Bachman miniplanes

[angelreader]

Do not get many of these but happened to come my way this week,Bachman did a whole range and I have a few examples,they are not bad but clumsily assembled,I will not pay a lot for them but add them if cheap,these two cost me 0.99p each,anyone else collect them ? any listings available please ?
Barry.

[grwebster]

I got a bunch of them with a die cast collection I obtained but never photographed or cataloged them, may do so next trip. They are still around on eBay and not expensive. Some of the models are quite nice but best to keep, as you have, in their original boxes or blisters.

[MichaelB]

I have several boxes of same. Fascinating little models with varying degrees of quality and construction. Some great choices in the line: Hughes HK-1, Boeing YC-14...
Nice boxes too...they really protect well and are great for stacking in storage boxes.
I'm trying to remember the big MiniPlane collector from MAQ times...I'll come up with it...Marshall xxxx ???

[grwebster]

I forget too, and am in Switzerland so can't check my back issues of TPN MAQ for which he wrote and photographed a great series of articles.

[MichaelB]

Marshall Best? I'll need to pull my file of back issues. I'm sure I still have the Green Sheet, but I made my own years ago.
I do not actively collect this line but pick them up when the price is right. I've got drawers of loose and damaged ones. Don't forget that Hasegawa issued about six of them as model kits in the mid '90s, so the molds are still around.
All the little fiddly bits would keep these off the market now...besides, folks want metal and constant scale.
MJB

[MichaelB]

Matt Vance!
Lived in San Fran; his Miniplane article was in Plane News #12, Winter 1992, which means the one we got in summer of 1993
Nice guy...finally met up with him in '98 or something but haven't heard from him since then.

[grwebster]

I haven't heard from him either- last thing was that he is in the UK.

[angelreader]

Any chance of reproducing that article here GR ? like many I know little about this series but prepared to learn about them,many thanks.
Barry.

[MichaelB]

Like so many of these lines it's more than just a list, because it's the short runs, limited distribution and oddballs that attract the most attention. I have a "working" list of all the issue, but no notes.
One thing I do know is about the Boeing YC-14. Story is that they were given only to Boeing employees when the plane was rolled out. And while that would mean they should be in short supply, they don't seem to be all that rare. On the other hand...show me another mass produced model of a YC-14!!
Many of the pieces had "working" features, like doors and bombs in the B17 and Lancaster.
Painting and finish were of a high quality for the time.
Placed next to the 21st Century Toys line of 1/144 models...there isn't much of comparison. However...they didn't produce a YC-14!
...where can I put a list as an attachment, so I don't have to retype it?
Michael

[MichaelB]

Let's see if this takes...do we have a "files" section somewhere?
Nope...won't take a .doc...how about a paste? Well, that works just fine -so- here ya go! I just copied it from an older file. Enjoy!

BACHMANN MINIPLANES
Also issued by Airfix and Tomy of Japan
Compilation by Michael Bludworth

1. P-40
2. Me-109
3. Super Mig-19
4. F-14 Starfighter
5. Mirage 4a
6. B-17
7. Spitfire
8. Zero
9. Boeing 707 TWA, AA, PAA
10. F-105 Gray
11. P-51 Green
12. P-38 Green
13. AH-1G Cobra
14. B-25 Tan; pink
15. F-4U w/wo rockets
16. Spirit of St. Louis
17. Fokker DR-1
18. SPAD XIII
19. Convair 880 TWA, Delta
20. Sopwith Camel
21. Alabatros
22. Boeing 727 EAL, UAL
23. DC-9 TWA, Delta, EAL
24. F-4K Phantom
25. DC-8 JAL,UAL
26. YF-12A
27. JU-88
28. Lancaster
29. Nieuport 17
30. Fokker E-III
31. Ju-87 Stuka
32. P-47D
33. Fokker D-VII
34. SE-5A
35. 747 JAL, AA, PAA
36. Boeing F4B-4
37. Wright Flyer
38. HH-3E
39. B-24D
40. DC-10 AA
41. Saab AJ37
42. Curtiss P-6E Hawk
43. Ford Tri Motor
44. PBY-5A
45. C-119 Flying Box Car
46. Nakajima Ki-44-2 Shoki
47. Kawanishi NiKi Kyofu
48. Mits. Ki-21-2 Type 97
49. Hein 2
50. Yokosuka P1Y1
51. Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar
52. Nakajima B5N
53. NAMC YS-11
54. Mits. MU-2
55. OS2U Kingfisher
56. Kawanishi N1K2-J Shindin Kai
57. Mits J2M3 Raiden
58. Mits Ki-46-3 Shiki
59. Mits G4M2
60. Kawanishi K8K2 Shiki Flying Boat
61. Polikarpov Rata
62. Grumman F4F 4 or 3 blade prop
63. FW-190
64. Morane-Saulnier
65. B-58
66. Douglas A3D Skyraider
67. Grumman F3F
68. B-29
69. Bell UH-1B Iroquois
70. Curtiss Helldiver
71. DH Mosquito
72. DC-3 AA
73. GB R11 Racer
74. Westland Lysander
75. DO-17
76. Hurricane II
77. Grumman E2A
78. A-4 Skyhawk
79. Kamikaze
80. Aichi Type 99
81. Kitsuka
82. Fuji FA-200 Aero Subaru
83. Shin Meiwa PS-1 Flying Boat
84. Kawasaki/Boeing Vertol V107
85.
86.
87.
88. C-130
89. OV-10A
90. P-51
91. F-4K Blue Angel
92. P-47D
93. Hindenburg
94. Hughes HK-1
95. B-1
96. F-105 green/brown
97. P-38 Silver
98. JU-88
99. TBM Avenger
100.
101.
The following are marked as “02, 03, 04”
102. Boeing 314
103. T-38 Thunderbird
104. Boeing YC-14
105. Concorde
106. Bristol F2B
107. Space Shuttle

Some later issues ended up with a “60” prefix, as in “6025 DC-8”.
Many of the WWI and similar open cockpit planes can be found with or without pilots.
There are minor color variations.
No. 15, the F4U can be found with or without underwing rockets.
No. 22, the B727 UAL can be found with larger or smaller logos.
Many of the Japanese planes were Japan only issues by Tomy: No.46-52 and 56-60. All bring premium prices except for the Hein, which was common.
Blank spaces are not unknowns…they aren’t listed by Bachmann.
Packaging comes in three varieties: The Closed box; the box with a cello window, and bubble on card. The bubble issues are the later Taiwanese releases.

Gift Sets: (WWI sets were not numbered by Bachmann)
Historic Aircraft Set:
Wright Flyer; SSL, DC3, 747

Commercial Air Craft:
707 PAA, 880 TWA, 727 UAL, DC9 EAL

WWI Set (1):
Camel, Albatros, DIII, SPAD, DRI

WWI Set (2):
Nieuport, DIII, SE5A, DVII

WWI Set (3):
DRI, SPAD, Camel, DVII

The Boeing 707 was also issued in Bachmann marks.