I have a Type 2 1/72 Westland S.55 Whirlwind Helicopter that had French instructions and return slip stapled to the back of the header. A glue capsule was also included. The English return slip dates the kit to 1960.

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

I think it must have been compulsory "at times" to have French instructions on kits sold in France. I have never seen such stapled on bags but I recall having them in some of the boxed items I got when I begun modelling in 1972. However by that time many kits were already with trilingual instructions.
I would think that most of the pre-full colour art had the French instruction slip. the FRYD (they were the Airfix agent here until 1981) lost part slip however is new to me.

I shall have a look in my archives for French instructions but I fear I did not keep many, I only kept the "real" stuff. Same goes for Revell they had (much better printed) French/Flemish instructions in many kits up to the late seventies (when CEJI took over !!!!) but I did not keep many....I remember using some to cut pilot straps in them or even painting them black to block the view underneath 1/35 tanks motor grids!!!

JCC

as promised I had a look in my archives but I found only one the NA39



JCC

There's also a French T2 Beaufighter, I ebayed one some time ago thanks to a tip by someone here, maybe JC ?

Interesting thread. Thanks for bumping it, Claus.

Am I right in thinking that after Fryd stopped manufacturing Airfix kits in France they remained as the brand's distributors until the Palitoy takeover?

Sean

I think so. Even after the collapse, they sold a large quantity of Airfix kits when they flooded Prisunic stores with Tomy blisters that had photocopied text-only instructions stapled to them (in French), presumably warehouse stock sold by the receivers. JC mentioned one a couple of weeks ago, as did I in the Fryd thread. At the same time, Prisunic also stcked Esci kits featuring the same Fryd sticker. Ahhh, childhood holiday memories...

Revival of an old thread..
I have a Mig 15 in the type 2 bag,french edition,in dark green plastic,french complaint slip and glue capsule.No hole in the header and only two staples.Were the kits actually moulded in France?On the header it states "Fabriquè en France",but the header is printed in England and the display stand is the usual oval one "made in england".
JCC,any comments?

Luciano

I have also a Me 110 in the type 2 bag..

Luciano

Even if they had been manufactured in England, the glue capsule in S. 1 kits is a pointer to the packing having taken place in France - contrary to the practice with Plasty, who obtained bagged kits without headers and stapled theirs to the bags, as long as they used their own ones.
It would be most interesting to know if this manufacturing abroad was the cause for even some of the larger kits having two or more moulds. I think this applies at least to the Beau, which IIRC has letter codes ("A", "B") to the large parts. This then also would have facilitated the shipment of moulds to the US at least in the early 60s. But then Craftmaster etc. apparently had about the complete Airfix range in their programme, so some none duplicated moulds also must have been shipped. My US version Do 217 is in a very different plastic - silver, much harder/brittle with less rubber compound - so most likely moulded in the US.