I was 4 years old back in 1959 and lived in Canoga Park California. At the time Whirlybirds was popular and there was a potatoe chip company that had a mail order offer of a Whirlybird helo model it was bright orange plastic and about a foot long. My dad got me one it was one of favorites. I remember one of my friends at the time Bryan Cranston-Yes the same Bryan Cranston broke the skids off it much to my chagrin.
This brings back lots of happy English childhood memories Matt! Your artwork is great and done with lots of love and charm, and obviously a ton of time and talent. Thanks for this.
Ohhh yes that takes me back to my local paper shop full window display of Matchbox kits.Brought the Wellington Bomber in 1/72 scale and the box had been exposed to sunlight for so long it had faded to white,so i missed the cover art.Most iconic plane/spaceship for me would have been The Pheonix from Battle of the Planets which i guess would have to be the size of a Comet passenger jet,and in 1/72 scale you could have had details like the Bike for Princess,Car for Jason and jet for Mark.
Excellent work sir. I would buy every one of those kits in a heartbeat. I remember watching Whirlybirds. Made me want to be a helicopter pilot. I came her vis Max's Models.
@@alanwoodcock3284 The market was small outside of the UK. Not really a big interest in the USA and so no manufactures in the USA purchased licensing rights. Big in Japan for the model/toy market so Bandai, IMAI, ARII picked them up. Sir Low Grade who had an interest in all these films wanted a big USA market. The series and products could sell well around the world, but if he did not get a big USA market he canned the shows. And that included live action shows. What was available sold in Canada as the IMAI kits did well and Paramount USA set up an office in Canada that imported Thunderbird, Captain Scarlet, models and re-boxed them. They also sold well. I built several of each way back then.
Thanks very much for this video - a great idea really well executed. The "box art" is lovely and I can absolutely imagine the model companies you mention producing the kits and using the sort of art you feature. My personal favorite is the Dalek saucer, closely followed by the Liberator.
Thanks. The man who painted so many of the original Airfix kit boxes - ROY CROSS - just celebrated his 99th Birthday.that artwork made you want to buy the kit!
Allways wanted ALL these kits that were never available, they really were the ones that got away. Loving your work and am in total agreement with ALL your content. Cheers.
It might be a useless point of trivia, but the Landmaster was later co-opted (by permission or not, I have no idea) into a 1980's Post-apocalyptic roleplaying game called "The Morrow Project" which was all kinds of granular combat-wise, and it featured the Landmaster in all of its schematic goodness. Great to see these pieces of art and the history behind them. Images like these sold the kits, no question about it!
Thank you. Kit box art is an art form unto itself. And is - or was in the pre internet days where kit reviews are commonplace - I think it was largely responsible for the lit sales. It blows me away to think that this was in effect, just the packaging. Incredible. Roy Cross was for the master.
Love the artwork. Your speculative box tops have inspired a long running thread at the starshipmodeler forum (where I've posted some of my own ideas). It's great to be able to add your own backstory to each of the boxes. It's still a surprise to me given the number of British speculative fiction films how Airfix only did a handful of stuff.
Wow, love your "What if " concepts. Your cover art is spot on. I remember having Airfix annual magazines full of Airfix box cover art from front to back. I loved looking through them when I was a kid, they are one of the many things that taught me how to draw and paint. Also.. I loved that Liberator. The Liberator is one of my most favourite starships. Awesome work.
I see we have very similar tastes in movies. Most of these I saw as a kid and I have many of them on DVD, including a grainy copy of the TV series Whirlybird. If you decide to make a sequel, here are a few candidates I can recommend. Perhaps some of them have been done before, but I have not seen them: the flying car and submarine from Gerry Anderson's Supercar and Stingray TV series; the balloon and gondola from Five Weeks in a Balloon; the giant crab fight from The Mysterious Island; the Nautilus from Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; the time machine from the George Pal movie The Time Machine; the spacecraft and Id monster from Forbidden Planet; the flying saucer and Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still; the battle with the giant ants from Them; fighting the intelligent carrot in the original The Thing From Outer Space; the blob monster consuming the theater in The Blob; the futuristic version of the submarine (with glass viewing panes in the bow) from The Land That Time Forgot; the seaplane fighting off the Pterodactylus in The People That Time Forgot; the cowboys lassoing the T-Rex in Valley of Gwangi; and last but not least, the fight scene between King Kong and Godzilla from the movie King Kong vs. Godzilla. I should include honorable mentions for Reptilicus and Gorgo, but I think they already exist.
What an amazing video, and what amazing boxes. All would have made wonderful kits, had they ever been released. One point about the 'Airfix' Queen Elizabeth II kit, in the early 1960s there was a British company called Selcol that made a small Royal Court Series of large scale figure kits, which included a young Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Elizabeth I, and Henry VIII. A very obscure series.
What a nostalgia trip! I remember Whirlybirds, but only the closing titles. I made my sister watch it because she made me watch programmes about horses. The original film model for the Iron Mole has been rediscovered and someone is attempting to raise money to restore it. Anyway, I've followed you for a long time on DA and it's nice to hear your voice - your enthusiasm shows through! Thank you.
Got to love all your illustrations. If only some of these subjects had been available as kits. Of it's all too likely someone will do a 3D model of these that can be printed out now after being inspired by your video.
Very interesting video, I used to build models when I was much younger. I would have loved a model of the Liberator to hang from the ceiling of my bedroom.
I had that 3 inch metal matchbox toy of the Liberator from Blake’s 7 when I was a kid. I had no idea what it was. My Dad told me it was the Enterprise, but I could never reconcile that. I saw it in your thumbnail, and decided to check out the video so I could find out what my toy actually was, so there you go! 😅
Superb artwork and presentation...the Proteus did eventually make it as a kit from Moebius who make models very much in the style of Aurora. Also there is a plastic kit of the Liberator made by Comet Miniatures which was actually tooled by Ratio who are famous for their model railway kits. It now commands high prices when it shows up. I was always curious why Airfix never made any kits related to Dr Who during it's heyday in the Pertwee/Baker era. Sets in the OO/HO series of figures would have been welcome. They did eventually release a TARDIS tied to the David Tennant era but it was overcomplicated and overpriced.
There is a model kit of the B7 Liberator, pulls huge money on eBay now. The little diecast toy of the same ship also pulls stupid huge money. I think there is a white version and blue. Please correct me if i'm wrong as I often am and on RUclips people love to correct deliberate mistakes.
I think I have the little Corgi toy of the LIberator knocking around my mums house somewhere. Would love a model kit of it though like this one www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194342031532?hash=item2d3fb010ac:g:4dsAAOSw7uVhNn8N&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0IddKcgH5PydmXTBhqXmFrw7qZJhZqv0SB1G0coAaj0bb%2BUCaKQU%2BdWxUTO2Ab0p%2FJ4HO5YtLXSCTTmzBh2Y9QYzOAGgG7mLoilSpB29lyPZLoYBBmNMbIi86eGH%2BnLA44d8pqusPZnILhZWMtq4%2BOjlg4aQlgL1pf3kWFjP%2FERd52sC8myJvJj6Qw5dxY1FTGEXBfqiDyA9JqRJ3Bg4eQxJS7fOazeXS3ny7eQvk6CWf9I%2Ft5XLPD7zLw4hSZ%2FBKAs5gLVwRThJfd5jRPY7ZoQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR66WsMv_YQ
You are not wrong. I had both the die cast and larger plastic model. Was a PITA to build. White plastic, trans green plastic for the engines, and a sheet of etched brass (!!!) for some insets, and engine trimming. Box was mostly white. Pretty sure it came out on or after the screening of season 4 of the show, show sometime in the 80’s. Produced by Comet Miniatures, and sold as “DSV1 the Liberator”. Absolutely gorgeous when put together.
The white plastic Liberator kit released by Comet Miniatures in 1989. It was co designed by Mat Irvine. It's legendarily accurate and scaled from the original EMA sections, it's got around 300 parts and a really nice set of photo etch.
What a cool idea. Almost bringing our childhood hopes into reality. Seeing the possibilities was a pleasure and the retro ships and movie choices are great.
Fantastic! Max's Models brought me here. Loved the dogfight doubles concept. Yes I quickly noticed that the Final Countdown "Zero" was true to the film- a modified trainer. Also I would have bought the Flight of the Phoenix C-82 kit if it existed. Even better if it had parts or instructions to modify the kit parts to build "The Phoenix". Cheers
I love 'The Flight if the Phoenix' so much. I figured the part breakdown would allow for easy customization to build the Phoenix. And some spare parts to build the skis., cockpit and windshields on the wings. And of course a decal of the hand painted 'phoenix'.
I love 'The Flight of the Phoenix' so much. I figured the parts breakdown would allow for easy customization to build the Phoenix. And some spare parts to build the skis., cockpit and windshields on the wings. And of course a decal of the hand painted 'phoenix'.
The space capsule from Moon Zero Two would make a cool kit I think, also a Aurora style diorama of the monster (from the movie) Gorgo attacking Big Ben would of been awesome.
As a kid in the 1970’s I wanted a model of the Valley Forge from the film “Silent Running”. I had the MPC models of the Eagle and Hawk from “Space 1999” and would love to have had some of the other ships from this show.
I saw Captain Nemo And The Underwater City in the cinema... it blew my mind! I was used to Gerry Anderson's shows, and in lots of ways wasn't 'fooled' by the visual f/x, but there was - still is! - something about it, and the whole Kid Schtick for family audiences isn't actually unbearable. Great to see this under-appreciated little movies get a mention. Lovely artwork, by the way - and your passion for these things, and the art, of course(!) shines through. A remake of Damnation Alley could be a groovy thing - without mucking about with the design of the Landmaster too much. Keep on, dude.
Thank You. It's so nice to hear when people have seen the lesser know films. And have a fondness for them i have the film on dvd and put it on whenever I need a dose of a good old-fashioned film that the whole family can enjoy (vs merely endure).
I have the Comet Miniatures kit somewhere, too. .. but I think that came out much later..not when the who was first on. It's also quite small. I think these giant spaceships need a bit of size and mass in order to properly convey the thing. Like a 1/144 scale Avro Lancaster just does the feel 'right'. Whereas a 1/72nd has some size.
GREAT VIDEO SIR,SEEN ABOUT 85% OF THE MOVIES YOU MENTION. MOST OF THESE CAN NOW BE MADE USING 3-D PRINTING.I STILL HAVE MATCHBOX LIBERATOR TOY HAVE A GREAT WEEK
The small Liberator die-cast was part of the Corgi Juniors line, not Matchbox. There were a ton of them in the shops at one time, but I never got one, as I was in to kits by then.
Fun Video! FYI, Moebius Models has produced a 1/32 scale plastic kit of the Fantastic Plastic Proteus. (It's still available.) And back in 1989, Comet Miniatures produced a 1:5000 scale kit of the Blake's 7 Liberator. The latter is now a high-priced collector's item.
Yes, I have the Moebius kit - I made a series of what turned out to be 6 videos following the project. A total of 60 mins. approximately 10 minutes each. (60 minutes is the amount of time alloted for the ship to be miniaturized in the movie!). The kit fell short in several places for me. I have the old comet Miniatures Liberator not made up (somewhere). This video was really about kits that would have been neat at the time these tv shows and movies were released... or at least when I saw them. Thanks for watching, and taking the time to comment.
Amazing!... just watched the Anderson video before this... then thought back at the sci-fi TV/Movies of the past.... The ships from Darkstar and Silent Running I'd love to see... plus, heading back into Doug McClure territory... how about an Airfix Battle-set from Land before time.... with a U-boat and a pleisosaur? When I was young, me and my friend had to make do with models of both made from lego (with several different models for both at various stages of being submerged) and the u-boat crew comprising Airfix Confederates (mainly for the lego Marine Reptile to eat ;) )...
I would love to have had some of these. The C82 from Flight of the Phoenix should have had two build options, the Packet and then the Phoenix plane that they build and fly out at the end of the movie. Where eagles dare is one of favs and I so would loved a kit of the bus with Sir Richard Burton driving and Clint Eastwood shooting his Mp40 out the back window.
These are great ideas! I do remember reading about a resin model of the Proteus someone built for an article in Sci-Fi & Fantasy Miniatures magazine ages ago, I can't remember if it was a limited run kit or a one-off build but it was extensive and detailed. I'm going to have to go look up that Starflight One movie now, never heard of that movie.
Thansk for commenting. There have been a few models of the proteus ove rteh years. a Lunar Models vac-form kit in the 90s (1/32nd). A couple fo resin kits (I had a 1/48th scale one... but can't remember the manufacturer) and the 2016 Moebius models kit (1/32nd) ... an actual mainstream kit,! With similarities to an old Aurora. A pretty decent kit, but having waited close to 40 years since first seeing that movie on TV - it was a bit of a dissappointment. It has no landing gear and does not come with any figures. I am what they call these days a 'rivet-counter' when it comes to that ship and it has more than its share of shortcomings in te general shape and detailing. I did a series of 6 videos of my 'build' that go from opening the box, through a lot of scratch-building - to putting the finished model on the shelf. Here's a link tp part 1. ruclips.net/video/ItZxWGdOyPA/видео.html Have fun watching 'Starflight One'. aka 'Starflight - The Plane that Couldn't Land'.
another great set of artwork -pleasant memories of Whirlybirds - how about a train for Casey Jones or a Mirage jet for the Aeronauts around at the same time
Just to tell you Ivan Tors Aluminaut submarine ended up at a water park in Ft Lauderdale, Fl. Don't know if it is still there but it was right at the entrance visible from the road. I remember driving by Ivan Tors Productions office in Miami Beach back in late 70's but never had the nerve to just knock on the door and say,"hi!"
Hi Matt, I have a vague recollection of a story on John Craven's Newsround about Pinewood Studios auctioning a selection of studio miniatures in the 1970s, one of which was the Dalek space-ship, along with some of the aircraft from "The Battle of Britain", although I never found out how much they went for, anyway, take care, all the best from Scotland, Stephen.
In recent years, Revell did release an X-Wing and TIE Fighter kit, under the Disney banner. They are both mounted on black stands, and are pretty naff. For your Star Wars needs, I recommend Atomic Mass Games’ “Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game”. Pre-painted, well-detailed, and in 1:144 scale (for the most part - huge ships are in 1:288 scale, so they can fit in the game area). Huge range of ships from all Star Wars media.
What an awesome concept. Thanks! Some suggestions to throw in: the 1950s Jeff Morrow movies This Island Earth (featuring at least three airplanes and a flying saucer) and Kronos (with a Bell helicopter and what can only be described as an enormous walking Cat Tower; in fact we call our cat tower “Kronos”). Also the extremely cheesy 60s Japanese film Green Slime, with many potential kits ranging from 1/12 to ship scale. My dream kit: an affordable 1/72 Fireball XL5.
I would have loved an Airfix Dalek kit, and from Aurora, a Martian War Machine. These were depicted as levitating "Manta Ray" looking craft. I would have liked an interior reveal of the seated crew, though this was not depicted in the 1953 film.
... an interesting idea you have. I would have liked to see a model kit of the Doppelganger landing craft from the movie "Journey To The Far Side Of the Sun", with a set of decals in English and reversed for the "Other Side" if one wished ...
Brilliant. What an imagination and superb artwork. You’ve really threatened to make science fiction come to life by filling these gaps, at least from a plastic modellers point of view. I’m another of Max’s glue troopers. Thank you for this. When do we get Part 2?
Thanks for the video. Just one slight correction. You stated that there has never been a kit of the Liberator. Comet Miniatures in Lavender Hill, as they were at the time, produced an injection moulded kit in white styrene and photo-etched brass. if memory serves it was released during the '90s and made up to about 8 inches in length.
yes. I have that 'Comet Miniatures' kit. I was referring to what was available at the time, in its hey-day when Blakes 7 was first on TV - it would be on every week and all you could get to relive the adventures was the little corgi toy..I should have clarified. There are some nice 3d printed garage kits available these days too. There's new 'Star Wars' kits too now from Bandai, which are excellent.
@@Matteline Thanks for the clarification and apologies for getting my wires crossed. I remember how scarce any Sci-fi kits were back then,. Now we are spoiled for choice.
I would love to see tye Flying Wing painting that l did, done as a model kit box art , l imagine it would be done in both 1/144 scale , or a larger 1/72nd .... that would be brilliant , but these that you have cone , are great Matt 👍
The Whirlybirds Belll 47 could also have had a float, figure and decal option for Waratah National Park. Just think of it Sonny Hammond, Flight Ranger Jerry King and of course Skippy. Just an extra sprue and a re-box. I definitely would have bought one, actually scrap the past tense - I would still buy one.
A wonderful video (series) - please keep them coming! Airfix have been running a few videos recently where they have been asking for kit ideas - had your box tops for the Cavorite Sphere and Dalek Spaceship been produced at the time (the films were made), I'm sure Airfix would have done them. Two things I can't agree with, however - the silver plastic (a turn-off, even now) and Revell doing the Liberator- Keep it Aifix!
The silver plastis (styrene) was such a thing of the time. But I know what you mean. I did 'the Liberator as a Matchbox kit as they did the 'Star Trek The Moton Picture' kits.
I've been wanting a decent kit model, maybe 1/350 scale to go with my submarine kits, of the Nautilus from the Disney movie "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea". The Hydronaut, absolutely! Loved the movie as a kid, and recently got the DVD.
Love it, I remeber the Napoleon model and I very much doubt I did it any justice with a few enamel paints and my Humbrol hobby brush. How things have evolved!!
Fantastic! You got all the classics I'd love to have been! You are a true fan! Any chance a Firefox or aircraft from 'Those magnificent men in their flying machines'?! Love ya vids, subscribed straight away! 👍👍
@@Matteline My man! Haha, cheers. Indeed day was made. A 1/72, -31 would've been beaut. Always liked how they captured that MiG look in it. -rather liked your nod to Roy Cross as well, his work was/is what captured my imagination. I believe there's a book with his work too?
@@JasSta76 There are three books I believe. The Art of Roy Cross, Celbratiion of Flight and Celebration of Sail. Plus two books of Airfix artwork! Here's a link to a short blog on Mr Cross on my website. www.matteline.com/blog-roy-cross
@@Matteline will certainly check it out. Once again, great vids and awesome to see effort put into rarer interests. -if it's a sickness, I don't want to be cured! Cheers👍👍
Great videos. I wish a lot of these would have actually been produced. I would have bought them. Do you take suggestions? The old Quartermass series movies would make a good subject for model box art. Kind of like the old Aurora monster model figures I was thinking.
I am always open to suggestions. I did a kit box for the Martian Spaceship from the 1967 film ''Quatermass and the Pit'. One of my favourite films.i love the two black & white films too. Poor Victor Karoon in one of his states of transformation/absorption. FYI - you can contact me for a commissioed piece via my website www.matteline.com
I'm fairly sure there was a kit model of the Liberator sometime in the early eighties because I recall having less than a fun time bending a piece of plastic strip round the green drive ball, not very successfully,. It was quite small, and I have absolutely no recollection of the manufacturer of the kit, but I'm sure I'm not dreaming...
Mooncrest Models are releasing a Carvorsphere. They also make Selenites and the Selenite leader from First Men in The Moon, as well as the Martian from the big screen version of Quatermass and The Pit. I forget the firm, but there's also a kit of the Liberator.
Robur's 'Albatross' was called an 'Aeronef' and was made from compressed papier mache, which is light but incredibly strong. 'Master Of The World', I saw as a kid, and never forgot it. Vincent Price is my favourite filmstar of all. He always, always, looked as if he was enjoying himself, whatever role he was in. Add to that, he was a polymath, and everybody said that he was a lovely bloke. Would your 'Flight Of The Phoenix' kit, have optional parts to build the 'Phoenix'? I think that it would have to come with several figures, too, not just the seated pilots, but some standing figures, as well.
Vincent Price played 'The Saint' in a US radio series in the 40's. A very versatile and likeable actor. Even when he was a villain, he was always credible and sympathetic. The Abominable.Dr Phibes. Theatre of Blood.
Excellent! Was the "Tayima" branding deliberate for licencing issues or just a typo? Just re-watching Blake's 7 and would love a decent model of the Liberator!
Yes. deliberate. On some of he more recent paintings - the Landmaster, Starflight One and The Queen I altered the logos. not for copyright per se, but just to indicate these really are not real. There is Japanese text on the Landmaster and - via Google translate (so who knows) - it says this is not a real Tamiya Kit It is made up!
I would buy the Liberator kit in an instant as I have a 3d printed version (it's been a wip for at least a couple of years now) but because it was 3d printed, it's a bit rough around the edges hence why I've never finished it. In fact I would probably buy at least 90% of these kits
Hey now, one can get paper to weigh a lot less if one can muster people of Vincent Price’s caliber to deliver it a very stern talking to beforehand! 🧐🤓😎
I was 4 years old back in 1959 and lived in Canoga Park California. At the time Whirlybirds was popular and there was a potatoe chip company that had a mail order offer of a Whirlybird helo model it was bright orange plastic and about a foot long. My dad got me one it was one of favorites. I remember one of my friends at the time Bryan Cranston-Yes the same Bryan Cranston broke the skids off it much to my chagrin.
What a great story. Thank you for sharing!
This brings back lots of happy English childhood memories Matt! Your artwork is great and done with lots of love and charm, and obviously a ton of time and talent. Thanks for this.
Hi Andrew -Glad you like it, and for stirring up a few memories.
Oh yeah! I'd buy these Airfix kits if they were available!
Totally nailed the box art vibe; absolutely stunning.
Lovely blast from the past.
Thank you.
It's totally fantastic. We would have had a wonderful childhood with these. Omg the 2150 dalek saucer 😊
Oh man, collected and built Airfix, Matchbox and Tamiya kits in middle school 1981-84. Keep up the great work!
Fabulous! I want the Orpheus and the Liberator badly!
There are Liberator kits out there, some up to 3 feet long with lighting!
Ohhh yes that takes me back to my local paper shop full window display of Matchbox kits.Brought the Wellington Bomber in 1/72 scale and the box had been exposed to sunlight for so long it had faded to white,so i missed the cover art.Most iconic plane/spaceship for me would have been The Pheonix from Battle of the Planets which i guess would have to be the size of a Comet passenger jet,and in 1/72 scale you could have had details like the Bike for Princess,Car for Jason and jet for Mark.
Excellent work sir. I would buy every one of those kits in a heartbeat. I remember watching Whirlybirds. Made me want to be a helicopter pilot. I came her vis Max's Models.
Why did they never make them back in the day😊
@@alanwoodcock3284 The market was small outside of the UK. Not really a big interest in the USA and so no manufactures in the USA purchased licensing rights. Big in Japan for the model/toy market so Bandai, IMAI, ARII picked them up. Sir Low Grade who had an interest in all these films wanted a big USA market. The series and products could sell well around the world, but if he did not get a big USA market he canned the shows. And that included live action shows. What was available sold in Canada as the IMAI kits did well and Paramount USA set up an office in Canada that imported Thunderbird, Captain Scarlet, models and re-boxed them. They also sold well. I built several of each way back then.
Thanks very much for this video - a great idea really well executed. The "box art" is lovely and I can absolutely imagine the model companies you mention producing the kits and using the sort of art you feature. My personal favorite is the Dalek saucer, closely followed by the Liberator.
That's what really get you to buy those kits.Great artwork. Some people did not get.
Thanks. The man who painted so many of the original Airfix kit boxes - ROY CROSS - just celebrated his 99th Birthday.that artwork made you want to buy the kit!
All these kits would have been smash hits. Great stuff. There was a Liberator kit from Comet Miniatures, I think.
Allways wanted ALL these kits that were never available, they really were the ones that got away.
Loving your work and am in total agreement with ALL your content. Cheers.
Many Thanks. We can dream
It might be a useless point of trivia, but the Landmaster was later co-opted (by permission or not, I have no idea) into a 1980's Post-apocalyptic roleplaying game called "The Morrow Project" which was all kinds of granular combat-wise, and it featured the Landmaster in all of its schematic goodness.
Great to see these pieces of art and the history behind them. Images like these sold the kits, no question about it!
Thanks for the info. 👍👍🇦🇺
What a fun idea to make these “What Ifs.” Great artwork. The exact Airfix style.
Thank you. Kit box art is an art form unto itself. And is - or was in the pre internet days where kit reviews are commonplace - I think it was largely responsible for the lit sales. It blows me away to think that this was in effect, just the packaging. Incredible. Roy Cross was for the master.
Clever stuff, a delight. TY
Love the artwork. Your speculative box tops have inspired a long running thread at the starshipmodeler forum (where I've posted some of my own ideas). It's great to be able to add your own backstory to each of the boxes. It's still a surprise to me given the number of British speculative fiction films how Airfix only did a handful of stuff.
Absolute YES for the Dalek Flying Saucer from 2150AD. Whirlybirds was a great series.
Wow, love your "What if " concepts. Your cover art is spot on. I remember having Airfix annual magazines full of Airfix box cover art from front to back. I loved looking through them when I was a kid, they are one of the many things that taught me how to draw and paint. Also.. I loved that Liberator. The Liberator is one of my most favourite starships. Awesome work.
Some of these movie I seen other series I wasn’t aware of. This is a really unique subject matter.
Thanks for taking to time to make and to post. Thanks. 👍👍🇦🇺
I see we have very similar tastes in movies. Most of these I saw as a kid and I have many of them on DVD, including a grainy copy of the TV series Whirlybird. If you decide to make a sequel, here are a few candidates I can recommend. Perhaps some of them have been done before, but I have not seen them: the flying car and submarine from Gerry Anderson's Supercar and Stingray TV series; the balloon and gondola from Five Weeks in a Balloon; the giant crab fight from The Mysterious Island; the Nautilus from Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; the time machine from the George Pal movie The Time Machine; the spacecraft and Id monster from Forbidden Planet; the flying saucer and Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still; the battle with the giant ants from Them; fighting the intelligent carrot in the original The Thing From Outer Space; the blob monster consuming the theater in The Blob; the futuristic version of the submarine (with glass viewing panes in the bow) from The Land That Time Forgot; the seaplane fighting off the Pterodactylus in The People That Time Forgot; the cowboys lassoing the T-Rex in Valley of Gwangi; and last but not least, the fight scene between King Kong and Godzilla from the movie King Kong vs. Godzilla. I should include honorable mentions for Reptilicus and Gorgo, but I think they already exist.
Just astonishing. Thank you!
Glad you like it! Thanks for the feedback.
What an amazing video, and what amazing boxes. All would have made wonderful kits, had they ever been released. One point about the 'Airfix' Queen Elizabeth II kit, in the early 1960s there was a British company called Selcol that made a small Royal Court Series of large scale figure kits, which included a young Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Elizabeth I, and Henry VIII. A very obscure series.
Sound cool. I'll check it out.
What a nostalgia trip! I remember Whirlybirds, but only the closing titles. I made my sister watch it because she made me watch programmes about horses. The original film model for the Iron Mole has been rediscovered and someone is attempting to raise money to restore it. Anyway, I've followed you for a long time on DA and it's nice to hear your voice - your enthusiasm shows through! Thank you.
Got to love all your illustrations. If only some of these subjects had been available as kits. Of it's all too likely someone will do a 3D model of these that can be printed out now after being inspired by your video.
Thank You for the feedback. Glad you like the video. I am aware of a 3D printed 'Blakes 7' Liberator - approx 18" long. Pretty nice.
Very interesting video, I used to build models when I was much younger. I would have loved a model of the Liberator to hang from the ceiling of my bedroom.
Wonderful artwork.
Oh the matchbox liberator did it for me. The old kits of the 70s and 80s. Combined with one of my fav ships
All fantastic movies
I had that 3 inch metal matchbox toy of the Liberator from Blake’s 7 when I was a kid. I had no idea what it was. My Dad told me it was the Enterprise, but I could never reconcile that. I saw it in your thumbnail, and decided to check out the video so I could find out what my toy actually was, so there you go! 😅
A great theme. I actually saved up the Zoom lolly wrappers and got the Kitmaster Fireball XL5 kit. If only I had that now, unmade!!!!!
Superb artwork and presentation...the Proteus did eventually make it as a kit from Moebius who make models very much in the style of Aurora. Also there is a plastic kit of the Liberator made by Comet Miniatures which was actually tooled by Ratio who are famous for their model railway kits. It now commands high prices when it shows up. I was always curious why Airfix never made any kits related to Dr Who during it's heyday in the Pertwee/Baker era. Sets in the OO/HO series of figures would have been welcome. They did eventually release a TARDIS tied to the David Tennant era but it was overcomplicated and overpriced.
Apologies...just spotted you cover the Moebius Proteus in some detail on your channel 😄
Dear Matteline,
Absolutely excellent presentation. Bravo!
Frank.
How cool, the first ship that came to mind was the Dalek Ship from the movie it was awesome. Laughed when you picked it.
Love the 'Airpix' Queen Elizabeth II figure!
Great stuff !
Great work!
There is a model kit of the B7 Liberator, pulls huge money on eBay now. The little diecast toy of the same ship also pulls stupid huge money. I think there is a white version and blue. Please correct me if i'm wrong as I often am and on RUclips people love to correct deliberate mistakes.
I think I have the little Corgi toy of the LIberator knocking around my mums house somewhere. Would love a model kit of it though like this one www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194342031532?hash=item2d3fb010ac:g:4dsAAOSw7uVhNn8N&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0IddKcgH5PydmXTBhqXmFrw7qZJhZqv0SB1G0coAaj0bb%2BUCaKQU%2BdWxUTO2Ab0p%2FJ4HO5YtLXSCTTmzBh2Y9QYzOAGgG7mLoilSpB29lyPZLoYBBmNMbIi86eGH%2BnLA44d8pqusPZnILhZWMtq4%2BOjlg4aQlgL1pf3kWFjP%2FERd52sC8myJvJj6Qw5dxY1FTGEXBfqiDyA9JqRJ3Bg4eQxJS7fOazeXS3ny7eQvk6CWf9I%2Ft5XLPD7zLw4hSZ%2FBKAs5gLVwRThJfd5jRPY7ZoQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR66WsMv_YQ
You are not wrong. I had both the die cast and larger plastic model. Was a PITA to build. White plastic, trans green plastic for the engines, and a sheet of etched brass (!!!) for some insets, and engine trimming. Box was mostly white. Pretty sure it came out on or after the screening of season 4 of the show, show sometime in the 80’s. Produced by Comet Miniatures, and sold as “DSV1 the Liberator”.
Absolutely gorgeous when put together.
Somewhere I've got the Liberator kit. I wonder if I ever started it - might be worth selling as I'm a terrible model maker!
The white plastic Liberator kit released by Comet Miniatures in 1989. It was co designed by Mat Irvine. It's legendarily accurate and scaled from the original EMA sections, it's got around 300 parts and a really nice set of photo etch.
What a cool idea. Almost bringing our childhood hopes into reality. Seeing the possibilities was a pleasure and the retro ships and movie choices are great.
Thank You :)
Fantastic! Max's Models brought me here. Loved the dogfight doubles concept. Yes I quickly noticed that the Final Countdown "Zero" was true to the film- a modified trainer. Also I would have bought the Flight of the Phoenix C-82 kit if it existed. Even better if it had parts or instructions to modify the kit parts to build "The Phoenix". Cheers
I love 'The Flight if the Phoenix' so much. I figured the part breakdown would allow for easy customization to build the Phoenix. And some spare parts to build the skis., cockpit and windshields on the wings. And of course a decal of the hand painted 'phoenix'.
I love 'The Flight of the Phoenix' so much. I figured the parts breakdown would allow for easy customization to build the Phoenix. And some spare parts to build the skis., cockpit and windshields on the wings. And of course a decal of the hand painted 'phoenix'.
Anothere fab collection. The Dalek saucer would have been great.
I love that design. And decent vfx too.
The space capsule from Moon Zero Two would make a cool kit I think, also a Aurora style diorama of the monster (from the movie) Gorgo attacking Big Ben would of been awesome.
As a kid in the 1970’s I wanted a model of the Valley Forge from the film “Silent Running”. I had the MPC models of the Eagle and Hawk from “Space 1999” and would love to have had some of the other ships from this show.
Beautiful.
Thank You. I'm glad you enjoyed it. More coming soon.
Yep, I'd buy almost any of them. Great artwork and ideas to go after
I saw Captain Nemo And The Underwater City in the cinema... it blew my mind! I was used to Gerry Anderson's shows, and in lots of ways wasn't 'fooled' by the visual f/x, but there was - still is! - something about it, and the whole Kid Schtick for family audiences isn't actually unbearable. Great to see this under-appreciated little movies get a mention.
Lovely artwork, by the way - and your passion for these things, and the art, of course(!) shines through. A remake of Damnation Alley could be a groovy thing - without mucking about with the design of the Landmaster too much.
Keep on, dude.
Thank You. It's so nice to hear when people have seen the lesser know films. And have a fondness for them i have the film on dvd and put it on whenever I need a dose of a good old-fashioned film that the whole family can enjoy (vs merely endure).
I remember adoring whirlybirds!
I remember watching all of these films and programs and I always wished that I could buy models of them.
Great video. Very nostalgic.
The Liberator did appear in model form from Comet Miniatures. Got one up on the loft. 😁
I have the Comet Miniatures kit somewhere, too. .. but I think that came out much later..not when the who was first on. It's also quite small. I think these giant spaceships need a bit of size and mass in order to properly convey the thing. Like a 1/144 scale Avro Lancaster just does the feel 'right'. Whereas a 1/72nd has some size.
@@Matteline Yes, I totally agree. I'm not a big fan of kits in the 144 range. Due to size and my eyesight not being what it was 30 years ago. 😂
GREAT VIDEO SIR,SEEN ABOUT 85% OF THE MOVIES YOU MENTION. MOST OF THESE CAN NOW BE MADE USING 3-D PRINTING.I STILL HAVE MATCHBOX LIBERATOR TOY HAVE A GREAT WEEK
The small Liberator die-cast was part of the Corgi Juniors line, not Matchbox. There were a ton of them in the shops at one time, but I never got one, as I was in to kits by then.
Fun Video! FYI, Moebius Models has produced a 1/32 scale plastic kit of the Fantastic Plastic Proteus. (It's still available.) And back in 1989, Comet Miniatures produced a 1:5000 scale kit of the Blake's 7 Liberator. The latter is now a high-priced collector's item.
Yes, I have the Moebius kit - I made a series of what turned out to be 6 videos following the project. A total of 60 mins. approximately 10 minutes each. (60 minutes is the amount of time alloted for the ship to be miniaturized in the movie!). The kit fell short in several places for me. I have the old comet Miniatures Liberator not made up (somewhere). This video was really about kits that would have been neat at the time these tv shows and movies were released... or at least when I saw them. Thanks for watching, and taking the time to comment.
Amazing!... just watched the Anderson video before this... then thought back at the sci-fi TV/Movies of the past.... The ships from Darkstar and Silent Running I'd love to see... plus, heading back into Doug McClure territory... how about an Airfix Battle-set from Land before time.... with a U-boat and a pleisosaur? When I was young, me and my friend had to make do with models of both made from lego (with several different models for both at various stages of being submerged) and the u-boat crew comprising Airfix Confederates (mainly for the lego Marine Reptile to eat ;) )...
Old Sci-fi B-Movies were some of the best of the genre. Nice homage to the era when it was real art and not just CGI
I had the diecast Liberator when I was a kid. I used to fly it around backwards because I thought the green engine was the cockpit.
Love your videos!
Monogram did do a Final Countdown double kit back in the early 1980's. A 1-72 Tomcat and the Nimitz in 1/700, got that kit long before I saw the film.
Revell 1/144 tomcat comes with Final Countdown decals
I would love to have had some of these. The C82 from Flight of the Phoenix should have had two build options, the Packet and then the Phoenix plane that they build and fly out at the end of the movie. Where eagles dare is one of favs and I so would loved a kit of the bus with Sir Richard Burton driving and Clint Eastwood shooting his Mp40 out the back window.
Great video. Max sent me.
These are great ideas! I do remember reading about a resin model of the Proteus someone built for an article in Sci-Fi & Fantasy Miniatures magazine ages ago, I can't remember if it was a limited run kit or a one-off build but it was extensive and detailed. I'm going to have to go look up that Starflight One movie now, never heard of that movie.
Thansk for commenting. There have been a few models of the proteus ove rteh years. a Lunar Models vac-form kit in the 90s (1/32nd). A couple fo resin kits (I had a 1/48th scale one... but can't remember the manufacturer) and the 2016 Moebius models kit (1/32nd) ... an actual mainstream kit,! With similarities to an old Aurora. A pretty decent kit, but having waited close to 40 years since first seeing that movie on TV - it was a bit of a dissappointment. It has no landing gear and does not come with any figures. I am what they call these days a 'rivet-counter' when it comes to that ship and it has more than its share of shortcomings in te general shape and detailing.
I did a series of 6 videos of my 'build' that go from opening the box, through a lot of scratch-building - to putting the finished model on the shelf.
Here's a link tp part 1. ruclips.net/video/ItZxWGdOyPA/видео.html
Have fun watching 'Starflight One'. aka 'Starflight - The Plane that Couldn't Land'.
love your stuff mate
I could see some of these selling like hotcakes
I can imagine years from now these confusing people and I find that very funny.
another great set of artwork -pleasant memories of Whirlybirds - how about a train for Casey Jones or a Mirage jet for the Aeronauts around at the same time
Ah the Aeronauts. Apparently, the English lyrics for the theme tune were written by Yoffy 'the guy in the grey polo neck sweater from 'Fingerbobs'!
I remember going to the cinema to see The First Men In The Moon. I’d have liked to build that
Ir is a suoer'fun movie. Lionel Jeffrirss (Dr Cavir) is superb in this movie... and in fact in verything he is in.
Fun stuff!!
Just to tell you Ivan Tors Aluminaut submarine ended up at a water park in Ft Lauderdale, Fl. Don't know if it is still there but it was right at the entrance visible from the road. I remember driving by Ivan Tors Productions office in Miami Beach back in late 70's but never had the nerve to just knock on the door and say,"hi!"
Hi Matt, I have a vague recollection of a story on John Craven's Newsround about Pinewood Studios auctioning a selection of studio miniatures in the 1970s, one of which was the Dalek space-ship, along with some of the aircraft from "The Battle of Britain", although I never found out how much they went for, anyway, take care, all the best from Scotland, Stephen.
In recent years, Revell did release an X-Wing and TIE Fighter kit, under the Disney banner. They are both mounted on black stands, and are pretty naff.
For your Star Wars needs, I recommend Atomic Mass Games’ “Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game”. Pre-painted, well-detailed, and in 1:144 scale (for the most part - huge ships are in 1:288 scale, so they can fit in the game area). Huge range of ships from all Star Wars media.
What an awesome concept. Thanks! Some suggestions to throw in: the 1950s Jeff Morrow movies This Island Earth (featuring at least three airplanes and a flying saucer) and Kronos (with a Bell helicopter and what can only be described as an enormous walking Cat Tower; in fact we call our cat tower “Kronos”). Also the extremely cheesy 60s Japanese film Green Slime, with many potential kits ranging from 1/12 to ship scale. My dream kit: an affordable 1/72 Fireball XL5.
I would have loved an Airfix Dalek kit, and from Aurora, a Martian War Machine. These were depicted as levitating "Manta Ray" looking craft. I would have liked an interior reveal of the seated crew, though this was not depicted in the 1953 film.
... an interesting idea you have. I would have liked to see a model kit of the Doppelganger landing craft from the movie "Journey To The Far Side Of the Sun", with a set of decals in English and reversed for the "Other Side" if one wished ...
Brilliant. What an imagination and superb artwork. You’ve really threatened to make science fiction come to life by filling these gaps, at least from a plastic modellers point of view. I’m another of Max’s glue troopers. Thank you for this. When do we get Part 2?
There's a part 1 focusing on some Gerry Anderson/Thunderbirds vehicles.
Superb. I found this a couple of days ago. This shows great imagination and skilful artwork. Well done and thank you.
I would have given up my candy for a year to have had some of those as kits if they existed.
Why they were never done, one can only guess.
Thanks for the video. Just one slight correction. You stated that there has never been a kit of the Liberator. Comet Miniatures in Lavender Hill, as they were at the time, produced an injection moulded kit in white styrene and photo-etched brass. if memory serves it was released during the '90s and made up to about 8 inches in length.
yes. I have that 'Comet Miniatures' kit. I was referring to what was available at the time, in its hey-day when Blakes 7 was first on TV - it would be on every week and all you could get to relive the adventures was the little corgi toy..I should have clarified. There are some nice 3d printed garage kits available these days too. There's new 'Star Wars' kits too now from Bandai, which are excellent.
@@Matteline Thanks for the clarification and apologies for getting my wires crossed. I remember how scarce any Sci-fi kits were back then,. Now we are spoiled for choice.
I would love to see tye Flying Wing painting that l did, done as a model kit box art , l imagine it would be done in both 1/144 scale , or a larger 1/72nd .... that would be brilliant , but these that you have cone , are great Matt 👍
The Whirlybirds Belll 47 could also have had a float, figure and decal option for Waratah National Park. Just think of it Sonny Hammond, Flight Ranger Jerry King and of course Skippy. Just an extra sprue and a re-box. I definitely would have bought one, actually scrap the past tense - I would still buy one.
A wonderful video (series) - please keep them coming!
Airfix have been running a few videos recently where they have been asking for kit ideas - had your box tops for the Cavorite Sphere and Dalek Spaceship been produced at the time (the films were made), I'm sure Airfix would have done them.
Two things I can't agree with, however - the silver plastic (a turn-off, even now) and Revell doing the Liberator- Keep it Aifix!
The silver plastis (styrene) was such a thing of the time. But I know what you mean. I did 'the Liberator as a Matchbox kit as they did the 'Star Trek The Moton Picture' kits.
Blake's Seven was an interesting plot. No wonder there are rumors of its remake from time to time.
I remember actually seeing the Landmaster when I was in California some years ago.
Yeh, mt too!. It was parked in a small lit on Cahuenga Blvd for several years.
I've been wanting a decent kit model, maybe 1/350 scale to go with my submarine kits, of the Nautilus from the Disney movie "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea".
The Hydronaut, absolutely! Loved the movie as a kid, and recently got the DVD.
The redesigned Nautilus from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film would make a decent kit as well...
Very cool
We travelled from France to the UK on the last day of operation of the SRN4.
Love it, I remeber the Napoleon model and I very much doubt I did it any justice with a few enamel paints and my Humbrol hobby brush. How things have evolved!!
I would have loved that one. 👍👍🇦🇺
Fantastic! You got all the classics I'd love to have been! You are a true fan!
Any chance a Firefox or aircraft from 'Those magnificent men in their flying machines'?!
Love ya vids, subscribed straight away! 👍👍
Thanks for the feedback. Check out other video on my channel - I believe #4 has something that may 'make your day'.
@@Matteline My man! Haha, cheers. Indeed day was made. A 1/72, -31 would've been beaut. Always liked how they captured that MiG look in it. -rather liked your nod to Roy Cross as well, his work was/is what captured my imagination. I believe there's a book with his work too?
@@JasSta76 There are three books I believe. The Art of Roy Cross, Celbratiion of Flight and Celebration of Sail. Plus two books of Airfix artwork!
Here's a link to a short blog on Mr Cross on my website. www.matteline.com/blog-roy-cross
@@Matteline will certainly check it out. Once again, great vids and awesome to see effort put into rarer interests.
-if it's a sickness, I don't want to be cured! Cheers👍👍
Great videos. I wish a lot of these would have actually been produced. I would have bought them. Do you take suggestions? The old Quartermass series movies would make a good subject for model box art. Kind of like the old Aurora monster model figures I was thinking.
I am always open to suggestions. I did a kit box for the Martian Spaceship from the 1967 film ''Quatermass and the Pit'. One of my favourite films.i love the two black & white films too. Poor Victor Karoon in one of his states of transformation/absorption.
FYI - you can contact me for a commissioed piece via my website www.matteline.com
I'm fairly sure there was a kit model of the Liberator sometime in the early eighties because I recall having less than a fun time bending a piece of plastic strip round the green drive ball, not very successfully,. It was quite small, and I have absolutely no recollection of the manufacturer of the kit, but I'm sure I'm not dreaming...
Always wanted a liberator model, And a Scorpio.
Mooncrest Models are releasing a Carvorsphere.
They also make Selenites and the Selenite leader from First Men in The Moon, as well as the Martian from the big screen version of Quatermass and The Pit.
I forget the firm, but there's also a kit of the Liberator.
Had the corgi version of Blake seven ship as a kid
Robur's 'Albatross' was called an 'Aeronef' and was made from compressed papier mache, which is light but incredibly strong. 'Master Of The World', I saw as a kid, and never forgot it. Vincent Price is my favourite filmstar of all. He always, always, looked as if he was enjoying himself, whatever role he was in. Add to that, he was a polymath, and everybody said that he was a lovely bloke.
Would your 'Flight Of The Phoenix' kit, have optional parts to build the 'Phoenix'? I think that it would have to come with several figures, too, not just the seated pilots, but some standing figures, as well.
Vincent Price played 'The Saint' in a US radio series in the 40's. A very versatile and likeable actor. Even when he was a villain, he was always credible and sympathetic. The Abominable.Dr Phibes. Theatre of Blood.
I'd like to see kits of Isaac Hayes customized '77 Cadillac Fleetwood and Ernest Borgnine's taxi cab from John Carpenter's "Escape from New York"
Excellent! Was the "Tayima" branding deliberate for licencing issues or just a typo? Just re-watching Blake's 7 and would love a decent model of the Liberator!
Yes. deliberate. On some of he more recent paintings - the Landmaster, Starflight One and The Queen I altered the logos. not for copyright per se, but just to indicate these really are not real. There is Japanese text on the Landmaster and - via Google translate (so who knows) - it says this is not a real Tamiya Kit It is made up!
@@Matteline Well, I was going to ask about the model kit of the Queen made by "Airpix", but this already explains it.
Fun fact - the Dalek Flying Saucer made a brief appearance at the end of the 1969 film The Body Stealers with Patrick Allen and Hillary Dwyer.
I would buy the Liberator kit in an instant as I have a 3d printed version (it's been a wip for at least a couple of years now) but because it was 3d printed, it's a bit rough around the edges hence why I've never finished it. In fact I would probably buy at least 90% of these kits
Your not alone there. 👍👍🇦🇺
The flight of the Phoenix model should be able to be disassembled and reassembled into the salvage plane made from the wreckage
Hey now, one can get paper to weigh a lot less if one can muster people of Vincent Price’s caliber to deliver it a very stern talking to beforehand! 🧐🤓😎
OMG the ship from Blake's 7(?) Wasn't that the name of the show? I used to watch it on the PBS station in Dallas growing up...
I was expecting the solarcraft and sandmen pursuit vehicles from the Logan's Run TV series