SCALE MODEL NEWS

MAT IRVINE WEEKENDER: This 1:25 scale kit reissue from Round 2 Models originates from the time when AMT was producing its range of ‘Annual’ car kits, matching the output of the ‘full-size’ Detroit car companies. The kit is reasonably straightforward to assemble, as were most models of this era, the box containing just over 90 parts moulded in white plastic, plus transparent components for the window glass and custom front lamps, with clear red for the tail lights. Steel or plastic? It can be built in the one of the classic ‘3 in 1’ ways - stock, drag or as a mild custom. It is an ‘old style’ AMT kit as you have metal axles on which the wheels rotate. This is somewhat non-scale, as it involves a hole in the sump/oil pan to allow the front axle to pass through, but it does mean that you have much stronger axles. These were replaced with plastic versions in later kits, but in this Round 2 reissue, metal axles have been reintroduced, though the plastic ones are still the box. Seats and eng...

MAT IRVINE REPORTS: This is the latest in the hugely popular Haynes car repair manual series, featuring the two-seater Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) that was driven on the Moon by astronauts of Apollo missions 15-17. It should come in useful as a valuable reference source for real-space model fans. The book style is not quite the same as Haynes car owner’s manuals, as it doesn’t explain how to dismantle and repair an LRV. Instead, it tells the story of the vehicle, the trials and tribulations involved in its design, and the difficulties involved in creating a lightweight electric machine capable of working in an airless environment, and that had to fold up for transportation to the Moon’s surface on the side of a two-man Lunar Module (LM). Large-scale models As for models of the Lunar Rover, this is a very mixed bag. There has never been a definitive large-scale LRV model in conventional injection styrene, though in 1971, AMT announced a planned 1:25 scale kit via a promotion sheet (b...

SMN UPDATE: Hasegawa has an interesting line of smaller-scale aircraft kits that come in twin-model form, from DC-3 twin-prop airlifters to single-engine fighter jets. We’re fans of the double-kit concept, especially in smaller scales. It makes sense too, as building the first model gets all the how-to hiccups out of the way, making construction of the follow-on number two easier and quicker. Taster planes There are plenty of double-kits in the current Hasegawa line-up, so here’s a taster selection, starting with a World War II favourite in traditional 1:72 scale. 1:72 scale F4U-1 Corsair Flagged by Hasegawa as a ‘Limited Edition’ (future editions will have different decal sets) the F-4U includes US Marine Corps markings for aircraft from three squadrons, VMF-111, 212, and 214. Each model has 34 components. Interesting point: toward the end of the war, the Corsair’s kill ratio was in the region of 11:1, something of a turkey shoot against the enemy. 1:72 scale Nakajima A6M2-N Type 2 Se...

SMN REPORT: Is this a subject for maritime modellers or aircraft builders? We don’t know the answer (though suspect it’s probably both) but either way, these Chinese Navy illustrations have surfaced on the internet and, concept or not, the cat-carrier is just made for an impressive what-if miniature display piece. It’s not known if this is a genuine project for the expanding Chinese Navy, but the idea seems to be a quantum leap-and-a-half above anything being conceived elsewhere. Multi-purpose design A catamaran design isn’t so crazy, as it offers huge capacity and stability, plus twin flight decks that allow takeoff and landing ops to be carried out at the same time. The space between the hulls would come in useful, offering servicing facilities for submarines and amphibious landing craft. Kriegsmarine cat Not that the Chinese are unique in thinking about catamaran aircraft carriers, as scale modeller Halsted Morris conceived a what-if World War II German Navy version some time ago. L...

MAT IRVINE REPORTS: Continuing the Aoshima factual Space Craft Series No 7 comes Japan’s Himawari (Sunflower) weather satellite, one of several placed in geostationary orbit from 1977-1995. The 1:32 scale kit is fairly simple, with just 33 components, moulded in white and clear plastic. The spacecraft is supplied in two main sections, a solar-cell covered cylindrical ‘bus’, and an instrumented section, with dish antennas at the base. Solar cells The kit supplies the bus as top and bottom discs, plus six sections of solar cells. These should be finished in the usual iridescent blue-purple, for which the kit instructions indicate a mix of Gunze Sangyo metallic-blue and metallic-red. Personally, I tend to go for the bluer end of this purple mix for such cells, so for this review kit I used a House of Kolor True Blue Pearl spray. It’s intended more for custom cars, but seems to match the look of photovoltaic panels very well. Gold foil The real-life instrument section is covered mostly wit...

SMN REPORT: We’re great fans of paper and card models here at SMN, so when we came across the ecardmodels website, we had a quick “Aha!” moment, followed by another when we noted some free models to download. There are many subjects on offer at ecardmodels, far too many to list here. Simply put, if you like anything from sci-fi to ships, via aircraft, structures, or AFVs, then you have to go and look. Even wargamers are covered, with such items as 30mm scale field tents and cobblestone streets, though the fantasy-style ‘Crane House of Rake’s Corner’ is perhaps our top choice. Desktop downloads The Crane House comes from Dave Graffam Models, and like all else, arrives on your desktop as a downloadable pdf, ready to print out on your own printer. Dave also has free taster models ready to download. A question of scale Scale is a moot point with card and paper models, as you can vary it somewhat, simply by changing the percentage command on your printer. The Crane House is suitable for 15-...