{"product_id":"matchbox-pk-25-armstrong-whitworth-siskin-iiia-british-fighter-1-72-scale-plastic-model-kit","title":"Matchbox PK-25 Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA British Fighter — 1\/72 Scale Plastic model kit","description":"\u003cp\u003eManufacturer: Matchbox \/ Lesney\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Kit number: PK-25\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Later catalogue number: 40025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    UPC\/EAN: 035995402539 \/ 0035995402539\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Aircraft: Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Scale: 1\/72\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Subject period: Inter-war RAF\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Original tooling: 1974\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Production status: Out of production\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Decal options: Two RAF schemes are documented\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Kit character: Classic Matchbox vintage tooling\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit was originally tooled in 1974 and remained in the Matchbox catalogue through several box-art variations, with its final documented Matchbox release in 1992.\n\u003cbr\u003eMatchbox and the kit's history\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit is a good example of what made Matchbox's 1970s aircraft range distinctive. Rather than concentrating exclusively on famous WWII and modern aircraft, Matchbox produced models of less commonly represented subjects, including aircraft from the inter-war period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Siskin was an excellent choice for that philosophy. It was an important RAF fighter of the 1920s but is now considerably less familiar than the Spitfire, Hurricane or Gladiator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe original Matchbox tooling appeared in 1974, and the kit was issued with variations of the colourful Matchbox packaging through the late 1970s. It was eventually released for the last time by Matchbox in 1992.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit has subsequently become a vintage Matchbox collectible because the tooling has not received the same continual reissue treatment as many of the company's more mainstream aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA modern modeller therefore has relatively few opportunities to buy this particular Siskin without going into the vintage-kit market.\n\u003cbr\u003eKit contents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe PK-25 is a relatively straightforward 1\/72 biplane kit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe moulding represents the distinctive:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    single-seat fuselage;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    large upper wing and smaller lower wing;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    interplane and cabane struts;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar radial engine;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    distinctive undercarriage;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    propeller;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    cockpit;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    tail assembly;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    twin forward machine guns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe original kit was supplied in two plastic colours, a characteristic Matchbox feature of the period. Contemporary examination of the kit records two decal options, both representing RAF aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs with many Matchbox kits from this period, the engineering is relatively simple compared with modern 1\/72 tooling. The kit is nevertheless regarded by vintage-kit modellers as a particularly attractive old Matchbox subject.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA contemporary review notes the kit's straightforward construction and its distinctive inter-war subject, while describing the Siskin as a single-seat sesquiplane with two .303-inch machine guns.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe real aircraft — Armstrong Whitworth Siskin\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was one of the most important British fighter aircraft of the years immediately following the First World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt was developed during a period when military aviation was transitioning from the aircraft of WWI to the much more advanced all-metal fighters that would dominate the 1930s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Siskin was particularly significant because the Siskin IIIA became the first all-metal fighter procured in quantity by the RAF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft's development began as the Siddeley-Deasy S.R.2 Siskin, first flying in May 1919.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft went through several major changes before becoming the production Siskin IIIA, including changes of engine and a transition from a composite wood\/metal structure to an all-metal airframe.\n\u003cbr\u003eDevelopment\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe original Siskin was designed by F. M. Green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEarly development was complicated by the performance of the ABC Dragonfly radial engine. The aircraft was substantially improved when the much more successful Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engine became available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first Siskin III flew in 1923, and production aircraft subsequently entered RAF service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Siskin IIIA was the major production version.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt used a supercharged Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVA engine, which provided better high-altitude performance than the earlier versions.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe Siskin IIIA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe IIIA was a single-seat, single-engine sesquiplane fighter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"Sesquiplane\" means that the lower wing is substantially smaller than the upper wing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis gives the Siskin its distinctive appearance and is one of the reasons the Matchbox model is immediately recognisable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft had an all-metal airframe, although fabric covering was still used on parts of the structure and control surfaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts main armament was:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    2 × .303-inch Vickers machine guns\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Siskin could also carry small bombs on underwing racks in suitable configurations.\n\u003cbr\u003ePerformance\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Siskin IIIA was a respectable fighter by the standards of the mid-1920s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentative figures for the type include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Engine: Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IV-series radial\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Power: approximately 420–450 hp\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Maximum speed: around 156 mph \/ 251 km\/h at sea level\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Service ceiling: approximately 27,000 ft \/ 8,230 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Crew: 1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Wingspan: approximately 33 ft 2 in \/ 10.11 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Length: approximately 25 ft 4 in \/ 7.72 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Empty weight: approximately 2,061 lb \/ 935 kg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Loaded weight: approximately 3,012 lb \/ 1,366 kg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt 1\/72 scale, the full-size dimensions correspond to roughly 140 mm long and 140 mm wingspan, making this a relatively compact model despite the visually prominent upper wing.\n\u003cbr\u003eRAF service\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first Siskin IIIs were delivered to No. 41 Squadron at RAF Northolt in 1924.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe type subsequently equipped eleven RAF squadrons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePilots generally regarded the Siskin as highly manoeuvrable, although its engine performance limited it compared with some of the newer fighters that followed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe improved IIIA entered service from 1926, initially with No. 111 Squadron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft remained an important RAF fighter through much of the second half of the 1920s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the beginning of the 1930s, however, it was clearly becoming obsolete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe final RAF Siskins were withdrawn in October 1932, being replaced by the considerably more modern Bristol Bulldog.\n\u003cbr\u003eAerobatic and display work\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most interesting aspects of the Siskin's history was its use for RAF public flying displays.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft was highly manoeuvrable and consequently became a popular type for formation flying and aerobatic demonstrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Royal Canadian Air Force also used Siskins for one of Canada's earliest military flying-display teams.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Canadian government describes the Siskin as perhaps the most important RCAF aircraft of the inter-war years and notes that the RCAF formed a three-aircraft aerobatic team at Camp Borden in 1929. The team toured Canada performing formation and solo displays until 1932.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an important part of the aircraft's legacy: although it was designed as a fighter, it also became a highly visible symbol of military aviation during the inter-war period.\n\u003cbr\u003eRoyal Canadian Air Force service\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCanada was one of the Siskin's most important overseas users.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe RCAF acquired 12 Siskin IIIAs after evaluating Siskin II aircraft in Canadian conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey remained in Canadian service into the late 1930s, by which time the type had been superseded by modern fighters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Canadian government records the Siskin as the RCAF's front-line fighter from 1926 until approximately 1938, after which it was replaced by aircraft including the Hawker Hurricane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInterestingly, Canadian Siskins continued to be useful for training and demonstration purposes even after they were no longer competitive as front-line fighters.\n\u003cbr\u003eProduction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eApproximately 485 Siskins of all variants were built.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Siskin IIIA was by far the principal production version, with more than 300 aircraft produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eProduction was not confined to Armstrong Whitworth. Because of the demands on Armstrong Whitworth's factories, Siskin IIIA construction was also subcontracted to companies including:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Blackburn;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Bristol;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Gloster;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Vickers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis makes the Siskin an interesting example of how Britain's aircraft industry was organised during the inter-war period.\n\u003cbr\u003eInternational interest\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArmstrong Whitworth attempted to secure export customers for the Siskin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRomania placed an order for 65 aircraft, but the order was subsequently cancelled after a fatal accident involving a Romanian pilot during acceptance testing in 1925. Political factors may also have influenced the cancellation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOther Siskins were evaluated or operated by countries including Sweden and Canada.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe type consequently had a wider international history than its relatively small production run might suggest.\n\u003cbr\u003eFull-size aircraft price\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is unusually good historical price information for the Siskin because the Canadian government has published detailed RCAF procurement information.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor the Canadian Siskin IIIA, the documented cost was:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    C$11,758.66 per airframe\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    C$6,800 per engine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat gives a combined aircraft-and-engine figure of approximately C$18,558.66 at the time, although the source presents the airframe and engine separately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a historical procurement cost, not a modern equivalent price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no meaningful normal current market price for an original Siskin IIIA because surviving examples are museum\/heritage aircraft rather than routinely traded aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor your catalogue I would therefore record:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical full-size price: approximately C$11,759 for the airframe + C$6,800 engine\n\u003cbr\u003eCurrent full-size price: No reliable normal market price; surviving examples are heritage assets.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Matchbox","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57512971960700,"sku":"Matchbox-PK-25","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/sussex-model-centre.co.uk\/products\/matchbox-pk-25-armstrong-whitworth-siskin-iiia-british-fighter-1-72-scale-plastic-model-kit","provider":"Sussex Model Centre","version":"1.0","type":"link"}