Skybirds was the brand name of a series of 1:72 scale

1:72 scale

1:72 scale is a scale used for scale models, most commonly model aircraft, corresponding to one sixth of an inch representing one foot . In other words, 72 of a given model placed end to end would represent the length of the real thing. In this scale, a man who is six feet tall would be exactly...

 wood and metal aircraft model kits produced by A. J. Holladay & Co. in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 during the 1930s and 40s.

These kits were designed by James Hay Stevens

James Hay Stevens

James Hay Stevens C.Eng, FRAeS, was an aviation journalist, editor of Aircraft Engineering magazine, illustrator and pilot. He is known for creating the Skybirds range of 1/72 scale model aircraft kits produced by A. J. Holladay & Co., the same scale later being adopted by Airfix...

 and comprised shaped wooden blanks with cast metal detail parts. These were the first model aircraft

Model aircraft

Model aircraft are flying or non-flying models of existing or imaginary aircraft using a variety of materials including plastic, diecast metal, polystyrene, balsa wood, foam and fibreglass...

 kits in the world made to a constant scale of 1:72. This scale was later adopted by many other model manufacturers, such as Frog

Frog (models)

Frog was a well-known British brand of flying model aircraft and scale model construction kits from the 1930s to the 1970s.- History :Founded in 1931 by Charles Wilmot and Joe Mansour, International Model Aircraft Ltd...

 and Airfix

Airfix

Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. In Britain, the name Airfix is synonymous with the hobby, a plastic model of this type is often simply referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer....

.

Around 80 different Skybirds kits were released from 1932 onwards. Subjects ranged from First World War to Second World War military aircraft, plus a number of inter-war period civilian types. Manufacture ceased in 1942, and in 1945 the company closed but was soon relaunched under new management. However the Skybirds range did not survive the company's acquisition by Zang shortly afterwards.