SCALE MODEL NEWS

Mat Irvine: Here’s an interesting selection of farm machinery, on sale via the UK-based distributor, Accurate Diecast. Among the models that caught my eye at the London Toy Fair earlier this year were a number of 1:16 scale tractors. My star miniature on the Accurate Diecast stand was the ungainly twin-engine ‘Double Drive’ tractor (below) based on the Ferguson TE20, produced from 1946-56. The resulting model is a substantial, if weird-looking miniature that measures 280mm (11in) long. There is a historical kit connection here, for the Ferguson TE20 was the original ‘Little Grey Fergie’, immortalised as the first-ever kit made by Airfix , in 1949. Another interesting 1:16 scale range appeared to be - at first glance - Meccano kits, but are actually made by Tronico, a German company that produces a wide range of farm machinery to this scale. These kits can be extremely complex - for example, the Tronico Massey-Ferguson tractor (below) has an epic 1024 parts to assemble. Although 1:16 s...

News of the 1:16 scale Hasegawa Sopwith Camel makes us wonder if ultra-large scales are on the growth list for future scale models. We'd like to see the Camel's 1:16 scale matched by a reduced-size version of Hasegawa excellent old-timers, the 1:8 scale Fokker Triplane. Together with the 1:16 scale Wright Flyer, they'd make a fine trio, and (here's a wish list) could perhaps be matched by versions with non-see-through construction. There are 1:8 scale engine kits that could also be reduced in parallel, as part of an expanding range. Figures have long been a Hasegawa strength in smaller scales, so now's the time to see a bunch of 1:16 pilots and personnel. Hasegawa is not the only player in the 1:16 game. World War II fans could spend a lot more money and have a go at the Mitsubishi Zero partwork project from the publisher DeAgostini. There are some period cars available to 1:16 scale too, very useful if you like dioramas. The 'Tin Lizzie'  Model T Ford is ...

SMN report: Due shortly in stores worldwide is this 1:16 scale Hasegawa ‘Museum Quality’ structural kit of the Sopwith Camel F1, an iconic single-seat World War I fighter plane. The original 1:8 Sopwith Camel mega-kit has been lurking in Hasegawa’s back catalog for many years, so it’s a real pleasure to see that the subject has been revamped for 2013, and will shortly be available for World War I fans. It’s good also to see some competition for Wingnut Wings in this area, albeit to 1:16 scale, twice the size of Wingnut aircraft. This see-inside ‘structural’ model kit has a total of 293 components in the box, so there’s plenty to assemble, though at 1:16 scale, even the smallest parts are relatively easy to handle. Hasegawa promo pix reveal a wealth of detail, though perhaps they could have given the fuel tank (below) a bit more care. Its central seam is quite noticeable, and you’ll have to give it a thorough fill-and-smooth job. Other details are much better, such as the highly convin...

Mat Irvine: Here’s a blast from the past with a reissue of the first Alien kit ever issued, a 1:8 scale science-fiction monster from MPC, now produced by Round 2 LLC. The original promo line for the 1979 movie ran: ‘In space, no one can hear you scream…’ Maybe with this kit, it could be: ‘In space, no one can hear you model…’ Certainly, director Ridley Scott’s horror-cum-science-fiction movie was a blockbuster, and still has the power to shock more than 30 years later. Over the years there have been a number of model kits from Alien and its sequels, but this Round 2 reissue is based on the very first Alien kit, made by MPC in 1979, initially when the company was still part of General Mills. Now Round 2 LLC, current owner of MPC, has reissued the kit almost as it was, more than 30 years ago. You get a near-identical box (old one, left above) complete with classic MPC logo, containing a set of parts moulded in the original colours - 22 of them in black styrene, with a further, trans...

David Jefferis: The long-awaited 1:32 scale Boeing B-17G from Hong Kong Models is at last nearly ready, with orders being taken for July deliveries. The Hong Kong Models (HKM) B-17G features one of the most famous aircraft of World War II, and the 1:32 scale makes it a massive model. Fuselage length is 788mm (31in) while the wingspan measures 988mm (38.9in) - nearly a metre, or more than a yard, depending how you like to measure things. Either way the HKM B-17G is a biggie that will take a fair while to put together, as it has a total of 577 parts. Detail is excellent throughout, with neatly-recessed panel lines and rivets aplenty on the outer surfaces - more than 800,000 of them, according to HKM. The four Wright Cyclone R-1820 engines look convincing, as do the flight deck and glazed bombardier’s nose position. The model is a reminder of a time when bombers needed big crews for combat duty, for each B-17G had a crew of ten - pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier/nose gunner, top tu...

Mat Irvine: Robby the Robot, mechanoid star of the classic movie ‘Forbidden Planet’ is now available as a 1:12 scale ‘Movie Poster Edition’ kit that depicts the space-girl Altaira in its arms. This new Robby kit (the second from Polar Lights) reproduces an excellent poster scene, in which the big robot is shown holding Altaira, the movie's lone female. To do this, Polar Lights designers have made a near brand-new kit, in which Robby’s torso and head remain the same as the earlier kit, but with new arms and legs, plus the Altaira figure. New kit components are moulded in white, compared with the first kit’s tan shade. Notable differences in the mouldings include the legs (centre) and base (left). Oddly, the optional claw-grip hands (bottom centre in white) are still included, though cannot be used in the new version. Translating dimensions Talking with the designers at Round 2 LLC, I found that creating the kit wasn’t quite as straightforward as just deciding to make a straight rep...

We reported on the incoming Tamiya F4U-1 Corsair last month , and can now show pictures of an assembled kit, finished to display standards. The Tamiya team has done a thorough job with researching the kit, the designers having inspected, measured, and examined real aircraft at five different air museums. The US aerospace giant Northrop-Grumman supplied original Vought blueprints so that the team could check precise details and measurements. A useful item could be Tamiya’s weathering master set designed for World War II US Navy aircraft. This allows model makers to add dirt, rust, textures and highlights, especially useful for areas such as wheel wells and other high-wear parts of the airframe. The weathering kit is flagged by Tamiya as a ‘limited edition’ though it’s hard to see why - maybe the marketing minions think the limitedness adds an interesting aura to the product. As with other 1:32 scale aircraft in this range, the engine cowlings are removable, thus allowing the wealth of e...