For some time I've been collecting photographs of original Skybirds models that have appeared for sale in on-line auctions. Considering Skybirds place in the history of our hobby and aero modelling in general, I will place the photos here in one place. Keep in mind that most of these were built by boys back in the '30s and '40s and are not to a high standard. Nominal scale is 1/72.
First one is the Fokker Dr. I; kit #11 introduced March, 1933
Mark
Nieuport Scout (Nieuport 17 or 23), kit #9 introduced Jan, 1933.
Skybirds Handley Page Hampden, unbuilt kit #11B introduced Jan, 1940
Skybirds World War 1 collection.
Top left: L.V.G. C.V, kit #15 introduced Sept, 1933
Top right: Albatros D.III, kit #25 introduced Dec, 1934
Lower left: S.E.5a (with Revolistic airscrew), kit #21 introduced May, 1934
Lower right: Bristol F2B Fighter, kit #19A introduced July, 1936
A great idea Mark,keep them coming,these are fascinating and historic pieces of solid model history,lovely to look at how they were originally put together.
Barry.
Skybirds L.V.G. C.V, kit #15 introduced Sept, 1933
Skybirds RAF Officers and Men, Set No.1 introduced April, 1933
Skybirds Dewoitine D500, kit #13A introduced June, 1935
A couple of Skybirds S.E.5a's, kit #21 introduced May, 1934
Skybirds Hawker Hart, kit #20A introduced Oct, 1935
Another Skybirds Hawker Hart, this one done quite well and much above the average standard.
Mark
Whoever made this has made a good job on the balanced aerodynamic ailerons,that slot is not easy to achieve,a good find Mark.
Barry.
Skybirds Fairey Battle, kit #1B introduced Sept, 1936. Apparently the same model shown on the Toymart website.
Skybirds Fairey Gordon, kit #23 introduced August, 1934. Third photo is Kit #24, the similar Fleet Air Arm version, the Fairey Seal. Note the different vertical tails.
Skybirds Bristol Blenheim IV (needing extensive restoration), kit #18B, introduced September, 1941
Skybirds Hawker Hurricane (needing restoration), kit #3A, introduced June, 1938
Despite their condition and age,dont they have lots of character ? interesting finds Mark,you are our Skybird sleuth !
Barry.
Mark,
In Japan, we do not watch most of the models of "Skybird". Thank you for a precious photograph.
I possess "Scale Model Aircraft" of the STEVENS, James Hay. STEVENS, James Hay is a former teacher of the Japanese solid model.
kenji.
Unbuilt Skybirds Lockheed P-38 Lightning, kit #16D, introduced September, 1941
Wartime kits dispensed with the fancy packaging of the prewar offerings.
Unbuilt Skybirds Messerschmitt Me-110, kit #7C introduced July, 1942.
Wartime kits dispensed with the fancy packaging of the prewar offerings.
Mark,
That plastic bag is way too modern. The wartime kits were packed in a brown paper wrapper, still with a Stevens(?) sketch on the outside. These kits seem to lack the original packaging.
Cheers
Will
Will,
I'm sure you're correct about the plastic bag....I didn't mean to imply that these photos were showing original packaging. If brown paper, it would probably be disintegrated by now. I've read somewhere that the Skybirds Boulton-Paul Defiant was the last kit designed by J.H.Stevens. He moved into involvement with full-size aviation sometime during the war. The last kits were done by other people but following closely the Stevens style.
Mark
Skybirds lot including hangar and radio mast.
Airplanes left to right are Hawker Hurricane, L.V.G. C.V, and Fairey Seafox(?)
How to buy them! Here's lot of 13 Skybirds and similar solids that went for only £40 in January 2011 auction. The Blenheim IV and rough Hurricane shown above are from this group now being parted out.
Skybirds Handley Page Heyford, kit #20 introduced April, 1934.
I'm not certain if both of these Airspeed Oxford models are Skybirds. I'm guessing the one with metal cowlings is Skybirds, not sure about the other one. Skybirds kit #6B, introduced August, 1939. Some Skybirds Oxfords are seen with upper turret and the instructions refer to it.
Mark
The metal Cheetah engines look like Aeroclub white metal modern replacements,very effective just the same.
What charming models and the Oxford is a particular favourite.
Barry.
Here's a photo found by Dave Tunison shewing typical wartime Skybirds packaging that has survived with an unbuilt ME-110. See message #25 and subsequent posts about the packaging. Kit #7C. Thanks Dave!
Mark
Sometimes the small bags containing the parts were standard confectionery bags,Sherbert 1d,thats one old penny to the youngsters on here !! such were the constraints in wartime,everything was used to good advantage.
Barry.
Love this Skybirds stuff Mark,keep up the good research work.
Here's a lot of biplanes that went at auction for £180 in 2008. Not all are Skybirds but quite a few are.
A nice lot of unbuilt Skybirds shewing early (red box), middle (blue box), wartime (brown paper envelope) and final/postwar (brown box) forms of packaging.
Miscellaneous Skybirds including a factory made Spitfire and boxes for the diecast Caudron racer and Aeronca 100. This lot sold for £420 in 2008. The built Mustang is definitely not Skybirds.
Skybirds Curtiss P-36A/Mohawk kit 16C, introduced October, 1938
Comper Streak racer, never kitted by Skybirds but likely made from a Skybirds Comper Gipsy Swift.
Skybirds Blackburn Seagrave, kit #4, introduded August,1932
Skybirds Nieuport Scout, kit #9, introduced January, 1933
Thank you Mark for these,I have never previously seen a built up model of the Skybirds Seagrave Meteor,this aircraft was well ahead of its time and makes a very attractive model subject.
Barry.
Barry,
Now you can say you've seen two! This one quite obviously restored with aftermarket airscrews.
Mark
Restored Skybirds Avro Tutor.
Very interesting Will,amazing that they keep surfacing like this,please do keep recording them here,incidently in this months 'Aeroplane' magazine there is a reproduction copy of a publication that was written by our old friend the late James Hay Stevens,it is on aircraft cutawy drawings.
Barry.
A nicely done Skybirds Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8 and a few of the many cast metal figures made for the series.
Nieuport 17 Scout
Skybirds P-38 kit #16D in paper bag packaging of wartime years.
Thanks Mark for the illustration, especially emphasising the packageing that was necessitated by the War Years. Even I don't remember those periods.
Cliff.
A nicely restored Skybirds Heinkel He70.
A very nice model, Mark.
Cliff.
Skybirds League membership pin
When you think that in 1936 the Skybirds league had over 500 clubs spread across the UK and Ireland,carried a three to five page spread in the back of the old 'Aeromodeller' magazine,had specialised counters in the London toyshops such as Gamages,were working flat out from July to fulfill the Christmas orders for kits and models,hand packed and assembled models by mostly women workers,encouraged shop window displays for retailers with complete aerodromes such as Croydon in miniature,mid boggling !
By the way the free space in the back of the Aeromodeller was axed when there was a distinct management upheaval within the publishing company,it did not go down very well with Skybirds and their followers,basically the magazine wanted them to pay heavily for the space which to be true had helped sales of the magazine during lean times,things were never quite the same afterwards as the happy working space was axed and replaced with other paying kit manufacturers,if you can find that particular historic issue you will find the stern comments from the managing director of the 'Aeromodeller' magazine.
A bit of Skybirds social history.
Barry.
Barry,
Skybirds pages last appeared in the December, 1937 issue of Aero Modeller.
A very nice Skybirds Airspeed Courier, kit no. 22, first released July, 1934.
A couple of Skybirds auction lots from the past.
What an attractive subject that Airspeed Courier makes,I once built a free flight example from a plan in the old 'Model Aircraft' magazine,it flew very well for a low wing design finishing up in a tree ! I had it hanging up in my workshop for a long time but it was scrapped off a few years ago during a move,if I find the plan then it may be considered for a solid subject.
Great evocative pictures Mark,well done in finding them.
Barry.
Just visible in the previous picture in this thread is the 6-wheel Scammell Lorry. Skybirds didn't make many die-cast vehicles to go with their model airplanes but the Scammell was probably the nicest. Here are some views of the Skybirds model Scammell and a view of a preserved example of the vehicle it is based on.
Quite a few companies got on the band wagon in producing compatible models to use with the Skybirds airfield layouts,those old hangars are super subjects for making period replicas.
Barry.
A Skybirds Supermarine Walrus in parts along with (3) S.E.5As and a Camel, part of a lot recently on ebay. The Walrus has a pot-metal hull casting and I believe this is unique among the kits produced by this firm.
A very nice unbuilt Skybirds Lockheed Vega in the original box.
Sweet, that must be worth a pretty penny.
Lou
One of the last Skybirds, the Hawker Tempest V from 1945-46. This is the last form of packaging from the austere post-war period.
Quote from: Mark Braunlich on March 19, 2013, 02:10:01 PM
A very nice unbuilt Skybirds Lockheed Vega in the original box.
Mark,
That Vega kit is in such lovely condition I think it may be a 1990's repro; I remembered reading this passage when I was first getting interested in "Solids":
Good news: David Hughes of HOASKA plans to reissue the Skybirds Lockheed Vega! A set of components is likely to cost around £10.00, and if there is sufficient demand it may have replica box and instructions for £25.00-ish. Quote from http://www.zeteo.com/avia-mini/News96.ihtml (http://www.zeteo.com/avia-mini/News96.ihtml) - don't bother about the new book mentioned, I contacted the publisher and they had dropped the project.
The condition of the box is so good, no edge wear and the card is gloss finish unlike the genuinely old examples, everything looks too fresh and on the ebay listing one of the photos shows modern packaging foam. On the old ones the front label is the same format as the lid, not wide stripes on the sides. Still it does look very nice. Its only a fake if the vendor is passing it off as genuine.
There are a couple of other period-built skybirds on ebay at present, another Vega and an Orion.
Regards
Will
The unbuilt Tempest sold for GBP 113.11 whilst the (possibly Repro) Lockheed Vega was 139.55. I don't imagine they'll get built at those prices!
The period-built Vega and Orion went for around GBP 35 each, a bit expensive for the standard and condition, a bargain compared to the boxed ones though.
Regards
Will
Here's a Skybirds Curtiss Hawk 75 / P-36A / Mohawk, kit #16C released Oct, 1938 likely restored with modern decals but very nicely done.
I note frosted glass. Would it had been clear when issued?
Lou
Response: Yes, Lou. The old celluloid has yellowed and fogged the transparency over the years. -Mark
Skybirds Gloster Gladiator, no doubt restored with modern decals and likely a new canopy; kit #10B released January, 1939.
Another SE and Fokker up for auction. These must have been among the most popular Skybirds, no doubt partly because of their price (2/-). One sees a lot of SEs, Nieuports, Fokkers and the Albatros D.III. This SE has some dihedral in the wings, many of them were finished with dead flat wings.
This Westland Wallace has to be about the nicest Skybirds I've ever seen. It's restored of course but beautifully done. I have one in unbuilt state....and no, it's not for sale.
That is a very nice looking model. I wish someone would start producing replica Skybird Kits.
Peter
Do the drawings show building plans suitable for scratch building one?
Lou
Lou,
I previously uploaded a Skybirds Westland Wallace. It's captioned Houston so shows the modified versions used for the first flight over Everest. It had an enclosed rear cockpit but it must have been cold for the pilot. Good view though.
The drawing is a standard James Hay Stevens so should be fine for solid modelling, if a bit low-res scan. It's from "Skybirds Notes" so may be extracted from a conversion article of the 30's.
Regards
Will
Here are some photos of my Skybirds Westland Wallace kit, probably the best condition Skybirds kit I have. Also the original kit plan showing a stock Wallace. The kit box shows the Everest Houston on the cover as well, so both versions could be made from the kit. This is kit #14 first released in 1933.
Skybirds Comper Gipsy Swift crudely built but typical of what one finds. The finely build examples are the exceptions. Those wheel pants (spats) were used in several Skybirds kits and are decidedly oversize for the Swift which was a tiny airplane, only 4" span in 1/72 scale. Kit #8, released January, 1933. This one has it's vertical tail on backwards.
A crudely built SPAD, suprisingly rare among the WW1 types Skybirds did.
Skybirds Fokker D.VII kit #7, remarkably well preserved including a pilot which did not come with the kit but was available as a Skybirds accessory.
Another crudely made Skybirds, the D.H.4, kit #12.
A restored Skybirds D.H.80a Puss Moth, kit #2 released in July, 1932. Compare with my own restoration of the same kit. My CF-AGO has the original kit propeller and spinner while G-ABHB has an Aeroclub propeller. My model has Aeroclub wheels while G-ABHB appears to have original Skybirds wheels.
The above Skybirds de Havilland Puss Moth kit #2 released in July, 1932 was replaced by the D.H.85 Leopard Moth as kit #2A in November, 1934. The Skybirds Leopard Moth shown is very nicely restored. The Leopard Moth kit was in turn replaced in February, 1936 by kit #2B of the Heston Phoenix. The Skybirds kits longevity was directly related to sales.
Some views of the Skybirds kit #13A of the beautiful Dewoitine D.500 that arrived in June, 1935 including a view I had earlier posted at reply #8. The unbuilt Dewoitine kit is from my own collection; note the sticker from Hamleys, the famous London toy store. It seems many of the Skybirds kits that made their way to North America were purchased at Hamleys. Notice the difference between the original kit's two bladed propeller and the three-bladed propeller that's been used to restore the built model. The horizonal tail looks differently shaped as well.
Unbuilt Skybirds kit #27 of the Gloster Meteor, available in 1945-46, one of the last Skybirds kits made. Note the austere postwar packaging compared to the prewar Dewoitine above. By this time there were probably a dozen or more competitors making 1/72 solid kits in the UK, materials were scarce and containing costs was paramount.
A Skybirds B.A. Eagle, kit #22A, released in May, 1936.
Cover of James Hay Stevens' book SCALE MODEL AIRCRAFT published by John Hamilton in 1933 to popularize 1/72 scale modelling and promote the then new Skybirds line of kits.
Quote from: Mark Braunlich on June 25, 2013, 12:32:47 AM
Cover of James Hay Stevens' book SCALE MODEL AIRCRAFT published by John Hamilton in 1933 to popularize 1/72 scale modelling and promote the then new Skybirds line of kits.
It's a great book. He was only 19 when he wrote it and started designing for Skybirds. He doesn't mention Skybirds in the book though. I uploaded all the 3-view drawings to SMM a while ago.
I am building an SE5a and "Hannoverana" from the plans.
Regards
Will
It's good to see some discussion about Skybirds, an interest of mine since I was given my uncle's copy of JHS's book over 40 years ago. I bought the Comper Streak shown in an earlier post via ebay and doubt its Skybird origins. The pilot, wheels and propeller were all plastic but as the prop was broken I've replaced it with a Skybird one. There is a near identical model, same colours etc, on display at the Shuttleworth Collection in the UK.
The Walrus fuselage was not the only pot-metal/lead-cast aircraft. The Skybird Junior Series consisted of the Percival Mew Gull and Caudron Racer which were all lead-cast and the Aeronca C.3 JAP which had a lead-cast fuselage and wooden wing. I have the Mew Gull and Aeronca in my collection.
I also have recast spare parts for Skybirds - propellers, wheels, bombs, guns etc - see retrotoyspares.com for details.
Thank you George, that's very interesting. I think it would be hard to be a member of this site and not appreciate Skybirds. Your link is very much appreciated too.
Peter
Will,
You may be interested to see my own Skybirds Hannover or Hannoverana as Skybirds called it, this one a factory assembled and painted example still sporting it's price sticker on the underside of the upper wing. A lot of people don't know that Holladay & Co. sold completed Skybirds models. Mine has the barrel of the Parabellum machine gun broken off but is otherwise quite "new". This was kit #25A, introduced in March, 1938.
George,
Welcome to SMM and thanks for posting photos of your Skybirds. My brother has a boxed Mew Gull in French blue but without decals. Yours is the first one I've seen with decals and original or not, it looks very nice with them.
I shall no doubt be interested in some of your replacement parts in the near future.
Kit #25B released in March, 1939, the Miles Master.
The Master was also done in the 'Air Stories' plans by JHS,but then it was called the 'Miles Kestrel Trainer' an elegant looking aircraft.
These Skybirds are really lovely old models and thank you for bringing them here all together.
Barry.
Another Skybirds Comper Gipsy Swift, kit No. 8 issued in January, 1933. This model is restored in the colours of the Prince of Wales' aircraft as flown by Flight Lieutenant Fielden when he placed 2nd in the 1932 King's Cup air race.
Kit #23A, the SPAD VII, released May, 1937
A couple of issues of The Skybird newsletter/magazine.
Airco D.H.4 kit #12, released April, 1933. This one missing the airscrew but otherwise in excellent condition and well made.
Some lovely examples of Skybirds surfacing,not heard of the Aeronca C3 metal fuselage sludge casting before must be very rare ?
Dont know if I mentioned it but Messrs Aeroclub produced a small run of metal Mew Gull's when they released their first range at Stoneleigh many years back.
Barry.
Hi all,
Further to discussion about a metal fuselage Skybirds Aeronca, I think there's one on eBay at the moment:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-498sQ2CS34I/UtU_LYRNb2I/AAAAAAAAARM/dqeyornpr7U/s800/aeronca1.JPG)
Updated to show pictures.
Same vendor also has this WW1 German observation type [edit by MFB: L.V.G. C.V]
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gcu_GbjYTYI/UtU_OdimvAI/AAAAAAAAARM/Lab0gvszw8s/s800/c-type1.JPG)
And this [edit by MFB: Sopwith Camel]:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9VSvaRSEThg/UtU_PpXNOgI/AAAAAAAAARM/7GADKD2NbNc/s800/camel1.JPG)
A Fokker Triplane:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-z0hTF8TtwU4/UtU_VxRRcrI/AAAAAAAAARM/xDx3Jn7KmLg/s800/triplane1.JPG)
A nice Fairey Seafox:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9SEiLEIQf1w/UtU_SUihx5I/AAAAAAAAARM/pEEjeGNKIOs/s800/seafox1.JPG)
and a Fairey Battle:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Yc1uEtW83Ag/UtU_M2VXMuI/AAAAAAAAARM/nTugJrzGgds/s800/battle1.JPG)
Whether Skybirds or not, they're quite nice and reasonably priced, at least as I post this!
That vendor also got good prices for this Torpedo Bomber [edit by MFB: Blackburn Shark] (GBP77 = appx 110USD) and Spitfire (GBP57 = 80USD) recently, I wonder if they'll be restored or kept as is:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D3BQvWEx1Do/UtU_VQ_WcGI/AAAAAAAAARM/huY7ZXOEqO8/s800/tb1.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OVMjSE-_FfY/UtU_TuvPpeI/AAAAAAAAARM/4_HujyqW-nk/s800/spitfire1.JPG)
The same seller's DH4 Mark showed us before and a Fokker DVIII, together with other vendors SE5, SPAD and DVII fetched lower prices:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TCAbmo2W0aA/UtU_FITihUI/AAAAAAAAARM/t6-EU7xzVq0/s800/DH41.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--lL7tYvkx2o/UtU_GHZk3sI/AAAAAAAAARM/SXbpeZik9Ig/s800/DVIII1.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-26UrJgsTWGc/UtU_JiJqWaI/AAAAAAAAARM/74ygFkl4tSE/s800/SE5a1.JPG)
I think this may be a [edit by MFB: D.H.4] rather than a SPAD:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-784xDgPGD3s/UtU_KYb6reI/AAAAAAAAARM/-2-eyEMlAcg/s800/SPAD1.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-smvNCJZXLNk/UtU_EE-yW7I/AAAAAAAAARM/px3Wh8EuVj8/s800/D72.JPG)
Will
A couple more possible Skybirds:
Albatros
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FBfM1HRYf0g/UtPvASEvSII/AAAAAAAAAIw/qiN26vkXHCw/s800/Alb1.JPG)
Hawker Hart
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-c0s93tBdplk/UtPv47VeCWI/AAAAAAAAAJc/wR9ls4pUl8c/s800/Hart1.JPG)
Will
Another Skybirds(?) Fokker DVII and SE5a seen on eBay
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l99CTidDk0U/UuJmEqLz-XI/AAAAAAAAATI/Al9IWGFGjX4/s800/D72-1.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uXQ-bMagTrE/Ut57PZlYGzI/AAAAAAAAASI/voXVxiBA_qs/s800/SE5a2-1.JPG)
Will
Skybirds Blackburn Skua needing some help. Kit #17B released in Nov, 1938.
Mark have you cataloged all the Skybirds models that were produced? Is there an on line site that would list them?
Lou
There are several places on the internet where the Skybirds airplane models are listed. I'm not terribly interested in the ship series or all the accessories made. There's a list on this site: http://www.solidmodel.net/SkyBirds
A rare postwar un-built Skybirds Gloster Meteor, kit #27
A nicely made Skybirds Messerschmidt Me-110, kit first released July, 1942.
Skybirds Fokker D.VII, kit #7 from late 1932.
A nice Hawker Fury I, kit #3 from July, 1932. It's rare to find them this nice but these photos show what could be done with the kits. The Fury I was very popular and remained in production until replaced by a Hurricane kit in mid 1938. The model shown is later production with stamped sheet metal struts, earlier versions had brass wire struts which did not look nearly as nice.
A rare Skybirds model is this very nice Sopwith Schneider Baby, kit #10 released in March, 1933.
Fantastic models.
Lou
Hi Mark,
The Sopwith Baby is one of a whole bunch of nicely built Skybirds, currently on sale on eBay UK. They're being sold by a real shop, the antique store next to HMS Victory in HM Dockyard Portsmouth. It's an amazing shop, all militaria or related books and old toys. When I went in last year they had a couple of WW1 aircraft props. Prices reflect the location, but the owners seem happy that most of their visitors are just looking.
Will
PS the Baby is a particularly nice looking little float plane and this model really brings that out.
I don't recall if I asked this before, however, how many Skybirds do you have in your collection?
Lou
And Mark, where do you get them all from? Please tell us more about their history.
Cliff.
Gentlemen,
The vast majority of Skybirds models you see posted here are not mine. These are mostly models having been offered for sale on various auction or vintage collectors items web sites. I personally have only 14 Skybirds models of which, five are unmade, still in the box.
A nicely made Skybirds Airco D.H.4, kit #12, released April, 1933. This is part of the Skybirds group being offered through the Portsmouth shop.
A Skybirds SPAD VII, kit No. 23A, released May, 1937, ironic considering the markings are 23 Squadron, RFC, the only British SPAD unit.
Another SPAD VII, this one in French markings.
While A J Holladay never made a Skybirds Sopwith Snipe kit, plans for a Snipe by James Hay Stevens did appear in the Air Stories magazine and with Skybirds parts sold separately, making a Snipe model in the Skybirds fashion would have appealed to many modellers in the late '30s.
Nice Skybirds Spitfire Mk.I, from kit #14A, released Sept, 1937.
Un-built Hawker Henley kit #2C introduced August 1940. Considering what was going on at the time, this perhaps seems an odd choice.
Skybirds Gloster Gladiator kit #10B introduced January 1939.
Blackburn Shark, Skybirds kit #17A, first released October, 1936.
Nice on Mark, thanks for sharing.
Lou
Hawker Hart, kit #20A of October, 1935.
Mark,
What material are the tail pieces made from?
Quote from: Oceaneer99 on March 15, 2015, 06:19:09 AM
Mark,
What material are the tail pieces made from?
Garet, the red tail feathers are "fibreboard" a glorified cardboard. It reminds me of some old style car engine gaskets. Once doped it can be finished like wood.
Early skybirds had white celluloid tails.
Regards
Will
Skybirds Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8
An example of a very late, possibly post WW2, box lid. The Skybirds Hawker Hurricane, kit 3A, first introduced in 1938.
A very nice Albatros D.III recently for sale. Kit No. 25 introduced just before Christmas, 1934.
A Skybirds Hawker Hurricane recently offered. Canopy was with the model shown but needing some repair.
Very nice to see survivors. Thanks for the post.
Lou