“I’LL BE BACK” - ARNIE SCHWARZENEGGER’S WHISPERCRAFT SWOOSHES IN AGAIN FROM FANTASTIC PLASTIC

California-based Fantastic Plastic has just released a new 1:72 scale kit of the Whispercraft, a fictional helicopter that featured in the 2000 sci-fi movie, The 6th Day.

SKY-HIGH REAL-SPACE MODELS FROM DRAGON

MAT IRVINE REPORTS
The Hong-Kong based company Dragon should be congratulated for introducing so many brand new factual ‘real-space’ items.

DO YOU LIKE DIRTY MODELS OR CLEAN ONES? WITH HUMBROL, THE CHOICE IS YOURS

MAT IRVINE REPORTS
When Hornby acquired Airfix, it got Humbrol as well, providing an ideal addition to Hornby’s modelling portfolio, for Humbrol is one of the world’s major model paint and accessory manufacturers.

BIG COMIC BOOK FIGURES COME TO TOWN

LONDON TOY FAIR REPORT: MAT IRVINE
Amerang is one of the main UK importers for a wide range of companies that make ‘Comic Book Collectibles’, figures of famous fantasy faces, ranging from Batman to Iron Man and many more.

LONDON TOY FAIR 2013 - MINIATURE VEHICLES FROM OXFORD DIECAST

LONDON TOY FAIR REPORT: MAT IRVINE
There were not that many specialist ready-built manufacturers at the 2013 London Toy Fair, but one of the best-known is Oxford Diecast, a 10-year old company that makes a wide range of vehicles.

INCOMING - REVELL KITS AT THE LONDON TOY FAIR 2013

REPORT: MAT IRVINE
Revell continues as arguably the world’s largest model-kit company, including the US Revell-Monogram branch. For 2013, there are brand-new kits, backed up by a horde of reissues in various forms.

INCOMING - NEW AIRFIX KITS REVEALED AT THE LONDON TOY FAIR 2013

SHOW REPORT: MAT IRVINE
The London Toy Fair is primarily about ‘toys’, rather than ‘scale models’, but there were plenty of the latter at the show this year, both construction kits and ready-builts.

1:48 SCALE V-22 OSPREY FROM TAMIYA-ITALERI WITH OPERATIONAL MARKINGS

SMN REPORT
Here’s an interesting piece of transnational cooperation: Tamiya and Italeri in league to produce an operational standard V-22 Osprey with a unit marking decal set for Okinawa deployment.

EURO CARS - VENTURI RACER AND MORE TO 1:18 SCALE FROM OttOMOBILE

SMN REPORT
The successful Limited Edition outfit OttOmobile has some interesting car choices coming up shortly, starting with a rare racer, the Venturi 400 Trophy, to 1:18 scale.

LATEST BOEING 747-8 JUMBO JET TO 1:144 SCALE FROM REVELL

Jetliner fans can come up to date with this 1:144 scale model of the latest Dash-8 version of the venerable Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.

1:25 SCALE ‘TWEEDY PIE’ FORD MODEL T CLASSIC ROD FROM REVELL

SMN REPORT: MAT IRVINE
Revell-Monogram has reissued the classic Ed Roth ‘Tweedy Pie’ hot rod car kit to 1:25 scale, with some parts retooled, to include a tubular fuel tank and motorcycle-type fenders.

RARE TREASURE - A BEAUTIFULLY MADE U-BOAT, HARBOUR AND RAIL-HEAD

Here's a good example to show that it's well worth keeping an eye open for interesting stuff, even in non-model emporia, as we found out this weekend. Here, among the bric-a-brac of a Cotswold antique shop, was a beautiful World War II diorama.

'SCALE MODEL NEWS XTRA' - A USER'S GUIDE

Here's a reminder that our 'Scale Model News Xtra' compilation site is available at the click of a button on the top bar. SMNX is proving very popular, so here are some guidance notes for iPad and other tablet users.

WORLD WAR II 1:72 SCALE SOVIET FIGHTERS IN AIRFIX CLUB 2013 TRIPLE PACK

SMN REPORT 
It’s that time of the year again, when Airfix introduces its latest Club-only kit edition. And the 2013 Airfix Club kit is called ‘Under the Red Star’ but instead of featuring a single subject, there are three 1:72 scale fighters, all in the same box.

REVELL 1950 OLDSMOBILE CLUB COUPE - A FITTING TRIBUTE TO BILL LASTOVICH

First Look from Mat Irvine
The long awaited Revell 1:25 scale 1950 Oldsmobile ‘Rocket 88’ Club Coupe 2'n1 kit has finally arrived, and it looks to have been well worth the wait.

INCOMING - HELICOPTER PARTWORK FEATURES 1:72 SCALE WESTLAND WHIRLWIND

SMN REPORT

Here’s the latest in the Helicopters series we featured at first publication in September 2012. This one features a Westland S-55 Whirlwind, finished in the bright yellow markings of Royal Air Force Rescue. 

BATMAN AUTOMOBILIA UPDATE - MODEL PIX AND FREE iPAD APP

We've got ourselves a copy of the 2013 edition of the Batman Automobilia partwork, and reckon it looks every bit as good as the first version, last published in March 2011. Computer tech has changed a bit since then, so there's now a free App for your iPad that's available to download from the Apple iTunes Store.

BATMAN RETURNS - 1:43 SCALE BATMOBILE PARTWORK REISSUE ON SALE IN UK

Batman lovers - did you miss out on the first-pass of this excellent ready-built series, featuring Batmobiles old and new? If so, then head straight down to your local newsagent, where Number 1 in on sale as a slightly modified series reissue.

SMART MOVE - BbURAGO SMART ROADSTER METAL KIT

Mat Irvine Vacation Build 
Most plastic car kits can be approached in a similar way, whether the subject is a simple snap-together model or an intricately detailed miniature. Ninety nine percent of the time, the boxed plastic components are polystyrene, so materials, techniques, and final look are fairly similar, whatever the starting point.