Thursday, January 17, 2019 - 04:56 AM UTC
I just looked for news about the fate of Revell since the Hobbico bankruptcy but found nothing here at KitMaker, so the following is the latest that I have found. It may be dated but the announcement dates are the latest I found. Interestingly, some molds have been acquired by Atlantis Model Co.
This information is from Summer 2018.

First of all, many classic Aurora, Monogram, Renwal, etc., were acquired by Revell. Actually, much of the Aurora tooling was acquired by Monogram in the 1970s. (I won't mention the train wreck.) In the weird merger of Monogram and Revell, Revell took possession. I'm not certain how all the pieces scattered when the puzzle was broken but I read that Revell sent the Aurora molds to China (uh-oh), where it now belongs to Revell Germany.

Fortunately, other Aurora, Monogram & Revell tooling has been acquired by Atlantis Model Co.

FineScale Modeler announced a news release from the President of Revell USA that Revell is back in Illinois. Marketing takes place out of Champaign, Ill. Horizon Hobby now distributes Revell. Revell Inc. closed after Hobbico failed and sold Revell to Revell Germany (Revell AG). (The price was less than $4MM.)

Revell's line will include some new Revell USA development but also imports from Revell AG.

But that's not all!

An additional press release from Atlantis Model Co.
    "LONG ISLAND, NY, – Atlantis Model Co., manufacturer of plastic models and toys has purchased the tooling for many plastic model kits from the new owners of Revell, Revell Inc. USA-Blitz Partners. These molds were from the tooling banks of Monogram, Revell, Aurora and Renwal, some dating back to the early 1950s. They were stored in Revell’s Elk Grove facility in the great state of Illinois and represent Automotive, Aircraft, Ships, Military, Figures, Space and many other interesting subjects.

    Peter Vetri, President of Atlantis, states, “It’s a lifelong dream to own this historic tooling and archive material related to these molds; to be able to preserve the tooling is a real honor. We look forward to reissuing many classics that have not been available in quite some time. All of the model kits will be made here in the USA and all the tooling and the Archive have been moved from Elk Grove to our facilities in Deer Park, NY."

Atlantis Model Co.: https://www.atlantis-models.com
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Comments

Fred, It doesn't sound promising if the older molds have disappeared into China, but its encouraging if they have gone to Atlantis. Guess I'll hold on to my Revell BOMARC re-issue I bought just before the Hobbico breakup-- It may have some value in the future!! Appreciate you keeping us posted with what you've learned. Guess an American Hobby Icon is really gone. VR, Russ
JAN 17, 2019 - 06:27 AM
OK, that was a little disconcerting. When I opened the post, there was nothing but white space. I had to scroll down a ways to see the text and the link to the article. Thanks for the sharing the news, although it's an older story, some of the details were new to me.
JAN 17, 2019 - 06:32 AM
I have heard on another site that other than reissuing variants of some of their recent new tools, Revell is going to be leaving the plastic kit game to focus on toys. Basically, the new items in the 2019 catalog will be all we get.
JAN 17, 2019 - 08:44 AM
If there is someone to bring back a lost kit that hasn't seen the light of day in 40 years it'll be Atlantis. This include the Monogram 1/32 armor line? Or going back further the Aurora 1/48? Including the hybrid Panther kit with the molded zimmerit? Dare I hope for any 1/40 Revell kits that haven't been seen in 40-50 years? Or the rest of the Renwal 1/500 ship kits? The Aurora 1/600 ship kits?
JAN 17, 2019 - 09:33 PM
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