Frog (models)

Frogwas a well-known British brand of flyingmodel aircraftandscale modelconstruction kits from the 1930s to the 1970s. The company's first model, an Interceptor Mk. 4, was launched in 1932, followed in 1936 by a range of1:72 scalemodel aircraft kits made fromcellulose acetate,which were the world's first.

Polystyrenemodels were introduced in 1955, which offered kits of aircraft, ships and cars in various scales. By the 1970s, Frog's catalogue included a large number of lesser-known aircraft types, manufactured only by the company, as well as a number of ship kits.

The last Frog-branded kits were produced in 1976, whereupon many of the Frog moulds were sold to theSoviet Unionand marketed under theNovoname.

History

Founded in 1931 by Charles Wilmot and Joe Mansour,International Model Aircraft Ltd.(IMA) originally used theFrogbrand name (said to stand for "Flies Right Off the Ground" ) on theInterceptor Mk.4semi-scale rubber-band powered flying model, launched the following year. Also in 1932, a marketing partnership with the toy companyLines Bros Ltd.was formed and other Frog brand flying models followed. In 1936, a range of1:72 scaleaircraft models in kit or pre-built form, moulded incellulose acetate,was launched under theFrog Penguinname (alluding to the non-flying nature of these models). These were the world's first plastic model construction kits. An early release was theNo.21P Empire Flying Boat,issued in 1938.

During theSecond World War,the company produced flying models for target purposes and 1:72 scaleaircraft recognitionmodels. The Penguin range was dropped in 1949 but a new range of Frogpolystyrenekits was introduced in 1955. A wide variety of aircraft, ship and car subjects in various scales were issued during the 1950s and 60s, 1:72 scale being standardised from 1963 onwards for aircraft models.

Production of scale and non-scale flying models continued into the early 1960s.

Frog's 1:72 line-up by the 1970s including a large number of lesser-known aircraft types that were not available from any other model manufacturer at the time, such as theAvro Shackleton,Martin BaltimoreandMaryland,Vultee Vengeance,Curtiss Tomahawk,Blackburn SharkandSkua,Bristol 138andBeaufort,Tupolev SB2,Lavochkin La 7,Supermarine AttackerandScimitar,Armstrong Whitworth Whitley,Gloster Javelin,SAAB Viggen,Grumman OV-1 Mohawk,de Havilland Vampire,Hornet,andDH 110,Dewoitine D.520,Morane Saulnier MS 406,Macchi MC202 Folgore,Fokker D21,Airspeed Oxford,Miles Magister,Miles Master III,Hawker Sea FuryandTempest,Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV,Fairey Gannet,Barracuda,Firefly I,andFairey Delta II,Westland Wyvern,General Aircraft Hotspur,Focke-Wulf Ta 152H,Messerschmitt Me 410,Arado Ar 234,Heinkel He 162,Dornier Do 17z,Dornier Do 335,Heinkel He 219,Gloster E.28/39,North American Mustang II,Vickers Vimy,Ryan NYP "Spirit of St Louis",de Havilland Gypsy Moth "Jason",FokkerSouthern Cross,and theWestland Wallace.

Frog also produced a line of larger-sized aircraft as 1:96 scale models, subjects including theBristol Britannia,Douglas DC-7,Vickers Valiant,Avro Vulcan,Handley Page Victor,de Havilland Comet,and theVickers Viscount.A lone airship model was of theR100.

In addition to aircraft models, Frog also produced a number of ship kits, four examples being the MVShell Weldercoastal oil tanker, theTHLVSouth GoodwinLightship,HMSTiger,and anRNLI lifeboat.

From 1968, Frog issued around 30 ex-Hasegawakits, mostly 1:72 scale modern jet fighters, some 1:32 scale WWII-era fighters and 1:450 scale battleships.^[1]

In France, due to cultural disquiet over the word "frog", these kits were sold and marketed under the "Tri-ang" brand, whilst in North America, for similar reasons, the Frog name was thought unacceptable and the kits were repackaged as "Air Lines" – an allusion to Lines Brothers Ltd – the founders of IMA / Tri-ang.

Demise

In 1971, IMA's parent company, now RovexTri-ang,entered receivership and was acquired by Dunbee-Combex-Marx the following year. During the mid-1970s, some of the Frog kit moulds were transferred to various factories in theSoviet Unionand the kits began to reappear under theNovobrand name. Moulds of Second World WarAxis Powerssubjects were acquired byRevellaround 1977, the Axis types having been declined by Novo. The last Frog-branded kits were produced in 1976. In more recent years, some ex-Frog/Novo kits have been reissued by Revell and various East European manufacturers.

Product Lines

Model subjects produced by Frog over the years include:

Aircraft: 1:72, 1:96, and other scales, covering aircraft from World War I to Cold War era.
Famous Warships: Various scales, mostly World War II era.

In popular culture

On 9 December 2008 on the BBC2 programme "Flog It", a child's walking aid toy, namely a teddy bear on Tri-ang wheels, was shown being auctioned at Calder Valley auction house for the sum of £85.00. On the left flank of the bear is sewn a label stating that it was manufactured by International Model Aircraft Ltd.

References

Notes

^John W. Burns,The Collectors Value Guide for Scale Model Plastic Kits,Sixth Edition, 1994

Bibliography

Lines, Richard and Hellström, Leif.Frog Model Aircraft, 1932–1976.London: New Cavendish Books,1989.ISBN 0-904568-63-6.
Lune, Peter van. "FROG Penguin plastic scale model kits 1936 – 1950". Zwolle, The Netherlands, 2017, published by authorISBN 978-90-9030180-8

External links

[1] John W. Burns,The Collectors Value Guide for Scale Model Plastic Kits,Sixth Edition, 1994

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