FAREWELL TO ANDY YANCHUS, MODEL EXPERT AND PROJECT MANAGER AT AURORA MODEL KITS

A NAME THAT WILL BE familiar to many modellers, Andy Yanchus sadly died in Florida on 11 September 2021.

BLACK BEAUTIES FOUND IN THE LOFT

SMN Towers has been in need of streamlining this week, so various unwanted kits, diecasts and collectables were tidied into stackable boxes, an essential bag of silica gel added in case of dampness, and off they went into the loft.

However... a loft trip also entails a look at what’s lurking there, and of course, what’s been totally forgotten about since the last such visit. Robinson Crusoe must have felt like this, when he found another useful item from the wrecked ship - a treasure trove of stuff, just waiting to be pored over.

The first two items that met the eye were the pair shown here. First off (top picture) a Batmobile from some 10 years ago, found in a local superstore and still with its shampoo container intact. And two neat points - a fold-out front arm allows a ‘takeoff angle’ shelf-top display, and at the rear, the screw-top doubles as a turbine exhaust.

The Chrysler Atlantic was a concept car shown in 1995 (see picture) and this 1:25 scale model, dating from around the same time, was a fairly reasonable rendering of what (to our eyes) was a tasty hunk of metal. The satin black finish was applied to give it a superhero ‘Black Widow’ look, needed for a photoshoot at the time.

It’s not a bad car actually, if a little barebones in detail. Sadly the door mirrors and Chrysler badges haven’t survived a dozen years in storage, but otherwise it’s in fine condition, just waiting for a 21st century revamp. The Lindberg 1:25 scale model is still being made, and is available from various outlets, including eHobbies.

You can visit Lindberg here, and eHobbies here.

DOES SCALE MATTER?

You’d think that with a title like SCALE MODEL NEWS we wouldn’t be asking this sort of question. But the question is not so much about accuracy of a particular model so much as, is a common scale essential, or is a unique ‘fit the box’ size OK?

For most modellers, most of the time, common scales are highly desirable, be they 1:87, 1:72, 1:32 or whatever. The secret is in comparisons - being able to have variations on the same subject from different manufacturers, or just being able to see the difference in size between (say) a Mustang and an F-16 on the shelf together. And of course, if you are into dioramas or model rail, then a common scale to the various contributing elements is vital.

But once upon a time, makers such as Revell and Lindbergh had little or no common-scale policy. So a Wright Flyer to 1:39, a Mississippi riverboat to 1:271, or a Ford Trimotor to 1:77 were released with apparently little thought of scale comparisons in mind. Today many older kits are re-released as ‘classics’ - and nowadays can stand or fall as one-offs, and on their intrinsic historical merits in the kit world.

As for me, I’d rather have common-scale, even if it means a 1:72 submarine taking up 52 inches (1.3 m) of display space!