First Car

This is not the actual car, but a prototype model. A 1961 Thunderbird was the first car I bought. Not a new car, I picked it up in 1969 for $600 when I lived in San Jose, California. It had power everywhere and with the flick of a switch the trunk would open and the convertible top would fold into it. It was large, roomy, powerful, and sucked up gas like a wino with his first swig of the day. I really loved that car, and to this date it remains my all-time favorite. I traded it in for the 1972 Capri I discussed a week or so back, and at the time I thought it was on its last legs. Four years later I was cruising down the freeway and it blew past me going 80. I kick myself to this day for letting it go. My T-Bird was white with an aqua interior. I currently have a bid in for a model of one on eBay and I'm determind to win it, no doubt at a price far beyond its value.

Kit of the Day

Tired of building airplane, armor, or car kits? What better change of pace than Ben Cartwright and his two remaining sons (Adam was a lawyer in San Francisco by then)? Produced by Revell in 1966, this simple kit was a greater challenge for the painter than the kit builder. Each figure came with front and back body halves, hats, boots, and a common base held the trio. I don't know the scale but I'd guess around 1/12 or 1/16. You can get one on eBay now for about $100. Hake's auctions recently realized $186 for the same kit. Frankly, I'd love to have it, but I don't want to spend that much. Maybe someone will rerelease it. Yeah, sure they will.

Holiday Greetings To All

Merry Christmas.



And Festivus for the rest of us.

Kit of the Day

The oddest thing about this Bigfoot model kit from AMT is the Glow in the Dark feature. If Bigfoot really glowed in the dark those goobers on TV wouldn't have to use infrared film; they'd find him wandering around the woods at night easily. Or maybe just that little puddle glows and he doesn't.

The next oddest thing is the scale, 1/12. To know the scale of something you have to know the size of the original. Since no one has ever measured the elusive Bigfoot, we can't know if the size of the model is 1/12 the size of the original. If there is an original.

Also, note the human skull on the ground and leg bone in his fist. Maybe some of those Sasquatch hunters discovered a more formidable foe than they expected.

Unchained Melody

Listen to THIS. You won't regret it. Bobby Hatfield doing his signature song.

First New Car

I had a few cars before this, but this is the first one I bought new. A 1972 Mercury Capri. It looked like the one pictured only mine was yellow. I think I bought it at the end of 1971. A few months later I lost my job and sold it. Well, not so much sold it as signed it over to someone willing to take over the payments. I think I made about $76 on the deal.

Kit of the Day

Here's a head scratcher. The Hogan's Heroes jeep was issued in 2003, in 1/25 scale from AMT/Ertl. This of course was long after the show was canceled and Bob Crane was murdered in a motel. The fact that there was no jeep in the TV show apparently didn't bother the makers of the kit, or that if there was Col. Klink wouldn't have allowed it to carry US national insignia. If you can't read the text on the vehicle it says, on the hood, "PRIVATE PROPERTY STALAG-13" On the side it says, "IF FOUND, RETURN TO COL. HOGAN."

Just as odd is the scale. Most WWII figures, vehicles, and accessories are made in 1/35 scale. Many car kits, however, are 1/24 or 1/25. So this kit is compatible with automobiles but not military materiel. I'm assuming someone had the mold for the jeep on hand and decided to merchandise it as a Hogan's Heroes tie in. The show was popular in reruns at the time. I believe there's also a M*A*S*H jeep kit and I know there's a M*A*S*H Swamp kit, so anything's possible.

You can purchase this kit right now on eBay for $22.50 + $8.67 S&H.;

Sea of Love

Look HERE