Auckland March Fair 2: Books and Die-Casts

Here is my second report, on the first Auckland fair of 2025. This time, books and die-casts.

A new book on Fun Ho ! die-cast toys. Over 200 pages, and in full colour, apart from period advertising. A 1982 Heller kit catalogue, and three aircraft books.

A Corgi Juniors model of the helicopter from the Australian TV series Chopper Squad, about surf life savers, copyright date 1978. A pair of modern Matchbox Morris Minor Traveller convertibles, with lift-up bonnets.

A group of Lone Star Beach Buggies. Nearly all plastic, with metal baseplates, although one is missing its top, and only three have a driver.

Having seen these on Moonbase Central several times, I knew what they were, so I grabbed the whole collection. The Flower Power stickers are a nice touch.

Paul Adams from NZ

Auckland March Kits Fair

Auckland has just had its first fair of 2025, and I got some great bargains. Not many die-casts this time, but I did get some really nice kits, including some vintage treasures.

Sitting on a chair behind one table I spotted a couple of vintage Renwal military kits from the USA. Thinking that they had likely been put aside for someone else, I asked anyway, and managed to bag both of these classic kits for a song.

The Nike Surface-to-Air Missile is missing one forward missile fin, and there is damage to one end of the box, but the great box top artwork is intact. The missile is moulded in white plastic, with the launcher and three figures in olive drab.

The 8 Inch Self Propelled Howitzer, or M55, has been started, but again the box top is intact. This one is moulded in green plastic, with black tracks, and a full crew of six figures.

In the 1970s Fundimensions issued a series of four diorama kits, depicting giant insects or arachnids on the rampage, three of which were re-issued in the 1990s by AMT/Ertl. Obviously inspired by all those giant bug movies of the 1950s.

One of the tables had an example of the Rampaging Scorpion kit, which had been started, but was complete. Only the box top remained with the kit, showing the Scorpion attacking a city centre.

The Japanese firm Crown did a series of Model in a Bottle kits in the 1970s. In addition to the usual sailing ships, they also did several steam locomotives sitting on a length of railway track.

I was lucky enough to find one of these kits, almost complete, but lacking the instructions. The bottle is plastic, and has a separate base, so the completed model can be inserted after assembly.

A trio of aircraft kits – a 1960s Frog Messerschmitt Me-410 (I built a later version of this kit in the 1970s); an Airfix Dornier Do-17 from the 1970s; and a fictitious Italeri MiG-37 Ferret Soviet Stealth Fighter to go with their US Stealth Fighter kit. It is the box art which makes these kits.

Finally a batch of modern 1/72 scale armoured vehicles, by Trumpeter and Vespid. A US Sherman tank in Korean War markings; super heavy German Maus tank – it weighed 180 or so tons, and only two prototypes were built; Soviet-era SA-4 Ganef Surface-to-Air Missile launcher.

A nice haul, and a great day out. Several of these kits deserve a more detailed write-up – stay tuned.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SCROOGE , PINK PANTHER AND CO.

Here are some photos of my haul from a toy fair [a couple of years ago] in Auckland.

First up, a look at the die-casts.

The model of Uncle Scrooge's Car is by the Italian company Politoys. A little bit of damage - it is missing both rear view mirrors, and the hood ornament which is a dollar sign.

Uncle Scrooge is sitting in the back seat, with his chauffeur at the wheel. Paperon de Paperoni is the Italian name for Scrooge McDuck.

The Pink Panther car is by Dinky Toys, model number 354. The box is a modern reproduction, not an original. Very pink.

Various die-casts: the large bus is a Corgi, and has Corgi advertising on the sides. The large truck and the small trolley bus are Matchbox. The Studebaker Wagonaire camera car is by Husky (made by Corgi). The red Royal Mail van and the green Post Office Telephones truck are by either Morestone or Budgie (same models, just different names).

See anything you like?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

LINCOLN AIRFIX BETTA BILDA

Airfix had introduced a range of plastic building bricks in 1955, called Airfix Building Sets. These were revised in the early 1960s, and the Betta Bilda series was available from 1961 to about 1973.

There were various Sets, and packs of accessories. The range was available in a number of countries, including the United States.

The range was specifically intended to make model buildings, which were sized to go with OO and HO scale model railways. They were also in scale with Airfix kits and figures.

At the latest Auckland fair I came across a Betta Bilda set with a New Zealand connection. It was made in New Zealand by Lincoln Industries Limited, under licence to Airfix Products in Great Britain.

The most interesting thing about the set being the joint Airfix and Lincoln logo on the box top. This is based on the Airfix Type 2 logo that was introduced in 1959.

The box features the earliest style of Betta Bilda box art. It is the smallest of the sets available, the No.1, with 'Over 350 Pieces'.

These comprise a mix of white bricks, red doors and window frames, clear plastic windows, and green roofing titles. In the case of Betta Bilda, round pegs really do fit in to square holes.

I have never seen this type of mixed Airfix logo before. Lincoln made Revell kits in New Zealand under licence, but I was not previously aware of a link with Airfix.

My set is missing the instruction sheet, which might contain further information on the range, and what was available in NZ. Still, not bad for $10 NZ (about £5).

The book Forty Years of Airfix Toys, by Jeremy Brook, The Crowood Press, 2019, has a chapter on Betta Bilda. But this only covers the normal British sets.

Have you got any Betta Bilda?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

AUCKLAND TOY FAIR NOVEMBER 2024: THE KITS

The last Auckland toy fair of 2024 was held recently, and here is my report on the kits. Not too many vintage models this time, but I did get some more modern kits that I intend to build.

Hobby Boss kits are fairly simple, with a one-piece wing, and one-piece fuselage, along with various detail parts, and some really interesting decal options. The Dragon Ta-152H and Airfix Hurricane are more normal kits.

The vintage kits were an Airfix Fokker Friendship airliner in Irish Aer Lingus markings, but unfortunately the box is damaged at one end. Along with four railway wagon kits in 1960s boxes – a Brake Van, two Cattle Wagons, and a Refrigerator Van.

The William Brothers kit of the Martin B-10 bomber from the 1930s. The Airfix Beachead Playset contains a Gun Emplacement from the Playfort range, and two sets of soft plastic figures – the original version of the WW2 German Infantry, and the British Paratroopers.

Plus one HO scale model railway building by Tyco. I have already started work on the Hobby Boss FW-190D-9.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

November Auckland Toy Fair 2024

The last Auckland fair of 2024 yielded several interesting small scale die-casts by various makers, and a couple of larger scale Lledo Vanguards. Just one Hot Wheels this time.

Matchbox tractor and trailer set in orange, white MGA, blue pick-up truck, and Autotanker, from the 1950s or 1960s. The Husky Citroen Ambulance, and Corgi Juniors Super Stock Car with the Union Flag, and US Racing Buggy in blue.

The black Wolseley 6/80 Police Car and the green Rover 105 are by either Morestone or Budgie. The Covered Wagon and six-horse team remain unidentified, but the seller thought they might be Japanese.

The Schuco Mercedes Bus has a die-cast body, clear plastic top, and printed tin-plate interior. A cracking little model.

Next up, a selection of six all-plastic trucks in N scale, for model railways. Individually boxed, the length varies from 61mm for the tankers, to 75mm for the cargo trucks.

Finally, a group of seven British tea card albums. We just did not get these in NZ, cards only came in breakfast cereals, and Greggs Jellies.

History of the Motor Car, Flags & Emblems of the World, British Costume, British Wildlife, Wild Flowers, Trees in Britain, all by Brooke Bond; and Australia, by Lyons Tea.

These are nearly full, although the glue has dried out, and a few of the cards have come loose. How lucky you were to have these wonderful sets in Britain.

I know these card albums may be a common sight in Britain, but not in NZ. They are just beautiful. I wish I had been able to collect these back in the 1960s and 1970s. 

Plus some Linka building moulds, which deserve a write-up of their own.

Enjoy.

Paul Adams from New Zealand.

50 Years of New Zealand Cereal Toys 1950-2000: A BOOK REVIEW

"50 Years of New Zealand Cereal Toys 1950-2000, Stephen Summers & Peter Fisher, privately published in August 2006, Wellington, New Zealand. A4 size, 185 pages, Paperback."

I remember seeing a mention of this book when it came out in 2006, but I did not get a copy at the time, although I did borrow it from the library. It was not until 2024 that I finally found a copy, and grabbed it.

Only the cover is in colour, the contents are entirely in black and white. Picture quality is enough to show the toys and what they looked like, but does not allow a lot of detail to be seen.

There are three pages of introductory material, covering the history of cereal toys in New Zealand, and the main players. These were Sanitarium, Kellogg’s, Timaru Milling, and Cereal Foods (later Nabisco).

The book covers mainly plastic toys, along with comics, and the cardboard cut-outs often featured on the back of cereal packets. Cards and stickers are not included.

Toys that were included with other products are also included, along with Sets of Unknown Origin. Some are one-piece mouldings, others are small kit sets.

According to the book, the toys included in NZ cereals were produced either in New Zealand or Australia. Some of the Australian toys originally made by Rosenhain & Lipmann were produced in NZ by Consolidated Plastics Limited in Auckland.

Generally the toys were produced in sets, and each toy came in several different colours, so there were plenty of different toy/colour combinations to collect. Each set gets either half a page, or a full page.

Each entry includes the name of the cereal company that issued the toy; date of issue; the material used; number of toys in the set; and known colours; along with Notes. Then the photos, along with a name and number for each toy.

At the back of the book are period advertisements, and the various cut-out toys that were often included on the back of cereal packets. Then the index.

As we mainly had toast for breakfast in my house, I had very few cereal toys growing up, except for those given to me by family friends. Looking through this book, it is obvious that many of the small plastic toys I did have came originally from cereal packets.

I was very pleased to add this book to my collection. I doubt it is easy to find today, even in New Zealand.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Atlantis and Aurora Kits Update!

kindly forwarded by Paul A,

New Zealand

SAVE10 PERCENT

We hope everybody is having a great weekend! Now up for Preorder is the Aurora Blue Knight and The USS Bainbridge Both kits will feature the Aurora classic oval logo. These kits have not been issued for over 45 years! Get them while you can. Mickey Thompson Funny car we have about 24 in stock. All preorders have shipped along with the willy ley Orbital Rocket! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ORDERS. If you spend $100.00 you will receive a free Atlantis Tee Shirt. You must add the Tee Shirt to the cart and choose your size. The price on the Tee will go to Zero once you have added $100.00 of Atlantis Products to the Shopping Cart. USE COUPON CODE NAME SAVE10 TO RECEIVE 10% OFF YOUR ORDER! Take a look at the Atlantis Appreciation group on Facebook! Leave us a review on Google and post your Atlantis builds we would appreciate it. We always get a lot of questions about molds, please read this blog post. Atlantis make awesome kits! The orbital rocket has never been reissued!   Atlantis thrives on keeping those childhood dreams alive. We have received so many calls and emails with this exact sentiment. We thank you. We did not realize the impact these old kits would have on all of you and ourselves. To take you back to these great memories is a blessing. Plenty more to come! If you are in need of any parts please submit requests to the Parts Requests We ship parts around the world and have the best customer service in the business. Once again we thank you all for the support! 2024 will be a great year for the Atlantis Nation. Most important Stay Healthy and Safe and build some models and make those new memories! Respectfully, Peter Vetri President Atlantis Toy and Hobby Inc.

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Paul's Awesome Auckland Haul

Auckland had its latest fair for model and kit collectors in September 2024, and I filled up two bags with goodies. More detailed reports will follow, but here is a quick look at the kits and die-casts.

My first buy was a book on NZ Cereal Toys, which I missed when it came out nearly 20 years ago. Also a set of Airfix Betta Bilda building bricks, made in NZ by Lincoln Industries.

The Revell Flying Bridge Cruiser is a New Zealand issue by Lincoln Industries. Airfix HMS Devonshire in a 1970s box.

Revell USS Abraham Lincoln SSBN submarine with interior detail. Originally released as the USS George Washington in 1959, this 2008 version is by Revell Germany, and is a Limited Edition re-issue of 5000.

Revell B-24 with a copyright date of 1960 on the box side, and a 1950s Monogram Catalina amphibian – this kit is still available from Atlantis. A pair of Mister Craft Hawker Hunter kits.

Polish TS-11 jet trainer in a very basic box, a Monogram P-40N Warhawk in a 1970s White Box, and a Heller PZL P-23 dive bomber. The Brengun Spitfire Vb depicts an aircraft captured by the Germans, and fitted with a Daimler-Benz engine for tests.

There were also some small scale armour kits in 1/72nd and 1/76th scale, mostly without boxes, by ESCI and Fujimi, and a box of small Airfix Sheriff of Nottingham figures.

A modern Matchbox Harry Potter Ford Anglia die-cast car, from the Moving Parts series, with opening doors. A pair of Matchbox Indiana Jones Tuk-Tuk models – one in a box, and one on a card.

From the film Batman Returns, The Penguin’s Duck Vehicle, by Ertl. Five Corgi Juniors from the 1970s, including a couple of superhero models.

A Yorkshire Tea van from Lledo. My only vintage model this time was a 1950s Matchbox Vauxhall Cresta, the early version, in red and cream.

OK, I now have two months to save up for the next fair, in November, which is the last one of the year!

See anything you like?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Paul's Pound Shop Haul: Skeleton and All

In June last year I discovered a new shop - like a $2 shop (British pound shop), but with a far greater selection of interesting things than most of those I have seen.

I could not resist, and picked up several goodies for future modelling projects. It is certainly a shop I will be returning to whenever I get the chance.

First up, two pairs of carded reptiles, mostly lizards, but including an alligator. Completely hollow, the plastic is only slightly soft. Length about 6 inches.

From a box full of assorted dragons, this fine standing fellow. Light green, with red and metallic blue detailing, just over 3 inches tall.

From a collection of glow-in-the-dark prehistoric skeletons in plastic eggs, a Humanoid Skeleton. Just over 6 inches tall when assembled. Unfortunately, he is moulded in a rather soft plastic, and bits keep dropping off, so this limits what can be done with him.

Finally, a clear pink plastic shot glass. I have plans for this, and they do not involve any alcoholic beverages.

A good haul, all for $15 NZ (about £7.50).

Anything you like?

Paul Adams

New Zealand

PAUL ADAMS, MODEL CITIZEN: GONE SHOPPING!

Following my visit to the latest Auckland fair, I had a week off, so I headed out again on the Monday. This time I visited a model shop I do not often get to, but which does carry second-hand kits.

There I found the remains of a 350-kit collection that had recently come in. I got another batch of vintage kits, and can only imagine what I might have missed.

The first four kits have a New Zealand connection, but are from before I began modelling in the 1970s, so I do not remember them.

RSL Limited (Rayon Surfaces Limited, later Tonka New Zealand Ltd) imported various Japanese kits in to NZ in the 1960s, and sold them under their own name. The Ki-84 Frank, in green plastic, is to 1/50th scale, and was originally made by Marusan.

In the late 1960s Lines Brothers (N.Z.) Ltd. made a number of older Frog kits, with the company name changing to Tri-ang Pedigree (N.Z.) Ltd. in 1969. The Frog F-84 Thunderjet dates back to 1956, and comes in a Tri-ang Pedigree box, silver-grey plastic.

Two older, odd-scale Revell kits made in New Zealand by Lincoln Industries Ltd., Auckland. The PBM-5 Mariner comes in a normal long narrow Revell box, 1/118th scale, dark blue plastic.

The B-47 Six Engine Jet Bomber comes in a taller box, with yellow bands top and bottom, although the artwork is the same height as that on the Mariner. Scale is 1/113th, silver-grey plastic.

Revell Cobra II air racing version of the Bell P-39 Airacobra, in bright yellow plastic. Great box art, 1/45.6th scale.

Testors Hawk P-51D Mustang, in a photo box, but with the aircraft in a nice diorama setting. Missing its canopy, moulded in silver and black plastic, 1/48th scale.

Italian Artiplast Fiat G-55, in 1/50th scale. Light grey plastic, but the bottom of the box shows signs of mould, and the decal sheet would be unusable if you wanted to build the kit.

UPC (Universal Powermaster Corporation) was an American importer of foreign kits, including this ex-Marusan Me-262. Medium green plastic, 1/50th scale.

Czechoslovakia once had a sizable aircraft industry, and the Avia B.534 fighter was built for the Czech Air Force. KP kit in 1/72nd scale, silver-grey plastic.

Hawk was one of the second-level American kit companies, but they made some really nice models, including this Chance Vought F4U-1D Corsair in 1/72nd scale. A great looking model in dark blue plastic, the copyright date 1959 is moulded on the inside of the wings.

Lindberg was another American company, their Henschel Hs-129 is 1/72nd scale. Moulded in green plastic.

Starfix Bf-109G, from Israel, claimed to be 1/48th, but universally said to be smaller. Starfix is regarded as one of the worst kit companies ever, but it is nice to have an example of brand.

Another bagged Airfix kit, the Water Tower from the OO (1/76th scale) Trackside railway accessory range, in light grey plastic. This model is still made by Dapol.

It was another amazing day, even if I had gone through most of my holiday money in two days. Most of the haul comprised kits I have never seen before, except in photographs.

Do you collect kits?

Paul Adams from New Zealand