I have never seen this before, but Ali Nel Cielo appears to be Italian for Wings in the Sky, which seems like a good name for a model aircraft kit. Edizioni La Sorgente looks to be an Italian publisher ? Certainly children's books in the 1960s. The front flap opens up like a book. Was this a give-away with a book or magazine ? Were there any other kits ? The main aircraft on the cover is a North American F-86 Sabre jet fighter. This type was flown by the Italian Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s.
I had an Airfix kit of the Fiat G.91 as a kid. It differs to the American style Sabre in the illustration by having a beak like nose, above a smaller air intake. This gives it the look of a screaming bird of prey!
That box art is wonderful, although the rear illustrations look like they've been filched from gum card art!
Since I did not recognise this kit, I checked with a couple of friends. Thanks to Max and Eric for this information. Their guess is a model sold as part of a book/kit package, or done as a promotional model. Boxes that opened like a book were also used for the Frog Inside Story series in the 1960s, which came with a booklet on the kit subject. I had assumed it was the F-86 Sabre, as that is the main aircraft shown on the box top, but it now seems it is a Fiat G.91, which resembled the Sabre. Looking at the shape of what appear to be gun ports on the forward fuselage, there are two each side, which would make the model a Fiat G.91R-1 with four 50 calibre machine-guns. The shape of the fin leading edge also looks more like a G.91 than a Sabre. The way the wings are attached to the fuselage should make the model easy to identify, but so far I have not found a match.
Fascinating Paul. Really. Googling the image brought up covers of Sixties books featuring pilots Tanguy and Laverdure. I've added one to the post. I wonder if the Italian box is related to it?
I have never seen this before, but Ali Nel Cielo appears to be Italian for Wings in the Sky, which seems like a good name for a model aircraft kit.
ReplyDeleteEdizioni La Sorgente looks to be an Italian publisher ? Certainly children's books in the 1960s.
The front flap opens up like a book. Was this a give-away with a book or magazine ? Were there any other kits ?
The main aircraft on the cover is a North American F-86 Sabre jet fighter. This type was flown by the Italian Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s.
If it's Italian it will be a Fiat G.91 which was a licensed development of the Sabre.
ReplyDeleteI had an Airfix kit of the Fiat G.91 as a kid. It differs to the American style Sabre in the illustration by having a beak like nose, above a smaller air intake. This gives it the look of a screaming bird of prey!
DeleteThat box art is wonderful, although the rear illustrations look like they've been filched from gum card art!
Possibly the most unusual model kit packaging I have ever seen - beautiful! SFZ
ReplyDeleteIt is gorgeous I agree SF.
ReplyDeleteSince I did not recognise this kit, I checked with a couple of friends. Thanks to Max and Eric for this information.
ReplyDeleteTheir guess is a model sold as part of a book/kit package, or done as a promotional model.
Boxes that opened like a book were also used for the Frog Inside Story series in the 1960s, which came with a booklet on the kit subject.
I had assumed it was the F-86 Sabre, as that is the main aircraft shown on the box top, but it now seems it is a Fiat G.91, which resembled the Sabre. Looking at the shape of what appear to be gun ports on the forward fuselage, there are two each side, which would make the model a Fiat G.91R-1 with four 50 calibre machine-guns. The shape of the fin leading edge also looks more like a G.91 than a Sabre.
The way the wings are attached to the fuselage should make the model easy to identify, but so far I have not found a match.
Fascinating Paul. Really. Googling the image brought up covers of Sixties books featuring pilots Tanguy and Laverdure. I've added one to the post. I wonder if the Italian box is related to it?
DeleteThe aircraft on the cover of Danger Dans Le Ciel look to be French Super Mystere B.2 fighters. I built the Airfix kit many years ago.
ReplyDelete