SCALE MODEL NEWS

David Jefferis discusses Long-term readers will know how enthusiastic we are of science-fiction models, and in particular the Hasegawa kits featuring the Ma.K (Maschinen Krieger) sci-fi universe, first created in the 1980s by Japanese artist Kow Yokoyama. Ma.K is set in the 2800s, with a storyline based on the fighting between various factions as the Earth repopulates after a nuclear war. Hover-tank ahead Thanks to Hasegawa, Ma.K models continue to be released, and now we have one with real appeal for armoured fighting vehicle fans. The 1:35 scale PKH 103 Nutcracker hover-tank is a neatly crafted addition to the Ma. K range, and a delight for all sci-fi buffs, with bolts-and-rivets steampunk overtones into the bargain. As envisaged, the Nutcracker (once named ‘Nutrocker’ btw) is a robotic AFV with no humans aboard - but to make up for that lack, Hasegawa supplies a pair of new-tool troopers wearing armoured Battle Suits. These are works of model art in their own right, and will reward ...

David Jefferis reports Science fiction model makers have a hotline to spacecraft of all kinds with Revell’s easykit range, and here’s one of the more recent ones to fly through the SMN Towers airlock. The Slave 1 is, as all Star Wars fans know well, the personal craft of interstellar bounty hunter Boba Fett, and it’s certainly one of the more unusually styled craft in the long-running sci-fi saga. As the unboxing video shows, I was pretty impressed with the kit contents. However it’s fair to say that the build I did after the video was made had its share of problems, in particular gaps around the nose-cone, poor-fitting chin cannon, and difficulty in assembling the side ‘wings’. To do a decent job you have to resort to your craft skills, forget the ‘easy’ bit, and treat Slave 1 to a dose of TLC. Even then, it’s best to fix those pesky wings in place rather than allow them to rotate freely. Having said that, the potential is there for a spectacular addition to the sci-fi model shelf, an...