Randles Historical Model Airplanes, kit #1104 B-29
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 Well,
let's go way back into the Wayback Machine this month! Here's
one from even before my time since I was born in 1947; this is from the
early forties when it took a real man (boy?) to build a scale
model! This is one of a series of six kits in wildly varying scales if
my suspicion that they all came in the same size box is correct, and it
probably is since the specific kit is stamped, rather than printed, on
one end.
 For
the princely sum of one thin dime you got a small box containing a crude
sheet of plans, four chunks of balsa, and a piece of coarse sandpaper.
No decals - (inaccurate) markings were printed on the plan to be cut out
and glued onto the finished model. Such a deal, leading me to believe
that Randles didn't last in the solid model business for very long...
 But
where else are you gonna get a ~1/300 scale B-29 anyway, even if the box
says it's kit #1104 but the parts are all marked for kit #1105? All kidding
aside, this should be a real eye-opener to those of us that complain about
the minor faults in modern plastic kits. This is the classic 'carve away
everything that doesn't look like an airplane' kit. At least it has the
outlines of the wings, fuselage, tail, and props conveniently printed
on the balsa wood blocks for you. What could be simpler?
 And
just check out these instructions! They even include a three-view drawing
and cross sections. Building a B-29 out of this must have been child's
play...
Break out the casein glue, model airplane dope, and double-edged razor
blades and have a real blast in the past. And quit complaining
about the latest Tamihasegawatrumpeter kit.
As I've never even seen one of these kits before and it was given to
me as a gift I have no idea of its value but I did find a completed eBay
auction in which one of these gems sold for $10. Good luck finding another
one, and even better luck with building it!
Until next month, "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to",
above all have fun, and be sure to visit Al's
Place while you're surfing the 'Net!
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