GIANT 1:72 SCALE C-17 TACTICAL AIRLIFTER FROM ANIGRAND

SMN reports
For lovers of b-i-g model aircraft, and cargolifters in particular, then Hong Kong-based Anigrand has the answer, in the form of its newly-reissued 1:72 scale Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.

The C-17 is often nicknamed ‘Moose’ for its tall winglets, but it’s a lot faster than the animal that’s for sure - a fully loaded C-17 can leave the ground in just 1064 m (3500 ft) and cruise at some 833 km/h (518 mph), all the while carrying a 70-tonne US Army M-1 Abrams tank. If you’ve ever seen a C-17 at an air display, it’s likely you will have seen the short-landing capability, and its showpiece, reversing and manoeuvring on the ground by using thrust reverse from the four underwing engines.

Anigrand’s model is certainly a shelf-filler, with a wingspan of 722 mm (30.4 in). Its length is little shorter, at 736 mm (29 in). It’s a mixed-material kit, with 99 components. Most of these are in resin, with 14 metal and a clear-cast glazed flight-deck window section.

SMN would like to see a big-scale injection kit of the C-17 from another manufacturer though - such a cargolifter begs for masses of internal detail, an operating loading ramp, crew figures and flight deck, plus a full load of  troops and AFVs - well, here’s hoping!
 
Visit Anigrand here to order direct.


The smaller and more manageable 1:144 scale Revell C-17 kit is a decent kit that is also worth considering. Despite its smaller size, there is loads of detail, including a particularly neat airstair on the nose portside.

EARLY BRITISH JET BOMBER 1:144 SCALE KIT FROM ANIGRAND

SMN reports
While we’re on the subject of British aircraft (see Fairey Swordfish, March 14) we note that Anigrand in Hong Kong certainly know how to find rare planes for a collection, indeed the company motto is: ‘Fill the Gaps’.

And a recent Anigrand gap-filler is the 1:144 scale resin Short SA4 Sperrin, a British jet bomber design dating back to the post-World War II era. It was primarily built as a ‘traditional but safe’ backup, in case the more advanced swept-wing Vickers Valiant, also under development, ran into major problems.

In fact, the Valiant proceeded without a big hitch, so the Sperrin was sidetracked after two flying prototypes had been built, these being used for research trials testing British nuclear weapons.

The 88-part Anigrand Sperrin is well-detailed, and comes complete with a transparent cast-plastic window block. However, this fills the whole flightdeck area, so you’ll have some careful masking to do - only the Sperrin’s multiple windows were transparent, and the rest of this component should be in bare metal finish to match the fuselage.

Otherwise, detail is good for a resin kit, and with the usual proviso that working with resin takes more care than injection components, the Sperrin should build into an unusual and attractive display piece. And the kit doesn’t stop with the Sperrin - Anigrand’s policy is to often include smaller ‘mystery’ kits along with the main item. And here we get a trio of jet-age Brits, though there’s no problem in identifying them - a Hawker P1127, Short SB5, and Gloster Javelin, an excellent choice for those interested in the early years of the jet age.

Component layout picture courtesy Anigrand.

To order direct visit Anigrand here.

RUSSIAN SUPERSONIC BOMBER FROM ANIGRAND

The 1960s were a mixture of turmoil and trauma - from Flower Power to the Vietnam War, Gagarin to Apollo - all set against the deadly background of the ongoing Cold War. And a key decision for the politicians and military planners of the time was the supersonic heavy bomber - was it relevant in the new age of the Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)?

Until that decision was made, the US developed the B-58 Hustler and test-flew the XB-70 Valkyrie, while behind the ‘Iron Curtain’, the Myasishchev design bureau came up with the four-engined M-50, given the designation ‘Bounder’ by NATO.

And now model builders have a chance to recreate the Bounder, with a nicely-tooled resin kit to 1:144 scale from Anigrand Craftswork in Hong Kong (top picture). Even in this small scale the Bounder makes up into a fair-sized model, with a length of 399 mm (15.7 in) and span from tip-mounted jet to jet of some 243 mm (9.6 in). In common with various other Anigrand kits, you get more for your money than your simple order might imply - along with the Bounder, Anigrand includes three smaller Russian jets to the same scale (middle picture). A nice touch, Anigrand.

Talking of the Bounder, SMN’s Library has a nicely bound set of 1961-62 RAF Flying Review magazines (bottom pictures), and what a resource these are - accurate information, nicely produced, and on a par with anything on sale today. In the September 1961 edition, there’s a report on Moscow’s Tushino Air Display, in which the Bounder made its only public flight before being cancelled in favour of those ICBMs. Luckily for us all, none were ever used in anger.

Visit Anigrand here.

HUGE ‘HORSE’ FROM ANIGRAND

Here’s an unusual treat for helo-lovers from Anigrand, the Hong Kong-based outfit that specializes in producing interesting and unusual subjects, so providing a much-needed service in filling gaps in the model world.

Anigrand’s newest helicopter, the Yakovlev Yak-24, is to 1:72 scale and has 46 resin parts. Similar in concept to today’s Boeing Chinook, the Yak-24 (codenamed by NATO ‘Horse’) was, like many other Soviet machines of the time, based in spirit on Western designs, in this case the twin-rotor choppers made by Piasecki. The Yak-24 made its first flights in 1952 - and was the biggest helicopter in the world at that time - and became the standard flying ‘workhorse’ airlifter for Soviet forces during the 1950s.

The Anigrand Yak-24 is a good-looking model that would sit well in any collection of helicopters, but especially so with twin-rotor designs. Price for the 264 mm (10.4 in) long Yak-24 is £68.00 USD plus shipping.

Visit Anigrand here.

Photo by Bernhard Grohl.