SCALE MODEL NEWS

This 1:48 scale Glencoe kit is a reissue of an original Strombecker production dating back to 1958. It's a simple kit, and the moulding is not exactly up to modern standards. But it is accurate overall, and it is the only injection plastic X-1B to this scale - and a brand-new decal sheet is included, which really sets off the finished model. Mat Irvine: At just 25 components, the parts-count is small, and the moulding in places very heavy, this especially applying especially to the undercarriage doors, which are way too thick for this scale. Although there is a clear cockpit canopy, there is no interior cockpit detail. This kit came from a time when the cockpit interior was usually ‘solid’ with a semblance of the pilot built in! But you can cut out this area, and even, if you feel so inclined, scratch-build a simple interior. For the review kit, this was done and a seat was added from an Italeri F-117A Stealth Fighter. This is not correct - not least because the F-117 first flew ...

This Plymouth Fury kit is a reissue of AMT’s 1:25 scale 1958 Plymouth Belvedere, first released in 2002. This was a new-tool kit at that time, using modern features such a separate chassis and underside detail, unlike the classic ‘annual’ kits that had just started to be issued in 1958. These had a one-piece chassis with built-in detail such as axles, suspension and exhausts. Mat Irvine: With this AMT reissue (above) showing the shrink-wrap with a small sticker to tell you the colour of the plastic, in this case, red. In the box, you get a multi-piece interior with separate floor pan, side panels, plus front and rear seats. In the original annual kits, the interior would have been a one-piece ‘tub’, the sides and rear seat moulded in, and in many cases, the front seats as well. This set-up made painting more difficult than if the interior structure had separate parts, hence the new approach. This time round, there are also more details under the hood, such as separate breather pipes, ...

A great subject for diorama fans, the Revell Type IXC World War II U-Boat is produced to model aircraft-standard 1:72 scale. The finished submarine kit is a big one, measuring some 1063 mm (41.8 in) when assembled from 160 components. This is one of Revell’s best sub kits, though there are plenty of others to choose from, including an example from the same era and to the same scale, the Type XXVIIB Seehund mini-sub, which measures just 165 mm (6.5 in) long. The Type IXC is supplied with two sets of decals and flags, allowing you to choose between two periods, the U-505, as captured by the US Navy in the Atlantic Ocean, June 1944, or the same sub, as she appeared before capture, March-June 1944. Since 2005, U-505 has been exhibited at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago , and is the only fully-restored U-boat of this type. Revell submarines available here.

The LEGO NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover has landed, and is now online to order direct. The model rover's design had input from the real-life Curiosity rover engineer, Stephen Pakbaz, so it’s about as accurate as you can get, within the confines of the LEGO system. The LEGO version of the highly advanced mobile Mars laboratory features lots of neat detail, such as the six-wheel rocker-bogie suspension, articulated robotic arm, and multiple cameras. The model also comes with a booklet, with building instructions and information about the history of Mars exploration and the Curiosity rover. There’s also a display plate, complete with LEGO-style Mars rocks - perfect for testing out the miniature rover’s articulated wheels. It reminds us that the LEGO Technic system is really quite excellent, with uses that go beyond super-real scale models, as supplied by the kit manufacturers. Provided you don’t get frustrated by LEGO’s limitations, the world is your oyster, with ideas s...

Here’s an in-depth article from Keith McNeill, a master of not only model-making, but also the art of studio photography and Photoshop. Keith McNeill: “I have been interested in special effects photography since I first saw Thunderbirds in 1965 - not that I knew what special effects photography actually was when I was 11! But my interest was immediately stimulated by the model work of Derek Meddings and the photography of said models which made them appear enormous and very lifelike.  “My friend Jeff who introduced me to Thunderbirds, and had earlier got me interested in making Airfix model aircraft, made some superb wooden models of the Thunderbird craft and a very large model of Zero X, and these were the first models we tried to photograph. Knowing nothing about photography and using an old-style camera, we proceeded by trial and error - but did get some passable results on black and white film. “We then both became interested in the Apollo program and tried to improve our resu...