SCALE MODEL NEWS

You might not have heard of Stevens International, but it’s an important outfit in the modelling world, as the company is one of the main US hobby distributors. There are plenty of well-known model names in the Stevens portfolio, including China’s Trumpeter, whose current range of kits was on display at iHobby Expo 2013, as was a test shot of the upcoming 1:200 scale USS Missouri battleship, due for release in November 2013, and seen (below) in the glass display stand. Judging from what was visible, the kit will make a spectacular finished model, with more than 1573 components, including 11 photo-etch frets, a two-piece main hull, complete gunnery suite, recon seaplanes, decals and stand. It won’t be cheap mind, with an expected US price of $479.95. But for keen ship modellers, it’ll make a fine display piece. Stevens also imports the Haynes 1:4 scale four-cylinder car engine (above). This was originally a Humbrol kit, but is currently available in the UK under the Airfix name. Haynes ...

Pegasus Hobbies is the brainchild of Larry Thompson (on stand, above) starting some years ago with accessories produced for model car builders. Today, Pegasus is far better known for its kits covering the wide topic of science-fiction. One of the latest from Pegasus is artist and designer Greg deSantis' take on that perennial favourite, the Nautilus submarine, and I am talking here of the original Jules Verne version, not the later nuclear boat, as used by the US Navy. On the stand (above) was this assembled example of the Pegasus Jules Verne Nautilus. There's an interesting YouTube video on the kit too (below). Of all the design variations on this famous fictional sub, the best known has to be the Disney version, but this one - although reminiscent of the movie - is actually very different, with definite touches of steampunk in its appearance. It’s a multi-material kit, with parts in injection plastic, resin and photo-tech - and yes, the squid is included! Pegasus has more kit...

There is always a ‘model of the show’ at iHobby Expo, and although there weren’t any big fanfares to accompany it, and although I’m not really a big aircraft fan, my nomination nevertheless goes to the brand-new 1:72 scale Martin PBM-5A Mariner from Minicraft. This is the first time the PBM-5 has been made to 1:72 scale as an injection-moulded kit. It's shown on display at the Minicraft stand (above) and note also the new 1:144 scale KC-135E at right. There have been some garage kits in vac-form and resin, and there was the early Revell kit, made to 1:118 fit-the-box scale, reissued from Revell-Germany (below) but that’s it, so this kit is going to fill a gap in many a collection. The Minicraft PBM-5 can be built in one of two ways and there are two marking options. Only one of over 1000 Mariners built is known to survive, and is on display (above, below) at the Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona. There are also new kits in Minicraft’s 1:48 light aircraft range. The Beechcr...

iHobby Expo, the main showcase for what’s new in US model-making, returned to the Chicago area from October 3-8, 2013, after a brief relocation to Cleveland, Ohio, in 2012. Although it’s back in the Chicago area, the Show has moved venue, from the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, to the Schaumberg Convention Center , located about 10 miles (16km) away to the west. Reboxed Polar Lights TV Batmobile (above) in an AMT-style box. Reissued car kits from MPC and AMT (below). Some, such as the 1996 Nova, have new-tool parts. Schaumberg is one of the main business centres of the area, and is also home to the giant Woodfield Mall . The new venue is smaller than Donald E. Stephens though, and the number of exhibitors was down on previous years, though reportedly up on 2012’s Cleveland show. However, iHobby Expo 2013 still gave a reasonable cross-section of what modellers can expect to see in stores over the next 12 months or so. 'The Munsters' theme (above) applied to on...