SCALE MODEL NEWS

HERE’S A CLOSE LOOK AT MPC, short for the Model Products Corporation, an American manufacturer of plastic scale model kits and promotional models that were especially popular in the 1960s and 1970s.  SMN report:  Traditionally a Michigan company, the MPC name has been part of Round 2 LLC of South Bend, Indiana, since 2011.  The video, created by Maxsmodels, is packed with information – but do make sure you watch and listen to the last few minutes, as there are plenty of ‘self-agrandizements,’ accompanied by some excellent period music. MPC specialised in cars, but also featured plenty of other subjects ( below ) down the years.

WE ARE VERY sad to learn of the death of professional model maker Bill Pearson. Mat Irvine: A special-effects model maker extraordinaire, Bill Pearson is probably best known for being a model-shop supervisor for such movie classics as Alien (1979), Flash Gordon (1980), and Outland (1981). Bill was a member of the BBC Visual Effects Department for two years or so in the early 1980s, which is when I got to know him. While he was at BBC VFX he worked on a variety of programmes, including The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Doctor Who, and Blake’s 7. Later, Bill worked on Gerry Anderson’s Space Precinct (1994), The James Bond movie Die Another Day (2002), Gravity (2013), Duncan Jones’ Moon (2009), and the Red Dwarf series. The photos (below) are shown courtesy of, and copyright  The Prop Gallery  and Mat Irvine . Bill Pearson ( below ) seen in the early 1980s, while working for the BBC Visual Effects Department. Here, he is working on Supereme Commandeer Servalan’s spac...

THE BASSETT-LOWKE BRAND DATES BACK to the late 1890s. So it's appropriate that the Hornby-owned company is now trailblazing a path back to that era with a dedicated range of steampunk-inspired locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories. SMN report: There’s a whole backstory associated with the Bassett-Lowke venture. Here's what B-L has to say about it: “So this is the new world; a world of mad science, eco-warriors beneath the waves and empiric wars. The three-mast clippers are now too slow to get their precious cargo past the devastating submersibles of those that despise empires, whilst the horse and cart falls constant prey to the hungry lizards that slip through the streams. The tea must get through though, the world demands it. “Wenman Joseph Bassett Lowke is one of those concerned; a seasoned maker of steam boilers, industrial brewing equipment and proud owner of some of the finest aromatic tea plantations across the world. That precious crop had to be delivered; he nee...

REVELL HAS REMAINED A TOP NAME in the model kit world for decades, and continues to turn out excellent kits. SMN report: For this model maker, the original Monogram Phantom Mustang of 1961 was a highly desirable, but unaffordable model. These days the 1:32 scale aircraft is a Revell release, but its combination of transparent components that change the normally hidden interior into a viewable display piece remains a prime example of the model manufacturer's magic. The Delta Dagger ( below ) was another interest-packed Revell kit. It combined modelling skills with extra accessories, which provided tremendous educational value. Revell's classic US cars featured luscious box art ( below ) and included neatly-sculpted figures. Another inside-out kit that looks good and has educational value, the excellent Visible V-8 ( below ). A pair of horses and no less than seven figures gave a sense of scale ( below ) to this early Wild West-era kit. And here's the whole story, narrated b...

THE WORLD CURRENTLY FACES the deadly coronavirus on the rampage. But – and so we can maybe escape some of the gloom and doom – modellers can use some of the anti-virus measures to our advantage. And that includes the all-important isolation from others. Mat Irvine:  We are, after all, already mostly ‘self-isolating.’ Most hobby modellers work by themselves, and frankly most of us already have a large collection already in stock that we’ll never really get through. But might there be more of a problem to decide ‘just what to build’? My old friend in Chicago, model maker and musician Dean Milano, doesn’t have that precise problem, as the decision is already decided in the stars. He uses lottery (or raffle) tickets, each kit in his stash collection being assigned a ticket. So, when one model is finished (he only ever works on one at a time), it’s close his eyes time, reach into the tin and pull out a new ticket! Dean builds primarily cars, but there are other kits in there. For exampl...

WE'D LOVE TO SAY THE SHOW GOES ON but Media Modelling 3 is another casualty of the war against the coronavirus pandemic. SMN report: However, here's a look at what might have been, and for steampunk fans, a taster for an event that would have featured your fantasy enthusiasm. Here's the poster for MM3, sadly but sensibly, cancelled for the time being. Ian Crichton ( below ) has won previous 'Best in the Solar System' trophies, not once but twice. His steampunk skills made him a natural to judge this year's event. More examples of Ian's steampunk world ( below ). Coronovirus is the culprit behind the cancellation of Media Modelling 3. A huge shame, but very sensible in the circumstances. We're looking forward to seeing Ian judging in future. However, there's plenty of steampunk elsewhere at SMN – click here to find out.