SCALE MODEL NEWS

SMN report: The Scale ModelWorld 2011 Show was a major event last weekend for the IPMS (International Plastic Modellers Society), and a galaxy of models were on display. SMN’s own Mat Irvine was at the show with a stand ( above ), and all in all, the annual bash went down very well indeed. Dan Dare spaceship SMW 2011 was so packed with stuff that we’ll leave the photo-report to tell the story, but there was one model that caught our science-fiction radar, a spaceship labelled as the Valiant from the classic Dan Dare comic strip. The Valiant was a spacecraft star in the 1953-54 Dan Dare adventure Operation Saturn  but, ahem, the one at SMW 2011 didn’t look much like the shapely vehicle drawn by Dan Dare’s creator, Frank Hampson - a good model, just not a replica of the original.  Dan Dare spacecraft heads for the planet Saturn, with US pilot Hank Hogan above. Spacecraft loaded for action Hey ho - but the upside is that there’s still room for an accurate Valiant , powered by m...

SMN report: The Scale ModelWorld 2011 Show is a big event in the IPMS (International Plastic Modellers Society) diary, and is thought to be the world’s largest model show, in both size and visitor numbers. It attracts thousands of people from all over the globe, and is on today and tomorrow, November 12-13. SMN’s own Mat Irvine will be there, and there are many other highlights if you can make it, such as: * Giant display of racing and sports car models, provided by the automotive modelling group, Les Garagistes. * Display of vehicles including a James Bond 'baddie' Jaguar from Die another Day and a replica of the XK8 Shaguar from The Spy Who Shagged Me .  * Over 135 traders and manufacturers from across the world, including Europe, Japan, Russia, UK, and the USA. * More than 150 club displays in three large halls. * ‘Meet the Maker’ with guest star Kunihiro Suzuki, President and founder of the Japanese model manufacturer Fine Molds.  * Airfix 'Make and Take' for youn...

SMN update: The Scale ModelWorld 2011 Show is heralded as: ‘The Greatest Model Show on Earth’. It’s certainly a mega-event that the IPMS (International Plastic Modellers Society) reckons is the world’s largest model show, in both size and visitor numbers. It attracts thousands of people from all over the globe. So keep your diary free for next weekend, November 12-13. Scale ModelWorld 2011 highlights: * This year’s theme is ‘Cars’, and features an amazing 25 metre-plus (84 ft) display of racing and sports car models, provided by the UK automotive modelling group, Les Garagistes. This will be complemented by a display of vehicles from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, including the ‘bad guy’ Jaguar from the James Bond movie Die another Day and a replica of the XK8 Shaguar from the Austin Powers movie  The Spy Who Shagged Me .  * Over 135 traders and manufacturers from across the world. Companies from Europe, Japan, Russia, UK, and the US will display an astonishing variety of...