ABC Magazine

ABC is a fortnightly magazine published in the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia) since the 1950s. It is aimed at young people, and each issue contains a number of short articles on scientific and technological subjects. There are also usually two or three paper models of varying complexity and widely varying subjects, though my impression (perhaps false) is that the number and complexity has been declining in recent years.

A very important figure in the history of ABC magazine has been the architect and model designer Richard Vyškovský, who has contributed a huge number of models over the years. In 2007 ABC published a book of 35 models by Vyškovský, to celebrate its 50th anniversary - Zlatá Kniha Vystřihovánek (The Golden Book of Paper Models). One of these was a motorcycle.

More recently, I have obtained a selection of other ABC models extracted from the magazine by Miroslav Gabriel, including about 10 motorcycles which will be appearing here in time. These date from about 1995 to 2008, and show an interesting change of style. Earlier models are quite "cartoonish", with thick hand-drawn lines and (to be polite) somewhat approximate fit and symmetries. From about 2005 they become much crisper in appearance, with fine, presumably computer-drawn, lines and an impression much more of a scale model rather than a children's toy.

Group 1 Honda NS500GP Simson SR50CE Babetta 210

Group 2 Čechie-Böhmerland

Group 3 Jawa 884.6 Jawa Dandy 50 Jawa 125