Announcement 

We have had to take the difficult decision to close this site, due to various reasons, including the hacking of the site from Russia. Also the site is 15 years old.
Various updates will appear from time to time on the Medykabahn site.

Thank you to all the visitors who have supported us over the years. If you require any further information please use the contact us page. 04 May 2024

On the 24th February 2022 the unthinkable happened. Russia attacked Ukraine, bombs rained down on Kyiv and other major cities in Ukraine. This act of aggression by Russia sparked the largest refugee crisis in Europe since WW2

Poland immediately opened its borders to these innocent people mostly women ,children and the elderly . Medyka is the main crossing point for these people. Within hours the village school’s Sports Hall had been converted in to a welcoming point where food, clothing and a place to rest had been set up. The centre has now closed and arriving guests are helped with onward travel within Europe

Residents of Medyka opened their homes to families and did whatever they could to help. The situation is still ongoing and the people of Medyka will continue to help these people in their hour of need. This of course is being repeated all over Poland.

 Over 18.3 million people have crossed the Polish border. The hearts of the Polish Nation are open to those in need.

 

Update January 2024

Nearly 700 days and this War still continues. Rockets and drones still fall on Kyiv with the loss of life. Here in Medyka people are still crossing into Poland and receive help and a warm welcome. Russia’s latest terror tactic is to bomb critical infrastructure with rockets and drones, causing the loss of power and water.

 When will this time of madness end? So far over 18 million people have crossed into Poland

The President of Poland Andrzej Duda has said the people arriving from Ukraine are not refugees but our guests. Again I say “Thank you Poland” Since this time of madness started I am hosting 3 extra guests including a one year old baby. On a personal note living very close to the border I have witnessed first hand these events as they unfold. I have seen totally traumatised people who have had to flee their homes in just the clothes the stand up in. Back in February Medyka was still in the grip of winter. One thing I will always remember is the humanity of the Polish people, from the Guy’s and Girls of the uniformed services to the ordinary people, everyone has done their bit to help. A recent poll of the Polish people shows over 90% in favour of helping. I am truly proud to be part of the Polish Nation. As the Prime minister said recently  “If Russia were ever to consider attacking Poland, Russia must be aware, the Kremlin must be aware, that in Poland there are 40 million people ready to take up arms in defense of their homeland,” Let us hope this never

happens but if it does we will face the challenges to come. GOD BLESS POLAND

His Holiness Pope Francis, recently said of Ukraine:

“We renew our closeness to the tormented Ukrainian people, persevering in prayer for our brothers and sisters who suffer greatly.”

On a personal note, this site is not being updated as often as I would like. This is due to my involvement in helping the people from Ukraine. Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

Thank you Poland Video © Polish Border Guards

 

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I was terribly saddened to learn of the death of Valery Grigorenko the great aviation artist best known for his fantastic box top illustrations of Roden Models. Valery was a victim of the War started by the demented individuals in the Kremlin.

To my friends at Roden I offer my deepest sympathy 

His memory will continue to live on with Roden who’s models will be his memorial. We have truly lost a very talented man.

May his soul rest in peace and his memory be a blessing.  God protect Ukraine. 

 

Our shop in Przemyśl proudly flying both the Polish and Ukrainian flags

 

 

“With Glue and paint all over your fingers and the rush to finish the latest Frog offering the finished article is complete with huge gaps and finger prints on the transparencies and blobs of wet paint”

For many of us who read this it will have struck a chord. Our earliest modelling experiences were as youngsters who on a Saturday morning pocket money in hand would rush to buy the latest Models. The name Frog conjures up memories of these trips for the latest offering from Frog or even maybe Airfix. Interestingly both the Frog and Airfix factories were less than 4 miles apart. Frog in Merton London S.W.19 and Airfix in Wandsworth London S.W.18. Amazingly many of the original moulds continue to be used to this day.

The poor model would either end up hanging from the ceiling or be destroyed in a mock dog fight.

This together with the subsequent parental wrath for getting glue & paint on our clothes, the kitchen table, pets, sisters etc. Plus the odd visit to the local hospital having sliced into a thumb instead of plastic.

These early experiences with model aircraft also taught us about aircraft & aviation.  The early style narrative instructions (place the DF loop on the top of the fuselage) encouraged us to learn about the real thing.  How many careers in aviation did these models launch?  Years later many have returned to the gentle art of modelling  having found marriage, mortgages careers and other interests on the way.

To a lot of us it is a sense of nostalgic warmth, a comfort blanket to harp back to the ‘good old days’ when we made that first model. Can you imagine the reaction of today’s youth being given a Frog model and being told to use a sharp knife , toxic cement and a hot screwdriver?  Health and safety would have a fit..  I am afraid Frog cannot compete with the latest XBox or online game. This site is a chance to wallow in nostalgia and remember those day’s when life was just that bit simpler.  You never know this site may even encourage you to build. So instead of adding to that expensive loft insulation why not take that trip down memory lane and build that early Frog kit, after all that is what it was produced for. You may even enjoy the experience. But don’t forget you had no Airbrush, liquid glues or after market parts to help you then. I will bet that the end result will be nothing like the previous attempt.  Above all welcome to the site and enjoy browsing. Did you know that 2 famous names were involved with Frog? Both Neville Shute Norway the famous author who designed Gliders in WW2 at the International Model Aircraft Factory in Merton and Sir Barnes Wallis who advised on the R100 model (F128)

 

 

 

The original Transfer Drawing (Decals) for the R100. This drawing is dated 17th November 1964, and was drawn by W H Willmott as drawing number F128T. It is interesting to note that a “Picture Transfer” (Which was included in the “Trail Blazer” series) was also produced . Attached to the drawing is a Print on plastic, which I assume is the proof for printing. Nearly Sixty years later, the Mould is still being used in Russia. A tribute to the mould makers at Frog.

Among others I hold the Original plans for the Whitley which also is still in production. I hope eventually to put all the plans on the site.

 

An example of the Transfers (Decals) from a Frog R100 in my collection. I never quite understood what the Transfer Picture was for, it is of a similar design to cigarette cards issued at the time. Each “Trail Blazer” Kit contained one. 

 

Introduction to the site

The aim of this site is to document the plastic models produced by FROG from the period of the 1950’s to 1976 as well as the Frog spawn that followed. For those who are interested in the earlier history of Frog and Penguins other than the two features I have included on the site I would recommend the Frog Penguin site at frogpenguin.com. Although the title say’s Frog Model Aircraft both ships and cars are of course included as well as pages on Airfix and Revell from the same period.  Interestingly Airfix have released a Whitley and Shackleton in 2015 both of which were Frog subjects. The Airfix offerings are of course far more refined.  Up until now the Frog versions were the only game in town, and both models stood the test of time and build in to reasonable models. Both are still available.

The site was first created in April 2011 and it’s home is opposite the 18th Century  railway station of  Przemysl  a beautiful Polish City that is over a thousand years old.  If anybody would like to contribute to the content of the site please get in touch. Thank you for your visit and above all enjoy the hobby.

Just a quick note about copyright and sources. All photo’s & models except where credited are from my own collection. Illustrations of period newspapers are the copyright of the publications named and are reproduced with permission. They should not be copied. I have relied heavily on Richard Lines and Leif Hellstrom’s amazing book Frog Model Aircraft 1932-1976 published by New Cavendish books in 1989 a title that every Frog Enthusiast should own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work is underway on a new book “Merton to Moscow” which will carry on from Richard Lines and Leif Hellstrom’s amazing book Frog Model Aircraft 1932-1976 it will bring the Frog story right up to date and of course cover the many varieties of “Frog Spawn” The title will be published in both English and Polish and will initially be available as an “E Book ” on Amazon. It will include memories of Russian & Ukrainian workers as well as some very rare illustrations. I would be pleased to hear from anyone connected with International Model Aircraft both in the UK and Triang in the UK and France, not forgetting our American friends and Air-Lines. Please use the “Contact us page” if you can help…. Thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Frog Model Aircraft Medyka  January 2024