IN 1986 WE GOT we got the hugely successful movie Top Gun. Next, what will be 35 years later (the film release is due in 2021) we should see the follow-up Top Gun: Maverick. The star of the first movie, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise), returns again, but now plays the role of a flight instructor.
THIS LAYOUT COMBINES traditional model rail construction with a dash of science fiction. The Edwardian sci-fi story War of the Worlds by HG Wells makes for an interesting, and very different, diorama setting.
This is a straight reissue of the AMT 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, but presented this time round as the car driven by Tom Cruise, playing Jack Reacher in the 2012 movie of the same name.
ISSUED IN THE AMT ‘Silver Screen Machine’ series, this 1:72 scale F-14 Tomcat is the first non-car subject to be included. The kit is also a return to the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun which, although dating back to 1986, still grabs attention.
Mat Irvine reports
One of the biggest movies of 1986 was Top Gun, with Tom Cruise playing Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (as plotted, the call sign was one he took literally) at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School. The video should give you a reminder of the movie's plot, people, and of course, the planes.
Top Gun is back
Given that the storyline was very aircraft-intense, it was a natural for the model companies and both Airfix and Testors issued a number of kits for aircraft featured in the film. Well, that was back in the 1980s - but now in 2010, we have a new Top Gun kit! Aoshima has taken its Kawasaki GPZ9000R Ninja motorbike kit and modified it to represent the one Maverick rode in the movie.
New detail parts for Top Gun superbike
The basic kit has been in the Aoshima list for some time, but this model has new front forks and rear swing-arms, new wheels and new rear-view mirrors. The decals also reflect the version seen in the movie, including the “No Wussys” sign! The kit is moulded mostly in black, with two satin-plated and one chrome-plated runners plus one in clear plastic. Besides the vinyl tyres, some vinyl tuning and hoses are also supplied, which is a good thing as the kit is to a large 1:12 scale.
It’s an intriguing release, but does sort of make you wonder slightly - what else could suddenly appear from the world of quarter-century old movies?
The Aoshima Kawasaki Ninja was kindly supplied by Models for Sale, who can supply this bike plus others here.
