SPA Modeler

Does anyone have any information on these companies? Looking at a couple of Grumman flying boats from them.

Glencoe is old. I've got one of their kits (a US Navy blimp) and it's terrible. Blimp with raised detail, and the halves don't even line up. I guess think Lindberg and you're in the ballpark.

Classic Airframes is a short run producer. Mixed media. I've never built or even bought one because the price-to-quality ratio strikes me as ridiculous, but I've heard horror stories from those who've tackled them.

Doogs and Jim, thanks. That is good to know. The Glencoe is the J2F-2 Duck and the CA is the Widgeon. Haven't seen much out there on the Grumman boats.

Accordeons to this review the Glencoe kit is old ITC (?) and actually scales out to 1/54 (?).

The reviewer then goes on to recommending this kit......primarily on the basis that it excist.

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/ ... 4101.shtml

I saw that one. There is also a pretty decent review of the Widgeon kit, too.

Speaking of Lindburg.....They do make a Grumman Goose. It's a bad kit but it's cheap and can made to look decent.

So the choices are either old but cheap kits or new expensive short run kits. Though choice.

The OA-9 is already on order and should be here this week. I bought the Duck yesterday for 9.95 on ebay and am watching a Wideon for 19.95 on ebay as well. At my current state of building, i'd rather go cheap than expensive.

Glencoe bough up OLD molds from various other companies, may or may not have cleaned them up, and re issued the kits in new boxings with new decal sheets. Usually for a very low price. In their favor, the decals are often worth the cost of the kit (as long as they are not being sold for "collecters" prices by certain folks on various online sites. The downside is that the kits and molds are usually from the 60s and before. Very much vintage.