SCALE MODEL NEWS

THE AVRO VULCAN V-BOMBER is a charismatic aircraft, one that was well-known for its characteristic engine 'howl' when it flew spectacular displays at air shows. SMN report: There have been plenty of Avro Vulcan kits over the years, including examples from Airfix, Dragon, Lindberg, and Trumpeter. But of them all, the Airfix one is probably our choice and the upcoming 1:72 scale Vulcan B2 looks to be well worth the wait.  The Airfix Vulcan B2 can be built with two finishes, high-altitude anti-flash white and low-level green-and-grey camouflage. Worthy of note is that the kit has two-piece wings, designed for ease of assembly and strength when complete. The white finish was the earliest V-bomber paint scheme, designed for protection against the flash of an air-burst nuclear explosion. Later on, Vulcans were retasked for low-level attack, as improved Soviet anti-aircraft missiles had become deadly accurate at high altitudes. On the deck flying meant a change of paint, hence the ca...

AN EXCELLENT 1:72 SCALE KIT from Airfix, the Handley Page Victor B.2 is modelled with one of its primary payloads, the supersonic Blue Steel stand-off nuclear missile. SMN report: The Airfix 1:72 scale Handley Page Victor B. Mk 2 is here, and a fine kit it is, too. The Blue Steel missile is included, which makes sense, and certainly adds to the interest-value of the model. The Victor was one of three British V-Bombers, designed to deter the USSR at the height of the Cold War. Airfix has now modelled all three of these important aircraft, so now the Victor can be displayed as a one of a trio of jet bombers, alongside the Avro Vulcan and Vickers Valiant .   You won't see much flight deck detail when the Airfix Victor kit is completed, more's the pity. There was room inside for five crew, so it would be tempting to build a second kit, alongside the first. You could then cut away one side to make a visible display of the interior. Note the pale Royal Air Force (RAF) markings ( b...

THIS LOOKS TO BE QUITE A BEAST from diecast manufacturer, Corgi. And the video interview shows that there's been useful cross-fertilisation from Airfix during the design process. Hardly surprisingly, the box ( above ) is a big one, though we shouldn't take the 'Limited Edition' label too seriously, except where the markings are concerned. There will doubtless be many variations in finishes to come, and maybe some intriguing models too - we'd like to see a Blue Steel version, and a Black Buck Falklands War veteran. The video ( below ) reveals that photo-etch parts are used for some details, and there are fascinating shots of various CAD drawings. It's well worth watching from start to finish. The model features a particular ex-Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan B2, serial number XH558. It's the same aircraft that has been the focus for the 'Vulcan to the Sky' Return to Flight campaign, details below. About the real thing In Corgi's words, "After the...

SMN report There’s little doubt that in these difficult financial times, it pays to have some form of savings scheme beyond a bank account and a pension company. And for model fans that can be a pleasure, combining financial commonsense with a hobby, for unbuilt kits and diecasts represent pretty decent items to have in your portfolio. Rare Dinky Toys Of the two, diecasts show the most spectacular prices, with auctions regularly achieving astonishing levels - even in a recession, or perhaps especially in a recession, prices hold firm and there have been bidding wars between individuals and fund managers at some salerooms. Dinky Toys in particular are a high achiever where values are concerned, with models from small production runs being very highly prized. Examples include the Avro Vulcan jet V-bomber, of which only 500 or so were released, or virtually anything from the mid-1930s to 1943, when Dinky production stopped for three years until after the end of World War II. Dinky prices ...

David Jefferis reports from the show The SMN crew spent yesterday at the UK’s premier business-orientated aerospace show. The weather was fantastic (which just goes to show how useless the predictions of some iPhone weather apps are...) and it was a real pleasure to watch high-power aerobatics and more genteel flypasts in bright blue skies, with puffy clouds to set them off. Stealthy delta Highlights of the day included new aircraft like the Airbus A400M military airlifter, and old-stagers such as the delta-wing Avro Vulcan, currently maintained in flying order by an enthusiast group, and good for them. The Vulcan’s shape gave it stealth-like abilities long before stealth became a design essential for survival in aerial combat... A380 airliner For model fans, shows like this are fantastic. Wandering round the real machines parked by the flightline reveals so much detail you just never see in photos. And as for weathering, one look at the A380 demo airliner should give you airbrush mode...