SCALE MODEL NEWS

IN 1986 WE GOT we got the hugely successful movie Top Gun . Next, what will be 35 years later (the film release is due in 2021) we should see the follow-up  Top Gun: Maverick . The star of the first movie, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise), returns again, but now plays the role of a flight instructor. Mat Irvine: The original movie featured a number of aircraft, so was a natural for model kit producers, their catalogues already being full of such craft. Consequently a number of kits appeared, though from Airfix and Testors, not Revell. This time, Revell is involved, with six kits overall – individual and sets, simple and more complex, and this 1:48 scale F/A-18. It’s a re-boxing of an existing Revell kit, but comes with appropriate decals for the movie machine. The kit is top of the range, coming under Revell’s Level 5 for build and construction. There’s a detailed cockpit interior with 11 separate decals that need applying. There’s a detailed undercarriage which is intended to...

THIS LAYOUT COMBINES traditional model rail construction with a dash of science fiction. The Edwardian sci-fi story  War of the Worlds by HG Wells makes for an interesting, and very different, diorama setting. SMN report: Invasion from an alien world is an old science-fiction theme, and one that's tackled successfully in this suitably British model rail display. It's a good subject for all model makers, and kit manufacturers have supplied various scale models to satisfy demand. Pegasus Hobbies have an interesting take on the 1953 George Pal movie, an award-winner in its day, and a classic that should be seen by all sci-fi fans. Click to read all about the Pegasus kit. The latest War of the Worlds reinvention is from the BBC ( below ). The three-part series is currently on-air and streamed on iPlayer. It's worth watching, not least because it is set in England, as was HG Wells's original tale. The effects are also worthwhile, even if the pace becomes somewhat ponderou...

This is a straight reissue of the AMT 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, but presented this time round as the car driven by Tom Cruise, playing Jack Reacher in the 2012 movie of the same name. Mat Irvine: This is an attractive kit that does justice to the original machine, and one that will look good if you build it straight from the box. You do get two build options, though these are really only down to alternative wheel sets and either a carburettor or fuel-injected engine. Overall, the emphasis is on building the car stock, and anyway the Chevelle was also a ‘hot’ car in the Chevrolet range, and this is the top SS (Super Stock) version. Consequently, the Chevelle made a suitable choice of wheels for a hero such as Jack Reacher - though maybe anti-hero is a better term for him. Inside the box are neatly presented mouldings ( below ) with 82 components, decals and instructions. Building the AMT Chevelle is straightforward, with three basic assemblies making up the finished car - engine and ...

ISSUED IN THE AMT ‘Silver Screen Machine’ series, this 1:72 scale F-14 Tomcat is the first non-car subject to be included. The kit is also a return to the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun which, although dating back to 1986, still grabs attention. Mat Irvine: The AMT 1:72 scale Grumman F-14A Tomcat model is a straightforward build, as it’s not the most complex F-14 kit out there. However, it features a two-seater cockpit, with instrument panel details reproduced on the comprehensive decal sheet. There are no crew figures included, though the swing wings can be made to operate. The cockpit canopy can be fixed open or closed, and there are alternative parts for open or closed engine nozzles. The decal sheet allows planes from the USS Enterprise - the primary aircraft carrier used in the movie - and also for the USS John F. Kennedy . The names for the movie characters are included, but oddly, the relevant tail-fin markings are absent. It may not worry some, but I’m always intrigued by the origi...

  Mat Irvine reports One of the biggest movies of 1986 was Top Gun , with Tom Cruise playing Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (as plotted, the call sign was one he took literally) at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School. The video should give you a reminder of the movie's plot, people, and of course, the planes. Top Gun is back Given that the storyline was very aircraft-intense, it was a natural for the model companies and both Airfix and Testors issued a number of kits for aircraft featured in the film. Well, that was back in the 1980s - but now in 2010, we have a new Top Gun kit! Aoshima has taken its Kawasaki GPZ9000R Ninja motorbike kit and modified it to represent the one Maverick rode in the movie. New detail parts for Top Gun superbike The basic kit has been in the Aoshima list for some time, but this model has new front forks and rear swing-arms, new wheels and new rear-view mirrors. The decals also reflect the version seen in the movie, including the “No Wussys” sign...