"Central Mokei, Koga, Kawai, Niko & Sanko"
IMAI
NORSHIN
"Marusan, UPC, Eldon, Fuji"
"Aurora"
"Sharp"
"Sanwa Plastic"
"Odaka"
Those old Japanese manufacturers has released many various kits in the small scale, some were based on the same line of kits and some were different
The kits below are in the scale range from 1/70 until 1/80 - All kits are "Out of Production"
Information by: Katsumi Otsuka.
Click on the Pictures
History
Small Scale kits by " - CENTRAL MOKEI - KOGA - KAWAI - NIKO & Sanko" - "IMAI" - "NORSHIN" - "MARUSAN" - "UPC" - "ELDON" - "FUJI" - "AURORA" - "SHARP" - "SANWA" - "ODAKA"
Various Japanese manufacturors of kits and toys have made releases over the years, espesially in the sixties, seventies and eighties of the previous
century.
Most of these kits were actually nothing more than simple toys, but it is the brilliant box art in Japanese full packed action style that makes
them interesting and also collectible !!
(Japanese boxart from the sixties and seventies has several distinct features : action, firing guns, soldiers present and many times an aircraft or
helicopter is in the sky somewhere.)
CENTRAL MOKEI, KOGA, KAWAI and NIKO
The Japanese firms Central Mokei, KOGA, KAWAI and earlier NIKO produced a line of clockwork kits, although they are better qualified as toys. NIKO realeased four in the
70/80's and KAWAI released eight in the 90's but the dates are hard to confirm as Japanes manufacturors seldom put discernable dates on their kits.
The NIKO kits had kitnumbers FTM 1 to 4 and state the scale to be 1/80. The KAWAI kits were numbered 1 to 8 and state the scale to be 1/88...
These kit were made-up of a few parts and a friction motor. Instructions were printed inside the box top. Most kits share a common running gear......
they are truly toys.....but the boxartwork is breathtaking !!! (See KAWAI/NIKO pictures).
IMAI MAMETAN, IMAI REMOTE CONTROL and IMAI SNAP-MODEL SERIES
Imai or "Imai Kagaku" was one of the old Japanese plastic model manufacturer.
It started to produce plastic model kits in 1960 and ended in 2002.
Imai released some small scale tank models in 1963.
Scales of them are not certain, but they seem to be around HO scale.
Mametan (pea tank) series
- No.1 M-24 Chaffee
- No.2 M-41 Walker Bulldog
- No.3 M-4 Sherman
- No.4 Japanese Type 61 tank
- No.5 Japanese Type 60 S.P.G.
Midget Remote Control series
- No.1 M-24 Chaffee
- No.2 M-41 Walker Bulldog
- No.3 M-4 Sherman
- No.4 Japanese Type 61 tank
Snap-assemble series
In 1980 Imai released 16 small size snap-assemble plastic model kits.
They were airplanes, warships, cars and military vehicles.
There was 1/72 scale S-model tank (Strv.103) among them.
This model was rereleased some times with different package and kit number.
- B-980 S-Model tank (Big Mech. Series/Super Machine Collection series No.6)
- B-2320 S-Model tank (Pocket Mech. Series No.7)
- 42320 S-Model tank
- 42447 S.tank (1/72) and Schwimmwagen (1/32) set
NORSHIN
Norshin is a famous Japanese brand of headache medications. Norshin had distributed various premiums to the customers. There were four miniscale tank models among them.
They were the same as Niko's kits buth with friction motor.
Norshin is not a modelmaker. But a "Pharmaceutical company" which used small scale kits of few brands (Central, Sharp, Otaki, Doyusha, etc.) and only printed
very similar boxes with Norshin label (see attached pictures). These kits were distributed free of charge for the promotion of headache medicine Norshin
(Arakawa Chotaro Gakuhin Co., Ltd.). I think mini tanks are already Niko (first issue with wind-up motor), Central had a different box pictures and
assemble instructions - Note: Mark Zandy
MARUSAN
Marusan is known as the first Japanese plastic model manufacturer. In 1965 Marusan made 27 HO scale military models. They were copies of early
Roco/Peetzy models. Marusan sold these models in Japan under its own brand besides exported them to the US by OEM.
In late 1960s American model company UPC imported the Marusan products and sold them in the US under UPC brand.
In 1968 American toy company Eldon also imported 24 of Marusan military models along with aircraft models and sold them in the US under its
brand "Eldon Match Kit".
Marusan initially released these models in clear plastic case, and rereleased in "Match Kit" style later.
Marusan went bankrupt in late 1968 and Fuji Hobby was founded by some former Marusan employees the next year. In early 1970s Fuji Hobby rereleased
twelve former Marusan HO scale military models.
UPC
UPC is short for "Universal Powermaster Corporation" and was importing and reselling mainly Japanese kits in the sixties and seventies. Although mainly "
sold in America many found their way to europe, again imported by RIKO (Richard Kohnstamm). Enthousiasts will recall all those great adds in the Airfix
Magazines...
Armorwise well known for their (rare and sought after) 1/35 and espessially their 1/40 kits they also produced a series of HO scale Kits. These were
re (re-re-re)isues of old ROCO and Roskopf kits but the moulding quality was often so bad the vehicle couldn't be recognized..... This was made up for
by beautiful box-artwork in brilliant Japanese style : all guns always firing, bright colors and loads of action !!
Only one small kit catalogue is known to me from 1969 and it includes the whole HO armor series. The rest of this color catalogue is a mouthwatering
collection of all types and scales of kits for the vintage kit lover !
ELDON
The Japanese firm ELDON consist from around 1960 have released the same kits from UPC under his own label - (24 kits in the 1/87 scale)
FUJI
FUJI (something else than FUJIMI !!) is also a Japanese
manufacturor which has released serveral kits, amongst them a few HO scale re-releases of old ROCO or ROSKOPF kits. The moulding is so bad the
original cannot be identified... They had verry dull boxart and no clear kitnumbers, only an art. no. which for the 2.5 t REO Truck is : 254-50.
They may be interesting as curiousity for the HO Armor collector. No idea from what date the are. (see FUJI pictures)
SHARP
SHARP, one of those mega big Japanese companies, also made a few toylike kits, probably in the verry early seventies. There were four individual kits
and two combination kits which included either the first two- or the second two kits together. The boxes state them to be "1/70 authentic scale",
but they look absolutely horrible !! They also had a wind-up motor and the one kitnumber known to me is : TSM-T1-100 for a tank that is supposed to be
a Crusader.....
The nice boxart makes up for all this pain and the first two- and second two kits boxart can be combined to make one picture, the same that is shown
on the combination kits.
E-bay sellings show them to be collectible as vintage kits... (See SHARP pictures).
IMAI has at one time produced a Swedish S-Tank or StrV. in
approximately 1/72 scale.
SANWA PLASTIC
Sanwa is a very old Japanese kit manufacturor and made some Armor kits, possibly before 1960 !! These were re-issues of ancient Roskopf or ROCO kits.
The box states HO scale. The names of the kits made it hard to identify the contents. I know of four kits of which I own one and have building
instructions of another. The kit box size was extremely small but contained all kit parts in a plastic bag, decals and a tube of glue.
(There are actually people who only collect these old plastic kit glues....!). The pictured m-59 kit box will easily fit eight times in a
Dragon SdKfz 251 kitbox !
They are rare and verry collectible as early vintage Japanese kits. (See SANWA pictures)
CENTRAL MOKEI
Central Mokei is also a old Japanese kit manufacturor and released some same Armor kits, before 1960 !! These were same kits as Niko label
CENTRAL MOKEI - (active from 1969 up to 1972)
KOGA - 1/80 Scale - (Koga ex-Central Mokei 1971-72.)
Kit 1 - M48 Patton
Kit 2 - M60 Cheyenne
Kit 3 - Tiger1
Kit 4 - M47 Patton
KAWAI - 1/88 Scale - (Kawai established in 1973)
Kit 1 - M48 Patton
Kit 2 - M60 Cheyenne
Kit 3 - Tiger I
Kit 4 - M47 Patton
This kit was initially released by Central in 1971. Koga, Niko and Sanko reissued this kit with or without clockwork motor.
Kawai acquired the molds in the early 1980s.
Kit 5 - Tiger II Kingtiger
Kit 6 - Japanese Type 74
Kit 7 - Leopard
Kit 8 - Panther
NIKO - 1/80 Scale - (Active from early 70s - they already got this moulds on permanent basis after Central Mokei bankruptcy (and Koga too) 1972 - early 80s)
1 - First issue was with wind-up motor, 50 yen. Box and instruction are Niko, inside ex-Central, but its Niko already, Central disappears.
2 - Box top is the same (‘wing up motor’), new instruction on a box – NO MOTOR and they add small plastic wheels.
3 - New box top – ‘No cement required’, no motor.
4 - New box, motor plus additional sprue with pole and barrels. Price is 100 yen.
5 - Prices appears because of inflation in Japan at that time, it was difficult to keep price 50 yen with motor. - Mark Zandy
Released kits
Kit 1 - M48
Kit 2 - M-60
Kit 3 - Tiger I
Kit 4 - M-47
Snap fit / No cement required
IMAI Kagaku - (around HO scale)
IMAI MAMETAN
Kit 02 - M41
Kit 04 - M41
IMAI REMOTE CONTROL
Kit 01 - M24
Kit 02 - M24
Kit 04 - Type 61
IMAI SNAP-MODEL SERIES
Info:
kit B980 - s-model
kit STRV-103
kit B2320 - s-model
Combination Set Imai S-Tank Hobby Collection
kit 42447 - S-model with 1/32 scale schwimwagen
Norshin - 1/80 Scale - (Norshin – ex-Koga, ex-Central (box pictures has Koga proportion) 1971-7).
Norshin has released same kits as NIKO but now with friction motor!
Released kits
Kit ? - M47
Kit ? - M48
Kit ? - M60
Kit ? - Tiger 1
MARUSAN - 1/87 Scale - (HO)
Kit numbers of Marusan (initial), UPC, Eldon, Fuji Hobby are as follows.
| Kit/Vehicle |
Marusan |
UPC |
Eldon |
Fuji Hobby |
|---|
| M38A1 Jeep | 870 | 3032 | 031 | 253 | |
| M-4 Sherman | 871 | 3021 | 001 | 251 | |
| M-40 Self-Propelled 155mm | 872 | 3017 | 008 | - | |
| M-47 General Patton | 873 | 3019 | 32 | - | |
| M-48 General Patton | 874 | 3016 | 006 | 252 | |
| M-52 Self-Propelled Howitzer | 875 | 3015 | 033 | - | |
| U.S. 2 1/2 Ton Truck 6x6 | 876 | 3013 | 002 | - | |
| U.S. 2 1/2 Ton Personnel Truck | 877 | 3014 | 005 | 254 | |
| M1A3 120mm Anti-Aircraft Gun | 878 | 3022 | 34 | 255 | |
| M2A1 8 inch Howitzer | 879 | 3037 | 007 | - | |
| Honest John Rocket | 880 | 3035 | 010 | - | |
| 155mm Gun M2 Long Tom | 881 | 3033 | 11 | 256 | |
| German 20mm AA Gun Wirbelwind | 882 | 3027 | 35 | 260 | |
| Half-Track Quad AA Gun | 883 | 3031 | - | - | |
| German AA Gun 37mm Mobelwagen | 884 | 3023 | 036 | - | |
| Rocket Carrier | 885 | 3020 | 024 | - | |
| PzKpfw IV F1 | 886 | 3024 | 037 | - | |
| PzKpfw IV F2 | 887 | 3025 | - | - | |
| PzKpfw IV H | 888 | 3026 | 038 | 259 | |
| Armored Car 234/1 | 889 | 3012 | 039 | - | |
| Armored Car 234/2 | 890 | 3011 | 003 | 261 | |
| 88mm Anti-Aircraft | 891 | 3030 | 009 | 262 | |
| Sound Detector | 892 | 3029 | 040 | - | |
| Munition Carrier | 893 | 3028 | 041 | - | |
| Panther | 894 | 3018 | 004 | 258 | |
| Tiger II | 895 | 3036 | 042 | 257 | |
| U.S. Combat soldiers - (copy of Roco) | 896 | 3034 | - | - | |
| Tobruk | 999 | - | - | - | |
.
Catalogue History
Kit 870 - M38A1 Jeep
Kit 872 - M-40 Self-Propelled 155mm
Other Box-layout
Kit 874 - M48 Patton
Kit 875 - M52 SPG
Kit 876 - U.S. 2 1/2 Ton Truck 6x6
Kit 877 - Army Truck
Kit 878 - M1A3 120mm Anti-Aircraft Gun
Kit 879 - 200mm Long Tom
Kit 881 - 155mm Long Tom
Kit 882 - German 20mm AA Gun Wirbelwind
Kit 884 - German AA Gun 37mm Mobelwagen
Kit 887 - PzKpfw IV F2
Kit 888 - PzKpfw IV Ausf. H
Kit 889 - Armoured Car SdKfz. 234/3 8-Wheeler
Kit 890 - Armored Car 234/2
Kit 892 - SWS with Sound Detector
Kit 894 - Panther
Kit 895 - Tiger II
Kit 896 - U.S. Combat Soldiers - (copy of Roco "US Infantry" - picture 6)
Kit 999 - Tobruk - (combination set - contains 9 kits)
UPC - "Universal Powermaster Corporation" - 1/87 Scale (HO)
Most 1/87 UPC items are copies from Roco and/or Roskopf
Catalogue 1969
Boxes with kitnumbers
Kit 3011 - Armoured Car 234/2
Kit 3012 - Armoured Car 234/1
Kit 3013 - US 2.5 ton truck 6x6
Kit 3014 - Us 2.5 ton truck
Kit 3015 - Selfpropelled Howitzer
Kit 3016 - General Patton M48
Kit 3017 - Selfpropelled 155mm
Kit 3018 - Panther
Kit 3019 - General Patton M47
Kit 3020 - SWS Armoured with Rockets
Kit 3021 - Sherman M4
Kit 3022 - 120mm Anti Aircraft
Kit 3023 - Pz.IV Mobelwagen with 37mm AA
Kit 3024 - Pz. IV Ausf. F1
Kit 3025 - Pz. IV Ausf. F2
Kit 3026 - Pz. IV Ausf. H
Kit 3027 - Wirbelwind
Kit 3028 - SWS Munition Carrier
Kit 3029 - SWS Sound detector
Kit 3030 - 88mm AA Carrier
Kit 3031 - SWS with 4x20mm AA
Kit 3032 - Jeep M38A1
Kit 3033 - 155mm Long Tom M2
Kit 3034 - US Soldiers - (copy of Roco "US Infantry")
Kit 3035 - Honest John Rocket
Kit 3036 - Tiger 2
Kit 3037 - 8 inch howitzer
ELDON - 1/87 Scale - (HO)
In 1968 American toy company Eldon also imported 24 of Marusan military models along with aircraft models and sold them in the US under its brand "Eldon Match Kit".
Catalogue History
Kit 01 - 150mm Long Tom
Kit 02 - US 2.5 ton truck
Kit 03 - Sherman
Kit 04 - Panther
Kit 05 - Personel Carrier
Kit 06 - 8-wheeler
Kit 07 - 200mm Howitzer
Kit 08 - M40 155mm GMC
Kit 10 - Honest John Rocket Launcher
Kit 24 - SWS Radar Rocket Launcher
Kit 31 - M38A1 Jeep
Kit 33 - M52 SPG Howitzer
Kit 34 - M1A3 120mm Anti-Aircraft Gun
Kit 35 - Pz.IV - Quad gun 20mm
Kit 36 - Pz. IV Mobelwagen 37mm AA gun
FUJI Hobby - 1/87 Scale - (HO)
Marusan went bankrupt in late 1968 and Fuji Hobby was founded by some former Marusan employees the next year. In early 1970s Fuji Hobby rereleased
twelve former Marusan HO scale military models.
Kit 01 - 2.5 ton personal truck
Kit 02 - Sherman M4
Kit 03 - M-48 Patton
Kit 04 - Flak 88mm
Kit 05 - 155mm Long Tom
Kit 06 - M38 A1 Jeep
Kit 07 - Panther
Kit 08 - sdKfz. 234 Puma 8 wheeler
Kit 09 - Pz. IV Wirbelwind
Kit 10 - King Tiger - Tiger II
AURORA - HO Scale
Catalogue
Aurora released two diorama sets "Anzio Beach" and "Rat Patrol" in late 1960s. Each contained some Roco-like HO scale military models in kit form.
Aurora also released these military kits as pre-assembled models on blistercards.
kit 339 - Anzio Beach - contains: Sherman, Patton, Panther, Wirbelwind, LCT and Jeep with soldiers and battlefield scenery
kit 340 - Rat Patrol - contains: Panther, PzKpfw IV and 2 Rat Patrol Jeeps with soldiers and battlefield scenery
6 Military Midgets in HO scale
U.S. "Patton" Tank
U.S. M-4 "Sherman" Tank
German "Panther" Tank
German "Panzer" Tank (PzKpfw IV)
German "A.A." Tank (Wirbelwind)
* Russian "Stalin" Tank
Set of six pre-assembled models
SHARP - 1/70 Scale
Japanese plastic model manufacturer Sharp (Tokyo Sharp Mokei or TSM) was a different company from current large electronics device manufacturer.
It started the business in mid 1960s and stopped in early 1980s. Sharp released eight 1:70 scale tank kits in early 1970s.
The boxart and kit numbers were varied.----- (info Otsuka Katsumi)
T1 Crusader
T2 M24 Chaffee
T3 T92 Destroyer
T4 M42 Duster
T5 Stalin
T6 Long Tom (M107)
T7 M46 Patton
T8 M4 Sherman
There were also two combination kits.
No.1 Crusader & M24
No.2 T92 & M42
Catalogue
Kit T1 - Crusader
Kit T2 - M24 Chaffee
Kit T3 - T92 Destroyer
Kit T4 - M42 Duster
Kit T6 - Long Tom (M107)
SHARP - Combination kits
No.1 M24 Chaffee & T1 Crusader (double pack)
No.2 T92 & M42 (double pack)
SANKO Plastic - 1/80 Scale - (established in 1977)
Sanko was another company which released ex-NIKO 1/80 scale Tanks. The models were released in bag.
all released kits
Kit 01 - M60 Cheyenne
Kit 02 - M48 Patton
Kit 03 - Tiger 1
Kit 04 - M47 Patton
SANWA Plastic - 1/87 Scale
Sanwa is one of the initial Japanese plastic model manufacturers. From 1955 - 1960, it released about twenty HO scale military models. They are very tinny
and some of them are similar to Roco/Peetzy models, but others are not. ----- (info Otsuka Katsumi)
M Series
205 - No.1 M-41 Walker Bulldog
206 - No.2 M-47 Patton
207 - No.3 M-48 Patton
208 - No.4 M-59 APC
209 - No.5 T-98 (M52 105mm SPG)
213 - No.6 M-7 Priest
214 - No.7 M-4 Sherman
215 - No.8 M-43 8 inch SPG
216 - No.9 T-97 (M53 155mm SPG)
217 - No.10 Jeep - (Box scale?)
225 - M-20 Scout Car - (Box scale?)
226 - MK-4 (LVT-4)
227 - M-56 Scorpion - (Box scale?)
228 - M-6 High-Speed Tractor
229 - T-141 (M42 Duster)
??? - MK-111 Half Track
??? - 37mm Gun - (Box scale?)
??? - Land Rover - (Box scale?)
??? - M-160 Armored Car (FV603 Saracen)
Motorized
233 or 262 - Stalin (1/76?)
234 - T34
245 or 268 - Tiger I - (T.K.K.no 25)
Catalogue
Kit 205 - M-41 Walker Bulldog
Kit 206 - M47 Patton
Kit 207 - M48 Patton
Kit 208 - M59
Kit 209 - T-98 (M52 105mm SPG)
Kit 213 - M7 Priest
Kit 214 - M4 Sherman
Kit 215 - M43
Kit 216 - T97
Kit 217 - Jeep
Kit 225 - M-20 Scoutcar
Kit 226 - LVT-4
Kit 227 - M56
Kit 228 - M6 Hi Speed Tractor
Kit 229 - T-141 (M42 Duster)
Kit 423 - 37mm gun
Kit ? - Landrover
Kit ? - M-160 Armored Car (FV603 Saracen)
Kits with electric motor
Kit 233 or 262 - Jozef Stalin Tank - (Note: see kitnames on the boxes - "Sterin" and "Monster M-63")
Sanwa's Stalin was around 1/76 size small model, but it could run with electric motor. It was rereleased as fictional "M-63 Monster" later.
Kit number of "Monster" is 262....... Katsumi
Kit 245 or 268 - Tiger I
ODAKA (ODK) - Not in Scale
"Odaka Sangyo" (also called ODK from its logo) was an old Japanese model manufacturer. It produced plastic models from early 1960s to late 1970s.
Like other Japanese model manufacturers, Odaka also produced several small toy-like military models with friction or clockwork motor in mid 1960s.
Scales were not provided on box or catalog, but M4 Sherman is around 1/72 scale in length and around 1/60 scale in width!?
Kit numbers are as follows.
T1 Type 60 106mm SPG
T2 M-19 40mm SPAAG
T3 M-24 Chaffee
T4 M-41 Walker Bulldog
OT-1 M-4 Sherman
OT-2 A.M.X.30
OT-3 Type 61
OT-4 TIGER II
catalogue and built kit T1, T3 and T4
Kit T1 - Type 60 106mm SPG
Kit T4 - M41 Walker Bulldog
Kit OT-1 - M-4 Sherman
picture 6 - hull in comparison with Airfix 1/76
Kit OT-2 - AMX-30
Kit OT-4 - Tiger II
Unknow Label - (Ex NIKO 1/80 scale)
Kit 01 - M60 Patton
Kit 03 - M47 Patton
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