Innehållsförteckning för February 2025 från Diecast Collector

THE EASIEST WAY TO GET A COPY OF… DIECAST COLLECTOR The UK’s No.1 model magazine since 1997 PAY JUST £59.99 FOR 12 ISSUES! Why subscribe? ■ Keep up to date with the latest news, reviews and price guides■ Get inspired with auction, toyfair and event reports■ Features on all the big name brands including Corgi Toys, Dinky Toys, Tri-ang, Spot-On, Matchbox Superfast and many more!■ Practical tips for buying, restoring and displaying your models GET A FREE MODEL WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE FOR 12 ISSUES* HOW TO ORDER YOURS… Simply scan the QR code seen here, visit https://ccofgb.uk/DiecastCollector or call our team on 01778 392006 and quote DCC/SUBS24. *T&Cs apply. Rate applies when you subscribe to 12 issues of Diecast Collector via a Direct Debit. Offer valid from October 31st 2024…

FOR avid collectors of high-quality resin scale models, Esval Models has delivered some exciting news. The renowned manufacturer has announced an impressive lineup of brand-new models, limited variants, and colour options that will have collectors clamouring for space in their display cabinets. With new releases spanning iconic cars from Europe and America, Esval Models is set to make the next few months an exciting period for model enthusiasts. Leading the pack of new releases are two versions of the exquisite 1952 Bentley R-Type Continental, featuring Abbott coachwork. Esval also introduces four versions of the elegant 1950Talbot-LagoT25 Record Convertible and seven renditions of the stylish 1961 Buick Le Sabre in sedan, coupe, and convertible formats. These models are expected to roll out in stages, with the first versions already hitting the…

MATRIX Models has announced a forthcoming release of the iconic Rolls-Royce PhantomVI Landaulette in 1/43 scale. This stunning model comes in three customer-commissioned versions: a 1972 silver/black for Gabonese President Omar Bongo, a 1973 maroon version for Mrs. V. Gillard, and a 1975 pale blue/white model for H.R.H. Princess Nora Mohsen al-Angari. The PhantomVI, with HJ Mulliner coachwork, first debuted on the Phantom V, is renowned for its convertible rear design, ideal for state occasions. Matrix has also revealed the 1934 Maybach Zeppelin DS8 Cabriolet by Spohn, available in black/bronze, white, and maroon. Prices for both are yet to be announced. Order now through Spacroft Models (www.spacroftmodels.co.uk), or your preferred retailer.…

SAY “THANK YOU” TO HONDA WITH MINI GT’S PAIR OF RED BULL RACERS The 2021Turkish Grand Prix, held on 10 October, was memorable for many reasons. It is, to date, the most recent race run at the Istanbul Park circuit, in the Tuzla district, having been dropped from the race calendar from 2022 onwards. It was the ninth time the F1 circus had visited the track and the second consecutive year it had been drafted in as a replacement circuit for events postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. This time it was replacing the Japanese Grand Prix. The race, run in damp conditions, was inevitably pretty eventful, but one team made sure that its cars stood out above all of the others, and not just by finishing second and third.…

This time last year Solido’s then new catalogue, released in time for Spielwarenmesse Nürnberg 2024, included two “New Mould” Street Fighter releases that could all too easily be lost amongst all the other wild and wonderful newly announced models. The story, and a very full and exciting one at that, can now be told. Those two models finally got released in December 2024 after two years of preparatory work and the construction of a high-end Project Car from which the modelling for the new 1/18 tooling and moulds were derived. Make no mistake, this was no ‘throw it together” project, sufficient to pass off a scale model of it either. It drew on some of the highest level expertise around in the business today. The story starts back in 2022…

Ever since the Tomica range was introduced in 1970, the line has included a wide range of vehicle types. While the majority of items were road vehicles, during the 1970s some very diverse models were introduced including trains, a hovercraft, a ship and one helicopter. In the 1980s the line was cut back, and most of these types were discontinued. But after a very long gap, several rotorcraft were reintroduced to the range from 2017. Most models were based on choppers produced by Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki. KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES Although Kawasaki is best known in the UK for producing motorcycles, it is actually a massive corporation producing a huge range of products and services. Like Mitsubishi and Mitsui, Kawasaki has its origins in the 19th Century as one of the…

Most 'serious' diecast collectors probably do not even glance at modern Monster Truck models, regarding them simply as toys for children. Which is exactly what all those treasured vintage Dinkys once were. But if you collect film and television related models, as I do, they are well worth a look. In recent years Hot Wheels and others have increased the number of models based on films, television shows, cartoons, and Super Heroes. Apart from a few well established characters (Superman first appeared in 1938, and Scooby Doo in 1969), most of these are from the 1980s and beyond. Shows and characters that would be familiar to the children of today. Monster Trucks first appeared in the USA, in the 1970s. Early vehicles were regular pick-up trucks, fitted with modified suspensions,…

1978 PART 2 The second half of 1978 saw another good mix of releases, again underlining Corgi’s commitment to appeal to a broad base. Interestingly, more than a third of the 14 new announcements were gift sets. July began with a tweak to a set released the previous month. Gift Set 45 Royal Canadian Mounted Police Land Rover and Horsebox was a reworking of Gift Set 44 Metropolitan Police Land Rover and Horsebox, with the vehicle and trailer now in the RCMP dark blue, featuring appropriate markings, and the horse was now black with a Mountie sitting on it. It only lasted in the catalogue for a short time (withdrawn in 1979) and sold less well than the Met Police version. The other release in July was No.405 Chevrolet Superior…

MATTEL has announced the 2024 winner of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, the world’s largest travelling car show, during the virtual Global Grand Finale held in November. After taking home the top spot during the 2024 Chilean tour stop, a home-built race car, nicknamed La Liebre, secured the global victory and will be inducted into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends. The Hot Wheels design team will now transform the life-sized car into a diecast car for collectors and fans to enjoy in 1/64 scale. In 2013, Giuseppe Casagrande and Maurizio Moschini co-founded Cars and Coffee Chile as a nonprofit organization to grow the car community and culture in Chile. The La Liebre project began as a method of promoting their organisation and engaging local automotive enthusiasts. After acquiring the…

Throughout 2024 New Holland was celebrating 60 years since tractor production began at its new factory in Basildon. To mark the occasion New Holland unveiled a special, one-off, edition of itsT7.300 tractor. The wrap covering the tractor, created by CNH Centro Stile, took inspiration from the swinging 1960s when the factory opened. It had psychedelic shapes characterised by vivid and fluid colours of blue, yellow, maroon and pink around New Holland’s distinctive leaf logo in bright yellow on the hood. Now Britains has released this special anniversary edition of its standard New HollandT7.300 tractor. Production has been limited to 5000. Well-built, the model has a metal chassis with plastic body parts, steerable wheels and working two-point rear linkage. It accurately sports the same psychedelic shapes in the vivid colours of…

So, just in time to meet the editorial deadline for this February issue of Diecast Collector (Ed - only just!), news has reached me of four more stunning 1/43 sealed resin releases… AUTOCULT • Tatra 603 X/2 - 1966 and USB Stick „AutoCult-Edition 2024“ (#99124) Tatra’s efforts to design a successor to the heavy, bulbous, 603 saloon produced between 1956 and 1975 took many turns, including a one-off 603A of 1961 having an almost stereotypical late 50s air to it, as released by AutoCult in April 2018 (#06023) Numerous other drawing board concepts were whittled down to a shortlist of twenty. Of these just five finalists were selected in the mid 1960s for further development as 1:1 prototypes under the designations X/1 to X/5. AutoCult previously released the surprisingly attractive…

THE CHEAPEST WAY TO GET A COPY OF… COLLECTORS GAZETTE The only monthly newspaper dedicated to toy collectors! PAY JUST £41.99 FOR 12 ISSUES! Why subscribe? ■ Features from the world of vintage, nostalgic toys and models■ Handy tips and price guides featured every month■ The latest releases from all the major manufacturers including Corgi, Matchbox, Hornby, Airfix and LEGO■ Get inspired with the latest auction, toyfairs and events news SAVE UP TO 30% FOR THE YEAR! HOW TO ORDER YOURS… Simply scan the QR code seen here, visit https://ccofgb.uk/CollectorsGazette or call our team on 01778 392480 and quote GAZ/SUBS24. *T&Cs apply. Rate applies when you subscribe to 12 issues of Collectors Gazette via a Direct Debit. Offer valid from October 31st 2024. See website for details.…

For this month’s Then and Now I shall be including the newest of the ‘Then’ toys looked at so far in this series - Corgi’s 1/36 Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4x4. In 1990 Ford tweaked the appearance of its (by then) aging Sierra. This was no facelift however; there were no newly designed lights or bumpers and no metal work was changed. Instead, clear front indicator lenses and smoked rear lights were fitted, along with more models having colour coded bumpers and improved interior trim. At the same time four-wheel drive was introduced on the high-performance Cosworth version. It is one of these later cars Corgi modelled. During 1992 Corgi introduced two new 1/36 castings into the range of toys, the first for close to ten years. They chose the…

Maurice Shackleton started making toys during the late 1930s under the trading name of James Shackleton & Son. He had previously worked for Foden at its Sandbach based works. Having left Foden Maurice developed his toy making company working from buildings formerly used as stables behind the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Sandbach. He made wooden toys, some with metal parts, including wheeled vehicles and dolls houses. These toys included a six-wheeled articulated timber tractor and trailer and a four wheeled truck with chains, both made around 1939. Though lacking in fine detail it was apparent that they were based on the Foden DG with typical pre-war Foden pressed tin radiators. Little is known of what happened to the Shackleton business during World War Two but after hostilities ended Maurice Shackleton soon…

POLICE CAR Production: 1970 Catalogue: 1970 Box Styles: F, G With a simple transformation to Superfast narrow wheels taking place for 1970, the plain white body continued, as did the single blue light lens on the roof and the Police shield stickers to the bonnet and both doors. The pair of Police officers were still stuck inside too. MERCURY POLICE CAR Production: 1971-75 Catalogue: 1971-75 Box Styles: H Mercury fans certainly had it good in 1971, as there were three new models introduced. However, none of these were exactly new castings, and the details of the Police Car and Fire Chief Car can be quite confusing. Going back a little in time to try and clear things up, in 1968, the old No.55 Ford Galaxie Police Car had been replaced…

CULT Scale Models has just released its stunning replica of the iconic 1938 Bentley 4.25-litre open tourer, featuring classic Vanden Plas bodywork. This beautifully crafted model is now available in three striking colour variations. For fans of sleek sophistication, the maroon version comes complete with a folded-down windscreen, embodying the vintage car’s charm and timeless elegance. Alternatively, the gold and dark green models boast an erect windscreen, further highlighting the detailed craftsmanship that Cult Scale Models is renowned for. Priced at £175 each, collectors can place orders now through British Heritage Models (www.britishheritagemodels.co.uk), or your preferred retailer.…

MINI GT 007 Collection Announced in January 2024, more details are emerging fast about this exciting new range coming soon. ON SALE 4 FEBRUARY …or download the digital edition 7 days earlier! MARCH '25 Issue 329 PLUS… ■ Jean Ragnotti - Part 2 ■ Models both 'Little & Large' ■ A-Z of diecast collecting ■ How to start collecting ■ Auction results ■ All the latest news ■ Extensive selection of new model releases ■ And much more… Please note: These planned editorial contents may be subject to change where necessary.…

Renault’s original ‘5’ was launched in January 1972. Designed by Michel Boué, the cheeky little runabout instantly became France’s best-selling car. The original design lasted in production until 1985 and over 5 million were manufactured during this period. Boué had sadly passed away only a few months after his baby was 'born', so when the time came to revamp the design into a second-generation version, the styling responsibilities were passed to Bertone’s Marcello Gandini. Although it closely resembled the original design in terms of layout, the bodyshell and platform were completely new, although the latter was based on that of the bigger Renault 9 and 11 models. At the time of the second generation’s launch, the Golf GTI-led 'hot hatch' movement was in full swing and, not wanting to miss…

There are a few drivers, in the history of motorsport, that specialised in a certain kind of racing and spent most of their driving lives perfecting the techniques needed to excel is such a specialized type of racing. But there are also a couple, more in the old times then now, that liked to try as many different racing categories as possible. Some decades ago, it is fair to say, that it was more a case of grabbing all the opportunities that could generate some extra money to the racing driver, in a profession not exactly seen as such. Nowadays, it is more a case of curiosity and finding new challenges that some rare drivers look for. Probably one of the last examples is Kalle Rovanpera, double World Rally Champion…

This magnificent Coach Station was acquired many years ago and is modelled on an iconic Art Deco style building from the early 1930s. The model is commercially made and is similar in style and materials to the more common garages, service stations and even forts and farm yards that used to be available from traditional toyshops back in the day. It is constructed from hardboard, wood, tinplate and clear glazing with metal fittings which dates it to around the 1958 to 1962 period. It measures an impressive two feet wide, 20 inches deep and 7 inches tall which gave plenty of room for children to create a great layout of buses and coaches, and still does today! ART DECO The Art deco design was in vogue in the 1930s when…

This month, gentle reader, we investigate the letter L. Needless to say, there are three giants who fall under this particular character of the alphabet. So… should I say much about Lesney? Probably not. Lesney (originally Moko) has been the backbone of the model diecast collecting world for an awful long time. Yes, I know, there are many other manufacturers whose products you can collect, but anyone over the age of 50 will have had one or more of these little gems in their household at some point. Incredibly successful, they have kept head and shoulders above the turbulent waters of the collecting world. This has been (historically) in part due to the company’s keen pricing, the models’ attractive presentation packaging, the manufacturer’s continued innovation (equating to more play value)…

Today there are many cars on the road and sometimes it is difficult to recognise the maker as many appear to be the same shape or style. They just become saloons or SUV’s and you have to look for the badge to identify them. Of course, Jaguars, Mercedes, Rolls-Royce, Bently and BMW’s are easier to spot. Another maker, Volvo, is also a little easier to identify. The toy manufacturers have produced models of all these real cars, and so too have Dinky Toys, including their Volvo’s. The Dinky Toys Volvo 1800s was introduced in February 1966 with the model number 116. The model is in red or metallic dark red. The Meccano Magazine that month has an inside back page advert of a white car and a Chris Jelly report…