WEEKEND NOSTALGIA - THE HASEGAWA RANGE OF 1988

SMN Archaeological Dig
We’ve done rather a lot of hunting around in the SMN Cellar of Secrets of late, and in the process have found all sorts of tasty stuff. Latest find is the beautifully produced Hasegawa product catalogue of 1988, named The Fantastic Odyssey of Hasegawa. It has survived the years pretty well, even if the cover has some battle damage.

So here's a glance through some of the pages that show a gorgeous combo of an interesting range, beautifully assembled models, top-notch product shots, and handsomely designed publication. Enjoy - and if you see something you’d like to see make a comeback let us know. For us, those large-scale cutaway kits are, well, desirable - though the word hardly begins to sum them up...

BIG AND SMALL ‘DESTINATION MOON’ ROCKETS FROM FANTASTIC PLASTIC

David Jefferis looks at some classic science fiction

It was couch potato time the other evening, with a chance to munch some sweetcorn while eyeballing a sci-fi movie from more than 60 years ago. George Pal’s Destination Moon of 1950 remains one of the best of its kind - a realistic future vision, dressed up as fiction by the addition of a lukewarm plot and wooden actors. Destination Moon may have been shot in black-and-white, with indifferent acting, but... it also featured a handsome spacecraft, the Luna, looking like a sleeked-up version of a World War II German V-2. And Luna became the prototype design for virtually all sci-fi rockets of that era, streamlined beauties that soared through the midnight depths of space. 

GULLWINGS OLD AND NEW - REVELL BRINGS US A 1:24 SCALE MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SLS

SMN reports on the 1:24 scale Revell Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG kit

Until the New York Motor Show of 1954, Mercedes-Benz street cars were seen mostly as somewhat ordinary, if safe and sensible, four- and five-seaters. Then things changed dramatically, when M-B wowed the hordes of show visitors with its new 300 SLR (picture below the jump), a roadgoing version of its SL ‘Sports Light’ competition car. But what set the SLR apart from anything else on wheels was the pair of upward-opening ‘gullwing’ doors. The 300 SLR became an instant icon, and in one fell swoop, turned Mercedes-Benz into a desirable brand.

PIMA AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM - AT HOME IN THE DESERT

Mat Irvine goes visiting
Just south of Tucson, Arizona, is the Pima Air and Space Museum, the world’s third-largest aircraft collection. Here is a vast collection of aerospace items, some located in specially-built hangers, some sitting out in the desert sun (and weathering occasional sand storms). The 35-year old museum is mind-bogglingly huge, with more than 300 aircraft and 125,000-plus objects and artifacts to pore over, spread across five hangars in an area of some 80 acres (32.4 hectares).

UNBOXING THE NEW SUPER-VALUE ‘BATMAN AUTOMOBILIA’ PARTWORK

SMN report

We’re using ‘unboxing’ in its widest sense here, as most of this new product is actually flat printed paper. Still, who’s quibbling - what we have is the first in ‘the definitive collection of Batman vehicles’, and this starter for what could be a l-o-o-n-g partwork series makes a terrific package, and as is usually the case with partworks, it’s offered as a knockdown price to lure you in as a faithful subscriber.

MORE DOUBLE-DECKER LONDON BUSES - BARGAIN PRICES AND POWERED BY CLOCKWORK

David Jefferis waits at the bus stop

It seems that buses big and small are popular items with many collectors and model makers - certainly Mat Irvine’s news of the upcoming Revell scale kit of a London bus has struck quite a chord with visitors here at SMN.

RED NOSE DAY GREETINGS

Red Nose Day is the International Charity Drive organized by Comic Relief, for ‘A just world free from poverty’ - and it’s been something of a phenomenon, operating in 76 countries all year round. In the 26 years since it started, more than £650 million ($1050 million USD) has been raised.

‘BIG DADDY’ ED ROTH LIVES ON WITH THE REISSUED REVELL ‘OUTLAW’ CUSTOM CAR

Mat Irvine goes custom crazy

Although the wacky cartoonist and car customizer Ed Roth died in 2001, his legacy of amazing ideas and art - and not forgetting the infamous ‘Rat Fink’ character - lives on. Since Revell started making kits of Roth’s ideas in the 1960s, they have rarely been off the shelves. 

ANOTHER MODEL STORY FROM EARTHQUAKE-HIT JAPAN

SMN report

Our best wishes go to all in Japan, and especially those directly affected by this event. 

We are pleased to report that one of our favourite internet stores, Hobby Link Japan (HLJ), has survived, though it did not go unscathed, as HLJ President, Scott T. Hards, relates below.

Weird noises on the telephone

In Scott's words: “The quake started small, as they usually do. We'd had a few little ones in recent days here, so I didn't even think to end the phone call I was on. As it slowly grew in strength, I eventually mentioned it to the person I was speaking with. “Yeah, I can hear some weird noises coming from over there,” they offered. As it continued to grow in power, things around my desk started to jump about, and I finally hung up the phone with a quick “call you back.”

SALUTE TO ALL VICTIMS OF THE JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI

SMN comment

Our sympathies and best wishes go to all the victims and their families involved in this tremendous and still unfolding tragedy. 

Twitter messages from Kyosho

It was brought home to us when we read the Twitter messages from Kyosho of Japan, respected for all its excellent RC products, and admired at SMN especially for its excellent 1:18 scale cars. The latest news is that Kyosho will be closed until the 21 March, so our best wishes to all at the company, and we trust you can restart on schedule.

BRAVE NEW FORD FOCUS RALLY RACER FROM SIMIL'R - A NEW FRENCH NAME TO RECKON WITH?

Mat Irvine spots something new

It’s a brave move to create a new model kit company these days, but that is what appears to be happening with the new French company, Simil’R. 

WRC Ford Focus

Spotted at a recent trade model show was the first Simil’R kit, a World Rally Car (WRC) version of the Ford Focus. This will be a comprehensively produced injection-moulded traditional styrene kit that will also come with high-detail photo-etch and other metal parts.

FREE CLASSIC E-TYPE JAGUAR FROM MODELZONE AND BBURAGO

SMN heads-up

Well, you can't complain about this neato offer from the UK chain ModelZone - just get on down to the website and get your name in for a chance to win this fine Bburago 1:18 scale Jaguar E-Type, in our opinion, definitely the most beautiful car ever built, with or without race numbers and stripes...

Visit ModelZone here.

SPACECRAFT MODELS FROM DRAGON - X-37B, DELTA II, SPACE SHUTTLE, HST SHOULD KEEP ARMCHAIR ASTRONAUTS SMILING... AND THERE'S A BELL X-1 ROCKET-PLANE TOO

SMN report

The Chinese model company Dragon continues to add models to its ‘Space Collection’ range. The subjects vary in scale from 1:72 to 1:400 scale, plus 1:6 scale astronaut figures. Spacecraft are ready-built, mixing diecast-and-plastic parts, and there are several new ones that have just come in, including a variation on the 1:72 scale X-37B ‘mini Shuttle’ we discussed a while back.

X-37B glides in to a smooth landing

Dragon’s latest X-37B represents the automated vehicle in early glide-test mode, which is a neat (if specialist) addition to a tabletop space fleet. As we mentioned before, the real thing looks distinctly more careworn than this miniature version, but no matter, you can always give Dragon’s X-37B a dose of the weathering treatment with an airbrush.

WIN A 1:18 SCALE CAR MODEL FROM OTTOMOBILE

The French outfit OttOmobile has a fast-expanding range of resin-based model cars, mostly in 1:18 scale, with some in the even bigger 1:12 scale. OttOmobile’s story is an interesting one, with the two principals coming from the ‘real’ car industry, where they worked as car design consultants for various manufacturers. The Talbot Sunbeam Lotus shown here, on release this month, is a good example of OttOmobile choosing an unusual subject and taking it as its own. 

From 1:1 scale to table-top size

Of the model car industry, Ottomobile’s comment about making the move from the real thing is: “...we enjoy making mini car. Pressure was stronger than in the real car business, but the product was so nice”.

FREE iMODELKIT APP FOR YOUR iPHONE AND iPOD TOUCH

SMN report

Here is an interesting item for all you iPhone and iPod touch owners out there - it’s an App for model makers, called iModelKit. Using the basic version, you have to share screen space with banner ads, but that’s fair enough, as it’s a free App. If you don’t like the ads then you can opt for the paid version - for UK buyers that’s £3.99.

NEW 2011 VW BULLI vs. OLD HIPPIEVAN, PLUS NEW CONCEPTS, DIECASTS TO LOOK AT

David Jefferis looks at the VW Bus

Mat Irvine’s VW Microbus article stirred up some comments, especially when we invited comparisons with the new Bulli version, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, which ends on 13 March.

Other ideas out there

Seems as if VW’s Bulli is a bit plain-Jane for VeeDub fans, and too similar to people-movers like the Ford Galaxy et al. Also, the 2001 concept was - and remains - sooo much cooler. So I thought it might be interesting to see what else is out there, and ran across a couple of concepts. First off, the Photochop from ‘D nice’ at VW Vortex smooths off the nose and blacks out the glass to bring back some character - compare them above and see what you think. I know which I like! Then there’s also the work of Canadian designer Alexandre Verdier, whose ideas are very nice indeed, especially his ‘woodie’ version, shown after the 'read more' jump.

75th ANNIVERSARY SALUTE TO THE SPITFIRE

David Jefferis looks at the aircraft and two excellent kits

Today’s the day, 75 years ago, when the Spitfire took to the skies on its maiden flight. The designer, RJ Mitchell, had already built up experience with high-speed aircraft through his Schneider Trophy seaplane racers, and for the Spitfire, Mitchell sketched a design with unusual elliptical wings that could be armed with no less than eight machine guns. There was a closed cockpit, with oxygen supply for the pilot at high altitude, and a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine that made it faster than any other British aircraft.

SUPER PERSHING - THE FIRST ALLIED TANK TO BEAT THE GERMAN KING TIGER

SMN report on the Tamiya T26-E4

As World War II was drawing to an end, the M26 Pershing was coming into service in Europe, and was the first US tank that could take on powerful German armour such as the Tiger I and Panther on reasonably even terms. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale kit represents the T26-E4, a developed version of the Pershing, armed with a long-barrel 90mm main gun with enough power to throw armour-piercing shells punching through the front plate of even the ultimate German tank, the King Tiger.

LEONARDO DA VINCI AUTOMOBILE 'SELF-PROPELLING CART' KIT FROM ITALERI

Mat Irvine inspects

Here is another model in the growing range of Leonardo da Vinci designs, a 1:12 scale (or thereabouts) kit originated by Academy in South Korea, but made and marketed in Europe by the Italian firm Italeri.

The kit models Leonardo’s idea for a mechanical self-propelled cart, which would be, I suppose - if it had ever been built - the first example of a perfectly feasible ‘automobile’, predating Karl Benz’s three-wheeler by some 400 years.

REVELL VW MICROBUS AND A NEW VERSION AT THE 2011 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

Mat Irvine looks at the 1:24 scale Revell VW Microbus kit

Way back in 1957, Revell Inc was based in Venice, California, close to the sea and surf of the Pacific Ocean. The company produced a kit of what was becoming one of the vehicles in which to carry your surfboard. But this wasn’t a product of one of the major American car companies - instead, it came from the other side of the Atlantic, for it was a kit of the German VW Microbus, also known as the Samba or Combi. 

Revell and Hasegawa link up

The kit used a multi-piece body, in that you got separate side, front and rear panels, roof and four doors, plus hatches at the back. Over the years the kit was modified (the rear hatch was enlarged) and reissued in a number of guises. But the kit was slightly showing its age and when Hasegawa also decided to make a VW Bus, (with van and pickup versions as well), Revell (which had a tie-in with the Japanese company for some time) reboxed the kit and issued it as its own. This time the body was the more usual one-piece, though features such as opening doors and separate engine were not a feature of the Hasegawa version.