Monogram models
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Monogram has been a premier maker of scale models of armor and other military transports, spacecraft, aircraft, ships and cars since its founding 1945. It was formed by two former employees of Comet Kits, Jack Besser and Bob Reder. The company was purchased by Mattel Inc. in the early 1970s.
A misconception has arisen regarding the company's name and status since it was bought by Odyessy Partners of New York in 1986. Later that same summer Odyessy purchased Revell Models of Venice, California. Subsequently Odyessy Partners quietly merged the unprofitable Revell with the highly profitable Monogram and moved all its usable assets to Monogram's Des Plaines, Illinois Plant Number 2. Gradually the Revell name was phased into the product lines due to Revell's world wide brand recognition. The Monogram name is currently used exclusively on the company's high end "Pro Modeler Kits".
During the late 1960s, Monogram and Revell were rivals for the scale model market. Monogram aircraft kits were known for imaginative "operating features", such as a spring-loaded ejection seat on their F-105 Thunderchief model (operated by a tiny plastic tab on the side of the plane) and a tactical nuclear bomb which could be dropped from the RB-66A model, which also featured a moving tailgun turret which allowed the guns to be aimed.
After Revell merged with Monogram, the HQ was established in Northbrook, Illinois.
At the Revell-Monogram plant in Northbrook the hallways are decorated with the framed original box art paintings on the walls and Sheperd Painedioramas under glass. During the late 1970s through the 1980s many Monogram kits came with pamphlets by Paine on how to construct dioramas, in particular the 1/48 scale armor and aircraft. These pamphlets and dioramas were the inspiration to many young model builders to go beyond mere model making and attempt to create art.
In 1978 employees of Monogram models took part in the Niles Township High Schools Career Fair held at the Niles West gymnasium (Skokie, Illinois). Their display was one of the most popular (at least among the male students)[citation needed] as they brought several of the Shep Paine dioramas to the fair.
In May 2007, Hobbico Inc. (Champaign, IL) announced the acquisition of Revell-Monogram LLC. News Release
After the acquisition in 2007 by Hobbico, the long abandoned Monogram HQ/factory in Morton Grove, Illinois was razed to the ground to make way for Townhomes.
Monogram has depicted a prolific number of subjects in model form. The following lists are definitely not all-inclusive:
Aircraft
- 1/48 scale
- A-37 Dragonfly
- Convair F-102A Delta Dagger
- Convair F-106 Delta Dart
- Curtiss P-40C Hawk
- Grumman TBF-1 Avenger
- Junkers Ju-87G Stuka
- Lockheed P-38J/L Lightning
- Lockheed P-80C Shooting Star
- Lockheed F-104C Starfighter
- North American P-51D Mustang
- North American F-86E/F Sabre
- Northrop F-5E Tiger II
- Northrop F-89C/D Scorpion
- Northrop F-89J Scorpion
- North American F-100D Super Sabre
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
- McDonnell F-4C/D Phantom II
- McDonnell F-4E Phantom II
- Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Razorback and Bubble-top
- Republic F-105D Thunderchief
- Republic F-105F Thunderchief
- Republic F-105G Thunderchief
- McDonnell AV-8B Harrier II
- Bell AH-1S Cobra
- Douglas A-4F Skyhawk
- McDonnell F/A-18A Hornet
Cars
- '1/18 scale
- 1/24 scale
- 1/87th scale
http://www.jimdero.com/News2005/FeaturePaineOct9.htm This link is a recent article about Shep Paine.
http://www.commercemarketplace.com/home/CollectAir/Model_Airplanes.html This link is a commercial site selling old kits. There are several old Monogram kits shown.
