GOOD CHEER TO YOU ALL FROM SCALE MODEL NEWS

WE HOPE YOUR CHRISTMAS DAY WAS A GOOD ONE! And here's another photo album for you to while away some post-turkey moments.

LONDON TOY FAIR 2014 REPORT: AMERANG RETURNS AT FULL SPEED

After problems last year with its owner, the Modelzone chain, Amerang is back with a bang in 2014, which is excellent news for all, as it includes the Kosho diecast range (1:18 scale 1959 Le Mans Triumph above) and plenty on offer for lovers of science-fiction and fantasy miniatures.

GREAT GROWLING GORILLA: THE MIGHTY KOGAR 1:12 SCALE SNAP-TOGETHER KIT ROARS IN FROM MOEBIUS MODELS

Mat Irvine: A brand-new kit from Moebius Models features a fictional giant ape called the Mighty Kogar, a creature created originally as a homage to the famed King Kong.

“WHO YA GONNA CALL?” AMT 1:25 SCALE GHOSTBUSTERS CADILLAC ECTO-1A

MAT IRVINE
Take one 1959 Miller-Meteor bodied Cadillac Ambulance, add an overloaded roof-rack, flashing lights and signs, and what ya gonna call it? The famed Ectomobile from the movie Ghostbusters II, that’s what. And now it's back again.

1:25 SCALE AMT PHANTOM VAN KIT - OR IS IT A VANTOM?

KIT REVIEW BY MAT IRVINE
If any decade turned the van from commercial vehicle to a statement of cool, it was the 1970s. Until then, the humble panel truck was most likely seen carrying building materials, making store deliveries, or toting tools-of-the-trade. But in the 1970s, vans were tricked out with custom paint jobs, sound systems, maybe a kitchenette, even - if you were lucky - a double bed. And now in 2012, comes a Round 2 Models reissue of such a custom creation, the AMT 1:25 scale Ford Econoline Phantom van.

SUPERB HOT WHEELS 'GHOSTBUSTERS' CADILLAC

SMN update:

Over the years, there's been a never-ending waterfall of miniatures featuring the classic 1984 fantasy movie Ghostbusters. And here we go again with two more releases, though they are of the same subject, the Ecto-1 Cadillac ambulance, released in two scales.

UNIQUE HALLMARK CHRISTMAS KEEPSAKE ORNAMENTS OFFER SOUND AND LIGHT

Christmas is coming, and for those living in the US at least, it’s also time for the Hallmark Corporation’s annual Keepsake Ornaments to decorate the tree. Hallmark’s early Keepsake offerings (the line started in 1973) included Santas, fairies, elves, polar bears and the like. But today Keepsake subjects range across the spectrum.

Still, that’s good for us model fans, as Hallmark includes items that are much more interesting than a bunch of mere elves. 2009 includes sci-fi offerings such as the speaking Robby the Robot from the movie Forbidden Planet as featured by Mat Irvine in our video above. The picture shows another movie tie-in, the Ecto-1 Cadillac from Ghostbusters, to roughly 1:50 scale. It too has a good quality sound chip, this time with an excellent rendering of the Ghostbusters musical theme.

Earlier Hallmarks have included spacecraft and characters from Star Trek and Star Wars. You knew Christmas was changing forever when you were presented, not with a festive Santa, but a laser-firing Klingon Cruiser! Hallmark's earthbound styles of transportation currently include both American pickup trucks and classic American cars. Although the scales are not stated, they are pretty detailed representations.

Robby the Robot is in the ‘Nostalgia and Fun’ section of Hallmark’s Keepsake Ornaments site here.

To give you a feel for prices on older items, there’s a collectible Star Trek shuttlecraft on eBay here.

There are other collectible Forbidden Planet items to look at here, and Ghostbusters stuff here.

SCREEN MACHINES - FOUR MASTER MODELS FROM THE MOVIES

Here is some eye candy for you - four nicely made model-show stars, featuring well-known subjects from the cinema and TV. From the top:

The Ghostbusters Cadillac, based on the long-wheelbase ambulance version of the gorgeous yank-tank original. This model is to 1:24 scale, and is missing only a wailing siren and some oozing ectoplasm. At upgrade time, it could be improved by adding a set of flashing LEDs, and maybe a multi-voice sound chip.

Everyone’s favourite peacekeeper, the star of Robocop. The movie franchise may have died a little in recent years, but it’s still a popular subject. This one is to 1:6 scale, and comes on a nicely made piece of future-city paving.

Star Wars is a hardy perennial, and one that’s been given yet another boost since the release of the recent anime series. The various ‘walker’ combat machines are still state-of-the-art on the model-making scene, and don’t forget the AT-AT walkers from The Empire Strikes Back - we’ll be showing off our post-war civilian version soon.

To the small screen now, with a Gerry Anderson TV series called Captain Scarlet - and flying these Angel Interceptor skycraft were the prettiest* pilots ever seen, the Harmony Angels. Just one thing - the Interceptor might look better on a more modern stand - how about perspex or steel?

* Editor's note: not quite true - that honour presently belongs to the Russian gals flying aerobatics for real in their Sukhoi single-seaters, at air shows around the world.

Must-go factor: Magnificent model shows

Most model makers are specialists, at least to some degree. Whether you prefer to make aircraft, cars, sci-fi or militaria, it’s easy to stay within your zone and ignore what’s happening outside.

The best way to get a “helicopter view” of the wider model world out there is to go and visit a few model shows – even better, to enter your own works, and see if you can take home a medal or two.

Apart from the sheer range of entries at a big show – the pictures here were taken at Britain’s National Exhibition Centre – there is also the inspiration factor.

Seeing how others go about tackling problems (weathering and metal finishes are just two examples that spring to mind) can be a tremendous helping hand to improve your own stuff.