Yes all of those collectables and magazines where you have to collect a different piece with every magazine are what appears to be a well thought out marketing ploy. I think they spread them out so you get a magazine/piece of kit/collectable every month or so. To keep it interesting isn't really the point as ultimately the person is mainly interested in the piece of kit/collectable to eventually finish it I think.
Ha ha, ditto Scotsman! I'm sure it must be the same one but it's in storage at the moment, so I be sure if it's the same one. However it was about that time, and as well as how to do things in the mag you also got projects to do and reference cards.
I bought the folders for mine so that I could file them. They had strange metal strips which went under the binding staples of each volume. Pain in the behind as I recall. I seem to have removed all the covers from mine to get them in.