VEB Plasticart
East German plastic model manufacturer known for Soviet and Western airliner kits.
VEB Plasticart, originally founded as Mastermodell GmbH, began producing plastic model kits and toys in 1958 in Zschopau, East Germany. Over its lifespan, the company released roughly 40 different kits and a handful of plastic games, such as the mancala game "Badari." Most of its output consisted of static display models, with airliners typically scaled at 1/100, smaller aircraft at 1/50 and later 1/72, plus a 1/25 model of the Soviet Vostok spacecraft and a 1/288 model of the Energia rocket paired with the Buran space shuttle. Many of these kits are now sought-after collector's items.
The company operated under several names during its existence. From 1958 to 1969 it was known as KVZ (VEB Kunststoff-Verarbeitung Zschopau), meaning "Plastic Processing Zschopau," and its kits came in thick cardboard boxes with striking cover art, bearing a snake logo. Between 1969 and 1973 it was called MPKAB (VEB Modell- und Plastspielwaren Kombinat Annaberg-Buchholz), with kits packed in plain blue boxes without a logo; during this period, the combined entity also released 1/87 scale die-cast cars and military vehicles under the "ESPEWE MODELLE" brand. The name VEB Kombinat Plasticart Annaberg-Buchholz was used for die-cast models, with the "PLASTICART modelle" logo. From 1973 to 1989 the company was VEB Plasticart Zschopau, keeping the same blue packaging but adding a company logo in 1973; after 1987, some kits appeared in black boxes with photos of the finished model. Following the fall of the GDR, the firm operated as Mastermodell GmbH from 1989 to 1991. After a two-year hiatus, the German Treuhand sold the company in 1993 to Manfred Wader, who renamed it Plasticart. At that time only 37 workers remained. A new factory was built in Elterlein, Saxony, eventually employing over 70 people, but it closed in 2011, ending the Plasticart brand. In late 2012, the German company Reifra resumed production of some former Plasticart kits.
VEB Plasticart sold cheap but well-designed plastic construction kits to Western countries in exchange for Western currencies. The factory was located at August-Bebel Strasse 2, 9360 Zschopau, in the German Democratic Republic. Two additional brand names were used by UK importers: "Playfix" from the mid-1980s and "Nu-Bee" from the early 1990s.
Quick Facts
- Former Names
- Kunststoff-Verarbeitung Zschopau (1958–69) / Modell-und Plastspielwaren Kombinat Annaberg-Buchholz (1969–73) / VEB Plasticart Zschopau (1973–89)
- Fate
- Fell from bankruptcy in 1993, sold to Manfred Wader which moved the factory to Elterlein, Saxony
- Founded
- 1958
- Defunct
- 1993
- Hq Location
- Zschopau, East Germany
- Industry
- Toy, collecting
- Products
- Scale model aircraft, cars. spacecraft
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
VEB Plasticart was established in 1958 in Zschopau, East Germany, as a state-owned enterprise (VEB, meaning "company owned by the people"). The company underwent several name changes: KVZ (1958–1969), MPKAB (1969–1973), VEB Plasticart Zschopau (1973–1989), and Mastermodell GmbH (1989–1991). After a two-year break, it was sold in 1993 by the German Treuhand to Manfred Wader and renamed Plasticart. A new factory in Elterlein, Saxony, employed over 70 workers, but the factory closed in 2011, ending the Plasticart brand. In late 2012, the German company Reifra resumed production of some former Plasticart model kits.
The company was able to sell cheap but well-designed plastic construction kits to Western countries in exchange for Western currencies. The factory was located at August-Bebel Strasse 2, 9360 Zschopau, German Democratic Republic. During the KVZ period, kits had thick cardboard packaging with great cover images and a snake logo. The MPKAB period used classic blue standard boxes without a company logo, and the "ESPEWE MODELLE" logo appeared on die-cast models. From 1973, VEB Plasticart Zschopau used a company logo, and from 1987 some kits appeared in a new black box with a picture of a constructed model on the cover. UK importers used the brand names "Playfix" (mid-1980s) and "Nu-Bee" (early 1990s).
Reader's Guide
VEB Plasticart's significance lies in its comprehensive range of Soviet and Warsaw Pact aircraft models, which were affordable and plentiful in Comecon countries. The company set a standard for simple assembly, minimal parts, sturdy landing gear, and full decal sheets, with instructions printed in German, Russian, Polish, and Czech. Its 1/100 scale matched contemporary East German TT trains and was close to FROG's 1/96 scale. The early Tu-104 kit set the template for all subsequent kits. Plasticart also produced Western airliners, such as the Douglas DC-8, de Havilland Comet 4, and Boeing 727, which are highly sought after by collectors today. The Il-62 model sold with KLM livery for only four months in 1971 is one of the rarest Plasticart models. The company's legacy endures through the continued production of some kits by Reifra and the high collector value of original kits, particularly the Western airliner models.
Did You Know?
- VEB Plasticart produced a model of the Soviet spaceship Vostok in 1/25 scale.
- The company's Il-62 model was sold with KLM livery for only four months in 1971.
- UK importers used the brand names 'Playfix' and 'Nu-Bee' for Plasticart kits.
- The company's factory was located at August-Bebel Strasse 2 in Zschopau.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VEB Plasticart?
VEB Plasticart was an East German manufacturer of plastic model kits and toys, originally established as Mastermodell GmbH in 1958. Based in Zschopau, it specialized in static display models of aircraft and spacecraft, and also released a few plastic games such as the mancala set "Badari."
Where was VEB Plasticart located and when did it operate?
The company ran out of Zschopau in East Germany from its 1958 founding until it shut down in 2011. It was one of the few dedicated plastic-model producers in the GDR during the Cold War era.
What scales did VEB Plasticart kits use?
Airliners were typically offered at 1/100, smaller aircraft at 1/50 and later 1/72, the Soviet Vostok spacecraft at 1/25, and the Energia rocket with Buran shuttle at 1/288. This mix of scales was unusual for a single small producer.
How many kits did VEB Plasticart actually release?
Across its roughly 53 years of production the company put out only about 40 distinct kits plus a handful of plastic games. That modest output makes surviving boxes and sprues increasingly scarce on the secondary market.
Why do collectors seek out VEB Plasticart kits?
Because the catalog was small and the company closed in 2011, complete-in-box examples are hard to come by. Fans of East German and Soviet-era aviation modeling value them as tangible pieces of GDR industrial history.
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