Hello Pine-Tree72,Pine-Tree72 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 26, 2022 11:33 pm I really do like the diversity of this forum, well done to the organisers ..
Ok, so I'm wondering if anyone can help here ... back in the late 1960's I was in Singapore with the RAF and model making was one of the many pastimes a few of us did at the time, I remember buying two aircraft, one was a Zero and the other was a Kawasaki Hein and I only got those as they were the only ones available and the reason I got them was this ...
They were a large kit, about a 18 inch or so wingspan (memory.. it was a long time ago) and came with lights wiring and a motor, the thing being that when completed these things actually taxied, the prop would turn the wing lights flash and they would roll along the floor quite nicely, everything being hidden as the batteries were inside the fuselage and the aerial doubled as the switch, the only drawback being the cog assembly to the rear wheel for the drive, goes without saying I cant recall the company name either .. !!
I have asked all sorts of model shops and done a few searches but cant find anything like them or about them at all, even e-mailed Hornby with a description and the idea to maybe produce them, just got a thank you .. so after finding this sub forum thought it worth the asking if anyone else has seen or heard of these type of model and of course if they are available at all .. ??
I must say that I know exactly what kits you are talking about! Life is kicking my butt about, so I'm rarely on here as my free time is nonexistent. Waiting for my turn laying in the CT scanner and just thought I'd check in here as it has been way too long! Wow, your post has brought back memories! When I was about 9 or 10 years old my Cousin and I would play with one of these large scale Zero kits. My Uncle built it when he was in Junior or Senior High School. Upon turning 18 he was "gifted" an all-expense paid, free 1 year tour of Vietnam (thankfully he did return from his "exotic getaway"). At any rate his "vacation" came up suddenly and his room upstairs in my Grandparent's big farmhouse was left pretty much intact. After his return he took most of his belongings but left a glass fronted bureau of model kits behind. There were about 10 or so and all were aircraft, mostly the new age jet fighters and bombers. One of my favorites was a large scale, Navy blue, F9 Cougar complete with folding wings and rockets. Grandma never liked us playing with them and always told us to put them back. My Uncle Lowell never seemed to care though. I remember being in awe over how thick and heavy the plastic was compared to my kits of the mid to late 1970's. I also remember thinking that my Uncle was a tad messy in his kit building techniques, and that I could do much better (what an arrogant little snot I was)!
At any rate, none of the kits were pristine. Quite a few pieces were missing or laying in one of the drawers. The Zero in question, didn't work as the batteries has corroded and leaked all over. I think the canopy was broken, a blade of the prop missing, and one landing gear leg gone. It was very cool to us because of its large size. I remember he had the box still and it was in perfect shape. It was covered in Japanese writing, and I knew that the company started with an "M". It took some head scratching but I came up with it! The company was called Midori and even made some Star Trek kits too.
Scale was 1/28 and the Zero and Hien were touted as "Automatic Full Action".https://arawasi-wildeagles.blogspot.com/search?q=crown
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/midori- ... e--1090295
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/KSN_Midori
Seems they are as rare as hen's teeth and carry a very large price tag when one does come up for sale.
Another fun stroll down memory lane can be found here. I've never ordered from them, they are located here in the States, but they do ship internationally. Their prices aren't too bad, but I'm sure the shipping would be a killer. It's a fun site to look at though as there's plenty of kit's that I remember.
https://www.oldmodelkits.com/
Anyhow, mystery solved and old memories revived! Enjoy!
Eric.
(I wonder what ever happened to my Uncle's models? By the time of my Grandmother's passing both the bureau and models were already long gone).
