# Models with motors



## spawndude (Nov 28, 2007)

In the 60's there was at least one model company that included electric motors or the parts to make an electric motor to power your model. 

Anyone remember these?

I wanna say it was Lindberg.

It could also have been a Japanese company.


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## clausheupel (Jan 27, 2005)

*Wasn´t that Tamiya?*

I remember building a couple 1/24 kits in the early 1980´s (I had a Citroen 2CV as well as a Toyota Land Cruiser) with a small can motor (Mabuchi) powered by 2 AA batteries.

If memory serves me well those kits were made by Tamiya. 

Greetings from Germany,

Claus


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## Daikaiju1 (Apr 26, 2005)

The Lindberg F104 that I have has parts in it to assemble your own electric motor, to make a fake Jet Sound thingy to go inside it. It has 1968 on the box.


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## Spockr (Sep 14, 2009)

One of them *was* Lindberg. I had a battle ship or destroyer that came with a motor which IIRC ran from a single AA battery. I don't know if all the ships in this line were the same but on the one I had you had to wind the wire around the motor armature. From what I remember it was a challenging and tedious process for my 8-9 year old self but my dad helped get me through it. :thumbsup: It was really exciting when I fired it up for the first time and the motor actually worked! :dude:

Once the motor, drive shaft and propeller were installed the directions said to pack it with Vaseline so water wouldn't get in the engine compartment. Sadly I didn't do this step very well and the motor got wet pretty quickly. A puff of smoke and that was all she wrote for that motor. It was an interesting experience though and would go better if I were to do it again with adult skills.

This isn't the one I had but the motor looks the same:
http://oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=18412&page=32

Another example:
http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=17325

Thanks for bringing back old memories!

Regards,
MattL


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## gomanvongo (Jun 12, 2010)

I had the Lindberg model T with electric motor when I was younger - had to wind the armature in that one, same as the ships. I remember doing it as a project to get a badge in Cubs, but I don't remember what ever happened to the car...

I also have a couple of unbuilt Tamayias with motors. The only one I can find right off is a VW golf mark 1 (or Rabbit, if you prefer), but lot of the older tamayias came with the pieces to set them up for a motor - I have a lancia that has a battery box, and gears on the axle, but the kit required I buy the motor as an ad-on.

john


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## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

I believe Monogram had a few motorized kits as well. The 1/24 bucket T rod and of course the visible P-51 Mustang.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I had a Lindberg Stearman PT-17 trainer with a motorized prop.

The Monogram 1/72 B-52 had a "jet noise" sound effect electric motor.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

I have a Lindberg Tug boat with motor.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

In the 60s a lot of companies added motors to non-motorized kits. Was a huge fad... Lindberg usually included a kit motor - you got two plastic halves for the casing, some magnets, pieces to make the comm and winding wire, etc. You were really lucky if you got it to run. They used the same motor in planes, ships, cars... The worst kit was the b-17 because you had to build 4 motors and get them all to run. Revell, Monogram etc. also had motorized kits but the motor was pre-assembled.


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## Model Man (Oct 1, 2007)

Spockr said:


> One of them *was* Lindberg. I had a battle ship or destroyer that came with a motor which IIRC ran from a single AA battery.


It might have been the Blue Devil Destroyer.


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## Tomtom (Jun 10, 2009)

Everybody had motors-Lindberg one of the few youhad to assemble. Mine did not work.

Hawk HH-43 Kaman helicopter originally had the intermeshing rotors motorized,Revell 1/40 tamks came with and without motor. The Allison Engine was motorized.
Monogram had the P-51 mentioned and the Cyclone engine motorized.
Almost all Japanese models were /or could be motorized,
Faller planes could be motorized,with a veru skinny motor. They had extensive lines of windmills/watermills kits that also were designed for a railroad layout for motos to run a pump/blades for action layout


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

As a kid, I was given a Lindberg "Goofy Klock". It was a motorized monstrosity that was more difficult to assemble than Mr. Machine. I don't believe I ever finished the dratted thing.


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## SpaceCrawler (Mar 22, 2010)

In the 70s a company made some dinosaur kits with motors in them to make them walk. I had a few (located in the US). Anyone recall these kits or the manufacturer?

Sean


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Bandai had some clock work walking Dinosaurs... they sucked big time too. I had some in the early 70s although I think they were out in the 60s.


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## spawndude (Nov 28, 2007)

Thanks for all the replys.

Seeing that picture of the motor on the box brought back many memories.

I never did get any of the motors to work as I didn't have any idea what the heck I was doing. I kinda remember the parts being very oily and messy. Seems like they came in a cellophane type bag. The last several motors were just left in the bags.

I do remember the part about covering the motor in vaseline. One Sunday after getting home from church I got several "globs" of vaseline on my new "church only" white dress shirt. Stain never did come out.

SpockR you actually answered two of my questions! I've have that PT boat in a box of old broken models/parts. The only thing remaining is the hull and deck, all parts are missing. I dont remember buying/building this kit but obviously I must have. I've always wondered what it was!


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## John F (May 31, 2001)

I had a motorized PT109 from Lindberg, iirc, but the prop was warped and I ruined it trying to heat it back in to shape.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Daikaiju1 said:


> The Lindberg F104 that I have has parts in it to assemble your own electric motor, to make a fake Jet Sound thingy to go inside it. It has 1968 on the box.


I had the same kit as a kid. I didn't do a very good job building the motor though. It only worked for a little while.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

djnick66 said:


> Bandai had some clock work walking Dinosaurs... they sucked big time too. I had some in the early 70s although I think they were out in the 60s.


They didn't suck.
I still buy and build them 
http://www.tylisaari.com/models/dino/bandai/bandai.htm

Fun little kits, if you don't take them too seriously.
One of the things that really surprises me, is how well the parts fit.


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## Duff Miver (Dec 18, 2007)

Don't forget Monogram's Flap Jack ! It has a motor to turn the prop, machine guns, and the flapping wings. Fun kit !


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## Duff Miver (Dec 18, 2007)

And then there was Revell's Goodyear blimp. It has lights and a motor to turn the message cylinder. Mine still works after 30 years... got a mint sealed one on display as well.


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## SpaceCrawler (Mar 22, 2010)

TAY666 said:


> They didn't suck.
> I still buy and build them
> http://www.tylisaari.com/models/dino/bandai/bandai.htm
> 
> ...


I have been trying to figure out who did these kits for a little while but these Bandai kits don't really look familiar to me. Does anyone know if another company make dinosaurs with similar motors in them in the 70s?

Sean


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

TAY666 said:


> They didn't suck.
> I still buy and build them
> http://www.tylisaari.com/models/dino/bandai/bandai.htm
> 
> ...


as far as accuracy goes - they suck. The styracosaur's nose looks like a screw. And the Tyrannosaurus has a head shaped like Charlie Brown. As a kid I had two or three. They did not walk very well either even when you put the funny little rubber tubes into their feet for traction.

As much as I didn't like these kits, the Bandai walking insects were way cool. All six legs moved and they were a blast.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

SpaceCrawler said:


> I have been trying to figure out who did these kits for a little while but these Bandai kits don't really look familiar to me. Does anyone know if another company make dinosaurs with similar motors in them in the 70s?
> 
> Sean


I know those Bandai kits were available in the 70's.
I got one on a shopping trip to a department store with my aunt.
Would have been probably 74-75-ish when I got it/
I know at the time, the only other dino kits I knew of, were the Aurora and Pyro kits.
Neither of which had motors.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I can't think of any other motorized dinosaur model kits... at least not from that time period.


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## Stoney-VA (Oct 19, 2011)

Don't forget the old Monogram Flapjack, which was a cartoonish fighter plane that flapped it wings as the propeller spun and the machine guns moved in and out. I still have one of these that works.

Here's a video..http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5713594682/

I had one of the Goodyear Blimp models many years ago and it was a fun kit. You could do a lot of neat things with the moving signs.


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## DataVision (Nov 4, 2014)

*Models with motors rule!*

I always loved when I got models that came with motors. I would get many from Lindberg in which some had the motor kit. Never could get one to work. I often thought that they were poorly engineered. I recently bought a bunch of kits from eBay (over several years). I built the X3 Stiletto that had the motor kit. I was very careful and used solder for the winding connection, scraped the wire etc.. It didn't work initially, was somewhat frustrated. Started troubleshooting and found that the brushes were not making good contact. This took some time to get right, trial and error. Once corrected, I found that the motor runs strong and fast. It is good design, I have ran it for several hours and have a nice "jet sound" out of the model. I also added LEDs in the nose to illuminate the cockpit. Success, felt great! Looking forward to building several more motors. I have the B-17 with (4) motors, also saw on eBay where a lighting kit was offered in the past. They want $80 for it though, will probably do one myself. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## DataVision (Nov 4, 2014)

I have one of the Goofy Clock. I also have (2) of the Lindberg "Brain Buster". The Brain Buster, as the Goofy Clock, has a lot of operating features. Both are tuff to find and bid on and can get up there in bidding wars. I was lucky on the Brain Buster and didn't have to go too high and were really nice unassembled examples.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

_Oh, Spawndude_, did you ever stir up an old memory! Not so good a one, IIRC either. My 'Sunday Clothes' were ruined not with Vaseline, but paint! Got my butt beat over that one. I told...whack....you....whack....to....whack....change....whack....your....whack....clothes....whack......first.....whack, whack, whack. Yeah, those were the days.

_Still sit down cautiously to this day...._ *'MOTHERS'!!*  Never had a sense of humor.

Carl-


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## jimkirk (May 27, 2010)

My Grandfather gave both me and my Uncle a Revell Visible V8 Engine.
It used a motor to turn the crank at the flywheel.
I never got mine built,it was a bit beyond me as a 10 year old but I did try.
Gramps built my Uncle's and had to modify a ton of the parts to get it working properly.
It was cool to see all the parts working and the plugs firing in proper order.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

I had that kit as a child too. It never did work because there was one small part missing that was necessary for the entire engine to work. Not sure if I lost it or if it was missing. I was so disappointed!

Carl-


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## ssgt-cheese (May 31, 2000)

There was this company I think it was Revell, it released 3 motorized kits with lights. One was a police motorcycle, an ambulance, and my favorite the coast guard helicopter. The motorcycle and ambulance were mounted on a base that have different buttons to crank the motor and change speed.

Mike


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## John F (May 31, 2001)

jimkirk said:


> My Grandfather gave both me and my Uncle a Revell Visible V8 Engine.
> It used a motor to turn the crank at the flywheel.
> I never got mine built,it was a bit beyond me as a 10 year old but I did try.
> Gramps built my Uncle's and had to modify a ton of the parts to get it working properly.
> It was cool to see all the parts working and the plugs firing in proper order.


 I've had 6 or 7 of these over the years, never gotten any of them to work right, but I'm going to try again.
I've got an original renwall issue of this kit, but it is missing some parts, so I hunted down one like the kit pictured for the parts. between the 2 of them I should be able to get one built.


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## bigdaddydaveh (Jul 20, 2007)

Don't forget the 70's Monogram Peanuts kits. Snoopy's Sopwith Camel with the dog house base was one I'd love to have again. They are getting big $$$ for those now....


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-197...962?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item462c17190a


http://www.collectpeanuts.com/wp/craft-supplies/model-kits/
-Jim :wave:


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