RED ARROWS FLY OVER SINGAPORE - AND SPARK A MODEL COMPETITION

OUR COLLEAGUES AT HOBBY BOUNTIES in Singapore ran a kit competition recently, to commemorate a recent visit by the Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic team.

ANOTHER BIG JET FROM REVELL WITH A 1:32 SCALE RED ARROWS HAWK

David Jefferis reports
The BAe Systems Hawk is one of the best known jet trainers, and the Red Arrows one of the world’s top aerobatic teams, so it’s great to see a new-tool kit of the two-seater on sale. The Hawk is not a large aircraft, but at 1:32 scale the wings span 294 mm (11.6 in) and the fuselage is some 368 mm (14.5 in) long, so the benefits of sheer size are clear. There are 158 components in the kit, including the ventral tank carrying the diesel fuel used by the smoke system. As a vet of many a Reds display, I reckon they use more smoke during a show than any other team I’ve seen - in Guernsey one year, a vast mist of the stuff wafted across the crowd in a multi-coloured haze, but everyone loved it!

REVELL REVEALS NEWCOMERS FOR UPCOMING NUREMBERG TOY FAIR

David Jefferis reports
All the big toy and model manufacturers are gearing up for the mega-huge International Nuremberg Toy Fair, held on February 4-9 this year. It’s an apposite venue, as the city has been famed for its handmade toys for centuries.

In 2010, Revell will be exhibiting a Leonardo da Vinci themed range: “...We will present selected technical constructions of the brilliant artist and inventor as elaborately designed functional models of wood”. Sounds interesting to SMN, but plastic kits haven’t been forgotten either: “...the Heinkel He 111P and the BAe Hawk ‘Red Arrows’ are extraordinary model kits”, and ...”With the Tirpitz and the Bismarck we will launch two of the best known German battleships in 1/700 scale. Even as a model the M/S Color Fantasy, one of the biggest cruise liners with car deck, is considerably impressive. With two models each of the racing teams Audi and Mercedes we will get in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) in 2010. Our range of street cars varies from the legendary VW Westfalia Camper to the glamorous Ferrari Italia.”

Keep ’em rolling Revell - it sounds like an interesting year to come. And right now, the 1:144 A380 has been released in Lufthansa markings, so that’s a nice one for modern airliner fans. The A380 is a biggie all right - even at this scale the 163-component model scales out with a wingspan of 555 mm (21.85 in).

Talking of the A380, the SMN crew is aiming for a trip around the main assembly plant near Toulouse, France, in a few months time - when we return, there’ll be a full report, plus lots of pix for super-detail fanatics.

There’s a selection of A380 kits available here.

And the bigger 1:125 scale Heller version here.

SENSATIONAL SPITFIRE MODEL

It’s not often that the SMN crew is stopped in its tracks by something quite so drop-dead gorgeous, but Jean-Pierre Cousinet’s 1:3 scale (yes, one-third scale!) Spitfire brought us to a halt PDQ. The gleaming Spitfire Mk IX is something of a crusade for Frenchman Jean-Pierre, who is a passionate aviation fan, for eventually he would like to see his creation produced in a limited-production run.

J-P’s Spit has a wood airframe that’s covered in aviation-grade aluminium plate, with exact reproduction of skin panels, structure and internal parts. The detailed cockpit was put together using original drawings, and has an adjustable seat, illuminated gun sight, and rear-view mirror. Future developments could include armament compartments with ammunition boxes, belts and rounds; a working scale engine is another possibility.

Incidentally, J-P dedicated the Spitfire to the late Sir Ray Hanna, famed for being a founding member of the UK Red Arrows aerobatic team, and The Old Flying Machine Company, which keeps vintage warbirds in flying condition.

It looks terrific Jean-Pierre, and SMN wishes you bon chance with the project.

For those of us who want a biggish Spitfire but don’t have room for a 1:3 scale replica, Forces Of Valor offers a diecast 1:32 Mk IX Spit, complete with decent pilot figure. It’s a hefty beast, and some of the detailing is perhaps a little heavy, but it certainly looks impressive in its 356 mm (14 in) square box. Prices vary with supplier, but Amazon has reasonable deals on the FoV Spit.

Find out more at Jean-Pierre Cousinet’s site here.

Inspect the Forces of Valor Spitfire Mk IX here.

See The Old Flying Machine Company’s Mk IX Spitfire and P-51D Mustang here.

Video and pictures courtesy Jean-Pierre Cousinet, Pyperpote.