Amazing new book filled with fantastic images of classic model kits!
04/22/2025 — Planes! Tanks! Monsters! Ships! Superheroes! Cars! Spaceships! Build Them Yourself!
From 1950 to 1977, the Aurora Plastics company of West Hempstead, NY created plastic models. They marketed models of just about every subject under the sun. In 1961, the company hit lightning in a bottle with a figure model of Universal Studios’ Frankenstein monster. This occurred just as the classic horror films were released to television. Meanwhile, a new magazine called Famous Monsters of Filmland was gathering steam on newsstands all over the country. The kit was a sensation with kids everywhere! More monsters followed, as well as other pop culture figures, spaceships, automobiles, and submarines from films and television. The story of Aurora is the story of American popular culture during the 1960’s and 1970’s, and author Anthony Taylor has finally aggregated the company’s full-color sales catalogs from the two decades of their heyday. Aurora Plastic Models Catalogs Volumes 1 and 2 capture the excitement felt by hobbyists and collectors everywhere for the vintage models. In the words of Aurora – It’s a Hobby For Everybody!
Aurora Plastic Model Kits Volumes 1 & 2 are available on Amazon.com in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.
About the Author – Anthony Taylor is the author of Classic Monsters, Modern Art – 20th Century Horror in 21st Century Illustration which examines the new wave of monster artists, as well as The Art of George Wilson, telling the astounding story of the comic book cover artist for Gold Key and Dell Comics. He also wrote Arctic Adventure!, an official Thunderbirds novel based on the iconic British television series by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and The Future was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim, chronicling artist Mike Trim’s career designing models and special effects for Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, and illustrating the cover for Jeff Wayne’s musical War of the Worlds album. Anthony was a regular contributor and editor for the British magazine Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models International, and columnist for Toy Shop magazine for 12 years. His articles have appeared in Retro Fan, SFX, Video WatcH*Dog, Fangoria, Screem, Horror Hound, Famous Monsters of Filmland, FilmFax, Amazing Figure Modeler, and many other magazines. His retro film on HD media review column Apes On Film appears at NerdalertNews.net and his website is online at GoAnthonyTaylor.com.