Frog (models)

Lore & Background

Frog was founded in 1931 by Charles Wilmot and Joe Mansour under the company International Model Aircraft Ltd. (IMA). The F.R.O.G. name was registered as an acronym in 1932; contrary to later urban myth, it did not initially stand for 'Flies Right Off the Ground', a belief that arose because the first Frog Penguin models were metal gliders that took off from the ground rather than being thrown. The first model, the Interceptor Mk. 4, a semi-scale rubber-band powered flying model, launched in 1932. That same year, a marketing partnership was formed with toy company Lines Bros Ltd.

In 1936, Frog launched the world's first plastic model construction kits under the Frog Penguin name: 1:72 scale aircraft models moulded in cellulose acetate, available as kits or pre-built. An early release was the No.21P Empire Flying Boat in 1938. During the Second World War, the company produced flying models for target purposes and 1:72 scale aircraft recognition models. The Penguin range was dropped in 1949, and a new range of Frog polystyrene kits was introduced in 1955. From 1963, 1:72 scale was standardised for aircraft models.

By the 1970s, Frog's catalogue included many lesser-known aircraft types not available from other manufacturers, such as the Avro Shackleton, Martin Baltimore, Vultee Vengeance, and numerous others. Frog also produced 1:96 scale larger aircraft, ship kits (e.g., MV Shell Welder, HMS Tiger), and from 1968 issued around 30 ex-Hasegawa kits. In France, kits were sold under the Tri-ang brand; in North America, they were repackaged as 'Air Lines'.

Reader's Guide

Frog's significance lies in its pioneering role in plastic model kits, having introduced the world's first such kits in 1936. The brand's long production run from 1932 to 1976 covered flying models, recognition models, and a vast array of scale plastic kits. Its 1:72 scale aircraft line-up was particularly notable for including many lesser-known types that were otherwise unavailable from other manufacturers, making Frog a unique resource for modellers interested in obscure aircraft. The company's demise began when its parent company Rovex Tri-ang entered receivership in 1971 and was acquired by Dunbee-Combex-Marx in 1972. During the mid-1970s, many Frog moulds were transferred to factories in the Soviet Union and reissued under the Novo brand. Moulds of Second World War Axis subjects were acquired by Revell around 1977. The last Frog-branded kits were produced in 1976. In more recent years, some ex-Frog/Novo kits have been reissued by Revell and various East European manufacturers, ensuring the continued legacy of these designs.

Did You Know?

• Frog produced the world's first plastic model construction kits in 1936, made from cellulose acetate.
• The F.R.O.G. acronym was registered in 1932 and did not originally stand for 'Flies Right Off the Ground'.
• Frog's 1:72 scale line-up included many rare aircraft types such as the Avro Shackleton, Blackburn Shark, and Fairey Delta II.
• After 1976, many Frog moulds were sold to the Soviet Union and marketed under the Novo brand.