SCALE MODEL NEWS

SMN REPORT Here’s a well-timed kit release, a movie tie-in that’s bang up to the minute. It’s a variation on Italeri’s existing AW-101 kit to 1:72 scale, modded slightly to represent the triple-engined beast shown in the latest James Bond movie Skyfall . We haven’t see the new James Bond movie yet (though an SMN  Crew cinema outing is slotted for Wednesday this week) so we can’t comment on the accuracy or otherwise of this special Skyfall edition. But it seems a good idea and we’re all for kits like this, not least because they help attract newcomers to scale models. Smaller diecast Matching the theme of the 1:72 plastic kit is a smaller diecast version, this time to 1:100 scale. It’s ready to fly out of the box and comes in Skyfall colours and markings. Big boat President John F. Kennedy’s World War II command, PT109, is a famous boat all right, and here is Italeri’s 1:35 scale model of it. As with other motor torpedo boats from Italeri, the PT109 is superb, and comes complete w...

SMN comment: A glance through the 2012 Revell catalogue reveals a feast of model treats, from standard items to new stuff. And it all looks very tasty indeed. The first new offering that takes our interest is on the front cover, a 1:144 scale model of the Virgin Galactic space travel contender, Space Ship Two and its carrier jet White Knight Two. The pair will form an imposing centrepiece to a space collection, as WK2’s wingspan is 296 mm (11.7 in), a good size for this small scale. Airborne Owl A newly confirmed item is the upcoming 1:32 scale Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Eagle Owl). This exotic looking late-World War II night fighter hasn’t been a subject of too many kits in the past, so to see it arriving in this large scale is all the more welcome. According to Revell’s published spec, the twin-engine He 219 Uhu - the first service aircraft in any air force to have ejection seats fitted - will have a wingspan of 578 mm (22.8 in) and length of 486 mm (19.1 in). Parts counters (like us) will ...