Now here is a walk down memory lane. The beloved and bemoaned 1958 Aurora Gotha Bomber. Once bringing collectors prices for $550.00 at places like the Kit Collector''s Clearing House back in 1980. Way before the internet came into our homes. All sales were done snail mail. Later is went through four reissues. Here our Man Fred (love those old kits) Boucher cracks the box on one from the top of the stash in the hall closet and we can see it as it was.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Hi Stephen:

Thanks for posting Fred Boucher's review. I have seen these built and it builds into an impressive model, just SOB. I have a couple, but doubt I will ever build one, maybe. The original release was in the metallic dark red like their triplane. Considering the age of the mold, and the time it was first released, what would one expect? Detail lacking, out of scale bits and pieces, but one must give Aurora credit, they put the darn thing out there, no one else had one.

Best
Mark

Very interesting article which leaves me wanting more!Question?Are there any good sites for people interested in collecting old kits?And what do the good folks here on this forum,think about todays kit's that will become golden oldie's.

I had a couple of early Eduard Hannovers that i accidently threw away during a house move

AAaarrggghhh!!!!! the pain. . . .

Hi Greenonions,

www.rare-planedetective.com advertises on this site, and www.oldmodelkits.com is whom kindly allowed me to use the box art.

Thanks for sharing the review with us Fred , nicely done .

Thank you for sharing this time capsule; personally, that model along with their original D VIII, was responsible for kindling in me a lifelong fascination with World War I aviation and still to this day, brings a Cheshire cat’s size grin to my face.OMG, I remember my father showing me an advisement in a hunting magazine announcing its release. I was perhaps seven at the time and instantly obsessed. I was too young to build it, so my father built it with me watching on the kitchen table. When I was a few years older I pestered my dad to buy me that model again so I could build it. I could go on and on, but I would just be boring you all. Wow what memories, thanks again.

Greetings Thomas,

Just so you know that kind of "boring" talk is what we are all about here. Please Have a cup of your favorite beverage and take that open seat. Steward another setting please. Now Thomas tell us more.

Thanks Stephen, I know as you so correctly point out, the accuracy of those first Aurora World War I kits left much to be desired. But to a kid modeling for the first time in the early sixties, they did for me, capture the spirit of those early warplanes. I remember finishing the Aurora SE 5 and falling in love with the most beautiful sight lines this side of Marilyn Monroe. Later as I grew older graduated to the more realistic Monogram Corsairs and Hellcats, these kits were relegated to the back of the pile or worse, simple black powder experiments. I see them all from time to time for sale on EBAY and can’t help but smile with fondness. Thanks once again

Hi All,

Thanks for the enjoyment!

What kit would you like to see next, the Aurora F2B Bristol Fighter, or the Breguet 14?

Thanks for doing the review. I would like to see the Breguet 14.

Best
Mark

Fred,
Being a longtime fan of Aurora WW I kits myself thanks for posting the Gotha review. I was surprised to see two of my projects in the photos,the Gotha G.V and the G.IV conversion. I'll echo Mark here I'd love to see your take on the Breguet 14b.


Regards,
Gregory Jouette

I picked one up back in the 80's still in box looking for the right time to build it

Actually the Gotha is accurate to the drawings it was designed with. These drawings were produced by William Wylam and others for Model Airplane News, http://www.modelairplanenews.com/ME2/Default.asp , in the 1940/1950s decades. These drawings were done to the best available data (Photos and archives such as Janes, Flight, and Aeroplane).

I happen to have the drawings for the Gotha and they match closely to my Aurora Gotha, as does the F2B and the Fokker D VII, D VIII, and DR I, etc. disparaging remarks aside, the effort spent by Aurora was outstanding and the models were fun to build for this 8-10 year old even 50 years on.

It looks like a Gotha! It may be far from perfect, but I am still happy to have one. 1972 molding on my self. Hard build BTW.

Enjoy

Thanks for this article. I have one of the original Gotha bomber modeling in the metallic red (which you can actually see through) with the raised decal locations. I put it together as a teenager back in the 50s with little painting. I dropped a few years back and managed to retrieve all the parts and put them in a box until I retired. Now I'm trying to rebuild it and fixing the problems mentioned in your article as I rebuild. The article was a great help, especially the diagram showing the model and the part sprues. The latter tell me which parts I may have to scratch build. Take care