Siku Aircraft Models

Introduction

The series of 1:250 scale ready assembled plastic aircraft models from Siku rate high in the recollection of my memories. This model toy collection had a great influence on me to get aquainted to types of contemporary aircraft. The series was introduced by Siku in 1959 and stating that I got my first models around 1960 will be a realistic estimate. Siku aircraft followed my first ventures in aircraft models in shape of plastic kits from PLASTY and Faller (see How it All Began).

In April 2003, I dicovered ebay. I gave it a try, looked for SIKU models, found some offered, could not resist to bid and in  about half a year I was able to aquire the 33 aircraft types I remember to have had in my youth.

List of Siku Aircraft Models
 
A list of all Siku aircraft models issued is compiled here. It correponds with the models in my present collection with only a few missing. There will be links to pages dealing with the individual aircraft in detail.

General Descripton of the Siku Aircraft Models

Siku issued 35 types of aircraft, mostly with the choice of two different airline liveries resp. military markings. They were ready assembled  models in constant 1:250 scale. Material was plastic with the exception of the rotating wheels and propellers and their axles, which were made of metal.

The aircraft models came in two-color boxes, in square or in rectangular shape. The background color of the box-top was either red or blue, the color of the upper side panel alters accordingly (see pictures 2 and 3, right). The sizes and shapes of the boxes  correspond to the sizes and shapes of the models. The models were secured inside the boxes by cardboard inlays, (see picture 5 below right). A sheet with a description of the respective aircraft type was included in the boxes.

Siku also issued a variety of accesoires like airport buildings, cars, nav-aid installations etc. and a cardboard airport plan (see Siku Airport).

History of Siku

This series of solid plastic aircraft models in 1:250 scale was issued from 1959 to 1964.

Siku was a brand name registered in 1950 by Richard Sieper& Soehne [..& Sons]. This company was founded in 1921 by Richard Sieper starting production of aluminium cutlety, expanding later to other consumer products like ash trays, tobaccco tins, powder compacts  etc. The company also  pioneered in developing and producing articles made from thermoplastics.

In the mid 1950s manufacturing of big technical plastic toys and  the Verkehrsmodelle series (trafic models), plastic car models in 1:60 scale, was in full swing. Examples of "big" toys (1956 news leaflet).  Examples of 1:60 traffic models (1963 catalogue)

As for now (January 2016) the company now named Sieper GmbH flourisches as one of the leading manufacturers of diecast model toys with the brand name Siku, see website [1].

Remark: I remember well to have had quite a lot of the 1:60 car models, issued first in 1954 but they do not rate as high in the  recollection of my memories as the aircraft models and will be not treated here apart from the examples shown in the link above. Whereas the series of Siku Selbstbau-Modelle (build yourself models), issued in the mid 50's  are treated in a separate section of this website. The Selbstbau-Flugzeg (build yourself aircraft), is an important part of my memories. Searching for this model got me aquainted to other subjects of this series which I deemed as highly collectable

The Siku Catalogues are reviewed here.

Sources dealing with  the history of Siku  are listed in the notes section [3-4].

Reissue of Siku Models by other Manufacturers

Ten of the Siku civil airliners were re-issued as kits by the Czech firm DUBENA in the 1970's and 1980's.

Obviously the small mlitary aircraft from Siku were reissued in Iran. This is still subject of research by me. These reissues should look like this .