About US
Atlantis Models is a modern American model-kit company built on classic hobby heritage. It began with the founders’ passion for creating kits, grew through partnerships and original releases, and became especially known for rescuing, restoring, and reissuing legendary plastic model tooling from the golden age of the hobby — all while keeping production rooted in the USA.
Atlantis Models was founded in 2009 by Peter Vetri and Rick DelFavero, the former owners of Megahobby.com. The company grew out of a dream that started with Megahobby around 2000: to go beyond being a retail hobby shop and become a real model production company in the spirit of classic American names like Aurora and Revell-Monogram.
The early Atlantis line began with original and sci-fi themed kits, including flying saucers designed by EL Pangman, such as the E.V.E. Saucer with lights and the TR-3E Triangular UFO. Atlantis then partnered with Lindberg to re-release the Glow-Pilot UFO, notable because its tooling dated back to 1954 and it is described by Atlantis as the first science-fiction model kit ever produced.
A major part of the Atlantis identity became reviving classic American plastic model kits. The company brought back wildlife kits originally associated with Aurora, including the American Bison, Black Bear and Cubs, and White Stallion. Atlantis also pursued figure kits such as Zorro on Tornado, using original tooling where possible, freshening it up, and securing classic box-art rights.
Atlantis continued expanding through historic reissues and partnerships. The company reissued the Giant T-Rex from the Prehistoric Scenes line through a relationship with Revell-Monogram and an arrangement with Dencomm Productions, then brought back Blackbeard the Bloodthirsty Pirate in 2012 using newly reverse-engineered steel tooling. It also entered car kits by tracking down old Merit Racing kits of LeMans winners, which led to a relationship with Smer.
A turning point came in 2018, when Atlantis purchased many historic molds from Revell, Monogram, and Aurora-related tooling that had been stored in Elk Grove, Illinois. Some of those dies dated back to the 1950s. The molds, original cover art, and archival blueprints were moved back to Deer Park, New York, helping Atlantis preserve and reissue kits that might otherwise have disappeared.
Today, Atlantis positions itself as a U.S. manufacturer of injection-molded plastic model kits and hobby products, with categories spanning aircraft, vehicles, ships, military, figures, space, sci-fi, STEM, and more. The company emphasizes that its kits are manufactured in the United States and that its mission includes growing a new generation of modelers while preserving classic hobby history.
Atlantis Models is a modern American model-kit company built on classic hobby heritage. It began with the founders’ passion for creating kits, grew through partnerships and original releases, and became especially known for rescuing, restoring, and reissuing legendary plastic model tooling from the golden age of the hobby — all while keeping production rooted in the USA.