1/40 159 SNAP Hawk Missile Carrier - (ex Adams)
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good+
Rare early 1960s model from the original 1950s Adams molds. Well molded and detailed for that time featuring three Hawk Missiles, movable wheels and flexible tracks, elevating lift & supports, three figures and decals. Molded in gloss white and dark olive drab plastic. Never started and all parts and decals are still in the original factory-sealed bag. With instructions. These molds must have had a very interesting history. The molds were cut in 1955 or 1956, either at Adams or by one of Revell's contractors. It appeared to be part of the Adams/Revell 1/40 line but Revell never issued the kit. The famous HO model train manufacturer Athearn purchased the Adams molds. Ahtearn used the name SNAP for all plastic kit releases and slightly modified the molds by adding their name (SNAP) & logo to a part (or two) of each kit. This Hawk Missile Carrier kit is made in the USA but is actually a SNAP export to Canada; the importer was 'International Games of Canada Limited' in 'New Toronto Ontario.' They used a silver overprint to block out the kit number and pric extension and then added '#159 in Canada.' Then UPC (Universal Power Master) either leased or purchased (probably the former) the Adams molds from SNAP in the 1960s. While most UPC kits say 'Made in Japan' the ex-Adams models do not and say 'Made in USA'. Things get even more interesting with the Life-Like issue. How Life-Like came across the molds is unfortunately unknown but it may have been in a bulk purchase of molds from Athearn since there were in the same general part of the country. This is simply conjecture, however.
$59.00