This week the modelling news returns with nearly a thousand (literally) guns as we take you through the latest in modelling bits and bobs - a new way of getting your favourite kit (or getting rid of it), some thunderous new ways to decorate your favourite fighter plane, and some new figures that have rolled into town on their armoured feline ???
Blasting off, we have Master from Poland and their many gunned salute to all of you modellers who’s powder has run dry and who are in need of a decent barrel to improve that kit which is lacking that certain something. Many kits have gun-barrels which just don’t look to scale, are easily broken or just look rubbish or inaccurate. Master solve this by supplying the most recent kits with brass add-ons to give them correct scale thickness and accuracy.
Master do not just do gun barrels – they do all sorts of probes, radar installations for aircraft and turret emplacements. From WWI machine guns to modern jets they have it covered – but not only aircraft get the love – Master do gun barrels for ships as well! The market for these never stops, so I think that they will be turning brass for quite a while to come! Their releases just THIS month can be found on their site but I have a “short” list here... AIR MASTER SERIES 1:32 AM-32-035 - Hawker Hunter - Pilot Tube AM-32-036 - F-100 Super Sabre - Pilot Tube AM-32-037 - F-104 Starfighter - Pilot Tube AM-32-038 - F-105 Thunderchief - Pilot Tube AM-32-039 - German radar FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 (for nightfighters Bf110, Ju88 & others) AM-32-040 - German radar FuG 218 "NEPTUN" (for nightfighters Me 262, Ar 234 & others)
AIR MASTER SERIES 1:35 - NEW SCALE!!! AM-35-001 M197 - Three-barrelled rotary 20mm cannon - turned barrels with etched barrel clamps - for AH-1 Cobra
AIR MASTER SERIES 1:48 AM-48-036 - German WWI machine gun Parabellum LMG14 (1pcs)
AM-48-037 M61 A1 Vulcan - Six-barrelled rotary 20mm cannon - turned barrels with etched barrel clamps AM-48-038 - BAe HAWK T.1 - Pilot Tube AM-48-039 - Hawker Hunter - Pilot Tube AM-48-040 F-100 Super Sabre - Pilot Tube AM-48-041 - F-101B Voodoo - Pilot Tube AM-48-042 - RF-101B Voodoo - Pilot Tube AM-48-043 - F-102 Delta Dagger - Pilot Tube AM-48-044 - F-104 Starfighter - Pilot Tube AM-48-045 - F-105 Thunderchief - Pilot Tube AM-48-046 - F-106 Delta Dart - Pilot Tube AM-48-047 - F-111 Aardvark - Pilot Tube AIR MASTER SERIES 1:72 AM-72-021 - Hawker Hunter - Pilot Tube AM-72-022 - Dassault Mirage III and Mirage 5 Pilot Tube AM-72-023 - Dassault Mirage 2000 Pilot Tube AM-72-024 - F-100 Super Sabre - Pilot Tube AM-72-025 - F-101B Voodoo - Pilot Tube AM-72-026 - F-102 Delta Dagger - Pilot Tube AM-72-027 - F-104 Starfighter - Pilot Tube AM-72-028 - F-105 Thunderchief - Pilot Tube
AM-72-029 - F-106 Delta Dart - Pilot Tube AM-72-030 - F-111 Aardvark - Pilot Tube AM-72-031 - British Mk 2 Browning .303 calibre (7,7mm) with flash hider (4pcs) SEA MASTER SERIES 1:200 - NEW SCALE!!! SM-200-001 - USS Arizona BB-39 (1941) - main gun barrels - 14in/45 (356mm) (12pcs) SM-200-002 - USS Arizona BB-39 (1941) - secondary and AA armament barrels - 5in/51 (10pcs), 5in/25 (8pcs), Browning .50 (8pcs) barrels SM-200-003 - IJN 12.7cm/40 (5in) Type 89 barrels (8pcs) SM-200-004 - IJN 10cm/65 (3.9in) Type 98 barrels (8pcs) SM-200-005 - IJN 25mm (0.984in) barrels (20pcs)
SEA MASTER SERIES 1:350 SM-350-063 - Independence class of littoral combat ships (LCS-2, LCS-4) - aerials, masts & Mk110 (Bofors) 57mm/70 gun barrel SM-350-064 R.N. Roma armament - 381mm (9pcs), 152mm (12pcs), 90mm (12pcs) barrels SM-350-065 - Italian AA gun barrels 37mm/54 (1.5in) Breda (20pcs) SM-350-066 - Italian AA gun barrels 20mm/65 (0.8in) Breda (20pcs) SM-350-067 - HMS Dreadnought armament - 12in (10pcs), 12pdr (26pcs) barrels SEA MASTER SERIES 1:700 SM-700-026 Italian 381mm/50 (15in) Model 1934 barrels (9pcs) - Vittorio Veneto, Littorio, Roma SM-700-027 Italian 152mm/55 (6in) Model 1936 barrels (12pcs) - Littorio and Garibaldi classes SM-700-028 Italian 90 mm/50 (3.5in) Model 1939 barrels (12pcs) - Littorio and Duilio classes Phew!
Next comes a new way to buy or sell kits – this is NOT an advertisement – but I do think it is a nifty idea. Many modellers are a little tired of EBay(TM) – I don’t mind them myself – but there is a new site devoted JUST to modellers called Scale Model Market.
Scale Model Market is web site set up to specialize in modellers selling to other modellers – there is a flat rate for selling kits unlike the creeping percentages like other sites - they charge a flat fee for making an offer or buying at .20p per item and also it is free to sell something under a starting fee of .60pence (35cents)– it is a global market so do not be put off by my using Pence as a mark – check out the auction site and get in as an early watcher for some real bargains. Ohh they take all of the Major electronic money exchanges like PayPal, Google checkout, RBS world pay, Moneybookers etc. Ill move on before I start sounding like an advert – I Just think it’s a neat initiative for modellers who want another choice.
Speaking of new enterprises this one does not even have a web site yet – BUT they do have some excellent decal choices in 1/48 for my favourite fighter of all time the P-47 thunderbolt in 1/48th scale- the name of this new company is Thundercals…
There are two new sheets for these thunderbolts– with five of the schemes never having been covered in in 48th scale before this release – The sheets are: P-47D Razorback Thunderbolts PTO Part I: 19th FS/318th FG & 310th F/S/58th FG With colourful blue striped and natural metal adorned “Bouncin Bette” nose art while the other “ship” on the decal is the yellow nose “Passionate Patsy”
The other sheet is P-47D Razorback Thunderbolts PTO Part II: This sheet includes the Olive Drab and orange striped P-47 'The Witch' as flown from Wheeler Field, Hawaii in April of 1944. As well as this there is the famous Warbird 'Fiery Ginger IV' flown by Neel Kirby when in New Guinea in the 348th Fighter Group. Also my favourite '8 Ball' - which was flown by the famous 19th FS out of Saipan during June of 1944. Bare cowlings and tail are lined by blue with a large “eight ball” on the port front cowl – really great schemes you will agree
Thundercals however can be contacted by emailing the owner Norris who has been working for some other decal companies for a few years now – and from the man himself he says that the printing on these decals are as good as they can be! So that is a good start. Printed by the industry bench-setters Cartograf (who doesn’t get them to print their sheets nowadays?) the decals are available now at US$16.00 by emailing Thundercals@yahoo.com
Lastly and of course NEVER least are the latest in the new figures for this month from the guys at Alpine Miniatures – Like a few others on the market I always like to highlight their work as it really is so good! This month you have for your choice the 35130 - German Panther Commander #1 or the 35131 - German Panther Commander #2 - These two figures sold individually or are a set or of two figures called the 35132 - German Panther Crew Set
These figures which are sculpted by Taesung Harms are seen in winter gear and as they are painted by Man-Jin Kim on top of a panther modelled by Soo-Man Yang they are in thick winter reversible parkas and pants.
The figures are in a more natural pose and thankfully are of the full body variation – so many manufacturers just make what you can see. You can tell from looking at these photos of the two figures the usual excellent Alpine attention to detail has been lavished on all of these two new figures. The clothing, the side arms of which they carry and the trademark of two excellently cast heads with alternative headgear for each figure is there to see.
The reason I get excited about Alpine’s releases are that they are to a one well cast and EXTREMELY well detailed to the point that most people would not notice all of the little things that make these figures up – emblems – patches, badges of rank and a lock of hair here or a fold in the fabric of their clothing there. These figures are just the benchmark of the 1/16th & 1/35th scale market that others strive to keep up with. Being a German set these will sell quickly so check out their site to see these and the other figures alpine has for you.
Till next week guys – have a great week – enjoy your modelling and drop a few hints – Christmas is coming!
Adam Norenberg