SCALE MODEL NEWS

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 ...

David Jefferis reports Corgi was among the first to kick off the wave of accurate diecast aircraft collectibles with its Aviation Archive products. They are still among the most popular of their kind, and the readers of the UK specialist magazine Model Collector recently voted Corgi’s 1:72 scale Avro Lancaster as Best Aircraft Model of the Year. Model Collector magazine The magazine is one of the UK’s two magazines that focus on diecast models, and its pages are always worth a read as they are packed with reviews and in-depth articles. Some 9000 readers got the chance to vote for Model of the Year, so their accolade must make Corgi proud of that Lancaster. Earthquake bomb The model is a B1 Lancaster, specially modified to carry a single 10-tonne (22,000 lb) ‘Grand Slam’ bomb under its belly. The Grand Slam was designed by ‘Dam Busters’ bouncing-bomb designer Barnes Wallis and was dropped from a height of about 6 km (20,000 ft). Falling vertically, Grand Slam hit the surface at more tha...