I think the kits were made overseas, and just sold in NZ under the Panda name, by the Auckland company Pearce and Drum Limited.
All the kits were re-issues of older Japanese kits, and many were of WW2 Japanese aircraft, plus a few tanks. Never in the same league as Airfix or Matchbox.
Max's Models has just put together one of his history videos on Panda, and I get a mention for the information and photos I sent him.
Max's Models has just put together one of his history videos on Panda, and I get a mention for the information and photos I sent him.
There is almost nothing else out there on Panda, so this is an important addition to the history of model kits around the world. Rather pleased with the result.
I have also replied in the comments section, with a little additional information.
I thought you might like to have a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL_0NBW0T3o&t=41s
Paul Adams
NZ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL_0NBW0T3o&t=41s
Paul Adams
NZ
Wowee, good detective work! From a brief look at the product line, it looks like Panda covered some of the same Japan-import territory as UPC and Paramount in the US, two of may favorites. Bravo! Do you own any Panda kits Paul?
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, all the Panda models shown in the video are from my collection. Most of the models were built in the 1970s, so the boxes are now mostly empty, but I kept them. Now they are almost the only proof that Panda kits existed, and what they produced. They were common in NZ in the 1970s and early 1980s, but I do not recall seeing any at modern collecting fairs, and the line is now almost forgotten. That makes it even more important to record the history of these small companies, before it is gone forever.
ReplyDeleteI would guess that the Panda name comes from the initials of the company - P and D, with an extra letter A added at the end to make a real word, although that is just a guess on my part, with no evidence to back it up.
Upon further inspection, I retract my statement re: Panda released the same line as UPC and Paramount. It seems that Panda was part of the "second wave" of import kits, in the 1970s, and they released largely authentic scale model armor and such, whereas UPC and Paramount issued the earlier "toy model" products from Japan. There are some Panda 1/35 armor on eBay, but they are fetching pretty good prices! I wonder if you have the best Panda collection?
DeleteUpon even further inspection, I think a number of the 1/100 WW2 aircraft released by Panda were also released by UPC in the US. Some, like the Ki45 Nick Toryu, are very familiar. All Marusan I imagine? Great video by the way! And maybe those 1/76 Midori armor kits were released in the US by AHM? I confuse those kits with the HO Scale armor line manufactured by Rocco and released by AHM.
DeleteThank you ZigguratSF2000. This is just a guess on my part, with no evidence to back it up, but I think the name Panda could be derived from the initials of the Pearce and Drum company name - P and D, with an extra letter A added, to make Panda.
ReplyDeleteMost of the early, blue box era, kits are ex-Marusan. These were WW2 and post-war types in 1/100th scale; and WW1 aircraft in 1/72nd scale. There was a single kit in 1/48th. By the time Panda released their versions, the Marusan moulds must have gone to Fuji, as the kits use Fuji box art.
The F-86 Sabre was available on its own with Japanese markings, or in a five-plane set with markings for different aerobatic teams from around the world. I had the single model, but not the set. I could not find any photos of the Panda version, and even the Fuji set shown in Max's video seems to be very rare. The box art was the same, with just a change in company logos.
The tanks were listed as 1/72nd scale if I recall correctly, and appear to be ex-Midori.
The later aircraft kits, from the white box era, were mostly ex-Nitto, in about 1/72nd. My kit of the F-5 Freedom Fighter has the Nitto name moulded inside one half of the fin.
The kits lasted in to the 1980s, but Toltoys later sold Airfix kits under licence, and the Panda range was dropped.
The modern 1/35th scale tank models from China are nothing to do with the old Panda kits from New Zealand. They are now rare, and I do not recall seeing any of these kits at fairs in recent years, but there must be a few survivors out there somewhere.