The company’s official website currently gives its address as Yonghyeon-dong, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, and identifies the company as Academy Plastic Model.

Foundation

Academy was established on September 1, 1969, in South Korea by Kim Soon-hwan, a former science teacher. The company’s early identity was broader than plastic scale modelling; it was involved in toys, scientific educational materials, and model-making products.1

Kim’s background as a teacher influenced Academy’s early emphasis on products that combined play, construction, and education. The company eventually developed into a major Korean manufacturer of toys and educational construction products before establishing itself internationally as a plastic-model producer.

The development of Academy coincided with the expansion of South Korea’s manufacturing industry during the late 20th century. Plastic model kits offered a relatively accessible way for the company to combine industrial injection moulding with educational and hobby products.

Academy’s plastic-model operation eventually became the part of the company most recognised by international hobbyists.

The company produces injection-moulded plastic scale models, in which the individual components are manufactured in plastic sprues and assembled by the modeller. Depending on the kit, construction may involve cutting, sanding, gluing, painting, and applying decals.

Academy’s catalogue became particularly associated with:

• ✈️ Military aircraft
• 🚁 Helicopters
• 🪖 Tanks and armoured vehicles
• ⚓ Warships
• 🚗 Vehicles
• 🧍 Figures and military miniatures
• 🏗️ Educational construction kits
• 🛩️ Civilian aircraft
• 🚢 Famous historical ships

The company has historically offered kits in a wide range of scales. Its aircraft range is particularly associated with 1/72 and 1/48, while its military-vehicle range includes 1/35. Current products also include 1/144 aircraft and 1/700 and 1/800 ships.

Aircraft

Aircraft are one of Academy’s most important product categories.

The company produces models representing aircraft from different eras, including:

• World War I aircraft
• World War II fighters and bombers
• Cold War aircraft
• Modern fighter aircraft
• Transport aircraft
• Helicopters
• Civilian aircraft

Academy’s current catalogue includes subjects such as the A-10C, F-86F-40 Sabre, B-24 Liberator, F/A-18E Super Hornet, F-35B, F-15, B-2, and Cessna 172.

This illustrates one of Academy’s defining characteristics: its catalogue covers both historically important aircraft and contemporary military subjects.

Common aircraft scales

1/72 is one of Academy’s major aircraft scales, offering a relatively compact representation suitable for collections.

1/48 provides substantially larger models with greater potential for surface detail and cockpit detailing.

Academy also produces 1/144 aircraft, which are particularly useful for large aircraft or collectors who want to display multiple subjects in limited space.

Military miniatures

Military modelling is another major part of Academy’s identity.

Its 1/35 military-vehicle range includes tanks, armoured vehicles, and helicopters from World War II through the modern era.

Examples from its catalogue include:

• German Tiger I
• Panzer III
• Panzer IV
• Korean K2 Black Panther
• Korean K21 IFV
• K808 armoured vehicle
• Modern American and Israeli military subjects
• Various military helicopters

The combination of historical and modern subjects gives Academy a particularly broad military-modelling catalogue.

Naval models

Academy also produces scale ship models.

Its naval subjects include famous warships and historical vessels. One notable example is its 1/800 German battleship Bismarck, while its catalogue has also included subjects such as the RMS Titanic.

Naval kits allow Academy to cover another major branch of scale modelling alongside aircraft and armour.

Korean subjects

One of Academy’s distinguishing characteristics is its willingness to produce models of South Korean military equipment.

Examples include:

• K2 Black Panther
• K21 IFV
• K808
• ROKAF KF-21 Boramae
• Korean-operated versions of aircraft and helicopters

The KF-21 Boramae, for example, appears in Academy’s 1/72 catalogue.

This gives Academy a particularly strong connection to Korean military history and the modern Republic of Korea defence industry.

Academy is not limited to one modelling scale. Its catalogue spans numerous scales according to the subject.

For example, Academy’s current catalogue lists the A-10C and F-86 in 1/48, the B-24 and Mirage F1 in 1/144, and military vehicles in 1/35.

Academy kits have developed a reputation for providing relatively accessible plastic-modelling experiences while also offering subjects attractive to experienced builders.

One commonly cited characteristic of Academy’s injection-moulded kits is clean moulding. Older references describe Academy moulds as generally clean, with limited flash, although the quality and accuracy of individual kits can vary considerably across the company’s long catalogue.

This is important because “Academy quality” is not completely uniform across every kit. The company has produced hundreds of different kits over several decades, including both original tooling and products derived from older tooling.

Consequently, experienced modellers generally evaluate Academy kits kit-by-kit, rather than assuming that every Academy product has the same engineering standard.

A significant part of Academy’s history involves the evolution of its tooling.

Like many long-running plastic-model companies, Academy has released:

1. Completely new tooling
2. Revised tooling
3. Older kits under new packaging
4. Different variants based on existing moulds
5. Reissues with new decals or markings

This means that the release date of a particular box does not necessarily indicate the age of the underlying moulds.

For collectors and modellers, the kit number and tooling history can therefore be more important than simply the artwork printed on the box.

Academy developed a substantial export business and became a recognisable Korean name in the international scale-model market.

A commonly cited company profile states that Academy has developed and supplied more than 500 products to more than 60 countries. The same source notes that the company began receiving Modell des Jahres awards in 1989 and subsequently won several awards for product quality.1

Its international presence helped establish South Korea as an important source of injection-moulded hobby products alongside better-known Japanese and European manufacturers.

Academy is somewhat unusual among major model-kit companies because its identity is not exclusively that of a scale-model manufacturer.

The company also produces or has produced:

• Toys
• Educational construction kits
• Radio-controlled products
• Scientific/educational models
• Model paints
• Modelling supplies
• Other hobby products

The current official website still separates its offerings into Plastic Model, Airsoft Gun, Toy, Da Vinci Series, Educational Kit, and New Product categories.

This reflects Academy’s historical roots as a science-education and toy manufacturer, rather than a company created solely for adult scale modelling.

Another part of Academy’s product identity is the Da Vinci Series.

These are construction-oriented products inspired by mechanical and scientific concepts. Rather than being conventional military scale models, they emphasise assembly and mechanical/educational principles.

The inclusion of the Da Vinci Series on Academy’s current official website demonstrates how the company’s product philosophy extends beyond conventional plastic models.

Academy’s international branding is generally centred on the name ACADEMY and the phrase Academy Hobby.

For international modellers, “Academy” generally means Academy Plastic Model, rather than the much broader meaning of the English word “academy.”

The brand has become particularly recognisable among:

• Aircraft modellers
• Military modellers
• Beginner modellers
• Historical-model enthusiasts
• Korean military enthusiasts
• Collectors of unusual subjects

Academy is often discussed alongside major plastic-model manufacturers such as:

• Tamiya — Japan
• Hasegawa — Japan
• Fujimi — Japan
• Airfix — United Kingdom
• Italeri — Italy
• Revell — Germany/United States
• Zvezda — Russia
• Trumpeter — China
• HobbyBoss — China

Academy’s particular niche is its combination of competitive pricing, broad subject coverage, Korean subjects, and an extensive aircraft and military catalogue.

It is especially significant because it represents one of the most successful South Korean entries into the global plastic-model industry.

Academy remains an active manufacturer rather than merely a historical brand.

As of 2026, its official site lists new releases including:

• 1/48 A-10C “Nose Art” — July 2026
• 1/48 F-86F-40 Sabre — June 2026
• 1/144 B-24 Liberator — June 2026
• 1/35 MD500 “IDF” — May 2026
• 1/72 F/A-18E Super Hornet “VFA-31 Tomcatters” — May 2026
• 1/48 CH-47D Chinook “R.O.K. Army” — April 2026
• 1/144 Mirage F1 — April 2026
• 1/144 Rafale M — April 2026

The continued release of new tooling and variants demonstrates that Academy remains an active participant in the modern scale-model market rather than simply maintaining an old catalogue.

Today, Academy Plastic Model Co., Ltd. is based in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The company’s official hobby operation continues to sell plastic scale models and related products internationally. Its official contact information lists Kim Myoungkwan as owner and gives the Uijeongbu address as its company location.

The company continues to maintain a dedicated international hobby website and regularly introduces new kits.

Academy’s reputation is best understood as broad rather than uniformly specialised.

Its strengths include:

Wide subject selection
Academy has an unusually broad catalogue covering aircraft, armour, ships, helicopters, and Korean subjects.

Interesting subjects
The company has produced subjects that are less commonly available from competitors, particularly Korean military equipment.

Competitive pricing
Academy kits have historically occupied an accessible price point compared with some premium Japanese and European products.

Good modern tooling
Some of Academy’s newer releases feature highly detailed surface engraving and sophisticated parts breakdowns.

Long history
More than five decades of manufacturing experience give Academy considerable institutional knowledge in injection moulding and model production.

At the same time, older Academy kits can differ substantially from modern Academy releases. Therefore, judging the brand solely from either an old kit or a brand-new kit can give a misleading impression of the company as a whole.

Academy is significant in scale-model history for several reasons.

First, it is one of the most important Korean plastic-model manufacturers.

Second, its international expansion helped make South Korean injection-moulded hobby products visible to modellers around the world.

Third, its extensive catalogue has provided relatively accessible versions of aircraft, tanks, ships, and other subjects to several generations of modellers.

Finally, Academy’s continued production demonstrates that the traditional plastic scale-model kit remains an active hobby industry, even as the broader toy and entertainment markets have changed dramatically since the company’s foundation in 1969.

Academy Hobby Model Kits = Academy Plastic Model Co., Ltd., a South Korean model-and-toy manufacturer founded in 1969. The company began with educational and toy products and developed into an internationally recognised scale-model producer. Its strongest areas are aircraft, military vehicles, helicopters, and ships, with particularly notable coverage of Korean military subjects. Its catalogue ranges from beginner-friendly products to detailed modern scale kits, with major scales including 1/72, 1/48, 1/35, and 1/144.1

As of 2026, Academy is still actively developing new tooling and releasing new kits, making it a current major participant in the international plastic-model industry, rather than simply a legacy brand.

1. Academy Plastic Model