SCALE MODEL NEWS

Fans of British jets will welcome the new Airfix 1:48 scale Folland Gnat, well-known as the high-speed mount for RAF aerobatic teams of the past, such as the Yellowjacks and the Red Arrows. This Gnat is a step up in size for Airfix, which already has a new-tool 1:72 scale Gnat in the range. The Folland Gnat was a small, swept-wing British subsonic jet trainer and light fighter, the pic (below) taken at the 1957 Paris Air Show. It was developed by Folland for the RAF, and flown extensively under licence by the Indian Air Force. The design was simplified, allowing for construction by countries without a highly specialised industrial base. Although never used as a fighter by the RAF, the Gnat T1 trainer variant (below) was used from 1962-78, after which it was replaced by the hugely successful Hawk, which is still widely used, with new versions currently under development by BAE Systems. In service with the Indian armed forces, the relatively small Gnat achieved distinction in 1971 as a ‘...

Here’s a great place to go if you like the magic combo of old aircraft, nostalgia and memorabilia, with some fascinating models included in the mix. The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum (NSAM) is in the village of Flixton, near Bungay, in Suffolk, UK. There’s a collection of aircraft parked on the grass, ranging from an ex-Royal Navy de Havilland Sea Vixen twin-boom jet to an FMA Pucara ground-attack machine that dates from the 1982 Falklands War. There’s also a group of slowly decomposing engine and propeller components, which are gradually gnarling and delaminating with age, revealing a range of textures that fascinated my sculptress friend Bo. Hangars and Nissen huts provide dry storage and display space for plenty more items, and there are lots of models and miniatures to inspect. Among these was a display of hand-carved wooden models, necessarily lacking the fine detailing of a plastic kit, but showing off the talented skills of a pure craft approach to model making. The RAF Ai...

David Jefferis reports: Ace news for Swedish aerospace company Saab this week, as Switzerland has decided to go for the Saab Gripen NG (New Generation) as its front-line combat jet. The Gripen has been a challenger for the 22-aircraft order, in a long-running competition between state-of-the-art fighters such as the Dassault Rafale, EFA Typhoon, and Boeing F/A-18. Export success The single-engine Gripen (meaning: Griffin) is turning into something of a success story, as Saab quietly notches up its sixth export customer. For the Swiss, the Gripen represents a natural upgrade path that replaces the long-serving F-5 Tiger, and an affordable one too - buying the Gripen means no cuts to other branches of the Swiss military. Latest version The Swiss order is based on the latest Gripen NG, which has not yet been offered by an injection-kit manufacturer - so maybe the new Swiss Air Force order will inspire Italeri, Airfix or Revell, all of whom make Gripens, to come up with an upgrade PDQ. It...

SMN report: Here’s an unusual early jet-age choice from Hong Kong’s Dragon, a 1:72 scale de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW1. Coming so soon after the 1:48 scale kit from Airfix, does this one measure up to that bigger kit? What’s in the box? The box includes one transparent set of components and four runners for the remainder, all of which are  moulded in plain grey. Two decal sheets give a choice of markings for six Royal Navy aircraft. There’s a clear set of instructions, with paint and marking guides. It’s all neatly packed, and the parts look crisp and sharply moulded. Transparencies Of particular note are the canopy and hatch to the observer’s ‘coal hole’. Both items are thin and clear, though you will have some careful masking to do when it’s painting time. Other features If you wish to have the ventral airbrake open, you will have to cut a hole and add a blank inside the fuselage as Dragon have not included the brake’s internal bay. That's odd, because the same features for the und...

SMN report: There’s no apology for including another Dragon entry this week, as the Gloster Meteor F.3 is far and away the most detailed 1:72 scale kit of this important aircraft - the first Allied operational jet - that’s been made. It’s been out a while now, but this is the first time we’ve had a close look. The goodies on offer include: - Sliding canopy open or closed.  - Detailed panel lines.  - Photo-etch air brakes on both wings, upper and lower surfaces.  - Positionable control surfaces.  - Detailed cockpit interior and landing gear bays. Computer accuracy Like most of today’s kits, Dragon’s Cyber-Hobby kit was designed using CAD techniques, which have allowed accuracy combined with good fit and finish, including finely etched recessed panel lines. You have the choice of open or closed canopy. There are 51 components in grey, seven clear, and five photo-etch. Perhaps the only obvious doubt on accuracy is Dragon’s pistol-grip control column - the real thing spo...

David Jefferis reports Here we have 100 colour pages of the new and revived Airfix Magazine - well, it's now retitled Airfix Model World for 2010 - and a pretty good effort it is too. I’ve been involved with several magazine launches over the years, and know a little of the sweat and toil that goes into the first one. It’s always a steep learning curve and I doubt this launch AFW is an exception. So well done to the team involved. What’s it like? First off is the cover - and centre-spread - both of which feature the work of the Airfix ‘wunderkind’ box-artist, Adam Tooby. He’s already up there in the pantheon of the best - Roy Cross, at last you have a decent successor. Tooby manages to combine the precision of computer generated imagery with an artist’s touch for the finished work. I reckon we’ll see a few of his box-tops appearing as art prints before too long. See inside Editorial is wide-ranging, with a strong feature on the 1:48 Sea Vixen kit from Airfix, which has some very ni...