The New Skybirds forum is now active

[grwebster]

Graham, Incredible photos, many thanks for posting.
I knew the list of Skybird subjects was a long one, and it was great to see so many mint kits and built models.

[Aeronaut]

Man! What a collction! Almost had to call 911!! Thanks for sharing with us

[angelreader]

What an incredible collection of Skybirds,thank you for placing these pictures here.
Barry.

[alas]

Hi guys,
I notice at least two autogiro's on one of the pictures - could the owner take a photo of them and post them on the helicopter forum?
I'd very much appreciate this!
Never heard of or seen those before!

[ramseyd]

I bought this in 2009 as a Skybirds. If anyone can tell from the photos that is is correct or incorrect, please let me know.

Metal struts.

[angelreader]

The wing attachment and blunt trailing edge are Skybirds practise,did they make a Lockheed 10 which is what this subject looks like this was modelled on ?
Like everything the name of Skybirds has become somewhat generic with the dealers,those registration letters are interesting.
Barry.

[Peter van Lune]

Thanks Graham, for the information shared here on the work of your grandfather. Have enjoyed the photos of your impressive collection...
The Sky Birds range played large role in the history of (plastic) modelling and inspired the initiators of the FROG Penguin range, Charles and John Wilmot, and Joe Mansour. They adopted the 1:72nd scale and the packaging method (elastized parts on a cardboard tray). I wanted to own at least one Sky Birds model for my collection to show the viewers where it all started and was happy to acquire this mint copy of the Vega Gull a couple of years ago (shown here with a built Penguin model of the same airplane):

The very very few occasions I attend a show with my collection of FROG Penguins, this Vega always is placed at the start. Then the FROG Interceptor Mk.4 (flying model) with the fragile wooden prop, which was replaced by a acetate part in 1936. Which led to the first Penguins at the end of 1936, of which I am very proud to own the 2nd oldest documented model in the world, a Hawker Fury, dated 11th December 1936. A perfect way to exhibit the development of modelling in the 1930's...

[grwebster]

As far as airfield support equipment here is a Russian 'Follow Me' vehicle I bought at the Moscow airport in the 1980s.




and here are some other very first issues of the FROG Interceptor. with the wooden props

[Peter van Lune]

Question: does anyone recognize this to be a SKYBIRDS model of the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk?

[Mr.1/72]

Please pardon the "Mr.1/72" moniker. Someone tagged me with that awhile back and it has stuck as a user name. My name is Thomas A. Young, Tom to my friends. I am co-author of Encyclopedia of Military Models 1/72, first published in France in 1985, followed in English in the U.K. and U.S. in 1988 and also in Italian in 1988.

I am presently working on my second book, WWI/72, Modeling the Great War in Constant Scale, a solo effort as my original French partners are no longer involved in the hobby. My purpose here is to request help in finding some of the more difficult to find subjects. At the moment I am digging deeply into Skybirds with good, but not great, results. I have color box art for the Fokker D.VII and black/white box art for the Nieuport N.17 only and seek box art, preferably color, for all of the other WWI kits.

Also on hand are color photos of built models of the Fokker D.VII, Dr.I, LVG C.V, Nieuport N.17 and SE.5a. I could use color photos of any of the other WWI models. Also on the want list are photos of Skybirds accessories and figures, especially showing clearly box and package art. I have some, but not many. I do have the wonderful book by A.G. Sinclair which has helped enormously with the listings.

Possibly easier to find has been box art for the Skybirds '86 WWI kits, but I still need several. So far on hand are the Alkbatros C.X, Aviatik C.III, Halberstdt D.II, Lloyd C.V and LVG C.II. Any others would be greatly appreciatede.

Happy modeling,

Tom Young