# THOR (The original Adams Kit) by Glencoe



## MEGA1 (Jul 18, 2000)

For the first time since its original production in 1958, the THOR Missile kit will be produced by Glencoe in 1/87, or HO scale. The kit comes with four figures and a flat base, along with a larger decal sheet that includes markings for the RAF version! Now available at MegaHobby.com!


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Really glad *Glencoe* dusted the old girl off for a shot at a continued career! :woohoo:

Thanks for letting us know *Mega1*! :thumbsup:

Carl-


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

When I saw the title. I was wondering "I didn't know Neal Adams ever drew Thor!" This might better have been posted in the Aircraft & Military section, where is would have been right at home, rather than in the general Modelling forum, or at least specified Thor MISSILE, what with all the Marvel movie kits and repops of older superhero kits - Glencoe repops a lot of obscure old kits of all genres, y'know, and Adams is very obscure.


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## SUNGOD (Jan 20, 2006)

I thought Marvel at first but nice to see these old kits being brought back.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

Owen E Oulton said:


> When I saw the title. I was wondering "I didn't know Neal Adams ever drew Thor!" This might better have been posted in the Aircraft & Military section, where is would have been right at home, rather than in the general Modelling forum, or at least specified Thor MISSILE, what with all the Marvel movie kits and repops of older superhero kits - Glencoe repops a lot of obscure old kits of all genres, y'know, and Adams is very obscure.


But this is The Modeling Forum and it is a model so it would fit in just as well here.
I'm glad to see it available again - most of the missile kits from that era had a short single run so this makes it available and affordable as well. Thanks Glencoe!!


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Yeah, but in a general modelling forum, you just need to be more specific in your title to avoid this sort of confusion.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

I think most modelers on this site are old enough when they see *"ADAMS KIT THOR"*, they know it's not a comic book character. So I don't really see why there would be any confusion. 

It _is_ a model and this _is_ the modeling forum...

Carl-


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## sheridan1952 (Apr 12, 2015)

hal9001 said:


> I think most modelers on this site are old enough when they see *"ADAMS KIT THOR"*, they know it's not a comic book character. So I don't really see why there would be any confusion.
> 
> It _is_ a model and this _is_ the modeling forum...
> 
> Carl-


I'm glad you said "MOST". I'm 62, been building models since I was a kid and I don't remember this one. I do remember that Glencoe was into space models, so I was a bit confused when I read "Thor" by Glencoe.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Does this kit actually include the launch platform assembly or just the flat pad shown in pictures. I had read some discussion on the kit that said something to the effect that, "the molds for the missile had been run and things looked good but they hadn't run the stand parts yet". The kit had a little platform with an exhaust duct, railing, stairs, lights, etc. Sort of like a mini version of the Revell Atlas set up, but smaller.


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## Buc (Jan 20, 1999)

I found these when I was researching the kit...
http://www.bucwheat.com/2k15/thorICBMglencoe.jpg


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Yeah I saw that... they show the original kit with the launch platform and instructions showing the platform, and then the Glencoe parts. Like one of the figures in the kit is molded to be climbing the stairs on the platform and his hand holds the railing


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

Buc said:


> I found these when I was researching the kit...
> http://www.bucwheat.com/2k15/thorICBMglencoe.jpg


In the image you posted of an actual kit it looks like they just made up a launch stand to use with this model rather than depict the Cape Canaveral test stand as illustrated in the box art. The box art indicates that it flew from White Sands, that is wrong. The only documentation I can find of test flights are from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg.
IIRC from the Spacecraft Films documentary on the Thor missile, there were two operational launch configurations, the main one had the missile stored horizontally in a hardened hangar, when launched, the hangar would be rolled back, the missile raised onto it's launch cradle, fueled and fired. The other method had the missile being flown in by cargo plane or brought in by truck to a launch area, set up on a portable launch pad and fired. This gave the Air Force several options for deployment of this intermediate range missile. Advances in ICBMs, long range and intermediate range bombers soon made the Thor obsolete as a weapon system but it became a workhorse for NASA and was the basis for the Delta Rocket.
There are plenty of options for building and displaying this model.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Well yeah there are building options I just want to know if the kit is the same as the original ie with ALL of the parts. Actually, Im not sure the Thor was ever tested at White Sands. The kit name is kind of like the box art on Revell's Jupiter that has the rocket's crawler moving through the famous mountains of Cape Canaveral.


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

djnick66 said:


> Well yeah there are building options I just want to know if the kit is the same as the original ie with ALL of the parts. Actually, Im not sure the Thor was ever tested at White Sands. The kit name is kind of like the box art on Revell's Jupiter that has the rocket's crawler moving through the famous mountains of Cape Canaveral.


A quick google search shows test launches only from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg, but not White Sands. Have to wonder if such misinformation was not done in the interest of national security?


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

BWolfe said:


> A quick google search shows test launches only from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg, but not White Sands. Have to wonder if such misinformation was not done in the interest of national security?


_*Well don't tell anyone!!*_ Hush, hush...you know, loose lips sinks ships...

Carl-


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

hal9001 said:


> I think most modelers on this site are old enough when they see *"ADAMS KIT THOR"*, they know it's not a comic book character. So I don't really see why there would be any confusion.
> 
> It _is_ a model and this _is_ the modeling forum...
> 
> Carl-


I'm 58 and the kit has not been rereleased, by your own admission since I was 1 year old. I have never heard of Adamas models, and I suspect the vast majority of members fall into the same category.. Yes, it's a model and this is a modelling forum, but it's a GENERAL modelling forum. Only those with a specific knowledge would make the connection without a more specific reference. You've spent a lot more time typing replies to me than it would have taken to just type "missile" in your original post's title. Awfully defensive, I think...


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Adams Action Models are very well known to modelers, even if they don't realize it. Adams was one of the pioneering plastic kit companies, and their specialty was very well detailed kits, with excellent sculpted figures, and a lot of working parts. 

Adams and Revell shared the same sculptor for their figures. While Revell's initial armor kit, the M4 Sherman, was 1/35 scale, Revell subsequently switched to 1/40 for their own military range, so they could partner with Adams. In addition to their own 1/40 military kits, Revell sold the Adams GI's, Armored Car, Hawk Missile Battery, Jeep, and Long Tom gun and High Speed Tractor. 

Adams Action Models also did a wide range of historic wagons and carriages, also in 1/40. These included a Roman Chariot, Tally Ho Carriage, Royal State Wagon, etc. Adams also had a line of 1/40 Western figure kits like the Lazy M Corral, Chuck Wagon, etc. 

I can think of two Adams aircraft kits. One is an experimental Bell Helicopter that was fitted with HAWK surface to air missiles, in 1/40 scale, and a 1/48 Saab Draken jet fighter that had retracting landing gear, opening canopy, moving flaps, and rockets that fired out of the belly pod. 

Adams did two 1/87 (HO Railroad scale) missile kits. The Thor and Vanguard. The two kits shared the same launch platform building, but had different missiles. These kits were never reisssued at all by anyone until Glencoe got them.

After Adams folded up, their molds passed on to SNAP and later Athearn Trains. The last time that most of the kits appeared in production was the mid 1970s, when Athearn ran the molds for Life Like. Athern also ran a few of the molds a few years earlier for UPC. UPC and Life Like sold a wide range of reboxed kits from other companies. After that, most of the kits have not been available, although Athearn did run some of the Western Figure sets under their own name and I have seen a couple of the Coach kits in, I think, Doyusha boxes.

Somehow the Saab Draken kit wound up under the Lindberg name, but the origin of the tooling was Adams Action Models. I don't know if they tooled the kit for Lindberg or partnered with Lindberg. Just that the kit has been sold as Lindberg.


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## 1bluegtx (Aug 13, 2004)

I knew exactly what Mega was talking about,and appreciate the heads up!
It looks like Glencoe does not have the mold for the launch platform,and the missiles will have the flat base instead.
Glencoe will also be reissuing the Vanguard rocket too.An interesting thing is you can use the vanguard second stage mounted on the thor missile to make the Pioneer rocket(the adapter section is included in the Thor kit).
It is really nice to see someone reissue these kits!

BRIAN


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Oooo it looks like the kit does include the actual launch platform building... someone on eBay shows the contents of the kit.


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

djnick66 said:


> Oooo it looks like the kit does include the actual launch platform building... someone on eBay shows the contents of the kit.



It Does look like everything is there, I am going to have to get one now!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

BWolfe said:


> It Does look like everything is there, I am going to have to get one now!


The wording on Glencoe's web site is nebulous; ""The flat base has been added here. In the kit you will get the same launch platform as included with the companion Vanguard rocket - which is also planned to be released""

You can take it to mean the flat base has been added to the kit, and you will get the same base in the Vanguard. Or you can take it as saying the flat base is used in the photo but the kit and the upcoming Vanguard will have the original launch platform.

At any rate, I decided to get the kit. You can make similar platforms easily using HO Plastruct construction beams, ladder kits, etc.


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> Yeah I saw that... they show the original kit with the launch platform and instructions showing the platform, and then the Glencoe parts. Like one of the figures in the kit is molded to be climbing the stairs on the platform and his hand holds the railing.


Or maybe he's supposed to be dancing.


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