A very interesting vintage kit - at it is really untouched
After some short research about the company, which was for me before unkown, I found this interesting page
A small but successful company?
Model Aerodrome Ltd was a UK model kit company set up in 1937 in Birmingham. They survived the war, and by 1958 they had at least two sites in Birmingham - Temple Row and Stratford Road, and one in West Street,Brighton. They sold their own series of balsa model aircraft using a propritary jigging system, model aero engines under the brand name 'Drome', and model boat kits under the brand 'Marinecraft' from their shops, advertised through modelling magazines and distributed generally to the independant model trade.
At some point between 1955 and 1960 they obtained an agreement with Keil Kraft for distribution via the Keil Kraft catalogue, and thus were in most of the model shops in the country. 1960 was also the date of the introduction of their 'miniature power boat' range. They are not mentioned in the 1961 KK catalogue, but their kits continue to be advertised under their own name until at least 1966. Adverts show that Marinecraft were developing their range during the 1960s - in 1966 they produced the Jura and Oban (two fibreglass-hulled power boats), and converted their yacht hulls to fibreglass. But there is not much heard of Marinecraft during the 1970s.We hear little about them thereafter, so I guess that they ceased making their 'own brand' kits by the early 1970s, when increased competition from Far Eastern ready-made models began.
Merger with 'Model Aircraft'?
At some point the 'Model Aerodrome' name seems to merge with the "Model Aircraft (Bournemouth) Ltd" name. This second company was a trading name of "Model Aircraft Stores", who employed the famous Phil Smith, designing aircraft and boats under the brand name 'VERON'. Model Aerodrome's Brighton shop purchase probably happened at about this time, which I guess to be 1947 (for reasons given below). Bournemouth is about 70 miles away from Brighton, and very much in the centre of model boat development at the time. I guess that there was some joint agreement - perhaps a takeover? - at this point, but that the 'Model Aerodrome' name was kept. It may have had considerable brand loyalty, since there were shops in Birmingham, Brighton, and maybe elsewhere? Model Aerodrome seems to have been a very well-known name in the 1950s/1960s.
The ship models
The Galleons series of Marinecraft models is one of their earliest ranges, probably available in the 1930s. They are carved from solid wood in the traditional style, using a ply keel former for strength while the softer balsa hull is easier to work. Static ship modelling was hit by growth of plastic kits and working models in the 1960s, and I suspect that the range was withdrawn not much later.
The kits are comprehensive for their time, though the detail is not up to modern standards. Keil Kraft had a competitive range of 'Miniature Galleon' kits which were smaller and cheaper.
The full range of seven boats is illustrated in the Catalogue, with the Cutty Sark model shown here to provide an example of what is in the kits. Click on the images for more detail.
They had several well known and famous ships in their program:
Cutty Sark, Bounty, Mayflower, Golden Hind, Victory, Ark Royal and Santa Maria
Me personally I would keep the kit like it is .........
