1:48 SCALE SWORDFISH FLOATPLANE AND JAGDTIGER TANK DESTROYER FROM TAMIYA

David Jefferis reports
The modelmasters at Tamiya are excelling themselves these days, and for 1:48 scale model fans, here are some items heading our way that are well up to scratch.

Tamiya Fairey Swordfish
The first is an absolutely jaw-dropping Fairey Swordfish floatplane, to add to the existing 1:48 examples in the Tamiya lineup. This one seems to have outperformed everything else that the company has produced along these lines. The 250 mm (9.8 in) long British World War II naval aircraft is packed with detail that includes excellent crew figures, a centreline torpedo, hardpoints for underwing stores, and a pair of beaching trolleys for those shapely floats. There’s also a metal-etch fret set available for adding the rigging neatly, though the less than super-dextrous (aka DJ) may be best to leave that alone.

Tamiya Jagdtiger
Matching the Swordfish for scale is a German Jagdtiger heavy tank, with a length of 219 mm (8.6 in). The kit includes three figures, though these are torsos only - it’s likely that keen AFV fans will want to add some ‘whole body’ German troops for a realistic diorama look. It’s fair to say that AFVs can suffer a bit detailwise at 1:48 scale; nevertheless Tamiya has really gone to town on this one, with the lumps and bumps of the metal casting around the nose and gun mantle very finely reproduced. Tamiya has always made a point of crawling over real examples to make sure kits are accurate, and we’d say this has to be true of this little gem.

Heavy hitter
A note on the Jagdtiger itself, strictly speaking a tank destroyer. It was the heaviest AFV of World War II, tipping the scales at nearly 72 tonnes and carrying a crew of six (yes, six!). A late-war entrant, the Jagdtiger saw service on both the Western and Eastern fronts, from 1944 until the war's end. Despite the massive 128 mm (5 in) gun and 250 mm (9.8 in) armour, its story was as much about technical problems and lack of fuel as knocking out Allied tanks.

Both kits will reward the experienced modelmaker with museum-quality replicas - recommended.

The Tamiya Swordfish floatplane hasn’t arrived in the stores yet, but the exotic transparent version is well worth a look here.

And there’s a range of Tamiya AFV kits here. (Yes please, we'd like the lot).

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1  Tamiya Swordfish.
2  Photo-etch fret for the plane.
3  Matching scale Jagdtiger tank.
3  View inside a real Jagdtiger's engine bay, this one on display at the UK's excellent Bovington Tank Museum.
Model pictures courtesy Tamiya; engine bay photograph by Hohum.

MUCH ADO ABOUT TOYS

David Jefferis reports
To the average tourist, the half-timbered town of Stratford-upon-Avon is famed for just one thing - it’s the home of the Immortal Bard, William  Shakespeare.

But for the model and toy fan, Stratford is a magnet for another reason - it’s the base for the splendid model emporium Much Ado About Toys (MAAT). Housed opposite a delightfully beflowered traffic island, MAAT is a treasure trove of miniature delights that range from plastic kits to tinplate collectibles.

So far as tinplate is concerned, Schylling’s products are well represented here. They are modern takes on nostalgic and retro themes, and very affordable too - for example, the palm-sized ‘King Jet’ is a bargain £8.99 GBP ($13.80 USD), and comes in several marking alternatives, including a splendid ‘Pulse Car’ which is just the sort of thing I’d like parked in my garage!

Somewhat pricier are the CIC diecasts from France. However, their attractive retro lines make them a fascinating addition to a collection, with offerings that range from Renault Camionettes, to a one-off Watermans Ink mobile promotion vehicle that was used in the 1950s.

There’s a wealth of plastic kittery in MAAT too - the Revell 1:48 SH-60B Seahawk had cover art that caught my eye, and it assembles into a nice model too. Most of the bigger kit-makers are on the shelves, though don’t expect to find much in the way of rare imports or garage-manufacturer items, or my own special-interest, sci-fi and fantasy collectibles, especially those from Japan.

Still, no one store can stock the lot, and Much Ado About Toys is well worth a visit if you’re in Stratford, as there’s plenty on the shelves to whet your appetit. And if Stratford’s not on your go-to list this year, then you can visit MAAT’s website here.

Revell kits are also available here and Schylling tinplate items here.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1  MAAT’s street front, beyond the municipal flower display.
2  Tinplate from Schylling.
3  Store display, topped by a beautiful 1930s-era speed racer plane.
4  CIC Renault Camionette diecasts.
5  Revell 1:48 scale SH-60B helicopter kit.

ARE YOU A COLLECTOR OR A CRAFTSMAN? OR MAYBE BOTH!

David Jefferis reports
It’s an old argument between model fans - should you buy ready-built models, and collect your kicks from the collecting habit? Or should you make your miniatures, and get your groove from the craftsmanship involved?

As ever, there are two sides to every story - and in this case, more than that. For example, it’s possible to buy a ready-built model and improve it with weathering or extra detail. Or buy a snap-kit to cut down assembly time, a good half-way house for those us us who don’t have time for a full-on model making hobby.

Balsa v Plastic
And even if you reckon the ‘true way’ is assembly with loving care, things are not clear-cut - after all, balsa-and-tissue craftsmen once dismissed plastic kits for making things too easy!

But where the line has really blurred is with the results of competition between diecast makers in providing ever-higher levels of detail. And nowhere is this more apparent than in models of older subjects, especially aircraft of the pre-World War II era.

Hobby Master P-26A Peashooter
Just have a look at Hobby Master’s beautiful 1:48 scale Boeing P-26A monoplane of 1932, shown above in model form and the full-size replica on display at the US Air Force Museum, Ohio. This is one my all-time fave aircraft, and was the world’s first all-metal production fighter, sporting such advanced features as enclosed wheels for streamlining and extra speed.

Rigging wires
Even so, the ‘Peashooter’ was something of an in-between design, with an open cockpit and tensioning wires, both standard fittings on this class of aircraft up to that point - and that’s where Hobby Master (and other manufacturers, such as Corgi) hit a home-run in the detail stakes. For these rigging wires are so beautifully fitted that even old-stager model makers like me cannot compete.

So even if we’re only talking rigging wires, in this case very few model makers are even in the same ballpark - and I take my hat off to those of that are!
 
The pictures show, top to bottom:
1  Three views of Hobby Master's 1:48 Boeing P-26A.
2  Full size replica P-26A at the USAF MUseum.

UK online store JohnJohn has some P-26 Peashooters to look at here.

Visit the USAF Museum here.

And here are some more Peashooters in various scales.

TAMIYA 1:48 SCALE KOMATSU G40 BULLDOZER

Komatsu is second only to the US Caterpillar company in the construction machinery stakes, and actually makes the biggest ’dozer in the world, the Model D575A. But the first Komatsu bulldozer was much smaller than the D575A, and it’s this early G40 that is the latest 1:48 military vehicle released by Tamiya.

Komatsu developed the G40 to speed up construction of Japanese airfields - until it became available, most runways were produced purely with manual labour - and some 150 G40s were produced from 1943 until the end of World War II. The Tamiya model is a dinky little thing, just 75 mm (2.9 in) long, but the detail is very neat for all that, with components such as hydraulic lines, front grille, suspension system and, of course the ’dozer blade, all well reproduced.

The tracks are one-piece plastic parts though, and so are non-moving items. However, Tamiya has included a decent driver figure, who holds the controls realistically. An unusual feature at the front is the grille badge, which is included as a metallized-decal, and very handsome it is, too.

As you can see from the picture above, the G40 is suitable for use with typical Japanese military aircraft of the time, here a Mitsubishi Zero fighter. Add a section of runway, some figures, plus a stand of palm trees, and you have the makings of a very attractive diorama setting.

An interesting point is that the name engraved on the front grille is 'Komatu', without the 's'. That's how the real thing is, so Tamiya has it modelled correctly, but SMN can't find out the story behind the spelling - does anyone out there know the answer?

Visit Komatsu’s heavy engineering site here.

The G40 bulldozer is due out soon; meantime you can obtain the 1:48 Tamiya Zero as a kit with crew figures included, which would work particularly well in a diorama setting, here: 1/48 A6M5/5a Zero Fighter, Zeke 

You might also like to look at a set for extra detail here: Mitsubishi A6m Zero Fighter Photo-etched Detail Set 1-48 Tamiya

INCOMING! ITALERI 1:48 SCALE ARMOUR HEADING OUR WAY

At last 1:48 seems to be the scale of choice for new AFV plastic kit offerings. Tamiya already have a mouthwatering range of military subjects, even if it’s not terribly large.

And now Italeri is launching a range of new-tool 1:48 scale vehicles. The first two are due soon, and are both World War II subjects.

The armoured car is an Italian Autoblinda AB 41, in production from 1941, hence the number. The utilitarian looks belied its usefulness (though the four-wheel-steer system caused problems) and some were fitted with metal wheels to speed along Italian rail tracks. After Italy surrendered in 1943, German forces confiscated some 57 AB 41s and built 120 more. And one of these is the subject of this kit, complete with Iron Cross markings.

The Kfz 305 truck is a soft-top three-tonner that was used in virtually every Axis combat arena, and Italeri’s kit features a metal chassis frame, which should give the finished model a nice heft. Decals are included but, sad to say, the stern-looking driver figure shown on the box top is not part of the kit. Shame on your Italeri for that omission, but let’s hope there’ll be 1:48 scale figures out soon. The larger scale 1:35 figures made to match Italeri’s superb S100 Schnellboot are excellent, so there’ll be no problem in sculpting a new set of troops - let’s hope the marketing bods reckon they’re a goer.

Four-view drawing courtesy Giovanni Paulli

These vehicles will be in model stores and online suppliers soon. Meantime, feast your eyes on a range of Italeri stuff, including the S100 Schnellboot here.

Italeri also produces a smaller AB 41, to 1:72 scale here.

COMING LATER THIS YEAR - AIRFIX SEA VIXEN

Here’s a tasty preview from Airfix of the upcoming 1:48 Hawker Siddeley Sea Vixen carrier-based jet. Due out in September the Sea Vixen is shown here in prototype form, created by an interesting machine that many of us would like in our back room.

It’s called a stereolithography apparatus (SLA) and is a cunning piece of kit that translates 2-D computer information - typically three-view plans - into a lifesize 3-D model. It’s created by squirting precisely-shaped layers of resin on top of each other, each one being hardened by a pass with an ultraviolet laser beam. SLA is only for prototyping though - as you can see from the pix here, there is no fine detail on the model yet. Small vents, panel lines, and other bits and pieces are added later, after the SLA prototype has been adjusted and approved.

The Airfix Sea Vixen will be the FAW.2 version that saw service with the Royal Navy from 1964, a flying career brought to a halt in 1972 by that bane of the UK military, defence cuts. When assembled the kit will be 340 mm (13.4 in) long with a wingspan of 317 mm (12.5 in).

The video was shot last year and shows the bulky twin-boom Sea Vixen very well indeed. One last point - despite appearances, it was a two-seater. The pilot sat under the offset canopy, while the observer sat to the right inside the fuselage, tucked away in a compartment nicknamed the ‘coal-hole’! You can see this clearly in the third picture above, complete with seat. Let's hope Airfix also includes some well sculpted crew figures as well.

The Airfix Sea Vixen is not due until the Autumn, but meantime there is the Xtrakit 1:72 scale Sea Vixen here, where there’s also the Supermarine Scimitar from the same jet era, though note that the caption and pic don’t match up!

Thanks to PlanesTV.com for the video.