BIG SUB: GERMAN TYPE IXC TO 1:72 SCALE

A great subject for diorama fans, the Revell Type IXC World War II U-Boat is produced to model aircraft-standard 1:72 scale.

MAT’S US DIARY: AL’S HOBBY SHOP

At one time Chicago apparently boasted no less than 18 hobby stores, the greatest number for any city in the US. Today the number has dwindled to maybe five, but one of these is Al’s Hobby Shop which is nearby in downtown Elmhurst, just round the corner from the railroad track that runs straight though the town, and which seems to stop traffic every five minutes!

Al’s was started in 1947, which makes it a run of 62 years so far, not bad for any shop, let alone a hobby shop. There really was an ‘Al’, though he unfortunately died a few years ago, but family members still run the business. Al’s caters for all types of modellers - kits, diecasts, radio-control, boats, planes and cars. Given that the US was built on the railroad, (and one still runs through the town), there is a separate shop next door, just for railroad modelling supplies.

But trends come and go. For many years the static model kit division was just inside the door, and it was radio-control in a side area. Now this is reversed, as the current main interest is radio-control, with a wide range of electric and fuel-powered machines available. However, next year maybe trends will have moved on again...

The pictures show (top) one of Al’s store windows. Inside Al’s (middle), Jeff Clark restocks some kit shelves, and yes, the railroad runs just round the corner from Al’s. You can visit Al's online here.

Mat Irvine

MAT’S US DIARY: NIKE PARK

One of the most exciting series of models in the 1960s were those from Renwal. These were large-scale kits of exotic US ships, subs and tanks, including the then largest model kit made, the almost three-foot long Atomic Cannon.

Some of Renwal’s kits were re-boxed for the UK market by Frog, under the ‘Frog-Deluxe’ name, with virtually everything being the same except for the change of logo. Amongst the military kits was the Nike Ajax, one of the first anti-aircraft missiles to be built, and named after the Greek goddess of victory.

By today’s standards the missile was extremely primitive, but then it was the ultimate in technology and many American cities were ringed with Nike Ajax missile batteries. Chicago was no exception, and a number of outlying areas had Nike batteries. But technologies change and the large fixed sites were displaced with smaller, more mobile options. The sites then became abandoned and overgrown - eventually, many would find an industrial park or a shopping mall built over the top.

But some remnants are still around, and there is one near where I’m staying, in the town of Addison. The original site is now a municipal park, called, um, appropriately Nike Park, and this one at least has of its two original features still standing - more or less - the radar platform and the original control building. The former is really ‘just there’ now, not fulfilling any function at all, except probably as a nesting place for birds, but the latter has been updated and likely contains power control systems for modern needs, such as lighting for the baseball field.

Nothing of the original Nike missile batteries themselves survives, but just get a few of those original kits (and they were reissued by Revell in its ‘History Makers’ series) and you can recreate what was - for a short time at least - the ultimate sophistication of Cold War anti-missile defence!

Mat Irvine

The pictures show the Renwal Nike Ajax kit box (top). It included details of how to join several kits together, so you could build your own missile battery, perhaps to protect the front room...

Mat poses by a Nike Park sign (middle), now in a somewhat flattened state.

The radar platform, with steel panelling round the spiral stairs, to stop anyone who wants a higher view.

MAT’S US DIARY: DEAN MILANO

As Georgy and I are staying with Dean Milano, perhaps I should say a few words about him. Dean was at Revell-Monogram for many years, which was when we first met, though we had already heard of each other, as we were both writing for model magazines in the UK and US.

These days, Dean works for himself, though for some time he also ran the Milano Toy and Model Museum in Elmhurst, his local town. Elmhurst is in effect a suburb of Chicago, though, like most of the surrounding towns, it maintains its own separate identity. Dean’s museum was bang opposite the railroad station, so it was hardly unobtrusive, and for three years offered visitors an amazing mix of classic toys and models, with a lot of rare stuff not seen elsewhere.

These days the Museum has a virtual existence on the internet, but a lot of stuff that Dean collected for his ‘real’ museum now has to be sold off. “No space!” is the cry. Consequently, most days will find him rummaging in the garage for more items to put on eBay.

But when he isn’t modelling or eBaying, Dean spends a lot of time with his other main interest, music. His primary instrument is the bass - electric and string - though he will squeeze away on the accordion, given half a chance. He was a member of The New Seekers group for some time, and has just completed his second album of self-penned songs, for which I took most of the sleeve photos.

Mat Irvine

The pictures show (top) Dean sorting out yet more car kits. At left is one of his string basses, this one owned originally by his uncle, the recently deceased Connie Milano. Connie was for many years very big on the Chicago music scene, and played alongside many great names, including Charlie Parker, Miles Davies and Nat ‘King’ Cole.

(Middle) One for this evening’s eBay offerings? Deans shows a poster, advertising Revell’s Mercedes-Benz 190.

(Bottom) One of Dean’s specialities is models of stock vehicles, of which there are over 1000 in his collection. This is just a small part of what was in the Museum collection. They are all in 1:24 or 1:25 scale.

MAT’S US DIARY: REPORTING FROM THE WINDY CITY

Taking a week off in the US, I’m in the Chicago area, visiting an old friend and fellow modeller, Dean Milano. Dean lives very close to one of Chicago’s largest hobby stores, Al’s Hobby Shop in downtown Elmhurst, so one of the first tasks is to drop by, and it’s strange how things turn out. A casual conversation with Jeff Clark in Al’s has him asking, “Are you going to the Ferrari show?” This, it transpired, was being held at a Ferrari, Maserati, and other exotic machinery, showroom in Hinsdale, due south of where we are staying. So Dean and myself duly set off on Saturday.

It was a smallish event, but the showroom had put aside a room for model dealers’ tables, and as one does, you start bumping into a number of people you know. A small model competition was being held, featuring cars that were not necessarily Ferrari, Maserati, or even Italian – there was a nice Tamiya Mini for example.

You also got a chance to visit the showroom workshops, where a range of exotic vehicles could be maintained in surroundings which were clean enough to eat your dinner off! And pride of place (shown above) – probably an S-100 Jaguar, right-hand drive and all – just to show those Italians a thing or two.

The pictures show (top to bottom) a Tamiya Mini competition entrant; new resin kits; Dean Milano (middle), with Bill Lastovich of Revell-Monogram (left) and Fred Cady, of Fred Cady Decals. In front is half a million dollars-worth of full-size Jaguar SS-100. Fred is now retired, and these pictures were posted as a tribute.

Mat Irvine

Mat’s US Diary

Deciding to take a week’s break, I’ve journeyed to Chicago, the Windy City, to visit Dean Milano. Dean was at Revell-Monogram for many years, though like so many of us, he now works for himself.

For some time Dean also ran his own Milano Toy and Model Museum in downtown Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago. Here was an amazing mix of classic toys and models, with a lot of rare stuff not seen elsewhere. The Museum existed for three years as a physical entity, but as with so many things, rising costs meant its closure, though the Museum still has a virtual existence at Dean’s website here.

Currently Dean spends a lot of his time with his other main interest, music – he was a member of 'The New Seekers' group for some time – and has just completed his second album of self-penned songs. Here’s a nice song you can listen to, Take the Blue Highway. More songs are on Dean’s site.

Mat Irvine