Page One - Page Two THE massive slicks of the candy blue dragster bit deeply into the asphalt as tire smoke streamed back behind the rail. The driver shoved the long 8-ball shifter forward as the front wheels leaped from the pavement with a surge of power. Engine parts and oil blew out from the block, but the bulging, bloodshot eyes of the driver revealed no concern as long orange exhaust flames roared from the chrome headers attached to the sides of his striped yellow helmet. His parachute is firmly strapped to his back, and his green-skinned face is twisted into a wide, shark-toothed smile as he screams past a road sign marked "Dragsville." Oh man! You look over the top and sides of the model box for any special features and hot details, then back to that wicked box art on the cover. After searching all morning through stores filled with stacks of model kits, your increasing heart rate is a sign that, at last, you have found today's dream kit. You hold in your hands a "car-icky-ture" by Hawk Model Company, called Digger, one of the "Weird-ohs." You grab a few bottles of paint and a tube of cement and plunk down most, if not all, of your hard-earned allowance/lawn-mowing money. You've blown your entire fortune-almost two whole dollars-on this investment, but you're too excited to care. With the treasure under your arm, you jump on your buddy seat, grab the ape hanger handle bar, and go racing home on your bike. The model kit's box art has grabbed ahold of your imagination and you can't wait to create the cool scene on the cover. The big decision is whether to tell your buddies about your discovery or to get started building. Either way, your Saturday is booked. This scene should sound familiar to any model builders from the early '60s who encountered the Weird-ohs. A generation of modelers felt the impact of this innovative kit line when Hawk introduced it in 1963. The initial three-kit batch of Weird-ohs consisted of Digger, a dragster; Daddy, a commuter; and Davey, a biker. These were soon joined by other releases that went on to become one of the most popular and successful series of model kits in plastic hot rod history. To the modeler baby boomers of today, the Weird-ohs have become hard-to-find, nostalgic, prized collector's items. The high prices they command reflect the kits' rarity and ever-increasing popularity, and reveal our desire for just a taste of those earlier, simpler times. The Hawk Model Company was founded in 1928. By the '60s, the company was known for taking risks and introducing a diverse array of new, innovative, and often off-beat model kit subjects. Thanks to Hawk's vision we can now look back at an amazing variety of kit choices that would be practically impossible to produce in today's corporate-dominated marketplace. The thing that helped the kits and the hobby back then was the box art. These inspirational, dramatic, high-quality paintings fired up our imaginations and made us want to build those kits. The talented artists from the golden age of plastic kits have now reached legendary status, and the impact of their creations has been felt by generations of modelers, collectors, enthusiasts, and younger artists. Some of the greats of the '60s gained huge followings and their names have become synonymous with the companies for which they worked. One of the legends of classic kit art was a multitalented kid who loved cartooning, art, music, and models, and who grew up to be linked with the Hawk Model Company. He is William "Bill" Campbell, the father of Weird-ohs. Bill was born in Boston, Massachussetts, and grew up in Chicago. His parents and teachers recognized his artistic talents at an early age and encouraged him as he went on to study with renowned artists at prestigious institutions. As an adult, Bill held such positions as cartoonist, artist/illustrator, ad manager, art director, creative director, concept man, designer, salesman, promoter, among others. He truly has done everything. Bill worked in an art studio in the late '50s. At the time, Hawk was looking for someone to finish a project which another artist was unable to complete due to illness. Bill was recommended for the job. He remembers his first visit to Hawk........ Page One - Page Two Return to Bonedigger's Table of Contents