Accurate Miniatures

Lore & Background

The original Accurate Miniatures was a Charlotte, North Carolina–based plastic model company that began business in the mid-1990s. It filed for bankruptcy in June 2001. Later that year, the company was purchased from the original owners by Hobby Investors LLC, now called Collins-Habovick, LLC. The transfer included the sale of the company name, logo, inventory, and intellectual property. Paul Bedford, former general manager of the original Accurate Miniatures, claims the deal was part cash and part debt assumption.

In July 2001, Accurate Miniatures, in an attempt to get out of debt, prepared to sell as much as 70% of their tooling to Italeri of Bologna, Italy. Some of the molds included those for the Avenger, Dauntless, Grumman F3F, Mustang, Stormovik, and Yak kits. However, the sale to Hobby Investors LLC nullified this deal. Unseen to Collins-Habovick was the financial disaster left by the previous management. When the previous management ceased operation, substantial debt remained behind. Mold sets like the B-25 and F-3F were not paid off completely, and mold commitments for the NASCAR stock car, SB2U, and an R-4 were not funded at all even though a fair amount of tooling had been complete. All of this, not including unpaid artists, printers, and many others, had to be overcome before anything else could be achieved. Only through the diligent work and patience of the small staff was Accurate Miniatures able to be resurrected to become a successful company praised by model builders for their high-quality kits and attention to detail.

Reader's Guide

Accurate Miniatures is notable for its focus on World War II aircraft in 1:48 scale, offering a wide range of kits including the Bell P-39Q Airacobra, Bristol Beaufighter variants, Curtiss Helldivers, Douglas Dauntless models, Grumman F3F and Avenger kits, Ilyushin Shturmovik, Yakovlev Yak-1, and multiple North American B-25 Mitchell and P-51 Mustang versions. The company also produces 1:72 scale kits such as the Boeing F4B-4, Curtiss P-6E Hawk, and McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II variants, as well as 1:100 scale helicopter and aircraft kits. In the automotive line, Accurate Miniatures offers 1:24 scale kits of the Corvette Grand Sport and McLaren M8B. The company's significance lies in its resurrection from bankruptcy and debt through the efforts of a small staff, ultimately becoming a respected manufacturer known for high-quality kits and attention to detail. Its product line includes not only complete kits but also 1:24 scale model automobile wheels and 1:48 scale model aircraft decals and accessories.

Did You Know?

• Accurate Miniatures filed for bankruptcy in June 2001.
• The company was purchased by Hobby Investors LLC, now Collins-Habovick, LLC, later in 2001.
• In July 2001, the company prepared to sell up to 70% of its tooling to Italeri, but the sale was nullified by the purchase by Hobby Investors LLC.