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History of Superior Models
This section is dedicated to the memory of John ‘Ian’ Carter (1937 – 2002) who founded Superior continuing and improving on the Authenticast tradition.
Abraham Slonim founded Comet Metal Products in 1919 as a die-casting company. In 1935 his sons, Joseph and Samuel joined the company. Originally located in Richmond Hills, Queens, New York, the company produced 10,000,000 models during WWII at a cost to the Federal Government of $5,000,000. Their patented centrifugal casting process was registered as ‘Authenticast’ to indicate the accuracy of the models that were produced. The first thing required in the process is a ‘master’ model. In most cases, the actual building plans are used to make the models. Authenticast had access to all the US plans as well as the plans to British ships refitted in the US. Once the master is created, it is placed between two rubber or silicone disks. The disks are placed in a frame and then placed in a vulcanizer, a press that contains heating elements. The disks are squeezed together and heated. The squeezing forces the rubber into all the nooks and crannies of the master. Heating the rubber hardens it to the consistency of a tire. The disks are now a mold; they are separated and gates carved from the center to the cavities. The mold is then placed in a centrifugal casting machine where it is spun. Molten metal poured into the mold is forced into the cavities. The mold is allowed to cool for several minutes and the models removed. This ‘Authenticast’ process has been used for over 60 years.
Before WWII, the services tried producing their own recognition models to train observers and lookouts. Three days after Pearl Harbor, the Navy ordered 50,000 models and the other services soon followed. The factory ran 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Armed guards patrolled the area to protect the classified work. By 1950, Comet was a $250,000 per year business employing 50 people. Commercial contracts were filled to make railroad models, parts for washing machines, dryers, safes, and automobile batteries. Special contracts were filled including replicating the 2,000,000 square foot plant of the Republic Aviation Corporation on Long Island. Built in ¼” scale, it included the vending machines. The original wall-type can opener was first made as a model in the Slonim factory for $200. The inventor won the contract, paid $1500 to Comet to produce 1500 copies and then distributed them as a promotional device.
Over the years, instead of creating all the masters themselves, Authenticast would exchange castings for masters and continue to produce the castings. They even took over production from South Salem whose most notable models were Japanese merchant ships. However, Comet did not produce any of the warships from South Salem such as TERUTSUKI, NEVADA (1943) and PENNSYLVANIA (1943).
In the 1950's the U.S. government ceased using models as a means of recognition training, and Comet concentrated on the hobby market. In 1962 Comet was sold to Jeff Bowen who hired Ian 'John' Carter from New York to produce the models. John moved to Delaware and built the company over the next several years by concentrating on the ship models. Collectors such as Bill Nailes, Tom Stribling, Dick Pattee, Jack Rowe and Jack Jamieson helped determine what new ships should be added to the line. Permission was received from H.A.Framburg to reproduce their ships, several of which are still in the Superior line. Originally a lamp company, Framburg of Chicago, Ill. also obtained a government contract to make recognition models as they were configured in 1943 from the ONI Recognition Manuals. One of the best features of the Framburg's were the 40mm and 20mm mounts which soon appeared on all the Authenticast originals.
In 1965 Alnavco became the major distributor of the ship models. Model makers were in short supply then and now. (In 1950, Comet’s top model makers earned $17,000 per year!) Ed Schwam built wooden models from plans supplied by Chris Beilstein. These were sent to Taiwan where brass originals were made from the wooden models. The 'Taipei Brass' program produced the base models for the WWI ships and many others but required substantial rework. The Authenticast planes and tanks were sold to Duke Siegfried in the early 1970s. Around this time, Superior branched out into military miniatures, pewter, space ships, and figures for the fantasy collector and wargame market. Each of these markets was larger than the ship market, which produced proportionately less income. The complexity and detail of all of Superior's castings became quickly appreciated in the industry and John was recognized as THE master mold maker.
Examples of complex models included the 54mm scale Skoda Mortar (cast with rifling!) and the 1:35 Sheridan Tank for Chrysler and General Motors. With a small number of model makers and the size of the line and other ventures, the number of 1:1200s that could be produced decreased. The large Superior line of 1:2400 WWII and modern models was created quickly from 1975-85 and used the model maker’s time. The last new 1:1200s produced in 1981 included the best of the conversions done by the collectors and wargamers that supported Superior. In 1983 Wayne Smith 'retired' to raise a family. In 1999 John retired from Superior due to health reasons and sold the ship models to Pete Paschall of Alnavco. With his family substantially raised, Wayne Smith agreed to come out of ‘retirement’ to upgrade the models and create new ones.
In the four years Alnavco has manufactured the Superior line, we have concentrated on upgrading the ships by removing secondaries of 5" and greater from the models and casting them separately. In addition to upgrading older models and issuing models out of production by other companies, Superior has created the vast “Fleet that Never Was”, planned ships that were never completed. A sampling of our progress:
7 new aircraft carriers, (KAGA, HIRYU, SORYU, ARK ROYAL, EAGLE, COURAGEOUS, HERMES)
23 Never Were battleships and battlecruisers including the LEXINGTON and TILLMAN
4 new WWI British battleships
4 new US BBs (ID, MS, MD, OK)
5 new cruisers (MINNEAPOLIS, SAVANNAH, ST. LOUIS, VINCENNES, DES MOINES)
Rebuilt: ARKANSAS, COLORADO 1944, PENNSYLVANIA, TEXAS, WICHITA, NEW ORLEANS, NORTHAMPTON, OMAHA, PENSACOLA, WARSPITE, QUEEN ELIZABETH, REPULSE, RENOWN, DREADNOUGHT, IRON DUKE, LION, DIDO, BELFAST, CUMBERLAND, DUNKERQUE, COURBET, BRETAGNE, FUSO, ISE, ISUZU, KUMA, SENDAI, YUBARI, MOLTKE , DUCA D’AOSTA, PRINZ EUGEN, and others
Stay tuned for more never were’s, British cruisers, and French and Italian ships.
Authenticast models have been upgraded with AA guns from the Framburg line or newer AA guns created by John Carter or Wayne Smith. Those noted as upgraded have additional features. Rebuilt models have had deck hatching, ventilators, AA gun directors and in many cases, deck planking. We are indebted to the late Mike Musser who contributed out of production models from his extensive collection so that others could enjoy their new availability. Mike also made many conversions whose patterns have been used to make new models.
Model Maker Upgraded/Rebuilt? A501 CARD (CVE) Authenticast A502 CASABLANCA (CVE) A503 SANGAMON (CVE) Framburg A504 ENTERPRISE 1942 Ed Schwam A505 ENTERPRISE 1944 Framburg A506 ESSEX 1944 Authenticast A507 HORNET 1942 Ed Schwam A508 INDEPENDENCE (CVL) Framburg A510 MIDWAY 1945 Authenticast A513 SARATOGA 1944 Framburg A514 LEXINGTON 1942 Wayne Smith A516 YORKTOWN 1942 Ed Schwam A517 LANGLEY (CV-1), U.S. CV John Carter Amphibious Ships & Craft A821 ELDORADO AGC Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A822 LST Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A823 LCI (4) Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A824 LCT (4) Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith Auxiliaries & Miscelleneous A801 BARNEGAT (AVP) Authenticast A802 CIMARRON (AO) Authenticast A803 CURTISS (AV) Authenticast A804 DIXIE (AD) Authenticast A805 FULTON (AS) Authenticast A806 HENDERSON (AP/AH) Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A811 LIBERTY SHIP Authenticast A812 VICTORY SHIP Authenticast Battlecruiser A201 ALASKA 1944* Wayne Smith A202 LEXINGTON 1921 Wayne Smith LEXINGTON 1916 Wayne Smith PROJECT D 1918 Wayne Smith CA2D Wayne Smith CA SCHEME #2 Wayne Smith CAC Wayne Smith Battleships A101 ARIZONA 1941 John Carter A102 ARKANSAS 1944 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A103 COLORADO 1941 Authenticast A104 COLORADO 1944 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A105 IOWA 1945* Wayne Smith A106 MASSACHUSETTS 1945* Bob Duhadaway A107 MONTANA (as planned)* John Carter A108 NEVADA 1944* John Carter A109 NEW MEXICO 1944 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A110 IDAHO 1945 Wayne Smith A111 MISSISSIPPI 1945 Wayne Smith A112 NORTH CAROLINA 1944* Authenticast Rebuilt by J.Carter A113 PENNSYLVANIA '44* Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A114 COLORADO 1944 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A115 TENNESSEE 1941 Authenticast A116 TENNESSEE 1942 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A117 TENNESSEE 1944* Authenticast Rebuilt by J.Carter A118 TEXAS 1945 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A119 WEST VIRGINIA '44* Authenticast Rebuilt by J.Carter A121 SOUTH DAKOTA '21 12-16" guns Wayne Smith A122 SOUTH DAKOTA '21 8-18" Guns Wayne Smith A123 MARYLAND 1945 Wayne Smith A124 OKLAHOMA 1941 Wayne Smith A125 BB65D* (12-16", 3x4) Wayne Smith A126 TILLMAN IV-2 Wayne Smith A127 GEORGIA (MONTANA II)* Wayne Smith VIRGINIA (MONTANA III) Wayne Smith BB 1922* Wayne Smith BB 1923 Wayne Smith BB 65A Wayne Smith BB 65I Wayne Smith Destroyer Escorts A618 BUCKLEY Authenticast A619 RUDDEROW Authenticast Destroyers A601 BENHAM Authenticast A602 BENSON Authenticast A603 BROOKS Authenticast A604 FARRAGUT Authenticast A605 FLETCHER Wayne Smith A606 GEARING Authenticast Upgraded by W.Smith A607 GRIDLEY Authenticast A608 LIVERMORE Authenticast A609 MAHAN Authenticast A611 PORTER 1942 Authenticast A613 SIMS Authenticast A614 SOMERS Authenticast A615 SUMNER Authenticast A616 Hull Nos. DD66-347 Authenticast Gunboats A840 ERIE (PG) (2) Authenticast A841 TACOMA (PF) (2) Authenticast Heavy Cruisers A301 BALTIMORE 1944* Wayne Smith A302 PITTSBURGH 1944* Wayne Smith A303 INDIANAPOLIS 1945 John Carter Rebuilt by W.Smith A304 LOUISVILLE 1945 Framburg A305 NEW ORLEANS 1942 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A307 NORTHAMPTON 1942 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A308 OREGON CITY 1945 Authenticast A309 PENSACOLA 1943 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A310 WICHITA 1945 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A311 MINNEAPOLIS 1945 Wayne Smith Light Cruisers A401 ATLANTA (CLAA) 1942* Wayne Smith A402 BROOKLYN 1945 Wayne Smith A403 CLEVELAND (Round Bridge) 1944* Wayne Smith A404 VINCENNES (Square Bridge) 1944* Wayne Smith A406 OMAHA 1943 Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith A407 WORCESTER 1946 Wayne Smith A408 ST, LOUIS 1945* Wayne Smith A409 SAVANNAH 1945* Wayne Smith Mine Warfare Ships A831 TERROR (CM) Authenticast A832 RAVEN (AM) (2) Authenticast A833 BIRD (AM) (2) Authenticast Submarines A701 BALAO (2) Bob Duhadaway A704 S-22 (3) Authenticast Aircraft Carrier J502 AKAGI 1942 John Carter J503 KAGA 1942 Clydeside Rebuilt by W.Smith J504 SORYU 1942 Clydeside Rebuilt by W.Smith J505 HIRYU 1942 Clydeside Rebuilt by W.Smith J509 RYUJO John Carter J510 TAIYO Authenticast J511 SHOHO 1942 Wayne Smith Rebuilt by W.Smith J512 SHOKAKU Authenticast John Carter J515 TAIHO Authenticast John Carter Auxiliaries J801 JINGEI (AS) Authenticast J802 KAMOI, (AV) Authenticast J803 MIZUHO, (AV) Authenticast J804 NOTORO (AV/AO) Authenticast J805 KAMOI (AV/AO) Authenticast Battleships J101 FUSO Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith J102 ISE Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith J103 ISE w/Flight Deck Authenticast Rebuilt by W.Smith J104 KONGO John Carter J106 NAGATO 1945 J.Carter/H.Kephart Detailed by W.Smith J107 YAMATO* Wayne Smith J108 TOSA 1921 Wayne Smith J108 TOSA 1921 Wayne Smith J109 SUPER YAMATO (798)* J110 NUMBER 13 J111 YAMATO A140A J112 YAMATO A140A2 J201 AMAGI 1921 J202 B65 J601 AMAGIRI Authenticast J602 ASASHIO Wayne Smith J603 HATSUHARU Authenticast J604 HIBIKI Authenticast J605 KAGERO Wayne Smith J607 MATSU Authenticast J608 MINEKAZE Authenticast J609 MUTSUKI Authenticast J611 TERUTSUKI John Carter J612 WAKATAKE Authenticast J613 YUGUMO Wayne Smith Heavy Cruisers J301 AOBA Authenticast J302 ATAGO Authenticast J303 CHOKAI Authenticast J305 SUZUYA Wayne Smith J307 NACHI Authenticast J308 TONE Authenticast Light Cruiser J401 KATORI Authenticast