SCALE MODEL NEWS

BANDAI HAVE DONE WELL with Star Wars kits, showing solid achievements in accuracy, tight moulding standards, and excellent presentation. The 1:5000 scale Bandai Star Destroyer is a good example of this track record. SMN report: The range of scales in Star Wars models reflects the massive range of sizes, from single-seat spaceships to the asteroid-sized Death Stars. So the 1:5000 scale of the Bandai Star Destroyer is far from being abnormal. To put its scale into perspective, a full-grown human crew member of the Star Destroyer works out to only about one-third of a millimetre tall. That said, the Bandai Star Destroyer lends itself well to the art of scale modelling, with plenty of opportunities for accurizing and super-detailing. A certain amount of dirtying up is also beneficial, though 'weathering' is technically a no-no, as these ships don't normally enter atmosphere. Mind you, here's an opportunity to recreate a planetary crush scene, with all the weathering you li...

THE LATEST 1:25 SCALE TACO TRIKE KIT from MPC includes a vast array of decals, one set being for a so-called ‘Luna Cycle.’ Mat Irvine:  So I decided to assemble a second kit and finish it completely differently to the first ‘desert scene’ version.  This time I finished the trike in a dark Metalflake blue, with a matt blue interior. Unlike the Taco version, there were not too many decals to worry about. Once I had all the paintwork and assembly completed, I just needed the two supplied ‘Luna Cycle’ logos either side of the body and a selection of stars. And that was it – voila, a fresh take on the trick trike theme.   Boxes compared, for the 2005 issue ( below, top ) and the latest release. The artwork for both is the same, but the new box is bigger. It's now the same as a standard car kit box, but only half as deep. The new decal sheet in detail ( below ) has Luna Cycle decals printed at top right. Assorted stars are scattered in convenient gaps. Standard taco trike ( bel...

HERE'S A VERY INTERESTING CHAT VIDEO in which Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles talks about a childhood meeting at the Revell company's factory. Lucky kid! SMN report: You'll also find the other reason behind the video, Greg's '...most underrated British plane of World War II.' We won't spoil the vid by revealing what the aircraft is.  But you can click here for other mentions at SMN. Talking of World War II, we chanced on the movie  Midway recently, which is a good reconstruction of the epic Pacific War battle between US forces and Japan. It's packed with truly excellent cgi, plus some admittedly over-the-top dramatic embellishments, but overall Midway is highly watchable. And Woody Harrelson (who played bartender in the still-popular 1980s TV series Cheers ) puts in a sterling performance as the famed Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

CAR FANS CAN APPLAUD Ford for bringing back the Bronco. The 2021 Bronco comes in plenty of variations, including our favourite doors-off open version. SMN report: Ford designers went all the way back to the original Bronco of 1966 for inspiration. The classic roadster ( below ) clearly showed the way for a 2021 remake. The first-generation Bronco also featured a three-door version ( below ), a style that is again echoed with the new 2021 version. The 1986 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer edition ( below ) had many upscale features, such as the somewhat suburban two-tone paint.   The concept Bronco of 2004 ( below ) showed a real change of thinking for Ford designers, though it still retained broadly similar proportions. Hollywood hunk Dwayne Johnson drove it in his 2018 movie Rampage . Click here to read Mat Irvine's review of the Revell Ford Bronco at SMN. Click here to see plenty more Broncos on offer at Amazon. Note there are plenty of diecast models in various scales, and many of them ...

OFF-ROAD DRIVERS rejoice, for the 2021 Ford Bronco is due to be revealed next week. This will be the seventh-generation Bronco, even though the line ceased production back in 1996. For scale fans, a 1970s-era Revell Bronco is available in 1:25 scale. SMN report: For scale modellers, various Bronco kits have been released down the years, though this  version depicts a Bronco classic from the the model’s early days. The Revell feature-list includes: Detailed 289 cu.in. engine Swing-a-way spare tire Removable hardtop Moulded in white and clear, with chrome-plated parts and soft black tires Click here to see an in-depth review of the Bronco by Mat Irvine. The assembled model is a fair representation, though as with all 1:25 plastic kits, it feels rather insubstantial when compared to a diecast equivalent. We like to add weight with hidden lead shot where possible. In a vehicle like this you could fill the rear compartment with shot, hiding it under a tarpaulin. And here's a review of...

THE MPC TACO TRIKE has a neatly-moulded V-8 engine, and a wedge-style body, hence its original 1974 name, Wedge Chopper. Mat Irvine reports:  The 1:25 scale Taco Trike can basically be built much you would a car kit. The body halves can be cemented together and painted as one, as can the engine, which could even be wired if you wish to add some pleasing detail. However as it’s a trike, the front end is a bit different to a car, with a fully-chromed steering setup, and a small motorcycle wheel at the front. As with many current AMT and MPC kits, the transparencies are supplied in clear, plus transparent red and blue. So choose what you want for windshield, head and tail lights. The main problem with this kit is deciding which of the decals to use, as there is a big choice on the sheet. Here’s what MPC has to say about the Taco Trike 1:25 scale, skill 2, paint, and cement required The Trick Trikes™ is back by popular demand! Wild custom-bodied 3-wheel show trike Molded in white, the ...

THIS IS A CHOPPER-STYLE motorcycle trike, one of a six-strong 1:25 scale range, first issued by MPC in the 1970s.  Mat Irvine reports:  Kits of motorcycles (two or three wheels) are not unusual, but they are mostly in large scales such as 1:12 or 1:8, because bikes are mostly smaller than cars. This kit and others in the range are unusual in that they are moulded in the traditional 1:25 car scale. The Mail Box Chopper is a custom design, with unique bodywork, and rear wheels and tyres that wouldn’t look out of place on a dragster.   The Mail Box Chopper’s cab comes in two halves with a single seat, but the kit’s Honda 750 cc four-cylinder engine is what takes the most building skills. There are a number of small plated parts, which require the chrome to be scraped away so that components can be cemented together. However, the rest of the chrome (such as the cylinder head area) is ideal for over-painting with transparent paints to give different effects. The engine itself ...