Novoexport
V/O Novoexport, Bashitovskaya 19. Moscow 103287, USSR
Period: (1976 to date)
Novoexport is one of several state-owned Soviet export organisations, each specialising in a different type of merchandise, with Novoexport handling all sales of toys and similar goods.
Apart from the role played in connection with Novo (which see), Novoexport also had - and probably still has -an ambition to export kits produced from the old Frog moulds under their own name.
The first attempt took place in the mid-1970s, parallel to the introduction of Novo kits. Novoexport expressed a desire to export kits under their own name while simultaneously supplying kits to Novo. Novo had no objections and helped print a test batch of some 2,000 pieces each of fifteen header cards. No new instruction sheets were made, however. The cards were basically identical to those used by Novo, but with a red rather than blue border and a new logotype. However, Novoexport soon fell behind with their deliveries to Novo and, to ensure that no part of the Soviet production was diverted to other outlets, Novo refused to supply further header cards. The initial batch was never used commercially, but some cards have since surfaced from east Europe with Novo instructions and newly produced kits.
Attempt number two was initiated in September 1982, when contact was established with Capital Model Supply, a London hobby shop since gone bankrupt. After lengthy discussions a range of 24 kits was agreed upon (although the 1/96 scale Lancaster was later dropped) and by August 1984 a contract - giving CMS exclusive distribution rights -had been drawn up. However, at this point the financiers finally became aware of the true economic situation of CMS and consequently pulled out - only 48 hours before the contract with Novoexport was due to be signed!
Since no instruction sheets were printed for the first group, these kits have also been marked as projects only.
The observant reader will have noted that the last nine kits in the second group have numbers different from the Novo issues. These numbers are shown on a recent Soviet list and would in all probability have been used on the kits in question, had they been released.
2nd group
| + | 78140 | B.A.C. Lightning F.6/53 |
FROG model aircraft 1932-1976, R. Lines, L. Hellstrom
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