SCALE MODEL NEWS

Mat Irvine update: After my initial report on Fujimi’s surprise release of the 1:24 scale Spinner Police Car from the classic science-fiction movie Blade Runner , here’s how I worked to complete the model. Hard to find details Frankly, one major problem was finding enough references, to check details when building the model. The obvious starting point might be the movie itself, but a glance at Blade Runner makes you realise that the future-view of Ridley Scott (and of author Philip K. Dick, for that matter) is pretty dank and dismal. Most Spinner shots show a cityscape shrouded in smog and rain, so trying to ascertain details direct from the movie is not worth the bother - frankly, forget it! There is however logical reasoning in that if this is how Spinners appear on-screen, it’s how they should be depicted, but even here one has to start somewhere. Magazines to the rescue Given the popularity of Blade Runner , I would have thought that details would be everywhere, from publications ...

SMN report: Thanks to the SMN reader who pointed out this Tamiya-based video for the UK boyband McFly's 2006 song Room on the 3rd Floor . The band is named after Marty McFly, movie star of the 1985-90  Back to the Future  sci-fi trilogy, and inspiration for all those kits and diecasts of the DeLorean flying car. Animated sequences Whether or not you like MacFly's music, the video is well worth watching to see the components take on a life of their own, with - somewhat spooky, it has to be said - animation sequences, both parts on their runners and art on the box. A singing plastic head may not be quite to everyone’s taste, but It’s very well done indeed, and gets even better when the instructions come to life too, line-drawings moving around with gusto to show various pieces self-assembling in a very clear and satisfying way. Animated brochures The McFly video pointed to a possible future direction for Tamiya and other kit manufacturers, to add visual interest to their pr...

SMN report: China-based Sun Star is probably best known for its truly excellent range of 1:24 scale bus and coach diecast models, and the even larger 1:12 Volkswagens and Morris Minors. It’s not so notable in smaller scales perhaps, but this recent addition to the range shows that Sun Star retains its mojo, even when working in 1:43 scale. Massive upgrade - from 1965 Chrysler Imperial to crime-killer The subject is a detailed rendering of the automotive star of the recent comic-based movie The Green Hornet , starring the crime-fighter of the same name, alias Brett Reid, aided by his Asian partner Kato. Their vehicle of choice is called ‘Black Beauty’, and is a fast and heavily armed street machine, based loosely on a 1965 Chrysler Imperial, itself a fine example of the best in retro-Americana. As a ‘star car’, we reckon the Black Beauty trails some way behind more imaginative designs, such as the outrageously designed Batmobiles, or even the DeLorean time-travelling car from the Back t...