Andrzej Rygiel
Nice collection of WTF box arts 🙂. To be fair, majority of them are from the ancient era (60's/70's/80's) of modelling, nobody focused that much on what's on the box back then (but there were also really nice looking artistic pieces from those times that I remember). I'll try to find some newer (90's and onward) box arts that I consider a "failed mission in marketing" - this one is a nice example from 2021 --> Saab TF-35 Draken (Skale Wings SS-72001, 1:72), and this one a bit older (2003), but also has a high WTF factor --> Messerschmitt Bf-109E 3/4 "H..tenkrad (Academy 2214, 1:72).

gorby Author
Oooohh! That Draken box art is dreadful.

Robert Podkoński
And the next one to your collection, gorby:
Saunders-Roe SR-53 (URSUS , 1:72)

Ben M
I built that thunderceptor (photo 32) when I was a kid. I got it at a 5 and dime store. I recall I painted it testors metallic gloss red.

Robert Podkoński
Aaaaaand my favourite:
PZL P-23 a Karas (RUCH MK006, 1:72)
PZL P-23a (Coopexim , 1:72)
PZL-23A Karaś (RUCH , 1:72)
PZL P.23A Karaś (PZW , 1:72)
which one do you like most? 😄
Don't you dare look at the contents - what's most unbelievable: the same moulds are used now to produce "new" kits:
PZL P-23B Karas (BIGMODEL K72046, 1:72)

Robert Podkoński
Some more fun:
Boeing B-707 (ZTS Plastyk S-114, 1:144)

gorby Author
Thanks for your comments. Some excellent examples Robert, particularly the first three PZL P.23. 😄

Erik Off
There was still action on the covers. Cool stuff! 😄

gorby Author
Yes it bugs me when classic box-art is altered to remove any sign of unpleasantness. This is an ideal example.
Superfortress (Airfix 07001-4, 1:72)
Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Airfix A07001, 1:72)
One is full of action and the other is dull.

Robert Podkoński
Still, I love the Lindberg's rendering of MiG-19... and Soviet "Warhawk" - quite inspiring, isn't it 😉

gorby Author
The Warhawk is unbelievable! It looks nothing like the real aircraft. I'd love to see the model.

Ben M
P-40B Tomahawk (Zvezda 7201, 1:72)

You can find out for 15 euro, gorby

Mark Sherwood
That Airfix B-29 re-mastered cover art is an affront to the Royal Cross original.

Martin Oostrom
I love that the markings for the Corvair 880 are DIE 880

gorby Author
I've just Googled it Ben and it doesn't great, but not as bad as I thought it would. I think I'll save my 15 euro. 😉
I agree Mark (incidentally, the predictive text has change Roy to Royal).
I didn't notice that Martin. 😄

Mark Sherwood
Cheers Gorby, I didn't notice 😳 👍

Robert Podkoński
Convair on the picture apparently has no engines, but drop tanks instead 😄 😄 😄t
And here is the next piece of art from Trumpeter:
MiG-15 UTI mixed with Caproni-Stipa by Chinese:
PLA Air Force FT-5 Trainer (Trumpeter 02203, 1:32)
And a few more from Trumpeter:
Chinese Y-5 (Trumpeter 01602, 1:72)
and Airbus Beluga with all-moving tail 😄
A300-600ST Beluga (Trumpeter 00604, 1:144)
and finally, Iliushin Il-28:
Chinese Bomb-5 (Trumpeter 01603, 1:72)

Mark Sherwood
To my previous post, re the B29 box art. It is the inimitable Roy Cross. The reason I bought Airfix. 🤟🥸🤘

gorby Author
Trumpeter have a rich history of dreadful box-art, that Y-5 is particularly painful. 😄

Robert Podkoński
I like the title on Il-28: "Chinese Bomb - 5"... 😄

gorby Author
😄 😄 😄

Treehugger
Oh, wow, what a weird looking Voodoo F-101. Hm, I suppose it might be some prototype jet variant.

Ludvík Kružík
Very interesting collection of boxart. 👍

There is a reason for the shape of the boxarts made in the Soviet Union. The incompetence of the Soviet industry and the political situation influenced the creation not only of boxarts, but of entire kits produced in the former Soviet Union. Lousy boxarts were defended by claiming that the attractive color pictures on Western boxarts were just capitalist tinsel and bourgeois detailism. And a socialist doesn't need such things.
The model's box was made of poor quality cardboard with mostly two-color printing. From the modest Cyrillic inscription on the box one could read that the box contained a kit of model aircraft number xxxx, or at best, even more accurately, that it was, for example, a fighter aircraft. The instructions for building the model were printed on stiff paper, which could be successfully used as sheet metal. It contained only pictorial instructions for building the model. Any detailed information (colours, camouflage, what kind of machine it was and where it was used...) was missing. In most cases, decals were also missing. In some kits the decals were replaced by stickers. Most of these kits were pressed by the leading company Frog, which was acquired by the Soviets in the second half of the 1970s.
Curiously, the same models, but intended for the Western market, were produced under the NOVO brand. The quality and content of these kits were comparable to the original FROG kits.

gorby Author
Thanks Ludvik, that was interesting.

Ben M
This whole hobby is bourgeois detaillism.

gorby Author
😄 😄 😄

Robert Podkoński
Actually, Beaufighter is described here as "morskoj shturmovik" = "sea/navy assault plane"...

Spitfire14
I live your comments and the selection (also fron the commentors contributing! Can't wait for the extension of the collection...definitely made my day.

gorby Author
Glad you enjoyed it Spitfire. 🙂

Denis Dogadov
If you are really interested in the topic of amazing boxarts, here is a website created by enthusiasts about models in the USSR Where you will find many more pictures-
retromodels.org

[img1]
[img2]

Jan Peters
This is really hilarious 😂

gorby Author
Jan - it was your excellent 'All sorts' album which gave me the idea of posting them on Scalemates, so thanks. 👍

Air no
Sympa. J'ai eu le Wellington Camojet en provenance directe d'Urss. Merci pour ta visite Gorbie.

Mr D
Interesting 👍 the Google translate helps. Thanks for link.

bossy122
That Convair 880 is going 6 different directions, all at once. Impressive.

gorby Author
😄 😄 😄
It takes a 'special' artist to create such greatness. 😄

Jan Peters
Cross eyed I guess 🫣😀

gorby Author
😄 😄 😄

Lochsa River
....beyond brilliant....

Lochsa River
...and so inspiring...more funky box art added by helpful SCM members....

Neuling
Very interesting art gallery .......... 🙂

Alec K
Indeed! How the heck I missed this, I don't know. Some real pearls here for sure 👍🤣

gorby Author
Thanks mates. I'm pleased you enjoyed the awfulness. 🙂

Mr D
The Tomahawk looks like it a cross between a Mustang and a Policarpov 🤣
Would have a terrible C.G
But it's good to see nice n innocent basic art work for kids l assume .