast models we’ve ever covered in Diecast Collector. It’s a range that people seem to either love or hate. The Road Rovers come from an unusual source not usually associated with model cars, the Hallmark Cards Company. Hallmark is a Kansas City-based firm that dates back to 1910, initially making picture postcards. It then moved on to Christmas and Valentine cards, and later invented printed wrapping paper. Today, Hallmark is best known for greeting cards. Road Rovers were one of the first collectible lines produced by Hallmark, and were based on a group of anthropomorphic, cartoon vehicles that had appeared on greeting cards and stickers in the early 1970s. The stickers had proved very popular with American kids, and were spun off into…

Number 37 during the Lesney-era Superfast range comprises a Regular Wheels carryover (Cattle Truck) a fantasy hot rod, a futuristic utility vehicle and finished with a rather good representation of a real car. Three of the four featured a working part. CATTLE TRUCK Catalogue: 1970-72 Box Styles: G Cattle Truck changed little when it made the transformation to Superfast, with just a little lightening of the colour to the cab, so a brighter yellow was now evident. It only ever appeared with narrow wheels as to fit the wider sets would have necessitated a chassis modification. Orange-cabbed versions with a darker grey rear crate were also reasonably common, but less so than the colour combination described above. Always a popular model, it lasted in the catalogue until 1972, making way…

THE Matchbox Magic sale, held by Vectis as an ‘internet only’ auction on the 30th May comprised boxed and unboxed models in groups and single lots, as well as empty boxes. The range on offfer included Matchbox Superfast, Regular Wheels, Models of Yesteryear, King Size, Major and Accessory Packs, Super Kings and Speed Kings, plus giftware series and Sky Busters, plus much more. There were a number of factory pre-production colour trials and rare colour variations, plus a range of Matchbox fashion dolls and accessories – it was the former of these that really lit the room up. Two that really caught the eye were a Regular Wheels 15d Volkswagen Beetle Rally Car in yellow and King Size K11 DAF Articulated Car Transporter in light grey. The Beetle features a…

Air France was formed in 1933 by the merger of four existing French airlines and, after post-war nationalisation, it operated one of the biggest fleets in the world. The central Paris air terminal was at Les Invalides and, naturally, buses were required to ferry passengers to the airport, initially to Le Bourget and, from 1952 onwards, to Orly. Last month we looked at some obsolete models of Air France coaches by Joustra, Solido and Tekno, which are quite hard to find, but the theme can easily be pursued with more recent products, of which there are plenty to choose from. At a budget toy level, makers like Guisval of Spain and Majorette of France have included Air France amongst a number of airline liveries on buses, with Majorette’s 5.5 inch…

September 2023 Issue 311 Please note: These planned editorial contents may be subject to change where necessary. PLUS… ■ Rally service vans■ Funky Mobiles■ Batman by Matchbox■ Models with working lights – part 1■ The story of Doepke Toys■ Looney Tunes pro-racers■ The Corgi Years 1967 part 2■ Dinky Airfix by Solido? Collecting by numbers – Superfast #38■ Auction results■ All the latest news■ Extensive selection of new model releases, reviewed by our team of experts September issue on sale 1st August or download the digital edition 7 DAYS EARLIER on 25th July at www.pocketmags.com/diecast-collector…