SCALE MODEL NEWS

HERE'S A TASTY KIT that's coming up very soon. The new-tool de Havilland Mosquito FB VI looks a most exciting Christmas kit for World War II enthusiasts. Three sets of markings are provided in the new kit ( below ) for land, night, and sea operations. The component count for this kit is high - no less than 617 parts are in the box - which makes us somewhat doubtful of the build time quoted, just six flying hours. To make anything more than a bare build, you're going to have to put aside a bunch of winter evenings for this one - and quite right too, for the kit will be quite superb when assembled and finished. The 1:24 scale will make this beautiful bird a biggie when finished, with an assembled wingspan of some 688 mm (27 in) and length of 522 mm (20.6 in). Yum - just make sure you have the display space for it. Here's what Airfix says of the de Havilland Mosquito FB VI - "... June, 1942. The Mosquito FB Mk VI first takes to the skies. Powered by two Merlin engines...

WE HAD A QUICK LOOK at the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 1:24 scale Tamiya kit six months ago, and now here’s how we got on with building and finishing the model. Mat Irvine: Tamiya’s presentation is always excellent, and the Mercedes-Benz 300SL is no exception. When I looked at the kit in February 2015 ( click here to view ) I realised the build would have to wait a month or three, as there was going to be plenty involved. But it was worth the wait, and here’s how I got on. Opening the box reveals 163 components ( below ). They are moulded in silver-grey, black, white, chrome and clear. There are also vinyl tyres, mesh for the grill, conventional water-slide decals, and metallized decals. Cutting the runners from the door openings ( below ). I found it best to use the small razor saw seen at bottom left. Sorting out the hinge arrangements ( below ) for the gull-wing doors. The lift-up components are crucial for the appearance of the finished model, so do take care with them. Fitting the doors...

THE RANGER TRANSGALACTIC Survey Craft featured in the 2014 science fiction movie,  Interstellar . And now here is a 1:72 scale kit of this spacecraft, from Moebius Models. Mat Irvine: The Ranger Transgalactic Survey Craft that appeared in  Interstellar  was - perhaps unusually in these days of CGI - primarily an old-style movie miniature, even if the biggest Ranger model was 14 m (46 ft) long, not far short of its fictional actual size. In the movie, the Ranger is capable of landing on and lifting off directly from planetary surfaces, and to reflect this, the Moebius kit has a four-point landing gear included, in lowered position. In common with many recent models, the box base ( below ) is used for added background information. The instruction leaflet (below) includes particularly clear elevation pictures with finishing details. Construction from the 40 components ( below ) is relatively straightforward, but the paint scheme dictates that the upper panel-stubby wing str...