SCALE MODEL NEWS

A FEW MONTHS BACK, REVELL REISSUED a 1:24 scale kit of the Trabant 601S, to celebrate 60 years since the boxy little East German car was first built, in 1957. Mat Irvine:  The Revell kit enables you to build a stock Trabant, and also a version called the Safari, which operates guided tours around Berlin. A new decal sheet features the zebra-stripe markings that adorn the exterior of the Safari. They certainly stand out in Berlin’s busy traffic. Revell has actually made two versions of the Trabant. The first was a simplified kit without vinyl tyres, but did include a large roof rack. Revell retooled the kit in far more detail, though the rack option was deleted. The kit we show here is a reissue of this latter kit. The box back ( below ) has useful information and pix of the car. Official Revell pictures ( below ) show a decent level of detail, including the engine compartment, plenty of decals, and chassis underpan. The Revell Trabant’s rear ( below ) is graced with German words th...

COMPARED TO THE CURRENT BMW MINI, the original (and many would say best) Mini is tiny, but that didn’t stop driver Paddy Hopkirk and navigator Henry Liddon achieving victory in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. Mat Irvine:  There have been model kits of the classic BMC Mini before, both Tamiya and Fujimi having made 1:24 scale rally Mini Coopers. However, neither of these represents this particular car, a Morris Mini Cooper S. Revell Germany already makes the basic Mini Cooper in racing form, so this kit is a modification.  The box-art ( below ) shows only one person inside, perhaps Paddy Hopkirk. But the painting was based on a contemporary photo, so is correctly depicted, at least for this particular occasion. The Revell model is fully detailed, with a tiny BMC A-Series transverse front-drive engine under the bonnet, along with enough other bits and pieces to fill the bay. The model’s underside features separate front and rear sub-frames, with the front-drive set up, separate shoc...

Fans of classic British cars will love this Mini Cooper Mk I from Revell, a neatly produced 126-part kit. The Mini didn’t earn its name without a reason, and its tiny proportions are reflected in the bijou dimensions of this kit - when assembled, the Revell Mini Cooper Mk I measures just 127 mm (5 in) from bumper to bumper. It may be small, but Revell’s kit is nicely formed, with detailed features that include: * True-to-original bodywork with fine surface details.
 * Separate movable bonnet, open or closed.
 * Multi-component detailed 4-cylinder engine.
 * Separate exhaust assembly.
 * Detailed interior with dashboard, front seats and rear bench seat.
 * Car can be built in left- or right-hand drive versions.
 * Wheels rotate. 
* Optional radiators for two versions.
 * Chrome parts include wheel caps, door handles, grille, lamp surrounds.
 * Imitation rubber wheels.
 * Decals with different markings.
 About the real thing In 1956, Greek-British designer Alec Issigonis was commissioned...

SMN REPORT: Like sci-fi? Like steampunk? Like cars? Like a kit bash? Then here’s an idea for you. It’s a full-size customized show car, the Mini Countryman Steampunk edition from Carlex Design of Poland. Wide range of ideas Carlex Design has an international reputation for well-judged mods to existing vehicles. From special leather interiors to wooden steering wheels, BMWs to Lamborghinis - if you have the money, a unique custom car can be yours. Or indeed, you can have a team of cars - Carlex has made a range of football-styled cars to celebrate Poland’s soccer squad in the Euro 2012 competition. Intricate detailing In fact, most Carlex projects are fairly middle-of-the-market stuff, so the Mini Countryman Steampunk marks a step up in the creative department. Carlex designers have really gone to town on this one, with the hand-tooled leather and copper interior suiting the fantastical genre very well indeed. They’ve maybe got a bit enthusiastic with the cutaway seats that reveal myst...

SMN report: Radio control (RC) fans have a chance to go racing with the Tamiya electric Mini JCW Coupe, modelled on the car that took part in the 2011 24-Hour Nurburgring race. Lightweight body The RC Mini Coupe is to 1:10 scale, and comes with a pre-finished lightweight polycarbonate bodyshell. The car comes complete with racing extras, such as the front-mounted spoiler and big tail wing, both designed to keep the real thing glued to the ground when hurtling along for hour after hour flat-out around the twist and turns of Germany’s famed Nurburgring racing circuit. Front-wheel drive The big 1:10 scale means you get a decent-sized model, even if the Mini is not a large car in real life - the body is some 375 mm (14.8 in) long, with a wheelbase of 239 mm (9.4 in). The chassis and powertrain reproduce the Mini’s front-wheel drive system, so handling is not unlike the real thing. Accuracy is reasonable, and while not a patch on an equivalent injection kit, does capture the flavour of the ...