SCALE MODEL NEWS

Mr J and Mat Irvine discuss: More Leonardo da Vinci in this video, with a look at a working model Aerial Screw. That’s another term for Leonardo’s helicopter design, and Doyusha has made an interesting kit of it as you’ll see. There’s also a glimpse inside Mat Irvine’s fascinating Model Museum.  Summation The Doyusha kit is a neat kit with historical interest, and is roughly to one of the recognized model scales into the bargain, so if you like models with working action, it’s a kit that’s definitely recommended. Kits from Japan The kit was supplied by Hobby Link Japan, whose fascinating site you can visit here . There are lots of summer bargains to be had the moment, including Dragon, Hasegawa, Tamiya, and much more.

Mat Irvine inspects: Although worldwide, model cars are dominated by the joint 1:24/25 scale, other scales find favour with various types of modelmaking. ‘Scale’ is an all-encompassing subject that could fill many an SMN slot, but one area that has grown in recent years is military AFVs to 1:48 scale. Yes, the main AFV scale is certainly 1:35, but it doesn’t match with much else, whereas 1:48 is one of the model aircraft standards, making mixing subject matter - especially dioramas - very straightforward.  Kits to a smaller scale Tamiya began the mixed-subject idea by reducing many of its AFVs from 1:35 to 1:48. Then some soft-skinned vehicles were released in the smaller scale, an interesting development as many of them could also be put to civilian use - and this applies to the 1:48 scale Tamiya US Army Staff Car, a militarized version of the 1942 Ford Super Deluxe Fordor sedan.  Wartime production In February 1942, Ford stopped its civilian car and truck production, to...

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...

SMN report: Here we have China’s Dragon providing us with a cool take on the stealth helicopter that took part in - and crashed during - Operation Geronimo, the night raid in Pakistan that resulted in the death of arch-terrorist Osama bin Laden.  Intelligent design Apart from the tail section, which the world clearly saw from crash photographs, this Dragon kit is a work of intelligent surmise, but fascinating for all that, and the people in the Dragon team have clearly worked hard to produce a realistic and highly possible stealth helicopter design. Details all present Somewhat surprisingly, the kit is to a smallish 1:144 scale, perhaps a bit of a pity to those of us who like our models as big as we can get ‘em. Still, let’s not be churlish, it’s a new-tool 'what if' kit of this special-ops helo, and includes details such as angled surfaces, photo-etch intake details, landing gear that can be assembled in up or down position, and a convincing six-pack of swept rotor blade tips....

SMN report: Great news for Volkswagen fans as it’s been confirmed that VW will produce a petrol/diesel version of the Bulli electric MPV concept in a couple of years - or maybe less. The VW Bulli was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011, drawing applause for being an MPV that people might actually want to buy - in other words, a compact people-mover with some sense of style. It has to be said that not everyone was moved instantly - some VW fans muttered that the Bulli wasn’t dramatic enough, but our view a few months later is that it’s pretty OK.  Nice one - hefty box for the LEGO Camper Van. Brains not brawn The Bulli is not a big beast - just a little bigger than the VW Polo, in fact - but the concept showed that you don’t need bulk to have a fold-flat bed if clever design is allowed its head. The slot-in iPad on the fascia showed a sharp awareness of Apple’s masterpiece too, and follows airline practice as they accelerate replacing weighty flight manuals and comple...

SMN report: The Italeri versions of Academy’s Leonardo da Vinci kits are proving successful, so what’s happening with Academy’s own productions? Well, there are plenty more on release, though as usual with these multi-market products, there are subtle changes in presentation, depending on where they are being sold. Da Vinci series Academy’s kits go under the simple title, ‘Da Vinci Machines Series’, rather than Italeri’s splendidly romantic ‘The Marvellous Machines’. Also, Academy bundles the da Vinci kits into a loose grouping called Educational Kits, which is fair enough, especially as these include rockets and robots - tasty stuff indeed.   iRoomba robot around the house Speaking as robot fans and collectors, we can’t have enough of ‘em around SMN Towers, though one had to go recently, due to pressure on space. It was an iRoomba robotic vacuum cleaner from US Robotics. A great little device to set in motion and watch, though its cleaning abilities were, should we say: “still in ...

Mat Irvine reports: Airfix plans to have reissued all its original 1:144 scale rocketry series by the end of 2011. The Apollo Saturn V and Vostok kits have already been released, as has the modified Skylab Saturn V.  Saturn 1B redux Meanwhile the last of the original launchers - the Saturn 1B - has been reissued recently, and this one is likely the most welcome for collectors, as it was last available way back, in 1991. The new runner was first made for the Apollo Saturn V. What's new? The new Airfix Saturn 1B has the benefit of the updated Apollo section that was retooled for the recent Apollo Saturn V kit. In the 1B’s box is a runner for this item, plus a new version of the original rectangular base. The components not required any more have been removed from the tooling. There's also new box-art by Mike Trim, the illustrator who has also been responsible for the other rocket reissues. Finished Airfix Saturn IB, standing on new base and nameplate decal. Italian connection wi...

David Jefferis reports: The trailer of the latest Stephen Spielberg movie The Adventures of Tintin is with us, as is news that Meccano is to sell construction sets based on a Tintin theme. The movie is due for release on December 23, 2011, but the Meccano sets should be available well before that. Handsome yellow seaplane is the subject of one of the Meccano sets. Product tie-in Rather like LEGO, Meccano sets don’t aim to be about building an exact replica of anything, but for marketing purposes, it’s great to be able to tie your product to a big name. So the stellar combo of Spielberg, Hollywood, and Herge’s Tintin makes a powerful draw for Meccano’s owner, Hornby. Tintin and his distinctive quiff, as shown on the Weta website. History of Tintin Tintin is a name with a looong pedigree, the first such book by Belgium’s Georges Remi being published as long ago as 1929. It was called Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and since then more than 350 million copies of two dozen titles have ...

Box-art is a near-identical recreation of the original Aurora painting, by Jo Kotula Mat Irvine reports: Besides recreating many science-fiction and fantasy models from Aurora’s earlier years - and adding quite a few new ones in a similar style - Moebius has also reproduced many historical figures. One of the most famous, and now highly collectible, was the Confederate Army Cavalry General, otherwise known as the ‘Confederate Raider’.  Gold Knight background The kit almost certainly came about because the horse was already in the Aurora catalogue as the mount for the Gold Knight of Nice, first issued in 1957. Consequently the Confederate Raider, issued in 1959, only needed to add the Officer figure.  Built-up model by Denis Lange. Retool kit The kit here has been retooled by retro-engineering a surviving original kit, as have many Moebius Aurora recreations. It's moulded in two colours - orange-brown for the horse, and light grey for the figure, saddle, and reins. What’s in th...