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Authenticast

MSP-R

Remark: The scale for most tank models is 1/108, the railroad accessories and sets of soldiers released later are near 1/87.

Comet Metal Products

Authenticast models were made by Comet Metal Products, a die-casting company founded by Abraham Slonim in Richmond Hills, New York in 1919. After producing all kinds of die-cast goods in the beginning, Comet started making metal soldiers in the 1930s. In 1940 Comet copyrights the 'Brigadiers' brand for their first line of diecast toy soldiers. Comet tried to interest the US government in using their models for identification purposes, but it was only after WWII started that Comet was actually commissioned by the US military to manufacture identification models of ships, airplanes and military roadvehicles. The military vehicles were cast to U. S. Government order at 1" = 9', thus 1/108, not even close to 1/87. In 1945 Comet / Authenticast initially offered over 50 tanks and other military vehicle models from the US, Britain, Russia, Germany and Japan to the public, but as time passed more models were developed. Their catalogue eventually lists about 75 military models in two scales, 1/108 and 1/36. Apart from these military models, Comet also produced railroad accessory sets that contained car- and truckmodels, we are still looking for more information on these. The production at Comet stopped somewhere in 1962.

Authenticast = Spincast

Authenticast models are spincast, a centrifugal casting process developed in the 1930s, which allowed the maker to increase the level of detail (compared to die-cast models of the period). Comet named this the 'Authenticast' process to indicate the accuracy of the models that were produced and even patented their centrifugal casting process. Spincasting is a process that requires a master model. Since Comet had access to the US plans as well as the plans to British ships refitted in the US, the actual building plans were often used to make these master models. Once the master is created, it is placed between two rubber disks. These disks are placed in a frame and then placed in a press that contains heating elements. The disks are squeezed together and heated simultaneously. The squeezing forces the heated rubber to flow all around the master model whilst further heating hardens the rubber to about the same consistency as a tire. The disks have now turned into a mould, after they have cooled down they are separated, the master model is removed, and channels are carved from the center to the cavities. The mould is then placed in a centrifugal casting machine where it is spun while molten metal is poured into the mould. The spinning causes the metal to flow through the channels into the cavities thus creating a model. The mould is then allowed to cool for a while, and only several minutes later the model can be removed from the mould.

The 1/108 military models

British

Japanese

US American 

German

Russian

Where'd the moulds go ?

In 1962 the masters and moulds were sold to Superior Models who continued releasing the models. In the early 1970s however,  Custom Cast bought the Comet masters and moulds from Superior, and partially sells them to a collector in 1982. This collector sells the masters to Reaper Miniatures who in turn sell the armor master models to another private collector in 1994. The airplane masters remained at Reaper Miniatures, and were up for sale. A set of armor models moulds remained in the possession of Custom Cast, these moulds were acquired by Quality Castings in 1984. Finally, in 2002, Quality Castings is sold to 19th Century Miniatures. Authenticast Models are still sold, but most of them only remotely look like the original Authenticast version because many of the castings have been improved to increase detail. Many of the models still have the original 'Comet' logo on the base though. 

The (near) 1/87 civil models
- Information received from Sylvain Le Stum

Models included in sets

Help on identifying the models in these sets is still welcome !

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