Innehållsförteckning för October 2024 från Diecast Collector

BRITISH HERITAGE Models has told us of two, striking new model announcements from Matrix, and sister company CULT. The Matrix 1/43 model is the 1960 Jaguar XK150S 3.8 Fastback, with coachwork by Hartin. The Cult 1/18 model is the stunning 1936 Mercedes BenzWO7 ‘Grosser’ open cabriolet. The model is a replica of the original car as owned by Hermann Goring. Production is limited to just 120 models. Both models are expected within the next few weeks, and are bound to fly out the door. For further details contact BHM via telephone (01244 320761) email (bhm-uk@talktalk.net) or through the website www.britishheritagemodels.co.uk.…

CHANNEL 4 has ordered a second run of Millionaire Hoarders, to be produced by Manchester-based Purple Productions. The 8-part series will see experts from the world of antiques and collectables uncover the UK’s hidden valuables. The first three-part series, which aired in August, saw an audience of over 1.1m tune in to watch the discovery of a rare painting, worth potentially more than a million pounds. From unique owners to extraordinary houses of all shapes and sizes with masses of potential treasures, Millionaire Hoarders will not only shine a light on the acquired, curated, or obsessively collected items but also reveal the stories behind them. Delving into the social history of the objects, whilst looking at their potential worth, the professional fortune finders will hope to unlock a life-changing sum…

By way of an introduction to the 1958 Ford X-2000, I suppose I should introduce myself, and explain my understanding and knowledge of the ‘Atomic Age’ of styling that gripped America in the late 1950s and early 60s. My name is Andy Saunders, and I am the builder of the retrospective, full size version of the Alex Tremulis designed, 1958 Ford X-2000. Within this experience and a subsequent later meeting with Steve Tremulis (Alex’s nephew who inherited the complete works of his late uncle, and who at the time of meeting me, was writing a book about this great man’s career), I truly understood the concept of this period. Later, when writing my book, The Automotive Alchemist, Steve shared with me many of Alex’s original designs, even allowing me to…

Regular readers will be familiar by now with the concept of these ‘Then and Now’ features, comparing two very similar models from different eras. I have tried to provide a variety of vehicles, from different periods in time and by a variety of manufacturers. This month’s comparison is going to prove to be quite a challenge in many ways. We are going to focus on two models which, even at a glance, look very similar in appearance. It is going to take some cunning detective work to unpick this case. As always, we shall begin with the older of the two models. Launched in October 1964 as No.448, Corgi’s Police BMC Mini van is another ‘mini marvel’ (pun intended) from Corgi’s prolific 1960s releases. Curiously, the base identifies it as…

Toy cars are a must-have toy for many children and my passion began right from early childhood. As they get older, some of these passionate individuals manage to have quite a collection of real cars. However, there are those who do not get enough resources to accomplish this, and instead they just increase their collection of toy cars. I am one of them! Cars that are especially attractive are those with a real eye to detail. Doors, hoods, trunks and fuel caps that open, ashtrays that slide out and glove compartments that work are some of the realized features. Some models of cars even have hanging ignition keys and removable hood pins to open the hood. Most have working car steering and suspension with real materials used in the interiors.…

CLEANING WINDOWS… Warwick and Warwick reported an excellent sale in July, with many interesting lots that were not regularly seen in its sales including Brumm, Spark and Spot-On diecast models. Perhaps the highlight was Lot 458, a Spot-On Morris Mini Van (No.404), which featured a yellow body with a red interior, a ladder and a figure. A window cleaner? You decide; whatever, it sold for an impressive £725. Amongst the Corgi lots in the auction was a Corgi Mini Cooper Rally No.227 finished in primrose yellow with a white roof and the bonnet decorated with flags. This was contested to £120. Corgi’s The Saint’s Volvo P1800 (No.258) was another popular lot; its white body included a black 'Saint' logo on a white label on the bonnet, and it came with…

MAKE YOUR OWN ■ AS A subscriber to the fantastic Corgi Model Club, I was hoping by now that they would have produced an appropriate retro Corgi Toys display cabinet in the way that Atlas Editions did for their French Dinky toys collection. However, as Corgi don’t seem to be producing one I thought I’d make my own! I also made one for the Dinky Toys that I have in the style of the Atlas DinkyToys creation. Mine are quite a bit larger; 18cm deep, 55cm wide and 70cm high. The DinkyToys and Corgi Toys signs were bought on eBay for me as I don’t use computers. The glass is 2mm Perspex. The cabinets are secured to the wall at the top to prevent falling forward when the doors are…

CORGI HAS announced the launch of the latest addition to its Aviation Archive range – the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) TSR-2. This special debut was announced on the opening day of the Royal International AirTattoo (RIAT), the largest and most prestigious air show in the world, offering enthusiasts a glimpse into an alternate history. As Corgi commemorates the 60th anniversary of the BACTSR-2’s first flight, the company invites aviation enthusiasts to reimagine what might have been. Designed to be ahead of its time, the sleek and formidable TSR-2 ultimately never saw operational service, yet it has remained a symbol of innovation and unfulfilled potential in the hearts of aviation fans worldwide. This new model encapsulates that spirit, presenting a meticulously detailed and fictional livery of theTSR-2 as if it had…

WIN DO YOU fancy seeing your collection in print? The collecting community is a large, and diverse, one. And as such we all like to admire each others prized possessions, whether to further our knowledge or to add various items to our wish lists! Send us a picture and a little bit of information about your collection for the chance to be included in our new monthly My Collection series… and our favourite each issue will win a diecast model worth at least £10*. Email us at CollectingEditorial@warnersgroup.co.uk. Terms and conditions can be found online at: https://ccofgb.uk/submityourcollection.…

SPARK HAS unveiled 1/18 scale replicas of 23 cars from the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours, including models from the top Hypercar class, three LMP2 Orecas (one being "Spike the Dragon") and several LMGT3 cars like the Iron Dames’ Lamborghini Huracan. These highly detailed collectables are available for pre-order, following the success of Spark’s 2023 Le Mans series, which sold out rapidly. Collectors are encouraged to act quickly to secure their preferred models before they are released, as demand is expected to be high. For more information, or to order yours visit www.diecastlegends.com.…

CORGI’S FANTASY ‘WHAT IF’ MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF TSR-2’S FIRST FLIGHT For anyone who has ever visited the Test Flight hangar at RAF Museum Midlands (Cosford), or AirSpace at Imperial War Museum Duxford, you will undoubtedly have marvelled at the sight of an aircraft that still generates strong opinions to this day. It’s a plane that looks just as impressive today as it did when making its first flight, on 27th September 1964. BAC TSR-2 was arguably the most advanced aircraft in the world at that time, with supersonic flight capability, and held the potential of giving the RAF a world-leading strike platform. Unfortunately, the aircraft wasn’t allowed to reach its potential, as politics intervened and the project was cancelled in April 1965, with just a single aircraft (XR219)…

In 2013 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Hawker Hurricane IIc PZ865 emerged in a new paint scheme representing an aircraft that flew with South East Asia Command (SEAC). This scheme had a very interesting story about a Canadian pilot behind it, and Hobby Master produced a 1/48 scale model of a Hurricane wearing these colours. Before we turn our attention to the model, let’s learn about that special story. TARGET: A JAPANESE BUNKER On April 18, 1944, fighter pilot Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Whalen, of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), led six Hurricane Mk IIcs of No.34 Squadron away from their airfield at Dergaon, in the Assam province of India. His personal aircraft, HW840, which wore the code letters ‘EG-S’, was down for repairs to its radio that day, so…

In the January 2023 issue of Diecast Collector, I wrote an article on early racing cars called ‘The Playground Racers’, which includes the start of British Racing Motors (BRM). That article covered the period up to 1962 when BRM won the World Championship, with Graham Hill driving, and the team constructor’s title. Raymond Mays of Bourne in Lincolnshire, who’s idea it was to start the BRM project after the War was race manager, publicist and fundraiser during this time, having been a racing driver himself up to 1950. Indeed, the cars were built in the grounds of his home in workshops on the site of the old orchard at Eastgate House. I am now revisiting the subject, covering the team’s progress after 1962 until 1977 when they faded from Grand…

For many years most goods of any kind were moved by hand or with hand trollies and this was very labour intensive. But help was at hand with the introduction of fork lift trucks. The forks could be placed under an item, then lifted, and placed on raised storage shelves or onto a wagon. With this process, the use of wooden pallets which the fork lifts place under them, became part of the industrial delivery operation. Toy manufacturers have produced numerous fork lift trucks over the years. but Dinky Toys were probably one of the earliest… if not the first. The Dinky Toys Fork Lift Truck joined the range in November 1949 as the Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck (No.14c). It came in orange with green forks and wheels fitted…

■ Item: Corgi Gift Set Batman Batmobile, Batboat trailer and Batcopter  Condition: new in original packaging but outer box shows age wear, still with Woolworth bag Sold for: £795 (33 bids) ■ Item: Britains 9630 Fordson Tractor with cab and Shawnee Poole rear dump  Condition: generally good, with only a few chips and signs of play, broken pivots Sold for: £855 (24 bids) ■ Item: Matchbox Superfast Bulgarian MB33 Lamborghini Miura Condition: original and mint, with no tarnishing or discolouration  Sold for: £575 (43 bids) ■ Item: Dinky Toys 28b Pickfords Type 1 Delivery Van (1934-35) Condition: exceptional with no signs of no metal fatigue, extremely rare  Sold for: £1,125 (22 bids) ■ Item: Art Car Museum Edition Andy Warhol BMW M1 Group 4 - 1979  Condition: near mint, with…

Matchbox Superfast Charting the evolution of the Matchbox Superfast range during the Lesney years, from 1969 to 1982. NOVEMBER '24 Issue 325 PLUS… ■ First flight of the BAC TSR-2 ■ The X-2000 story - Part 2 ■ Models 'Then and Now' ■ Racing Colours - Olio Fiat ■ A-Z of diecast collecting ■ Auction results ■ All the latest news ■ Extensive selection of new model releases ■ And much, much more… ON SALE 1 OCTOBER …or download the digital edition 7 days earlier! Please note: These planned editorial contents may be subject to change where necessary.…

IT FEELS as though summer might have finally arrived (well, it has today anyway!) and it is nicely timed for Corgi Model Club’s lastest model release. Corgi No.447, the very first iteration of Corgi’s belovedWall’s Ice CreamVan, remains a cherished collectable. Released in a distinctive box design, this model was accompanied by two charming figures: an ice cream seller and a young boy. The packaging included a cardboard plinth with slots, allowing these figures to be displayed alongside the van, creating a delightful diorama scene. However, these figures were later removed in the subsequent No.474 model. Why is the steering wheel positioned on the left side, you might ask? This detail, far from being an oversight, mirrors the design of the actual ice cream vans of the time. The left-hand drive…

IN THE September 2024 issue of Diecast Collector we ran an article written by Don Townshend all about Dinky UFO models (see pages 48 and 49). In our haste we missed an image credit for the main picture (above) – it belongs to Kevin O’Neil and his dinkytvspace.com website. The website is an absolute treasure trove of information about this particular area of Dinky Toys, and a must see resource for collectors of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and main other TV and film favourites!…

BRITISH HERITAGE Models has had an exceptionally busy month, with the arrival of exciting news about the latest Bentley MarkVI convertible models, recently released by KESS. These meticulously crafted models are available in both open and closed forms, offering enthusiasts a range of stunning colors to choose from. The 1947 version can be purchased in a sophisticated brown with a closed roof, or a vibrant red with an open roof (ref: KE43043041). Meanwhile, the 1948 model is offered in elegant white (closed, ref: KE43043050), striking red (closed, ref: KE43043051), and a deep, rich blue with an open roof (ref: KE43043052). These highly collectable models are priced at £84.50 each, plus UK postage and packaging For more information or to place an order, you can reach British Heritage Models by telephone…

Taking that latter point first I find it refreshing that there is an increasing trend from some scale model manufacturers to deliver far more than just simple, paired, colour variations as new releases. So much so that it was one of the trends that influenced the models I chose to put under the spotlight this month from Solido’s second half-year 2024 catalogue. But before that, I'd like to turn the spotlight on some general observations prompted by the catalogue… WEIGHING THE SCALES Amongst the announcements it includes, alongside the new toolings and revised liveries, is the introduction of 1/18“KIT Solido” packs - the first being a Peugeot 306-1992 (S1808307) and BMW M3 E30 - 1990 (S1801526) in what appear to be white undercoat finish presumably for purchaser customisation. Not a…

Enzo Ferrari was not someone willing to spend money if there was not a very good reason to do it. You can see that both in the racing activities of the Scuderia and in the factory where the road cars were made. Even if Ferrari made some of the most competitive racing cars, and most of the best GT and supercars, they all had strict budgets. Mr Ferrari had a business to run and he knew that saving money was one of the first things his company must do. He would not mind investing to get the best technology for his F1 team to win races, or hire the best designers to style his road cars. However, there were areas Ferrari considered useless, and one was advertising. If his cars…

Most car firms can trace their roots back to a founder who wanted to create a product that was somehow better than what was available elsewhere. Some were hugely successful establishing many still famous names, while others fell by the wayside and became fleeting footnotes. A few sit somewhere in the middle, establishing a company which burned brightly for a short period but only survived by securing external investment under new ownership, which then jettisoned the pioneering founder. The story of Noble Automotive Ltd very much follows this pattern, but with the twist that its 25 year history featured probably the fastest road car ever produced in Britain. The selection of available models is limited, but occupies contrasting ends of the 1/43 spectrum with two budget partworks and three exotic…

In the past, the truck industry was very active in Italy. For years, the best-known miniature manufacturers such as Mercury, Politoys or Mebetoys have offered us only a few reproductions of trucks from the Fiat, OM or Lancia brands, to name only the main ones. More recently, beautiful artisanal creations such as Gila Modelli or ABC Brianza have appeared to fill this void. But their high selling price reserved them for a privileged clientele. A few Fiat trucks had appeared in French press series such Camions d'Autrefois by Altaya, but we had long awaited a collection which would be devoted to other Italian brands in a broader way. In August 2022, the launch in Italy of this long-awaited collection finally took place, by De Agostini under the name “Camion d’Epoca”,…

1976 PART 1 Another good mix of releases came along during the first half of 1976, underlining Corgi’s commitment to appeal to a broad base. Commercials, a sports car and even a caravan were all on the menu this time around. The year started off, in January, with a trio of new models. Starting with the only sports car in this tranche, No.315 Lotus Elite represented one of the new sleek designs coming out of Lotus HQ in Hethel, Norfolk. Initially released in red, metallic pale blue or metallic golden yellow, this latest 1/36 scale car was a great success and would sell approaching 300,000 in this guise. It would later be reissued a couple of times with new numbers but, before then, it would appear only six months later…

Number 51 during the Lesney-era Superfast range comprises a couple of French favourites in various classic guises, along with several more practical workhorses… 8-WHEEL TIPPER Production: 1970-72 Catalogue: 1971-72 Box Styles: G For 1970, the regular wheels 8-Wheel Tipper gained a new livery, ahead of its transformation to Superfast running the following year. Now with a yellow cab and chassis, and new stickers adorning the silver-grey trailer bearing the legend "Pointer", a fair few regular wheels versions sneaked out of the factory before the full transformation had taken place, teasing the new version’s arrival in the 1971 catalogue. CITROËN SM Production: 1972-75 Catalogue: 1973-75 Box Styles: I One of the few realistic model cars around this time, Citroën SM was based on the fabulous new flagship of the French marque.…