SCALE MODEL NEWS

SUBARU FANS WATCH THIS! We hope this post-Christmas vid will delight anyone who's into this iconic Japanese auto brand. David Jefferis: The BRZ two-seater in particular has gained many thumbs-ups and awards, not least for its classic simplicity, which makes it pretty much a driver's car, on a par with another Japanese sportster, the Mazda MX-5. As for the kit shown here, well, it's a Tamiya model, so that means a beautifully executed kit that's a pleasure to built. Our current festive project is constructing a resin garage-build of a 1:24 scale steam locomotive, and that means a massive difference in the quality, fit and finish of the components.  Mind you, Tamiya has been in the game for many years, having been founded by  Yoshio Tamiya in   Shizuoka, Japan , in 1946.  The company rapidly gained a reputation for producing outstanding quality models, with superbly accurate detail. The founding philosophy is reflected by a simple motto: First in quality around the wo...

HERE'S A FASCINATING PIECE OF SCALE model history from video maker Max. Enjoy a few minutes with him, especially if you are a baby-boomer kit-maker. 

HERE'S A HANDSOMELY MADE BUNCH OF MODELS courtesy of our colleague Peter Chiang, of Hobby Bounties, Singapore.  David Jefferis: The sponsored competition is held annually, and proves that the modelmaking spirit is alive and well in this corner of Asia. The model of HMS Victorious ( below ) has a flightdeck loaded for action. Aircraft on view include a trio of Supermarine Scimitars and a quintet of de Havilland Sea Vixens. Sadly, it looks like a Scimitar missed the deck and is in the drink.  Other pictures here show a wide range of skills, though World War II is clearly the most popular theme and era for these scale modellers. An exception is the neatly made Grumman F-14 Tomcat, finished in the the colours of the IIAF (Imperial Iranian Air Force). These were exported as land-based interceptors to Iran in 1976, and a few are still in service by the present Islamic regime. As always, click a pic for an enlarged view. And click here to visit Peter's Hobby Bounties model store. ...

AIRFIX IS A NAME THAT'S BEEN FAMOUS in the plastic kit world for many years. Now here's a fascinating look at the Airfix factory, this video shown courtesy Matt of Model Minutes, which appears on YouTube. David Jefferis: Matt shows you around the present-day Airfix factory, including a close look at the latest 1:24 scale Spitfire Mk IXc kit from the company.  It looks a great kit, somewhat let down for me by not including a pilot figure. Shame that, though maybe Airfix could create a separate pack, to include seated and standing pilots, plus some ground crew figures and maybe even a Jeep and fuel bowser.  Airfix itself goes back to 1939, when it was founded by Nicholas Kove, a Hungarian businessman, to make rubber toys. He selected a name beginning with 'A' as it would appear in the front pages of trade directories of the time. In 1947, Airfix introduced injection moulding, and two years later the company created a Ferguson tractor model, each one used as a sales aid f...

PLASTIC IS GREAT AS A MODEL-MAKING MEDIUM. But every now and again, it's good to try something new – or old, in this example of that traditional material, balsa wood. David Jefferis: Tom Grigat is SMN's uncrowned king of stop-motion videography, and he's here with one of his movie productions, which is impeccable as ever. The model is a Dumas kit of the short-takeoff Feiseler Storch from World War II. Enjoy! Dumas has an interesting range of kits, and is especially strong in ship models.  Click here for a selection to look at.