SCALE MODEL NEWS

The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 (also known as the PT-17 and Kaydet) was a biplane first built in the mid-1930s, followed by wide use as a military trainer throughout World War II. David Jefferis: Thousands of Stearmans - some 9,800 in all - rolled off assembly lines and introduced flight trainees to the fundamentals of pilot skills. When World War II ended, thousands of military-surplus Stearman trainers went on to fly a galaxy of civilian jobs, from crop dusting to barnstorming aero displays. A used Stearman was not expensive - you could get a good condition ex-service one for less than half the $11,000 USD it had cost to build - and this, coupled with great flying qualities and easy maintenance, made the aircraft extremely popular with its new owners. As for the Revell kit, it has plenty of detail, including a full interior sub-frame (instruction detail below) support struts, and landing gear, plus a multi-component engine. The metal sub-frame that Revell has modelled is an important ...

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...

SMN REPORT For lovers of exotic and complex markings, this one’s a winner, and ought to be the subject for a garage-kit decal job... please! Last week, a 41-tonne king salmon landed in Anchorage, Alaska, to a rousing welcome from crowds of workers with Alaska Airlines and the state seafood industry. Actually of course, the ‘king salmon’ arrival was no overweight flying fish, but a newly-decorated Boeing 737-800 ( above ), now surely a contender for displaying the world’s most intricate commercial aircraft livery. The scheme celebrates the partnership of Alaska Airlines and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, both organizations eager to promote the delights of the largest US state and its produce. Bigger aircraft The ‘Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II’ design is similar to the 2005 paint scheme that flew on a 737-400, an aircraft repainted with Alaska’s standard Eskimo livery in 2011. The new king salmon is longer than the earlier one, as the -800 is a bigger plane, and also features uptilted...

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: We make no apologies for featuring another World War II bomber from Hong Kong Models - this one adds two more engines, and a lot more size, to represent the famed Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Manufactured to 1:32 scale, it’s a biggie all right. Coming soon The HK Models Boeing B-17 is not available yet, and the pictures here show the assembled prototype, not an on-sale model. But we expect the big beast, which will be available to complete in either ‘F’ or ‘G’ version, sometime soon. When assembled, the  Hong Kong Models  B-17 will have a wingspan of some 788 mm (31 in) and a length of 988 mm (38.9 in). Legendary defences The B-17's multi-gun capacity to repel fighter attacks, while flying on to inflict heavy damage to enemy targets was legendary, making its title ‘Flying Fortress’ a well-earned label. This Flying Fort cartoon was painted in 1944, by Lt Col Ross Greening, while a prisoner of war in Germany at Stalag Luft 1. The splendid drawing was published later ...

SMN report: Hasegawa of Japan is bringing us hot new and revised products at a pace-and-a-half. Here a taste of what’s in store - space, sci-fi, aviation, and... girls! Dreamliner The 1:200 scale Boeing 787 Dreamliner comes in two flavours, JAL (Japan Airlines) and ANA (All Nippon Airways), differentiated in several ways, such as the differing engines used by the two airlines. At this scale, the changes are visually minor, but Hasegawa has detailed everything you need for an accurate finished model. Voyager Real-space fans have a treat in store with the 1:48 scale Voyager space probe. Two were launched back in 1977, their mission to record data and information about the outer planets. After swooping past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, they are now drifting into interstellar space, beyond the Solar System.  Golden Record The Hasegawa kit includes a scale representation of the ‘Golden Record’, a video disc containing the sights and sounds of Earth. There’s one aboard each space...