Skybirds

A. J. Holladay & Co. (Skybirds)

Founded	1932
Defunct	1945(1945)
Headquarters	British
Products	Die-castscale modelvehicles,figurines
Brands	Skybirds

Skybirdswas abrandname for a series of1:72 scalewood and metal aircraftmodel kitsproduced during the 1930s and 1940s, manufactured by the A. J. Holladay & Co.

Some of the Skybird-branded products weredie-castscale modelcars,aircraft,military vehicles,figurines,among others.

History

These kits were designed by pilot and aviation journalistJames Hay Stevensand comprised shaped wooden blanks withcast metaldetail parts. The kits were intended to educate their assemblers of the aircraft. They were designed to be built similarly to real aircraft construction. The kits were supposedly approved by "educational and air-minded organisations". These were the firstmodel aircraftkits in the world made to a constant scale of 1:72. This scale was later adopted by many other model manufacturers, such asFrogandAirfix.

Around 80 different Skybirds kits were released from 1932 onwards, marketed towards those aged 12 and over. Subjects ranged fromFirst World WartoSecond World Warmilitary aircraft, plus a number of inter-war period civilian types.

The company endorsed the foundation of clubs, specifically for model-making. Together, these formed theSkybird Leaguewhich had its own magazine of which new issues were published four times a year. Photographs of aircraft models built could be submitted into competitions, in order to be displayed within the windows of theHamleystoyshop in London.

It was marvelled, by customers, that a photograph of a completed model, if finished properly, looked identical to the original article. Of course, this was somewhat easier to achieve with a completed model in the 1930s due to the fact that all photography was monochromatic. The kits encouraged photographers to experiment with scale and trickery to make the model seem more like an actual vehicle. Magazine readers sent their photographs to Skybirds, hoping them to be published within an upcoming issue. Modellers were also encouraged to produce adioramaof their completed vehicle, setting it amidst scratch-built accessories. During theSecond World War,modelling became a vital part of morale for children. They could participate within the dogfights above them during theBattle Of Britain.It is possible that model making popularised theSupermarine Spitfire,despite it being statistically out-performed and out-numbered throughout the conflict by the, then, more-successfulHawker Hurricane.

Manufacture ceased in 1942, and in 1945 the company closed but was soon relaunched under new management. However the Skybirds range did not survive the company's acquisition by Zang shortly afterwards.

External links

• Avia Mini News Book Review:Skybird Notesby A G Sinclair
• The Frog Penguin website: In the beginning...
• Taking to the Air An Illustrated History of Flightby Lily Ford,ISBN978-0-7123-5261-1