Early 1950’s logo
This site is a tribute principally to the plastic scale model aircraft kits produced by Frog from the 1950’s to 1976 and also to the Frog spawn that followed them from the former Soviet Union. Many of these Models are still produced to date a tribute to the skill of the original mould makers. I can still remember in the late 1970’s visiting newsagents around London and the South of England looking for Frog stock, I remember one lucky day when I picked up a ME 410 and Hornet in a shop in Godstone Surrey, I still have them in my collection to this day. I think my first Frog was the Kittyhawk given to me in the early 1960’s for Christmas. My late Father would no doubt have got it from Bec Models in Tooting Bec.
I make no apologies for the occasional nostalgic look at the Penguins and other products from the Merton and later Margate & foreign factories. It is after all part of Frog’s heritage.
I have relied heavily on that wonderful book “Frog Model Aircraft 1932 to 1976” by Richard Lines and Leif Hellstrom published by New Cavendish press in 1989 (now sadly out of print) The book does occasionally appear on ebay and Amazon and if you do not have a copy I can highly recommend trying to obtain one. Since its publication in 1989 the Soviet Union is no more and Countries like Ukraine who became independent states. Young people and the limited number of modellers that existed have moved on and mainstream kits are readily available. Model shops in Kiev and other former Soviet Cities carry the latest releases from companies like Airfix and Tamiya.
Luckily most of the moulds that found their way to the Soviet Union are accounted for with a few exceptions. Most are now back in production with companies like Ark in Moscow and still selling quite well. I am very fortunate enough to own one.
Early Kittyhawk and Zero. It may well be that the Kittyhawk was my first Frog Kit 59 years ago.
One aim of this site is to document the history of the Merton to Moscow deal. This has been made possible by the huge amount of Frog Spawn that still exists. There is something very nostalgic about finding one of the more rare kits in it’s very rough Soviet packing. A large amount of the moulds still exist and were saved by Companies such as ARK. The Donetsk Toy Factory (the largest Toy factory in the former USSR) that was bankrupt in 2003 but still continued to produce toys after this. Sadly the factory is in a conflict zone and was shelled with a loss of life during 2014. A victim of the fighting in the area.
The VC10 F140 complete with Flashing lights
And what’s inside the box….
Other features of the site will be to showcase and discuss both Frog and Frogspawn paperwork (with translations). I am fortunate to own some original plans including the R100 and Whitley as well as some design notes and general items.
Another interesting page is a feature on the F20 Spin-a -prop.
It is hoped in the future to be able to offer for sale Frogspawn direct from the site.
First released in 1962 this is Frog’s Trinity House Lightship
This site is produced in Medyka a beautiful Village in Poland, that is now my home. Please visit our links for other sites of interest. Do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or suggestions you may have via the contact us page
First released by Frog the 707 was produced between 1958 and 1970 a total of 65,000 were produced in Merton. Many more have been produced since. This is the Donetsk Toy Factory version complete with Pan-Am decals
These are I suspect original Frog Pam Aam decals, that would have been sent to the USSR as part of the Frog/Novo deal
No model could of course completed without “Glue” The top example is a 1970’s release and the bottom one is from the late 50’s and marketed as International Model Aircraft with the early logo. (Both are still usable)
Examples of Frog Polystyrene Glue form the 1950’s & 70’s
Still Awaiting restoration. An example of the DH 110 in my collection
The FW 190 is one of the two best selling Frog kits of all time, the other being the early Spitfire. It also holds the record for the most different packaging styles of any Frog Kit. The original mould was cleaned up by AMT in 1968.this is a rare version with the swastika removed, possibly so as to sell on the German market.
A nice example of Frog box art, in this case the Mitchell, note the Gold Token promotion which by collecting the tokens a “Gift” could be obtained.
From a “Loft find” this valiant is in need of restoration and a repaint. Many models were built like this in a hurry I suspect by a young lad in the 1960’s It is intended to leave this model as is as part of Frog’s History.
The person behind this site, all mistakes are of course mine.
Frog Model Aircraft Ltd is registered in Poland Frog Model Aircraft Poland NIP 675-15-29-282, Regon 363239524 Established 2015
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Updated April 2021 © Frog Model Aircraft Polska