iHOBBY EXPO 2013: MAT IRVINE SPIES THE NEW MINICRAFT 1:72 SCALE MARTIN PBM-5 MARINER

There is always a ‘model of the show’ at iHobby Expo, and although there weren’t any big fanfares to accompany it, and although I’m not really a big aircraft fan, my nomination nevertheless goes to the brand-new 1:72 scale Martin PBM-5A Mariner from Minicraft.

MINICRAFT CATALOGS FREE ONLINE

Minicraft is a respected name in plastic models, and their catalogs - general and this year's - are available for download in pdf format. They’re big files mind, but the general products one in particular has some gems.

In this, there’s a reminder that Minicraft is one of the relatively few companies that offers those Cinderellas of the model world, general aviation lightplanes. Minicraft makes a small range of Cessna, Piper and Beech aircraft to 1:48 scale, which are neat and tidy replicas of the real thing.

A Cessna may not be as exciting as an F-16 loaded for bear, but even so, every collection should have one or two GA planes, if only for comparison. It’s tempting though, to apply camo markings, then hang some attack hardware under the wings and fuselage. Hey, SMN’s being aggressive again, but if we’re being honest, plain old ‘white with a stripe’ is not so thrilling.

There’s another item in Minicraft’s selection that strikes a chord - a really nifty rendering of Noah’s Ark. It’s a good size at some 470 mm (18.5 in) long, but the real kicker is that it includes heaps of cross-sectional detail, including three decks, living quarters and animal cages.

A figure of Noah and some animal pairs are included, but this must show an early moment in filling the big boat, for Minicraft supply just 16 critters, hardly enough to restock a post-Flood planet! Come on Minicraft, you should add a zooful, plus Noah’s family, even if they have to be in an add-on pack. Minicraft products are available at model stores and online suppliers.

Click here to download Minicraft range brochures.

Amazon has a range of Cessnas, from 1:72 kits to RC flying models here.

FINE SCALE MODELER JULY ISSUE

In the world of paper publishing, Fine Scale Modeler magazine continues to provide readers with a wide range of subjects packed inside its covers. The current July issue is well up to FSM’s normal high standards, and includes a juicy 14 pages of kit reviews, plus the usual Reader Gallery photo delight, which always displays some very fine craftwork.

Features that appeal in this issue include the cover story, a Leopard tank kitbash, and the utterly fabulous 1:15 scale B-17G Flying Fortress, hand-made in metal by master craftsman Guillermo Rojas Bazan. Wow, it’s spectacular stuff, with skill levels that are rather humbling to a lesser modeller like this writer. Metal-forming a B-17? Now that really is kit-bashing!

There’s also a step-by-step conversion of a 1:144 scale Minicraft Lockheed Constellation, and a look at a kit classic - Revell’s 1960 release of the Bell X-5 to 1:40 scale. Years ago, this was one of my very first kits with something extra on offer, and I can confirm that in that age of ‘action features’, the wings did indeed swing in and out easily, though they needed a dab of vaseline to smooth their operation.

Fine Scale Modeler magazine is available through the usual retail outlets.