This Stag Beetle was the second and final kit in the Hawk Science Series of giant insect models.
Pancho the Grasshopper appeared first (copyright date 1959), followed by "Bertram" the Stag Beetle.
This seems like a very formal, and rather old-fashioned name, considering that naming the insects was presumably intended to help sales. The kit depicts an adult male Stag Beetle, which has large stag-like horns used for fighting.
Most listings for this kit give the date as 1959, which is the copyright date printed on the box, but the copyright date printed on the back page of the instruction sheet is 1960. These instructions can be downloaded from the Scalemates site, and the date is clearly visible. Just remember to save the file.
The box top says:
56 Unassembled Plastic Parts
Authentic to the Smallest Detail
Faithfully Reproduced From Actual Specimens Supplied By A Leading Museum
Model number 516-98, meaning it had a retail price of 98 cents.
Other insect models are shown on the side of the box - Dragonfly, "Pancho" the Grasshopper, and Carpenter Ant.
This time the parts are moulded in brown plastic, and there is no stand. No scale is given, but the model is several times life size. Scalemates say 10:1, but they are not always accurate.
According to a catalogue listing, the model is 7 1/2 inches long, and 2 inches high. The catalogue does mention a Science Series Display Stand. The instruction sheet says adult Stag Beetles are 'over an inch and a half long', suggesting a scale of around 4 1/2:1 (matching the Grasshopper kit) or 5:1.
Rare photos of a built-up, and beautifully painted, model
Box, parts, and instructions.
This is a page from a Hawk catalogue, said to be 1960. The text is partially cut off, meaning some important information is missing, including the scale of the model.
Hawk Carpenter Ant
Model number 620, 50 cents.
It seems this model was not released, although the planned box top illustration was shown on the sides of the Grasshopper and Beetle kits, and in a catalogue. The Worthpoint listing for the latter says 1958, but no date is visible on the pages shown. The description of this model in the catalogue is:
Here is an exact replica of one of our most common ant families. The inspiration of many comparisons with our human society, this dramatic model gives a greatly magnified study of nature's hardest worker. Perfect for the nature student, completely authentic with many parts.
Hawk Dragonfly
There is even less information available on this planned Hawk kit. Again the intended box top painting is shown on the sides of the Grasshopper and Beetle kits. It is also referred to in the above Worthpoint catalogue listing, but not shown.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Neat Stuff!
ReplyDeleteI never built any of the Hawk biology models. They only had the Lindbergh visible creatures here. I would've loved to build some of those!
I do remember a windup model of a Mantis though.
Don't remember what company it came from.
Fun memories!
A lovely read. Great piece of research and well illustrations. I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteA very thorough piece Paul.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet there were a few shocked cleaners when they came across made up kits like these in U.S. boys bedrooms in the '60s.
Thank you. I am sure a few also starred in some home-made monster movies at the time.
ReplyDeleteJeepers! That's a huge beetle! HAWK put out such a great and diverse range. The Atomic Airplane is well-known to SpaceX toys fans too as its the basis of one of the spacecraft.
ReplyDelete