SCALE MODEL NEWS

Here’s another modern Chinese jet, the splendidly named Chengdu 'Vigorous Dragon,' modelled by Trumpeter to 1:48 scale. SMN report: The Chinese can teach Western manufacturers a thing or two about names - compared with a rather plain-vanilla title like Typhoon, Vigorous Dragon sounds positively lyrical. The 1:48 scale Chengdu J-10A kit is extremely well produced, and we’ll let the pictures from Trumpeter tell the story. There are 268 components, moulded on ten runners, with no major fit or finish issues. Of these parts, 216 come in mid-grey plastic, 25 in clear, with a further 27 in detail-up photo-etch metal. The assembled kit is a fair-sized beast, with a length of some 359 mm (14.1 in) and wingspan of 203 mm (8 in). These dimensions make it longer than a same-scale Typhoon, which should have a length of some 332 mm (13.1 in) though the Typhoon’s wingspan is somewhat greater, at 228 mm (8.9 in). Summation Interesting kit of a Chinese Mach 2-plus multi-role fighter, in servic...

Plastic kit modelling it sure is not, but for PC pilots and cgi fans, 'War Thunder' comes near top of the tree for on-screen gameplay. There are some interesting thoughts for kit bash devotees, too - have a look at the rocket-boosted Messerschmitt Me262, for instance. This would make an easy conversion subject for any of the many Me 262s available, one of our favourites being the big 1:32 scale kit from Trumpeter. Great stuff, we're on it with War Thunder and that Me 262 with tail rocket. Click here to view War Thunder and for online gameplay.

A neat model from Tamiya, depicting the World War II Horch used by the combat forces of famed German commander, Irwin Rommel, in the sands of North Africa. SMN report: This is a 1:35 scale kit that builds to an assembled length of some 137 mm (5.4 in) and width of 54 mm (2.1 in). Although the kit carries the Tamiya banner, it is actually an updated version of a previous Italeri production. However Tamiya’s designers have breathed new life into the Italian original, by adding some new-tool components, and accessories. All in all, it’s an attractive palm-sized model, with added extras that will help serve as the basis for any diorama ideas you have. Tamiya notes these features: * New-tool parts for folded canvas roof, rear cover, gun holder, horn, taillights  * Components for folded windshield included  * Moulded tyres, not vinyl * MG34 machine gun with tripod * One standing and two seated figures * Markings include Eastern Front and North Africa options The real thing The Hor...

The MX2 RC radio-control (RC) plane is a big beast sporting a 1.4m wingspan - more than four and a half feet across the wingtips. And taking a similar type of full-size plane along the Corinth Canal, Greece, is ace Hungarian pilot, Peter Besenyei. SMN report: Watch the video (below) to see Red Bull aero-ace Peter Besenyei, as he takes his plane on an amazing flight through the famed Corinth Canal in Greece. The Hungarian pilot hurtles along the 21.4 m (70 ft) wide rock cutting, while performing impressive aerial manoeuvres and chest-bursting high-G tricks. Pretty good action  photography   we reckon. But we can't all be air aces, so a good next best bet is to build and fly a decent-size RC aircraft. The Starmax MX2 RC (header, below) is powered by a  powerful brushless electric motor, so there are none of the hassles connected with traditional fuel model engines. According to the makers, the MX2 RC will, "...rocket and weave through the skies, rolling, looping, twisting ...

We looked at the Aurora Lockheed XFV-1 recently, and here is its sister tailsitter fighter plane, the experimental Convair XFY-1 Pogo, still available as a 1:48 scale kit from classic kit manufacturer, Lindberg. SMN REPORT: The kit itself dates back many years, and so is hardly a state of the art production. But as an example both of its era and the subject matter, it scores very highly. The kit is made to 1:48 scale, allowing the XFY-1 to stand some 222 mm (8.7 in) on its four castoring wheels. The pilot’s entry and access from the cockpit was via a long metal ladder, and this is faithfully reproduced in the kit, as is a not so convincing seated pilot figure. In general though, the assembled kit (below) is an OK build, and the XFY-1's unusual appearance should earn it a place on display with a selection of other 1950s experimental aircraft. The overall finish is bare-metal aluminium, so careful attention with different panel shades, some light weathering, and a hint of discolour...

Wow - Chinese moviemakers prove they can out-Hollywood Hollywood when it comes to action shots and epic background music. And modellers can echo the movie we show below with J-15 Flying Shark kits from Dragon and Hasegawa. As for the design story of the sophisticated twin-jet J-15 Flying Shark, if you're cynical it's a Sukhoi knockoff, otherwise it's a fine piece of advanced engineering developed from the Russian original. Either way, there's plenty in the movie to interest model makers, not least the detailed shots of wing-folding and deck action, plus the excellent in-cockpit video selfies taken by Chinese pilots. It seems that Western fighter jocks aren't alone in enjoying seeing themselves on screen. The J-15 hasn't been widely modelled but there are some interesting kits out there, primarily the Dragon 1:144 scale tiny (header and above) and the Hasegawa 1:72 release. Taking the smaller kit first, Dragon picks out its features as: * Fuselage with fine detai...

This is another 1:25 scale ‘Silver Screen Machines’ kit from Round 2, featuring a vehicle from the movies. MAT IRVINE: The kit is a reissue of the AMT Chevrolet Nova, first issued in 1972 as the Nova SS Pro Stocker. This time, it is boxed as the drive of street-smart detective Alex Foley, as played by Eddie Murphy in the 1984 movie, Beverly Hills Cop. The car driven by Foley was a standard Chevrolet Nova, so much so that one of his colleagues remarks, “I remember you used to drive that crappy blue Chevy Nova. What are you driving now?” This earned Foley’s reply, “The same crappy blue Chevy Nova…” However, there is a slight problem with the kit, because it represents a top-of-the-line Nova SS Super Stock, whereas the movie star car was indeed one of the ‘crappy blue’ run-of-the-mill versions. You can build the kit out of the box as Axel Foley’s ride - more or less - with white roof, light blue body, and grey interior. It will look the part, but it isn’t quite correct. However, a few mod...