“THE NAME’S BOND... OR CORGI… OR SCALEXTRIC.” 007 AT HORNBY HOBBIES

TO WRAP UP THE LONDON TOY FAIR we returned to the Hornby stand, though not to Airfix this time, but to two other names in the Hornby stable, also involving a third.

BEAUTIFUL BIG BIRD - 1:72 SCALE DIECAST AVRO VULCAN FROM CORGI

THIS LOOKS TO BE QUITE A BEAST from diecast manufacturer, Corgi. And the video interview shows that there's been useful cross-fertilisation from Airfix during the design process.

A QUESTION OF SCALE

HERE AT SMN TOWERS, we’re always discussing the importance (or not) of scale, a subject that’s hardly surprising bearing in mind the title of the website.

INCOMING: HARD-CHARGING 1:43 SCALE CORGI DIECAST LOTUS PERFORMANCE CAR RANGE

With Team Lotus currently standing third in the Formula One Driver’s World Championship, it’s an appropriate time for Corgi to start a collection of Lotus sports and racing cars.

INCOMING - CORGI 'FLIGHT' AIRCRAFT RANGE

SMN report:

Here’s a new set of familiar faces from Corgi, in the form of the new-tool Flight range. The first wave consists of seven aircraft, five from World War II, plus a pair of modern jets.

INCOMING - MORE NEW-TOOL DIECAST AIRCRAFT FROM CORGI

SMN report:

We noted the big new 1:72 scale Short Stirling heavy bomber earlier this week, and now here’s a pair of smaller aircraft to the same scale, a Hawker Hart inter-war period biplane, and a Hawker Hurricane from World War II. Both releases look interesting enough, the Hart looking especially attractive, with fine interplane rigging a highly appealing feature.

INCOMING - SHORT STIRLING BOMBER TO 1:72 SCALE FROM CORGI

SMN report:

The team at Corgi has worked really hard with this new diecast 1:72 scale model of the Short Stirling World War II British heavy bomber. In fact, one of the UK’s two leading hardcopy diecast mags gives it a top-score 10/10 rating.

SPRING FAIR 2012 - TREASURE CHEST FOR COLLECTIBLES

Spring Fair report from David Jefferis:

Another trade show that’s running this week is the UK’s Spring Fair, held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham. While not quite as massive as the Nuremberg Toy Fair, Spring Fair is still a major footslogger that attracts more than 70,000 visitors. It’s a mega-roundup of 300,000 offered products, ranging from goodies like coffeemakers and cooking gadgets, to art prints and jewellery. And neatly stirred into the mix are halls dedicated to toys and games, aka collectibles, hobbies, and models.

HORNBY GETS GROWN-UP - 2012 AD CAMPAIGNS TARGET ADULTS

SMN market report:

Hornby Hobbies are expanding the company image away from pocket-money-price ‘small boys’ toys’ to moneyed-and-mature ‘big boys’ toys.’ Well, that’s our take on the plan. In advertising marketeer-speak, Hornby has launched: “a long-term brand campaign as part of a big push to introduce adult consumers to its products.” Having said that, Hornby traditional strengths remain, with updates to the rail range that include the 4-4-0 locomotive above, and the ready-weathered 4-6-0 Black 5 shown after the jump.

NEW BUS FOR LONDON - CORGI ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR DIECAST ‘BORIS BUS’

SMN update:

Corgi has announced a target release date of March 2012 for the 1:76 scale New Bus for London (NB4L) now under development, and currently running on a similar schedule to the real thing. The Corgi diecast model will scale out to 146 mm (5.75 in) long and be marketed under the successful London Original Omnibus Company (OOC) name. As planned, the first OOC New Bus will wear the livery, destination, and numbers of the first route that the new bus will serve. Corgi planners are expecting to see details of this route very soon.

NEW FROM CORGI - TRAINS, PLANES, CARS

SMN report:

Corgi’s next Aviation Archive diecast release will be a variation on the highly successful 1:72 scale TSR-2 British strike bomber. This one is modelled on the XR220 machine, now on display at the RAF Museum, Cosford. It’s a Limited Edition, with just 1500 in the run, and has extra parts to reflect the stronger landing gear fitted to the aircraft, and the two cameras fitted to monitor gear behavior.

WIN A BATTLE OF KURSK TANK DIORAMA FROM CORGI

SMN report:

Here’s a chance to win a two-tank battle diorama set from Corgi. The set is from the World War II Collection, and features a 1:50 scale Panzer VI Tiger I swapping rounds with a Red Army T34/76, portrayed as they might have looked during the Battle of Kursk, 1943. Packed in their big box, the pair make a hefty item, weighing in at some 5 kg (11 lb).

FREE WALLPAPERS FROM CORGI TOYS

SMN report:

Corgi have something for diecast fans, in the form of a bunch of downloadable wallpaper images of some of their models.

Wallpaper options

Each image is available in several sizes, to fit popular computer screens. Here we feature the 1:48 scale Sopwith Camel (above), 1:72 scale Sea King, and 1:36 scale Mini. The wallpapers are a nice idea Corgi, but maybe - speaking with our purist-passion spectacles on - you might have chosen something other than the Mini. 

CAN THE AVERAGE KIT CONSTRUCTOR COMPETE WITH A READY-BUILT MODEL?

SMN report:

It’s a hard question to answer, bearing in mind that the model-maker ‘craft’ market is different from the ready-built ‘collector’ market, and that our idea of a well-made kit varies. But there are crossover points between the two, and it’s exemplified by the latest Corgi World War I biplane, a 1000-off Limited Edition 1:48 scale model of the Sopwith Camel flown by Captain CM McEwen in Italy, January 1919.

NEW BUS FOR LONDON - CORGI TO PRODUCE DOUBLE-DECKER ‘BORIS BUS’

SMN report:

The familiar double-deck London bus is returning to the streets very soon - as planned there’ll be some of them running on the streets in time for the 2012 London Olympics. Sponsored by London Mayor Boris Johnson, the New Bus for London (NB4L) is a designer treat to look at, with swooping glass exposing staircases at front and rear, plus easy access for entry and exit. In our view, easy-access alone makes it a worthwhile project - it’s no fun queuing in the rain while you wait to climb aboard one of the present designs.

Corgi New Bus for London

Now Corgi is getting into the act by planning a 1:76 scale diecast model of the NB4L, for release later this year, under the Original Omnibus Company (OOC) brand name. The pioneering NB4L design draws inspiration from the original Routemaster's instantly recognisable red paint, as well as the traditional hop on, hop off open rear platform, both of which will be reproduced in Corgi's new model, which will measure 146 mm (5.75 in) long. 

HORNBY GAINS FROM 2012 OLYMPICS AND WINS STAR WARS

SMN report 

Hornby has just hit the headlines with exciting Scalestric news. In the words of Hornby CEO Frank Martin: “We are delighted that we have secured the worldwide licence for a range of Star Wars Scalextric products. As the films are converted into 3D format by Lucasfilm over the next few years, we anticipate that we will get an encouraging reaction to our new range of speeder bikes and X-wing fighters. We also have high hopes for our products associated with the new Disney/Pixar movie "Cars 2".

2012 LONDON OLYMPICS TAXI TIE-IN FROM CORGI

SMN report

Here’s one for the keen London Olympics 2012  collectibles lover, a 40-strong range of London taxis, each one decorated with graphics representing a different sport. The taxis are small, about 1:64 scale, and are very basic in appearance and detail - you get wheels, windows, a simple interior, but that’s about it apart from painted lights, grille, and an attractive mini-box. 

Olympics 2012

The appeal is in the Olympic connection, which is fair enough, but it does rather raise the question:  why is it that ‘popular attraction’ collectible models are, almost without exception, produced down to a price, rather than being a life-affirming ‘best they can be’? Pocket money purchases and casual buying are probably the answers to the question, but how nice it would be if a few more items of tourist tat were tourist treasures instead.

NEW SCANIA 1:50 SCALE TRUCKFEST HAULER FROM CORGI

David Jefferis goes up close

Here is a smart new addition to Corgi’s ever-growing Truckfest range. The 'big cat' graphics decorating the sides of the 1:50 scale Scania tractor unit are extremely well done, and represent the markings of Wayne Catt Transport, a ten-year old UK-based haulage company.

MORE DOUBLE-DECKER LONDON BUSES - BARGAIN PRICES AND POWERED BY CLOCKWORK

David Jefferis waits at the bus stop

It seems that buses big and small are popular items with many collectors and model makers - certainly Mat Irvine’s news of the upcoming Revell scale kit of a London bus has struck quite a chord with visitors here at SMN.

CORGI TOYS TIE-UP WITH BLOODHOUND SSC LAND SPEED RECORD ATTEMPT

David Jefferis reports

Interesting news from Corgi that the company is linking up with the British Land Speed Record (LSR) team, headed by former record-holder Sir Richard Noble. The team's aim is to build the Bloodhound SSC jet-and-rocket-powered car, its target, to smash the current LSR with an amazing 1000 mph (1609 km/h) two-way run - that’s a Mach 1.4 machine, running at ground level! 

Model maker and Bloodhound SSC partnership

Corgi’s role is to be the official toy and model partner for a series of replica models of the Bloodhound, as the vehicle is developed into its final record-ready form. So there should be a mini-collection opportunity for tech-hungry diecast fans.

Bloodhound SSC at the Farnborough Air Show

I saw the Bloodhound display at the Farnborough Air Show last summer, and took the set of iPhone pix shown here. It’s a hugely impressive project, even if the Farnborough Bloodhound SSC was only a life-size development mockup. The Bloodhound's triple-engine technology is a complex combination of EJ200 turbofan engine, a type normally seen powering the EFA Typhoon combat jet, plus a hybrid Falcon rocket motor. Fuel for the EJ200 and Falcon is pumped by a third power plant, an 800 bhp racing engine.

Construction on the real car started just a few days ago, the aim being to have it ready for runway trials in Spring 2012. If all goes well with the trials, then the Bloodhound SSC team will move on to high-speed runs in South Africa later the same year. There’s a choice of 14 possible sites for the actual LSR attempt, but that final choice is not yet finalized. 

Corgi Bloodhound SSC model

The sneak peeks above show what Corgi has in mind for the Bloodhound SSC. It looks pretty good, but we’ll wait to see if the finished thing is a match for Corgi’s excellent scale aircraft, which is the sort of standard we’d like to see at Scale Model News. Fingers crossed then!