Monthly Mail Order Model Building Club of the 1970s

[Brutalform]

Does anyone remember this model building club? My dad ordered it for me probably in 1970 or 1971 or 1972. The models used to come in a regular brown cardboard package, once a month. If I remember correctly, my first kit was the Lunar Moon Module, molded in gray, and the second month I received a Jaguar, molded in red. They seemed pretty difficult at the time, but I was only six or seven. 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Brutalform

[iBorg]

The kits were always Monogram or Revell, before they merged. I used to think they were a Revell thing until I picked up a few Monogram collector's club kits.

[Dave Van]

35 minutes ago, Brutalform said:

Does anyone remember this model building club? My dad ordered it for me probably in 1970 or 1971 or 1972. The models used to come in a regular brown cardboard package, once a month. If I remember correctly, my first kit was the Lunar Moon Module, molded in gray, and the second month I received a Jaguar, molded in red. They seemed pretty difficult at the time, but I was only six or seven. 

The 'Model builders Club' was a Revell deal. I still have the card from old kits where you sent 10 cents for the first model. Revell kits of that era were tough for new builders. 

I bought this glue bomb, rebuilt it....it came from ebay with the Model Builders Club brown box. 

 

[Mike999]

Sounds like the Parents Magazine "Young Model Builders Club." They sent out kits in plain cardboard boxes.  The Revell Columbia space craft was the first YMBC kit, as shown in the ad below.  Your red Jag XKE was probably the Aurora kit. It's also in the ad.

I have an Aurora 1/84 scale USS Tucumcari (the Vietnam-era hydrofoil) in a YMBC box, and have owned other YMBC kits over the years. 

https://clickamericana.com/toys-and-games/join-the-young-model-builders-club-1967

And check out this rarity, found on Worthpoint:  the Aurora 1/25 scale stock-only 1934 Ford from YMBC, molded in gray. I'd love to find one of those at a flea market or thrift store!

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/aurora-1934-stock-ford-kit-569-young-1853498134

Edited March 16, 2020 by Mike999
goof2

[bisc63]

On 3/15/2020 at 2:05 PM, Brutalform said:

Does anyone remember this model building club? My dad ordered it for me probably in 1970 or 1971 or 1972. The models used to come in a regular brown cardboard package, once a month. If I remember correctly, my first kit was the Lunar Moon Module, molded in gray, and the second month I received a Jaguar, molded in red. They seemed pretty difficult at the time, but I was only six or seven. 

Yep, my younger cousin next door was signed up, and I got to help him build. This had nothing to do with Revell or Monogram, and in fact what I remember most is that I had never even heard of most of the kit brands at that time, the one standout exception being Aurora. One of his kits was the Aurora viking ship. This probably where I learned of Pyro, Lindberg, Palmer, and other dirty words.

Several comic books of that time ran the printed ad to get you signed up. You just didn't know what you would be getting!  Ooooh, but you got a sweet set of Pactra'namel paints. I was jealous.

Edited March 18, 2020 by bisc63
added info

[Straightliner59]

Revell did have a modeling club. I think it might have been called ?Revell Master Modeler's Club." I may still have a couple of the old club magazines around here, somewhere.

[Mark]

The Master Modelers Club didn't include kits, it was mainly a magazine.  You also got a t-shirt iron-on with the club logo.  There was one in the early Sixties also, both of them just faded away.

[bisc63]

Yep, the Revell "club" had a cool little magazine, and you gained status by the number and variety of kits you built. I think you had to send in photos of your finished kits, and were then awarded a certificate that was a step toward "Master Modeler" status. I also recall a continuing fiction story that involved some modelers and situations that required specific Revell models to overcome some adversity; the models were built and rendered real by some grand device that allowed the good guys to triumph every time.

[Mike999]

That was fun!  I just went to eBay and searched on "Young Model Builders Club."  All kinds of vintage Aurora, Monogram and Revell kits popped up.  One of the Monogram kits was that 1/24 scale Mercedes 450SL Rally car, recently discussed in another thread. Here's a link to the search:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.Xyoung+model+builders+club.TRS0&_nkw=young+model+builders+club&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=1&_sadis=15&_odkw=ymc&_osacat=1188&_stpos=29672-9125

[Straightliner59]

8 hours ago, Mark said:

The Master Modelers Club didn't include kits, it was mainly a magazine.  You also got a t-shirt iron-on with the club logo.  There was one in the early Sixties also, both of them just faded away.

Yep! I have all four of the magazines, from the year I was a member.

[Ironman63]

On 3/15/2020 at 3:05 PM, Brutalform said:

Does anyone remember this model building club? My dad ordered it for me probably in 1970 or 1971 or 1972. The models used to come in a regular brown cardboard package, once a month. If I remember correctly, my first kit was the Lunar Moon Module, molded in gray, and the second month I received a Jaguar, molded in red. They seemed pretty difficult at the time, but I was only six or seven. 

I was.  I remember getting a Sherman tank, a Stuka dive bomber and a Suzuki motorcycle that was not beginner friendly.  But it was always fun checking the mail to see if I had a kit and then the fun of opening it to see what was inside.  

[Brutalform]

Too bad something like that club wouldn’t do too good today. I’d get on board with it, but back in the day, it was most likely aimed at the younger builders. 
 

Also another thought.... not necessarily model related, but, I remember a decent looking plastic  car of smaller scale, possibly 1/32, or a bit smaller, that was attached to either Downy fabric softener, or some other detergent in a plastic bottle, in the late 60s or early 70s. They were attached to the side of the bottle, and held with shrink wrap, or cellophane. I remember a Torino, that had a light green metallic colored plastic, with a grayish silver bumpers and one piece under carriage. I’ve searched online for a picture of one, and came up with nothing. 
 

[Rodent]

8 minutes ago, Brutalform said:

Also another thought.... not necessarily model related, but, I remember a decent looking plastic  car of smaller scale, possibly 1/32, or a bit smaller, that was attached to either Downy fabric softener, or some other detergent in a plastic bottle, in the late 60s or early 70s. They were attached to the side of the bottle, and held with shrink wrap, or cellophane. I remember a Torino, that had a light green metallic colored plastic, with a grayish silver bumpers and one piece under carriage. I’ve searched online for a picture of one, and came up with nothing. 

Yeah, it was a 70 or 71. I had a yellow one. IIRC there were several choices, like a Mustang, Montego, maybe a Mavewreck. I don't remember which soap it came on.

[Brutalform]

18 minutes ago, Rodent said:

Yeah, it was a 70 or 71. I had a yellow one. IIRC there were several choices, like a Mustang, Montego, maybe a Mavewreck. I don't remember which soap it came on.

They were definitely cool. I searched on eBay, online, and just about every soap manufacturer I could think of. I’d love to find a couple of these old toys. 

[Mr mopar]

I remember that Revell club , I got four kits from them  some kind of chopper bike ,Deals Wheels & two other cars ,to bad it did not last long .

[Casey]

 

 

[Jeff_G]

OMG! I know it looks like a few years since anyone's responded to this thread, but I was a member of one such club growing up in the 70s. My father got me into it. It provided a number of different models - cars, military vessels, ships (I had a Viking ship), jets, spacecraft, etc.

I received one model from that club that my dog chewed up and I've been searching for another ever since. I believe it was a jet (may have been a spaceship) which looked similar to a stealth jet. It was molded in a dark brown plastic and had a yellow translucent window at the cockpit. What really stood out about this model is that it had a smaller version of the jet which fit inside a docking bay at the rear. You could pop it in and out. It's the only piece I have left.

If anyone knows where I might be able to find one, I would appreciate it. I've searched Ebay, but I come up empty-handed.

[bisc63]

On 8/20/2024 at 6:31 PM, Jeff_G said:

You could pop it in and out. It's the only piece I have left.

Can you post a picture of that, please? It sounds familiar, and might help jog some memories!

[Can-Con]

On 8/20/2024 at 8:31 PM, Jeff_G said:

OMG! I know it looks like a few years since anyone's responded to this thread, but I was a member of one such club growing up in the 70s. My father got me into it. It provided a number of different models - cars, military vessels, ships (I had a Viking ship), jets, spacecraft, etc.

I received one model from that club that my dog chewed up and I've been searching for another ever since. I believe it was a jet (may have been a spaceship) which looked similar to a stealth jet. It was molded in a dark brown plastic and had a yellow translucent window at the cockpit. What really stood out about this model is that it had a smaller version of the jet which fit inside a docking bay at the rear. You could pop it in and out. It's the only piece I have left.

If anyone knows where I might be able to find one, I would appreciate it. I've searched Ebay, but I come up empty-handed.

Aurora "Ragnarok Orbital Interceptor" 

I had one too but mine was missing one 1/2 of the fuselage. I too would like to have another but very rare kit and goes for big money. You think an original issue '70 GTX or Road Runner is expensive? They got nothing on this thing. There's one on e-bay right now , they're asking almost $400 for it but there is another one with a BIN of $175.

 

 

It was based on this kit. Just different decals and color of plastic though. This one is on the bay with a BIN of $378.44 right now.

[Straightliner59]

These are the issues I have of "Get It Together", the publication of the Revell Master Modelers' Club. These are Spring and Summer of '73, and Winter and Spring of '74. The centerspread was always the list of modelers of various "skill levels".

Edited August 25, 2024 by Straightliner59

[Bainford]

1 hour ago, Straightliner59 said:

These are the issues I have of "Get It Together", the publication of the Revell Master Modelers' Club. These are Spring and Summer of '73, and Winter and Spring of '74. The centerspread was always the list of modelers of various "skill levels".

Danial, that is super cool. I thought these were the neatest things when I was a kid. Here are the ones I still have. 



 

And I have this thumbtacked to the wall above my bench. 

 

Pete Miller cartoon, Back cover of Vol. 1 No. 1

[Straightliner59]

Trevor, now this is neat! I never got any of the certificates. I think you're the first one I've "met"! Cool! Thanks for sharing these photos!

Edited August 25, 2024 by Straightliner59

[Bainford]

12 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Trevor, now this is neat! I never got any of the certificates. I think you're the first one I've "met"! Cool! Thanks for sharing these photos!

Cheers Daniel! It was never made clear exactly what rights, benefits, and privileges I was entitled to. 
 

The Revell Master Modellers Club was a cool deal in its day. I was nine when I joined, and was very excited the day the membership package arrived in the mail. Neat stuff, except for the complimentary 'tool kit' which was merely preparation for life's disappointments. Do you remember those. A sprue of soft red plastic 'clamps', putty spatula, glue applicator, etc. The very definition of useless. 

Edited August 25, 2024 by Bainford

[vamach1]

1 hour ago, Bainford said:

Cheers Daniel! It was never made clear exactly what rights, benefits, and privileges I was entitled to. 
 

The Revell Master Modellers Club was a cool deal in its day. I was nine when I joined, and was very excited the day the membership package arrived in the mail. Neat stuff, except for the complimentary 'tool kit' which was merely preparation for life's disappointments. Do you remember those. A sprue of soft red plastic 'clamps', putty spatula, glue applicator, etc. The very definition of useless. 

I found the plastic tooth pick to be a great tool for applying a tiny drop of paint to interior knobs and such long before there were photo-etch parts.  If was stiffer than a brush and could be thinned down to a very fine point.  I suppose any plastic flossing pick would serve the same purpose.

[Straightliner59]

14 hours ago, Bainford said:

Cheers Daniel! It was never made clear exactly what rights, benefits, and privileges I was entitled to. 
 

The Revell Master Modellers Club was a cool deal in its day. I was nine when I joined, and was very excited the day the membership package arrived in the mail. Neat stuff, except for the complimentary 'tool kit' which was merely preparation for life's disappointments. Do you remember those. A sprue of soft red plastic 'clamps', putty spatula, glue applicator, etc. The very definition of useless. 

I remember those tools. Those clamps were absolutely worthless! The spatula and glue applicator at least stood a chance of sort of accomplishing what they were supposed to. I was thirteen, when I signed up. Not too long ago, I picked up an original issue of Revell's 240Z. It still has the card for club, and a sweepstakes entry, in the box! Just seeing the box was nicely nostalgic. Finding the inserts really got the "feels" going! 

the complimentary 'tool kit' which was merely preparation for life's disappointments.?

That's great! Cracked me right up!