"Hawk Model Airplanes" was established in 1928 by brothers Dick (Sr.) and Phil Mates in Chicago, Illinois. Promoted as "America's Oldest Model Company", the company was purchased by the Testor Corporation in 1970.[2][3] The Hawk Company assets were later acquired by J. Lloyd International, Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which, in turn, sold them to Round 2 LLCofSouth Bend, Indiana in 2013.[4]
From its inception in 1928 to the early 1950s, the company manufactured a successful line of solid-wood aircraft models, which eventually included injection-molded generic plastic propellers.[5] The Mates brothers exhibited built-up and painted plastic models at the Chicago World's Fair in 1934.[6] During World War II, Hawk helped to supply plastic identification models for use in military training.[7]
In 1946, Hawk produced one of the first all-plastic model kits, the Curtiss R3C-1 racer.[8] Four additional kits (all classic 1930s racers) were added in 1948; the Gee Bee, Howard Ike, Laird Solution and Supermarine S6B. These early kits were molded in acetateplastic, but from 1949 Hawk employed polystyrene in its injection-molding process.[9] The kits were advertised as "1/4 scale", meaning 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) equals 1 scale foot or 1/48 scale. Additionally, increasingly sophisticated tooling was developed in the 1960s. By the time of its sale to Testor Corp. in 1970, the company's catalog included a wide range of realistic scale replicas of aircraft, ships, missiles, vehicles and conceptual subjects in 1:48, 1:72, 1:96, 1:144, and smaller scales.
Many of these original Hawk kits have been reissued periodically using the original molds. They have been reboxed by Testor or its successors and continue to be available.
One of Hawk's best selling kit lines was the "Weird-ohs Car-icky-tures", dragster and hot rod caricatures (along with the related "Frantics", and "Silly Surfers" series), based on concepts and art created by their often-used freelance illustrator Bill Campbell.[10] This model line serve as the inspiration for the 1999-2000 CGI cartoon series Weird-Oh's.
Hodad Makin' the Scene ("Hodad Makin' the Scene With a Six Pack - Detailed Personable Pelican and Crusty Crab, Insect Pests, Sand Crawlers, Etc., included")
Hot Dogger Hangin' Ten
Riding Tandem ("Hot Dogger and Surf Bunny Riding Tandem - The Dazzling Duo of the Surf - Goony Gull, Crusty Crab & Friendly Fish included")
