I'm 64, and I've been building models since I was six. I have fond memories of one day when I was nine, and I was at our local Target store with a dollar and some change to get a model to build. Back then, the toy departments in discount stores devoted one or two aisles to model kits, and I had a LOT to choose from. That one day, there was an older man - about my age now - also looking at the kits available. He commented to me that when he was my age, if you wanted a model plane, you either built it from balsa and tissue, or carved "solids" out of balsa, bass or pine, using templates cut from the plans. He told my mom and me that he carved a lot of "Spotter" models when he was in school during The War. Flash forward around 50 years, and I was at a hobby shop where a 3D Printer was being demonstrated. A few kids about ten were also watching, and I couldn't resist telling them that when I was their age, if you wanted a model, you had to buy an injection-molded kit that you would assemble and paint. One of my "dad jokes" is that I'm too young to carve solids, and too old to learn to write code for a 3D Printer . . . . As I left the demonstration, I said a silent prayer for an old modeler I met when I was nine. Thanks for sharing this. 27th Like.

Child of the 60's. Built a lot of balsa in my day. My current focus is wood ships (scratch) or plastic vacuform which most of the people around get repulsed at (haha). Love the oddball planes. -Mark

Many, many years ago i built a solid wood kit of the A-26 Invader. I don't recall who produced the kit. The kit had pewter propellers and the decals were printed on paper that you would cut out and glue to the model. I got it from my Grandma it was in my Grandpa's stash that he was going to take over seas in case he got sent off in WW2. He worked as a civilian technician for the Army Air corps at the time.

Thanks for sharing this Strombecker kit (this is one of the more desirable ones in my opinion). Just in case, when your dad builds his XFV-1, he should have the old decals copied to new decal paper if he hasn't considered this already. I built only one Strombecker kit. It was the U.S. Navy, Vought F7U Cutlass. That was back about 1973 (it was a collectable kit even back then). It went together easily and pretty well after initially sanding the parts and glueing them together. I believe it only had one plastic part that being the cockpit canopy. I painted it a dark "sea blue." I actually used it in a display on vintage model kits in 1974 at the city library (got my picture in two local newspapers!). Eventually the model was set aside and subsequently got tossed years later. Wish I had it today. By the way, I have a nicely built-up Aurora XFV-1 (and the Aurora Convair "Pogo" too that's just OK). It is to be hoped that Atlantis Models still has the molds for these two kits and one day releases them again much like they'll be doing for the old Aurora, Lockheed C-141 "Starlifter" later this year (2024).

Another superb Video Mike. this is one of the few Strombeckerkits I@ve actually seen in the flesh so your talk through had an added relavence for me. incidentally, in Cardoard box making we describe this style of box as a clamshell.

Being back from Shizuoka Hobby Show where I saw & heard about very early solid wood model kit released by then Tamiya and Hasegawa but this Strombecker XFV-1 kit is far more gorgeous and realistic. Tamiya/Hasegawa`s were with just 2D cut parts of fuselage and wings, necessitating the customer themselves to shape the curvature up by own hands. I doubt how many customers/modelers could finish these primitive ones. The XFV-1 model`s decal, instruction sheet and plastic parts are nice too.

Very Cool kit, I Almost remember it- but I've slept since then 😁

This was fun. Always was afraid of the strombecker kits ..the wooden parts..lol This would easily build up into an amazing display model. Thanks for the look.

Good video and a very interesting aircraft. I have never seen a combination wood and plastic model kit, interesting.

Got ya subbed. Great video. Question....Will ya build it ?