SCALE MODEL NEWS

THE FIRST HOT WHEELS CARS were released in May, 1968. Known as the ‘Original Sweet Sixteen,’ those cars all had redline wheels, and original paintwork and style that directly challenged existing diecast toys such as Matchbox cars. SMN report: Mattel has now released a set of five new 50th Anniversary Hot Wheels Editions, to celebrate 50 years of the brand. They are modern takes on the Sweet 16 originals. The five new Hot Wheels cars are finished in candy metallic shades (‘Spectraflame’ in Hot-speak) with 50th Anniversary stickers on the doors. The stickers alone should make them instant collectibles.  The 1967 Chevy Camaro is finished in blue, the Custom 1967 Ford Mustang painted candy apple red, while the 1968 Mercury Cougar comes in gold with a black top. To finish off the quintet, the 1967 Plymouth Barracuda comes in green with a black stripe. Lastly, the Volkswagen Beetle is finished in purple.  All have the unique redline tyres, an update on the whitewalls of the 1950s. ...

SMN REPORT: The collectibles industry is on the march, aiming to sign up for tie-ins to the next Star Trek movie. The 2009 Star Trek reboot by director J.J. Abrams breathed new life into the franchise, so it’s great to hear that licensing deals are already slotting into place. Countdown for liftoff Hot on the trail for new Trek stuff is Mattel (famed for its Hot Wheels line) and the big M has now signed with CBS Consumer Products to make and market a new range of die-cast Star Trek models. These will take off next year, in time for the next movie, presently targeted for worldwide release in May 2013. More models please Mattel and CBS have worked together before, as a similar deal was signed between the two for the 2009 sci-fi film. The new set of miniatures will include the starship USS Enterprise (of course!) and hopefully others besides. Of course, we’d love the range to include all sorts of stuff, including shuttles, space stations, and much more besides - but we’ll probab...

SMN report: The final part of the current Batman ‘Dark Knight’ movie trilogy is heading our way next summer, and The Dark Knight Rises will bring a host of techno-treats by way of new and updated crime-zapping machinery for our caped crusader. And that means there'll be new movie tie-in Batman kits, collectibles, diecasts, and RC equipment on release soon.  Blow the bad guys away In 2012, the splendid Tumbler Batmobile gets an update in the form of a powerful top-mounted cannon, mated to a nifty camouflage paint job instead of the familiar midnight-black. Designwise, the square barrel of the cannon could be the hallmark of an electromagnetic railgun launcher - but the muzzle flash indicates motive power from old-fashioned cordite. Still, who cares - fiction or not, it looks a terrific piece of hardware and we can’t wait for the kits and diecasts to arrive. Bat attack craft Also featuring in The Dark Knight Rises will be a great-looking air attacker, likely the next Batplane, whic...

SMN report: Mattel’s Hot Wheels line has released a treat for Batman fans, with the latest Limited Edition Batmobile. “Not another Batmobile...” I hear you sigh, but read on, for this is a biggie 1:18 scale diecast model, with opening sections that reveal enough inner details to make it a unique entry for the Batman memorabilia shelf. What you get Features include a lift-up front panel, under which lurks a neatly-produced engine, and next to it, a standard-issue car battery. Venture inside the double-bubble canopy via the opening doors, and you should see the red Batphone, complete with retro-style wiggly wiring; there’s also fine red piping adorning the seat trim and plenty of cabin detail. Behind the seating area are a trio of rocket launchers, while continuing aft, you find another lift-up panel, revealing computer systems and some fairly mysterious Bat-tech equipment. Winning touches for me are the finely-lettered twin parachute packs (labelled 'Bat chutes') positioned eith...