very old kit query

[hartd]

Not sure what area of the Forum I should post this into. I wonder if anyone in IPMS has knowledge of old wooden solid model aircraft kits. I know a bit about Skybirds and the like, but a friend has found among the effects of his late father (mainly a railway modeller) a kit which I cannot find any reference for.

It's a balsa profile kit of a Hurricane, like a Skybird, but produced in 1/48, which is very unusual for a British wood kit. I would think it's just postwar. It still has its paint, glue, sandpaper, and very good decals with a real hurricane serial and grey codes. Clearly an upmarket item - it cost 5/3d! A lot of money then. It was produced by Chingford Model Aerodrome. I've heard of them as CMA, and I know they made recognition models in WWII, but I just wonder if anyone knows more about this obscure firm.

[sanguin]

As nobody else seems to know anything (nor do I, really), may I point you toward a few websites that may help you. The CMA kits were produced during the war as recognition models as well as kits in their own right. When they first appeared and eventually disappeared as manufacturers I know not.

Try this first:
www.frogpenguin.com/frog/recmodelhistory.html
then this:
www.aircraftmodels.com/idrecog.htm
and then this:
www.collectair.com/Museum.html

The final site is huge, go back to the homepage and wander around for a day or two...
Nothing definitive about your kit, but it puts it into perspective as to what it was and probably why it was made.
Beyond 5/3d I have no idea what it is worth nowadays to a collector, but I suspect that isn't why you have asked.
There must be someone somewhere who can help, have you written to 'Navigator' at Aeroplane magazine? Aeroplane, Blue Fin Building, Southwark St, London SE1 0SU or [e-mail] may be able to help via their readers.

Good luck,
John

[alfie]

Hi

I've received a reply from Mr Milne who has sent me a copy of an advertisement from the 1944 Aero Modeller magazine. The models were advertised as Superb Solids by C.M.A. Ltd and were available as wholesale only. They were not recognition models for the Observer Corps and the like, but for modellers who had to purchase them from stockists and dealers. The kits contained of balsa block and sheet that had been cut to a basic plan profile. Sometimes the kits also contained fragile decals, basic cellophane canopies and wooden wheels. Everything else had to be scratchbuilt. There were 29 models to 1/48 scale (1/4" to 1') available in 1944 and prices ranged from 4/11 to 8/11. Their advertisement mentions that there was a shortage of supplies which probably ultimately led to their demise. All companies dependent on balsa wood tended to have their stocks commandeered for the War effort as with Megow Models in the USA - www.modelaircraft.org/museum/comp/Megows.pdf. C.M.A. stood for Chingford Model Aerodrome Limited and was based at 155 Station Rd, London, E4.

This is a scan of the sheet:


Regards, Alfie