Sometimes you run in to something very special like this model from Hawk (kit no 516-98). A Pseudolucanus capreolus. It was released in 1960, so 58 years old!
The reddish-brown stag beetle (Lucanus capreolus) is a beetle of the family Lucanidae. It lives mainly in deciduous forests in the Eastern United States and in parts of Canada.
Capreolus, derived from Latin, meaning "roe deer" (actually "little goat"). In the Netherlands lives the species Platycerus caraboides (a beautiful metalic blue, females mostly green, Lucanidae species) which is called "Little blue goat".
I had seen the box a few times on Ebay, but never took serious notice. The box illustration depicts the beetle with funny proportions of the body parts. And it was named "BERTRAM" The stag beetle. So I thought it a kids model or a bulky model like the Heller-kits, which I personally do not like so much. The box came with a building plan and a little description of the beetle and it's lifecycle.
But then an Ebay seller had it complete for a good price and with good pictures of the box! I could read the text:
'Authentic to the smallest detail'and 'Faithfully reproduced from actual specimens supplied by a leading museum'. I decided to go for it ;-).
It is indeed very accurate!
There were also an ant, locust and dragonfly made in the series.
The stag beetle model had 56 unassembled parts, all in a redish brown colour. The plastic was very "weak", maybe because the age and/or storage it had. But what a magnificent detail!
So here are some parts in the first painting fase. I took the time to patiently paint it, using an actual (dead) specimen for reference.
Half a year later I had the time to paint the rest and start assembling.
I will post some more pictures of the finished model soon!
