VAN DAMME: DOES THE SPLITS IN EPIC STYLE BETWEEN TWO VOLVO TRUCKS

Bet there aren't too many model-makers who can even dream of equalling martial-arts expert Jean-Claude Van Damme's Volvo ultra-lithe super-split advert, but it's a fun-view anyway. Happy Boxing Day!

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM CHUCK NORRIS AND SCALE MODEL NEWS

Here's wishing all SMN readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May all your scale dreams come true - the bigger the kit, the better!

NEW SCANIA 1:50 SCALE TRUCKFEST HAULER FROM CORGI

David Jefferis goes up close

Here is a smart new addition to Corgi’s ever-growing Truckfest range. The 'big cat' graphics decorating the sides of the 1:50 scale Scania tractor unit are extremely well done, and represent the markings of Wayne Catt Transport, a ten-year old UK-based haulage company.

WHO SHOULD COME FIRST - USERS OR COLLECTORS?

The model world seems to be made primarily of two types of people - users and collectors. For users, a kit or a diecast is there to be assembled or displayed, rather than laid down for possible future gain. There’s also the true expert, for whom three of each item is required - “one to build, one for parts, one to lay down” is the aim - though having the space for it is another question altogether!

The world of Limited Editions is aimed at the collector market, pure and simple. It’s doubtful whether a plastic kit that’s labelled this way ever gets built at all, although the Airfix Sea Vixen may be an exception. We’ll find out later this year for sure, as the first ones at least will be sold as a Limited Edition.

But for many of us, the real deal is buying a kit for the pleasure of craftsmanship, or a diecast to display because you happen to like it for some reason. And here’s an example of a cheap truck - a 1:50 scale Volvo A25C from Cararama - that’s most certainly a ‘user’ item, yet is not a lot worse in terms of casting and finish than a similar piece costing ten times as much, but made for the Limited Edition market.

This Volvo comes with articulation on six wheels, cab detail, light fittings, number plate, metal-foil mirrors, and fully rotating tractor and load halves - oh, and the load bed lifts nicely on a pair of pistons. So it works well as a detailed model, yet is priced as a toy - SMN could get one locally for less than £10.00 GBP ($16.00 USD). This is fantastic news for toy-bashers and diorama lovers - you could buy several of these, rip them apart or simply weather them, with zero misgivings for the effect on any future value. And in different sizes, the same calculations are perfect for rail fans, as the popular 1:87 and 1:76 scale layouts need to be populated with their share of vehicles, and the cheaper the better, particularly if they still look good despite the no-pain price.

You can see a selection of Cararama vehicles here.

Cararama’s website, Hong Kong-based Hongwell Toys, is here but be warned - it’s a slow loader.

Drag Racing: Noisy heaven for superdetail fans

Details, details! Making sure your model is packed with detail – accurate detail – is a sure-fire way to get your model really noticed, and maybe winning a few competition prizes.

For truck and dragster fans, few things beat a day out at a dragmeet. The great thing about drag racing, compared to (say) Formula 1, is that you can usually walk right up to the vehicles, and also to the guys and gals fettling them.

For modellers, this means that you can snap away with your digicam to get accurate reference shots pretty much as close as you like. And this means that you have the information needed for those show winners. Plus of course, it’s a great day out! The shots here were taken at the UK’s Santa Pod raceway, which is an ace venue. You can visit Santa Pod’s website here.

A word of warning though – drag racing is LOUD, and it’s not difficult to damage your ears. You’ll get reminders of this over the PA system, so please don’t ignore the warnings to use ear defenders. These are always on sale, but in fact, I’ve found that for me, the neatest ear defenders are a pair of iPod headphones. That’s the in-ear sort, that go right into your ear canals and cut out most ambient noise. Mine are the German Sennheiser brand, which also give brain-meltingly good audio quality when you use 'em for music.