SCALE MODEL NEWS

HEADSUP TIME for your diary. Stardate: Sunday July 16 is the countdown date for the sixth Smallspace Show. SMN update: This is a special year for 'the dog' aka Doctor Who's robotic canine, K9, who celebrates 40 years since he was first seen on the long-running BBC TV sci-fi series. It's looking like a good show, with more info here and updates coming soon. Meantime, enjoy the video ( top ) of the 2012 show.

  THE SCALE MODEL PASSION divides pretty neatly into two worlds - the craft-driven hobby of scale modelling, and the collector-driven desire for a ready-built collection.  SMN report:  Those two camps are both quite well served today, and there is certainly some crossover between them. There are pros and cons for the two sides. Building a scale model from a kit is likely to be deeply satisfying and indeed much more personal - after all, every iteration of an Avro Lancaster is effectively a one-off, depending on your skill level, the  amount of added super-detailing, and the particular colour scheme chosen. Nice details in the cgi images of the bouncing bomb ( above, below ) used in the Airfix kit of the Dambusters Avro Lancaster.   On the other hand, ready-built models give the satisfaction of instant ownership and a chance to buy into a limited-edition run, without needing a high skill level or the time required to produce a top-class replic And perhaps there c...

HERE'S MORE VIDEO EXCELLENCE from YouTuber David Damek and his Plasmo productions. David really knows how to build a kit, so sit back and enjoy. The Hobby Boss model is a good one, and it comes in 1:32 scale too, which makes all that hard work on the build hugely worthwhile.

FROM THE EXCELLENT folks at  Hobby Link Japan , here's a report from the Shizuoka Hobby Show 2017. Lots of build-worthy stuff to see - enjoy.

WHEN THE ORIGINAL TV SERIES STARSKY AND HUTCH was being made, the producers needed suitable wheels for David Starsky (Paul Michael Glazer), who drove the car.  Mat Irvine: The producers came up with the then current - 1974, later 1975 - Ford Gran Torino Sport. With the added white stripe, it became one of the most recognisable Star Cars ever, though it was only recently issued as a commercial kit, by Revell. Click here for my review at SMN. But… what if the TV production had been a couple of years earlier, what would Starsky have driven then? Staying with the Ford Torino, how about the 1972 version? This was arguably a more stylish design, even if it only lasted for that year. By 1973, the US Federal Government had introduced the infamous ‘five miles an hour’ front bumper, which had to withstand an impact at that speed without damage.  Consequently, bigger bumpers were introduced, which definitely spoiled the overall lines. But the earlier 1972 version was not shackled by thi...

THIS FULLY FUNCTIONAL scale model of a classic wooden roller coaster was made by YouTuber Adam Throgmorton. SMN report: Adam’s model looks to be precisely in scale, with an overall white finish that lends it a similar quality to Lego architectural models. Something’s missing though… where are the screaming riders, and the hot dog stand? Click here for more on Lego architecture at SMN.