SCALE MODEL NEWS

THIS LAYOUT COMBINES traditional model rail construction with a dash of science fiction. The Edwardian sci-fi story  War of the Worlds by HG Wells makes for an interesting, and very different, diorama setting. SMN report: Invasion from an alien world is an old science-fiction theme, and one that's tackled successfully in this suitably British model rail display. It's a good subject for all model makers, and kit manufacturers have supplied various scale models to satisfy demand. Pegasus Hobbies have an interesting take on the 1953 George Pal movie, an award-winner in its day, and a classic that should be seen by all sci-fi fans. Click to read all about the Pegasus kit. The latest War of the Worlds reinvention is from the BBC ( below ). The three-part series is currently on-air and streamed on iPlayer. It's worth watching, not least because it is set in England, as was HG Wells's original tale. The effects are also worthwhile, even if the pace becomes somewhat ponderou...

Mat Irvine reports from iHobby Expo: Continuing my look at the new goodies on show at iHobby, this time I'm inspecting Pegasus Hobbies, a company that started off by making glitzy accessories for car modellers, an aspect it still does, but that now also makes aircraft and military models, and is best known for its science-fiction kits. War of the Worlds This is high on the Pegasus listing, and with the classic 1953 George Pal movie having been covered, attention is now being given to the more recent Tom Cruise movie of 2005. A Martian figure has already been released, and next up is the three-legged Martian war machine. Interestingly, the Pal ‘flying’ design was the only one that eschewed HG Wells’s text description - all other versions, including the Jeff Wayne audio and stage show version, and this latest, follow Wells closely. The Pegasus kit is big and tall - it stands more than 600 mm (24 in) high, even in 1:144 scale. The kit will also provide an opportunity for internal ligh...