SCALE MODEL NEWS

SMN update from Mat Irvine: The Japanese kit company Aoshima continues to surprise us with brand-new kits in a growing range of satellites and space probes.  Greek and Japanese fables Number five in this Aoshima series is the JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) space probe that was initially - and appropriately - called SELENE, after the Greek Moon goddess, though the acronym stood for SELenological and ENgineering Explorer. However a public vote in Japan added the popular title Kaguya, after the lunar princess in an ancient Japanese fable.  Mooncrash Kaguya-SELENE was launched on September 14, 2007, reaching lunar orbit a few weeks later, on October 3. Its reconnaissance mission was designed to last until early 2009, after which the probe would have been deliberately crashed into the Moon’s surface, in August. However, due to a gyroscope failure, de-orbit went ahead earlier than planned, the probe hitting the Moon on June 10, 2009. Transparent blue parts represent solar panels. Aosh...

SMN report: We were recently sent two rather nice contemporary drawings of the Junkers Ju 88 - and thought they would come in very useful as background reference for interior detail fans.   Inside the cockpit They look like they were drawn up for the Junkers flight manual of the time, though we’re not sure - so if anyone can fill in the blanks that would be good. There’s lots to look at in the fore- and aft-facing pictures, not least being able to see what a busy place the inside of an 88’s domed command cupola was. The forward view clearly shows the excellent all-round view the pilot had, and note the flip-over control yoke, ideal for accessing controls down in the left quadrant. The machine gun is shown in the latched position - in use, it could swivel freely. Looking aft To the rear, the bulkhead is stuffed solid and the rear gun is again shown latched in place. Visibility is good through the ‘conservatory’ windows, with precious little chance of an Allied aircraft sneaking up u...

SMN update: Here’s the LEGO take on the company’s upcoming Star Wars release: “Presenting the iconic R2-D2 as you've never seen him before! Everyone's favorite droid from the Star Wars galaxy is now part of the Ultimate Collector Series and features fantastic detailing, such as retractable third leg, front panels that open to reveal a universal computer interface arm and a circular saw, rotating head...” More details Whoa, there LEGO, your PR department sounds like it’s had too many energy drinks: “... and two fold-out front spacecraft linkage control arms. With the included fact plaque and R2-D2 minifigure, this diminutive model is the perfect addition to your LEGO® Star Wars™ collection!” Designing a new LEGO kit Still, as avid Star Wars fans since the first movie soared across the silver screen back in 1977, we have to agree with LEGO that the little bot is definitely: “the best-loved droid in the Star Wars galaxy!” As you’ll see from the LEGO YouTube video ( below ) a lot o...

SMN Report from Mat Irvine: Here we see the latest in the innovative Revell series, depicting the machines and inventions of the Renaissance artist and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. Mixed materials The Revell kit follows the pattern set in the rest of the line, being made of mixed ‘natural’ materials, so there's nothing that would appear strange to Leonardo himself, in this case in the form of wood, cloth, and thread ‘rope’.  What’s in the box? The parachute kit is one of the simpler ones in the range, with six components making up the parachute frame itself, eight for the parachutist figure, and five for the stand, including a nameplate. Also in the box are the cloth and thread. Width across each side of the wooden frame measures some 180 mm (7.1 in).  Building the Leonardo parachute With the main parachute frame completed and allowed to dry, the pre-cut (and ‘pre-antiqued’) cloth is glued to each side, the excess cut off when the glue has dried. The human ‘passenger’ is a st...

SMN report: With their aircraft models, Revell have given us some aces in big 1:32 scale, but now it’s time for a kit in the smaller ‘classic’ scale - 1:72 that is. Coming to the front line in a couple of months is an extremely neat model of a hugely successful World War II German half-track infantry hauler and gun truck. Successful half-track hauler The Sd. Kfz. 7 eight-tonne medium half-track infantry vehicle was in widespread use with the German Army throughout World War II. Used on all fronts, the Sd. Kfz. 7 could carry a dozen troops plus their kit. It also hauled munitions and other loads, including the equally successful 88 mm mobile anti-aircraft flak gun. As well as being a strong hauler, the Sd. Kfz. 7 was no slouch so far as top speed went - on reasonably level territory, it could carry a full load of fighting men at up to 50 km/h (31 mph). Well detailed kit To 1:72 scale, the Sd. Kfz. 7 may be kinda bijou, but it’s none the worse for that, including heaps of detail for this...

SMN Weekender from Mat Irvine: The recent release of the 1:72 scale Fantastic Plastics XSL-01 in resin gives me the opportunity to look back at the kit that started it all - the 1:96 scale XSL-01 from Revell, and its designer, Ellwyn E. Angle. Ellwyn Angle around 1959-60 with both his Revell creations. The sketch below was produced by him for the Lunar Probe Vehicle. Interplanetary travel Ellwyn E. Angle was a rocket engineer who, in the 1940s and 1950s, worked on various advanced projects in the US, including the Bell X-1 and X-5. In 1956, aged around 35, he moved to a new company in Sherman Oaks in California, north of Los Angeles. This outfit - Systems Laboratories Corporation (SLC) - was set up to explore what were termed: 'preliminary designs of basic studies for interplanetary travel'. However, the CEO and co-founder of SLC, John Barnes, also knew the head of Public Relations at Revell Inc, then based in Venice, California, only 26 km (16 miles) away.  XSL-01 and Space S...

SMN report from David Jefferis: SpaceX is the sort of company that brings a smile to the face of many a space buff. Under the leadership of Elon Musk, who set the company up a decade ago in 2002, SpaceX has gone from strength to strength. Right now, SpaceX is aiming to make the first commercial flight to the International Space Station, using its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule combo. And guess what? There’s a model rocket available from SpaceX that you can build and fly. Amazon supply details First things first: the only supplier we know of at the moment is Amazon, and they don’t mail the SpaceX rocket  to all countries, so x-fingers you live in an approved locale. Even so, it’s an interesting item, and at about $30 USD, pretty fairly priced, too. When assembled, the kit measures 580 mm (22.8 in) high, equating to 1:88 scale.  Building the beast Assembly is very simple, and it’s compatible with Estes model rocketry products, which is a high recommendation, as this writer ...