RAY MEYERS, A TALENTED SCULPTOR BEHIND AURORA FIGURE KITS

RAY MEYERS, who sculpted Aurora figure kits in the 1960s and 1970s, passed away on April 7, 2015. Meyers’ deft hands gave Aurora models incredible detail and when they were assembled, an appearance of hugely realistic and dynamic motion.

ADIOS TO SHERIFF ROSCO COLTRANE FROM THE DUKES OF HAZZARD

The modelling world lost one of its ‘characters by association’ with the death of American actor James Best on April 6, 2015. The modelling association is that although Best featured in over 40 movies and appeared in nearly 300 episodes of various TV series, it is one of the latter, The Dukes of Hazzard, for which he will almost certainly be best remembered.

COLLECTING VINTAGE PLASTIC MODEL AIRPLANE KITS

HERE'S A GOOD-LOOKING BOOK that's of interest to any kit enthusiast, and particularly if you have a pile of unbuilts keeping a corner of the house warm.

REVEALED: RENAULT ALPINE VISION GRAN TURISMO AUTO CONCEPT

IF ALL RENAULTS OOZED THE APPEAL OF the performance cars above, then SMN would have a line of them outside the front door.

INCOMING ROCKET - GLENCOE MODELS THOR MISSILE TO 1:87 SCALE

I HAVE BEEN ASSISTING Glencoe Models with up-and-coming reissues of two Adams launch rocket kits, Thor and Vanguard. Here is an exclusive first look at one of these, the Thor IRBM (Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile), a kit that was first released in 1958, along with the Vanguard.

HELLER KITS 2015 - INCOMING FRENCH BEAUTIES, AND MORE BESIDES

HELLER, THE BIG NAME IN FRENCH model kits, seemed to go though a few years of uncertainty after the separation from Airfix-Humbrol, with a shrinking catalogue and little in the way of new kits. However, in 2015 Heller appears to have a new lease of life.

WHEN IS A BOAT NOT A BOAT? WHEN IT’S A REVELL HOT ROD HYDRO!

ANOTHER ANSWER TO THE HEADLINE question could be, “When it’s a car.” For this is how model companies have usually treated powerboat kits - as an extension to their model car catalogue. 

THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO - MODELS THAT MADE IT BIG

WE MOSTLY THINK OF MODELS as miniature versions of the real thing, 1:72, 1:48, 1:87 and so on. Well, every now and again, the models get their revenge and make it the other way round - from small-size original to full-size 1:1 realization.

REST IN PEACE DAVID CARLOCK, 1937-2015

A SAD LOSS TO THE modelling world is Dave Carlock, who died recently, aged 77. For many years Dave worked for the AMT Corporation when it started in Troy Michigan, then he went to Ertl in Dyersville, Iowa, and most recently, Testors in Rockford, Illinois.

SPRINT INTO SPACE WITH THE AOSHIMA 1:200 SCALE EPSILON LAUNCH ROCKET

Aoshima seems to be the only kit company coming up with regular brand new items in the real-space field. This one is the tenth in its Space Craft Series, and features the Epsilon, Japan’s latest launch rocket.

BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH THE 1:24 SCALE FUJIMI FUTURE CAR

IF THIS MODEL LOOKS familiar, it should be, for is it is a renamed Police Spinner from the classic science fiction film Blade Runner, already made as a kit by Fujimi. 

1:25 SCALE REVELL KIT OF ED ‘BIG DADDY’ ROTH ’57 CHEVY BEL AIR

REVELL HAS REISSUED its original 1:25 scale 1957 Chevy Bel-Air kit as one of the creations of zany car customiser, Big Daddy Ed Roth, the ‘Rat Fink’ himself.

RIP DISCWORLD AUTHOR SIR TERRY PRATCHETT 1948-2015

IT’S WITH SADNESS THAT WE REPORT THE death of fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, who died on March 12, 2015, aged just 66.

RETRO ROCKET FLIES AGAIN - LUNA FROM THE MOVIE ‘DESTINATION MOON’

WE’VE FEATURED THE LUNA rocket from the 1950 movie Destination Moon before, but this new kit from Pegasus Hobbies assembles to make the tallest model yet. Luna comes in the accepted rocket scale of 1:144, so can be stood next to a Space Shuttle or Saturn V for comparison.

RUSSIAN SS-25 ROCKET KIT FROM ZVEZDA, WITH EXTRAS FROM LVM STUDIOS IN THE NETHERLANDS

WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT the 1:72 scale Zvezda kit of the Soviet/Russian SS-25 missile. Now we’ve built a kit, so here is the complete report. We also took the opportunity to add the conversion kit from LVM Studios. This turns the military missile into a commercial satellite launcher.

TAMIYA MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL KIT TO 1:24 SCALE

The Tamiya January 2015 announcement at the Nuremberg Toy Fair of its own 1:24 scale kit of the Mercedes Gullwing was a delight to hear.

UNDERWATER ADVENTURE WITH 1:400 SCALE AIRFIX ‘DAS BOOT’ SUBMARINE

INTERESTED IN NAVAL MODELS? Well, here's a kit that may have slipped in under your radar. It features the submarine that featured in the 1981 German film Das Boot (The Boat) which tells the story of a German crew and their vessel during World War II.

BRIGHT RED SILVER SCREEN MACHINE - 1:25 SCALE CHEVROLET CHEVELLE SS FROM AMT

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.

“THE NAME’S BOND... OR CORGI… OR SCALEXTRIC.” 007 AT HORNBY HOBBIES

TO WRAP UP THE LONDON TOY FAIR we returned to the Hornby stand, though not to Airfix this time, but to two other names in the Hornby stable, also involving a third.

REVELL 2015 - ROBOT AND ROCKETS, SPACESHIP AND STARSHIPS

THIS SPACE AND SCIENCE-FICTION ROUNDUP concludes our review of Revell kits on display at the 2015 London Toy Fair. It's a good range with plenty of choice, whatever your interest.