SCALE MODEL NEWS

THE BOEING IM-99 BOMARC ground-to-air missile makes a welcome return with this Revell kit. Mat Irvine:  At first glance, this looks like the Bomarc kit that first appeared in 1958. It has only been reissued once since then, as part of the Revell History Makers, Series I in 1982. The box ( header ) is reproduced from the original artwork of 1958. However, it is somewhat larger and with new notation such as ‘SSP’ and ‘skill level.’ All the kit's parts, the missile, launch platform, two figures, even the box-art, remain as the original kit. But there’s an extra this time, and it comes with the decal sheet. The Bomarc was used by the USAF from the late 1950s through to the early 1970s. The only other country to use the missile was Canada, and now decals have been included for the Canadian version. The 61 components ( below ) are moulded in grey. Given that the kit’s tooling dates from 1958 (the date is still embossed on one of the parts), it has survived fairly well. You need to decide...

THE VIC TORRY FLYING SAUCER is the latest in the Atlantis Models five-inch saucer range, and comes with the usual accompaniment of a flashing LED. Mat Irvine:  I suspect the name Vic Torry does not mean much to most model makers, but he was a comic book hero, published in 1950 by Fawcett Publications. Much of the lack of awareness could be that he starred in only one comic, titled - as is the kit - Vic Torry and his Flying Saucer. Instructions ( below ) are printed on the box back, in usual Atlantis style. Given the few components, they are pretty straightforward! A slight problem with the included flashing LED is that the saucer has no clear body, so the lighting effect is only visible through the small cabin windows. There are no quoted dimensions, though judging from the window sizes, the saucer model looks to be about 1:144 scale. In fact, a transparent component was intended to represent the windows, and you can see the recess on the underside of the upper hull. For technical ...

THIS RETRO DELUXE KIT IS A reissue of one of AMT’s very first Trophy Series kits, retaining the classic ‘three-in-one’ build options. Mat Irvine:  You can build the 1949 Ford Club Coupe ‘Gas Man’ in one of three ways - stock, competition, or custom. The kit hasn’t exactly been absent from various catalogues over the years, but this issue provides all the original optional parts, plus a few new ones. So besides stock, representing the first year of manufacture, there is also a clean custom with a new grille, rolled pans (which cover the bumpers smoothly) front and rear, and custom bucket seats for the interior. A set of magnesium-alloy wheels is provided for this version if you wish. These wheels represent some of the new parts. However, the emphasis with this Trophy Series kit is on competition, and the box-art is actually the one that used to appear on the side. The green custom was once on the top, but the two images have now been swapped. For the competition model, you get an op...

  ONE OF THE LONGEST-SERVING and most adventurous space probes met a fiery end today, when it plunged into the atmosphere of the ringed gas-giant planet, Saturn. Mat Irvine:  The Cassini space probe lasted just shy of 20 years in space, of which 13 were spent exploring Saturn, its rings, and its moons (62 in all, plus many tiny moonlets). Cassini also despatched a  sub-probe called Huygens , in 2005. This made a soft landing on the surface of the moon Titan. Unfortunately Cassini hasn’t yet been immortalised with a commercial model kit, although the US garage company  Space Cadet Models  has made a resin kit of the Huygens probe, and you can download various paper models. So when I made a 1:16 scale model of Cassini ( header pic and others ) for the the  BBC2 Stargazing Live astronomy series , it had to be almost completely scratch-built. For the parts, I used mostly  Plastruct components, from EMA Model Supplies .  I added some kit parts for smal...

THE ROUND 2 COMPANY continues to delve into the tooling of its kit company acquisitions, in this case, AMT. So here is another in the Batman series, the Batboat, produced in 1:25 scale.  Mat Irvine:  When previously owned by Ertl, AMT had the first licence for the then-new range of Batman films. The Batskiboat featured in the second film Batman Returns  which was first released to cinemas in 1992. Base of the box ( below ) has plenty of printed information.   Round 2 has made two changes with this kit. First, the ‘ski’ part of the name has been dropped, even though the Batboat is still a hydrofoil design. And second, the fact that this was a snap-kit is absent on the box; in fact, the kit is described  as 'glue together.'  The components ( above ) are identical to the original kit, though the parts-count has a somewhat miserly grand total of 18, and that includes a clear part for the cockpit canopy windows, plus a small chrome runner. Unlike the Round 2 Bat...

THIS FULLY DETAILED 1:24 SCALE MCLAREN 570S kit from Revell is a new-tool production, definitely not a reissue of the Aoshima release, the only other available kit to a similar scale. Mat Irvine:  The kit includes a fully-detailed engine and drive train, even if they are mostly hidden when the model is completed. The engine is only really visible - slightly - through the top deck hatch, and not at all from underneath, as the car has a full-length body pan. But no complaints, as at least the components are there, even if you are the only one to know about them. Construction of this Revell McLaren 570S kit looks complicated when you look at the instruction leaflet, especially when it comes to dealing with the mass of pipework, exhaust system, and engine. But actually, all those 106 components fit together pretty well. Components ( below ) are supplied in orange and silver-grey, with transparent windows and black tyres. The front wheels are poseable, the massive disc brakes being nice...

TO MOST OF US it's a French street food van, but the Japanese Ebbro company reckons the Citroen Type H is a Mobile Kitchen. Either description is fine, as our recent look at the Ebbro Crepe Mobile version shows that the basic kit is really worth building. SMN report:  The latest 1:24 scale Ebbro Citroen Type H Mobile Kitchen is a kit worth waiting for, as the Ebbro craftspeople have packed in the doll's house detailing for max realism.   This report is just a prequel, as we have yet to receive a kit at SMN Towers. But there'll be a detailed review very soon. Meantime, feast your eyes on this pugly but oh-so-cool piece of retro-style French mobile tinware. The great thing about street food vans is that where a choice of paintwork is concerned, the world is your oyster. Check these out, starting with the tastefully maroon-painted 'Epicure's Workshop' or mobile bistro ( below ) which comes complete with a gingham-covered table. Note:  This version of the Type H has...