Editing Plastic model kit (section)

==History==
The first plastic models were manufactured at the end of 1936 by [[Frog (models)|Frog]] in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], with a range of 1/72nd scale model kits called 'Penguin'. <!--In Italy, at the beginning of 1940 M.P.(Materie Plastiche) produced some models of Italian aircraft.<ref>''Ecco il nemico'', Editoriale aeronautico, 1940</ref> -->In the late 1940s several American companies such as [[Hawk Model Company|Hawk]], Varney, Empire, Renwal and Lindberg began to produce plastic models. Many manufacturers began production in the 1950s and gained ascendancy in the 1960s such as [[Aurora Plastics Corporation|Aurora]], [[Revell]], [[Aluminum Model Toys|AMT]], and [[Revell|Monogram]] in America, [[Airfix]] in UK and [[Heller SA]] in France. Other manufacturers included; [[Matchbox (brand)|Matchbox]] (UK), [[Italeri]], [[ESCI (company)|ESCI]], (both Italian) Novo {ex-Frog moulds} (former Soviet Union), and [[Fujimi Mokei|Fujimi]], [[Nichimo]],[[Tamiya Corporation]] and [[Bandai]] (Japan).
[[File:Airfix 57.jpg|left|thumb|Two vintage [[Airfix]] kits]]
American model companies who had been producing assembled promotional scale models of new automobiles each year for [[automobile dealer]]s found a lucrative side business selling the unassembled parts of these  "promos" to hobbyists to assemble, thus finding a new [[revenue stream]] for the injection molds which were so expensive to update each year. These early models were typically lower in detail than currently standard, with non-opening hoods and no engines, and simplified or no detail on the [[chassis]], which attached to the body with very visible screws. Within a short time, the kit business began to overshadow the production of promos, and the level of accuracy and detail was raised to satisfy the demands of the marketplace.

In the 1960s, [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]] manufactured aircraft kits in the peculiar (at the time) scale of 1/100. Although the range included famous aircraft such as the [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress]], [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II]], [[North American F-86 Sabre]], [[Dassault Mirage III]], [[Grumman A-6 Intruder]] and the [[LTV A-7 Corsair II]], it never enjoyed the same success as 1/72 scale kits did. Soon, Tamiya stopped manufacturing 1/100 scale aircraft but re-issued a small selection of them in 2004.

Since the 1970s, [[Japan]]ese firms such as [[Hasegawa (model company)|Hasegawa]] and [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]], and since the 1990s also Chinese firms such as [[Dragon Models Limited|DML]], [[AFV Club]] and [[Trumpeter (company)|Trumpeter]] have dominated the field and represent the highest level of technology.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} Brands from [[Russia]], [[Central Europe]], and [[Korea]] have also become prominent recently with companies like [[Academy Plastic Model]]. Many smaller companies have also produced plastic models, both in the past and currently.

Prior to the rise of plastic models, shaped wood models were offered to model builders.  These wood model kits often required extensive work to create results easily obtained by the plastic models.

With the development of new technologies, modeling hobby can also be practiced in the virtual world. The Model Builder game, produced by Moonlit studio, available on [[Steam (service)]], consists of cutting, assembling, and painting airplanes, helicopters, tanks, cars, and others and making dioramas with them. Transferring the hobby to the game world allows novice modelers and people who do not have space, time, or money to buy multiple models to pursue their interests. Another form of practicing in the virtual world is a [[3D modeling]] with the use of such software like [[Blender (software)|Blender]], [[FreeCAD]], [[Lego Digital Designer]] (superseded by [[BrickLink#Studio|BrickLink Studio]]) or LeoCAD, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virtual Aircraft |url=http://airplanes3d.net/index_e.html |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=airplanes3d.net}}</ref>