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I came across this when sorting through a box of diecast junk, On first sight it appears to be the kellogs issue that was made in taiwan around 1983 according to a similar item for sale on ebay and the colours and the paint scheme are exactly identical, But on closer inspection it is a much different casting. It only has three exhaust pipes on the side of the engine bay instead of the six shown in the pics, and from underneath on the bottom of the wings it has air intake boxes where the kellogs version has none and the base has no lettering cast in at all.
Can anyone advise please. I'm fairly certain my sister Julie brought it home when she worked for Lesney as my Dad was a complete Spitfire fanatic, But sadly neither of them are here to tell the tale, My Dad passed away two years ago and my Sister some 26 years ago.
The model with the blue background is the ebay item.
Thanks.

3 exhausts per side was a Spitfire Mk1 or MkII whereas 6 exhausts was a MkV. It appears somebody has upgraded the tool from a 1940 Battle of Britain spit to a 1942 MkV. Whether this was done pre or post mass production I do not know however I can say that the olive green camo on nick´s example is authentic whereas the emerald just looks awful.

Cheers Mick, I was wondering if it was really a Matchbox model at all but the paint is identical so it was obviously painted with the Matchbox tampo.
I vaguely remember hearing about a pre pro Matchbox Spit some years back that never had an inscription cast in.
Maybe Christian has the answer.

Carrier film around the blue roundels on the top example suggests waterslide decals not tampos and the look of the green to my eyes is brush painted through a mask so I would indeed say this could be a hand finished factory trial model made in the age of tampos!!

nickjones wrote:Cheers Mick, I was wondering if it was really a Matchbox model at all but the paint is identical so it was obviously painted with the Matchbox tampo.
I vaguely remember hearing about a pre pro Matchbox Spit some years back that never had an inscription cast in.
Maybe Christian has the answer.

Sorry I do not know much about Skybusters at all.

However, as your model seems to have no lettering cast, I suppose it must be a pre-pro, although the later wheels and axle seem to contradict this. (Well, at least it is not a pre-pro made before the 1973 introduction of Skybusters, for in that case it would have the earlier wheel type.)

The eBay model was made in Thailand, which means it is from the early 1990s, as production in Thailand started in 1990 (having been transferred there from Macau).

I have seen loads of these with no writing, some sellers have advertised these as prepro,s. But I think they were made by someone else.
Jason

Thanks for the info everyone, much obliged.
Mick the camouflage and roundels are tampo printed, it's quite a nice little model.

Hello Nick, your little Spitfire comes from 'TONKA-POLISTIL', they were supplied to someone for a promotion when Lesney refused to take part, so the Lesney 'Skybuster' Spitfire moulds were not used, instead, an alternative plane had to be found and Tonka-Polistil happened to have a Spitfire at their disposal.

Have a very Happy New Year Nick,

Kevin, the GHOSTHUNTER.

Hi Ghostie,
I'm pretty sure my sister brought this one home when she worked for Lesney, And the tampo is exactly the same as the Lesney version, ??

Yes Nick, there is a connection between the two, tied-in with a Kellogg's promotion, unfortunately I don't know the full details, but Lesney were chosen first for some aircraft models but did not have a specific bi-plane in their range and denied the use of the Spitfire moulds, so a Spitfire was sourced from Tonka-Polistil along with the missing bi-plane model, however, there is some unclear information about Lesney later did supply some plane models to the original company connected with the promotion, that is all I have at the moment on this, it's feasable that Lesney would have got hold of some of those Tonka-Polistil models to see what they were like and how they compare with their own version and this may have prompted Lesney to come forward with a second set of their planes that did now include their Spitfire.

Its a well known fact that Corgi and Dinky had each others models in R & D for asesment and appraisal and I would be supprised to learn of Lesney not doing the same.

GHOSTHUNTER.