SCALE MODEL NEWS

Jetliner fans can come up to date with this 1:144 scale model of the latest Dash-8 version of the venerable Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet. The kit is a new-mould, and it shows in the detailing, with recessed panel lines, and a general attention to fit and finish that does the kit proud in this small scale. Not that size is an issue, since even at 1:144 scale this 747-8 measures some 525 mm (20.7 in) long. There are 172 components, and when the Lufthansa-liveried model is assembled, the wingspan is 476 mm (18.7 in). Strong points Engines and landing gear are strong points, with a good attempt at recreating the complex curves of the fan blades, and the delicate shapes of the ‘flower petal’ cutouts to the rear of the engine pods being correctly reproduced. The main gear is well done too, with the multiple wheel discs having enough detail to look convincing. Flight deck details At this scale, interior detail is pretty much hidden, unless the kit-maker has included a transparent fuselage half, as Re...

MAT IRVINE REPORTS Perhaps not too surprisingly, the major cost of any model kit is in the tooling. So once the main mould has been made, companies want to get the most out of their investment by creating as many variations on a theme as possible. And so we see a new version of Revell’s venerable 1:144 scale Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, this time as the E-4B Airborne Command Post. Attack-proofing a jumbo The E-4B is a military version of the civilian 747 airliner. It’s been in service since 1974, can be air-to-air refuelled, and is packed with electronics to shield against electromagnetic pulse, nuclear, and thermal attacks. And of course, the aircraft is loaded with advanced satellite communications equipment. Extra part set For this E-4B, Revell has taken its basic 70-part Boeing 747 kit, and tooled up the necessary Airborne Command Post equipment on a new runner ( above ). This adds just over 30 new parts, mostly antennas and sensors, plus the large radome above the upper deck and nose ref...

SMN report The Shizuoka ‘Hobby City’ Hobby Show finished earlier this week, and there were many reveals of tempting new stuff. However, yesterday’s look at the new Dragon Type 95 tank kit allowed us to focus on this Chinese company and its wide-ranging product list. Fine detail from Dragon Dragon has looked into various technologies for its new products, including slide moulds, which allow more accurate reproduction of fine detail than standard two-piece moulds. The technique works by creating injection moulds that have built-in moving sections, the ‘slide’ of the name. These are inserted into the mould to form components, then removed for extraction.  Slide advantages Slide-moulding has two main advantages - it helps increase overall accuracy, and reduces the parts-count by adding small details directly into place on bigger components. Items that benefit from the technique include intricate patterns, gratings, one-piece hulls, and turret interiors. The extra detail available also ...