I love Addar Planet of the Apes model kits!

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For this Friday's feature, I get kind of personal and explain my love for Planet of the Apes model kits and how they made me the (largely unemployable) man I am today. Join me after the jump!





Recently, I spied a lot of Addar Planet of the Apes model kits on Hakes (shop there!). Finances weren't terrific (we were actually temporarily homeless due to a botched real estate transaction) but the sight of this model just broke my brain and I vowed not to lose the auction.






You see, back in 1985, I was desperately writing the (pricey) toy dealers in the back of Starlog hoping they'd trade the cool vintage toys they had for the stuff I could find in the local variety stores like overstock AMT Star Trek models and boardgames from forgotten shows like "Korg 70,000 BC" but nobody ever bit, 70s toys weren't in demand (except by me).

Until I found the Planet of the Apes Stallion &Soldier model in a store near my grandparents, it was the same store my parents got milk nearly every Sunday after a visit, I got a million comics there, my first starlog, even my first Han Solo figure was purchased there.

This store were a treasure trove of unsold 70s merchandise, I carefully compiled a list of what they had and mailed it out. Then the unexpected happened, somebody called.





A New Jersey toy dealer called frantically and offered me $75 in trade for the kit. I tried to not pretend I was a kid on the phone (my mom cutting in on the call destroyed that) but we made the deal. I begged my folks to take me there, spent the $6 for the kit and shipped it off.

Many, many weeks later, I received a carded Mego Space:1999 Captain Zantor figure from England. It sort of sent me on a path of Mego collecting that has yet to end I'm afraid.

That really sent me on my way, I begun hunting and networking, spending my free hours travelling to find old toys in those dusty corners. Often going to places that my parents probably wouldn't have been thrilled about me visiting.






That sense of wonder and discovery is why i have trouble driving by yard sales or why i still get up at ungodly hours going to flea markets and toy shows instead of sleeping like my friends.






During that time, I've found just about every Addar Planet of the Apes model in my travels, probably ten times or more.

EXCEPT for the Stallion and Soldier, I've never come across it since. When I saw it that lonely weekend, something just clicked and I had to have it. 32 years later, it's nice to be reunited.

It's probably not the same kit but I'd like to think it is....

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


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[Earth 2 Chris]

Great story! I recall you talking about part of this on Pod Stallions. Those kits have great box art, even aside from the kit itself. Gorgeous stuff. Congrats on being reunited!

Chris

[enyawd72]

LOL...that's too funny! I had no idea I was bidding against you in that auction.

I gave up on the Apes and moved onto the Penguin, which I won!

Sorry if I made you pay too much LOL...I feel bad.

[palitoy]

Sorry if I made you pay too much LOL...I feel bad.

Ha! No worries, it's all fair. I wasn't in my right mind anyways. I'm going to part out the other kits and that'll be that.

[Apjac Corny]

I just LOVE the Addar POTA series, some of the best model kits of the '70's IMO and my favorites along with Aurora's Prehistoric Scenes. The only ones I didn't have were Zira and the Stallion Solder ape. I still have most of the pieces of my originals and some boxes including a nearly complete Caesar. I used to take the heads off them and put them on little green army men and play with them that way.

I picked up another Aldo for like $20.00 back in the 90's at Chiller Theatre and built him up. Here he is straight from a dusty shelf...



I also built up a Polar Lights re-issue of Cornelius but gave it to a friend as a gift. I need do another one bad! Maybe I'll use some of the original parts from my childhood kits. It's really cool how Ursus' & Aldo's heads wound up on Megos, they were great head sculpts worth ripping off. Zaius & Corny were nice but Zira and Caesar's faces are pretty horrible. When I re-do Corny I also might get rid of those sandals.

[PNGwynne]

Love these stories. Korg 70, 000 BC? I had that lunchbox, which is weird because I cannot recall the show at all.

I gave up on the Apes and moved onto the Penguin, which I won!

Good choice, not that I'm biased .

I didn't realize the Addar heads were Mego-scale. I thought the kits were 1/12.

[MRP]

Great story! I recall you talking about part of this on Pod Stallions. Those kits have great box art, even aside from the kit itself. Gorgeous stuff. Congrats on being reunited!

Chris

Ha! I remember the stories from my Pod Stallion binge listening run as well. Good luck on the hunt and hope you land them (and if you do what you will do with them). Still new at toy hunting and living a bit vicariously through others hunts. (Pod Stallions, along with the You Tube series Comic Trips are what brought me into the fray after being mostly a comics guy for decades with only a toy here or there).

-M

[supes]

I've never even seen the Stallion and Ape model! Does anyone have a picture of it built up? The artwork on the boxes are freat

[cjefferys]

Great story man! I've never owned an Addar kid, but have always admired them from afar.

[megoat]

The Stallion is one of the tougher models (if not the hardest) to find. Those scene in a bottle ones don't come up too often either.....

There has been a dealer on ebay with who knows how many NOS Zaius and Aldo kits like forever. Zaius can usually be had for $10 and Aldo for $15-$20. Pretty cheap for awesome 70s goodness