::::::::::::::::::: Model News December 2005 ::::::::::::::::::

Whew, it's been a busy month, what with the Holiday and everything.

Mid atlantic Models makes some 1/43 scale die cast cars, pre built, for sale. Unfortunately they do not not offer them in kit form. That's a shame, because their Maserati Birdcage model cars are beautiful works. Their Chaparral 2J car is amazing also. I seem to remember building a 1/25 scale plastic model of that car when I was much younger ?

HobbyLink has received their shipment of the new Fine Molds Millennium Falcons. This is not a retool of the old AMT kit, it's not even the same scale. It's all new, with tons of detail and 900 ( ! ) pieces of accuracy.

HobbyLink also has a couple of interesting kits, ones you probably won't see in the U.S. One is an 1887 Gramophone. It says you can make your own recording disks as well. Sort of like an educational piece I guess.

Another is one of my favorites. The Honda P2 Robot. You've probably seen this robot on TV or on the news, or a later version of it. I think Honda leads the world in these kinds of robots. If you want to learn more about these amazing robots, check out Honda's website here.

For car modelers, there is a new taxi (though, it's not far from looking like a police car) Celsio.

If you are in the U.S., it's easy to order from Hobby Link, even though they are in Japan. When I order from them, I usually get the shipment in less than a month, and they always keep you up to date with what's going on with your order. They really have top notch service. It's so smooth and easy, it's like you are ordering from a hobby store down the street. There are a handful of companies I will order from internationally, and this is one of them.

Wow, this Monsters in Motion Landmaster model looks like one heck of a kit. Granted it's 1/35 scale, but since that is a popular military scale, I think that would allow for a lot of extras for a model builder to add. (maybe a dirt bike for one.)

This is of course the Landmaster, from the movie Damnation Alley.

This company Model Masters makes some amazing models. All hand made of course, and it looks like they use mostly brass.

Ships, aircraft, buildings, they do it all. Great work. Check it out.

How about the Mobile Lounges at Dulles International Airport. Made on a Chrysler / Dodge Truck chassis, that would be one big model project !

Looks like there's a new Batmobile coming soon. It's inexpensive, and 1/24 scale. Very cool !

Revell is issuing a 3 pack of kits from Germany, featuring ships from Star Wars Return of the Jedi. This set contains Anakin's Jedi Starfighter, an ARC-170 Fighter and a Droid Tri-Fighter. Each kit is injection molded in color for easy assembly without painting.

Accurate Miniatures has announced that their corvette kits will soon be available in the fourth quarter (around December?) of 2005. They are offering 2 versions, with a 3rd 377 CID Prototype roadster model and a 4th George Wintersteen version in the works.

I built one of these Corvette kits when they were out a few years ago, and I have to say it was a great kit. Some people said there were small fit problems, but the fact is, the kit is so precise, that if you assembled a part slightly off, it could throw a whole assembly out later. No big fat ugly locating tabs here!

The kit included photoetched parts as well. The small block chevy engine in this kit, in my opinion, is one of the best examples out of any chevy model kit. Especially the fine molding on the injection setup.

Accurate Miniatures doesn't have 40 different car molds to offer like the larger model companies, but they did not sacrifice on precision when doing these kits. They are exactly what their company name implies...accurate.

Want to know what to look forward to? Here's a built example online with some great pics.

They have also announced on their website an upcoming a 1/24 289 Cobra kit. There is no picture, but I am hoping they mean DAYTONA COUPE. Because AMT already makes a 289 Ford Cobra model kit, and I can't see going to the molding expense of making another model example of that.

Also, I believe that the 427 SC Cobra is much more popular among car people than the smaller 289 Cobra roadster. (and a 1/24 scale 427 SC is already made by Monogram and Academy model companies).

There was a 1/24 high tech Cobra Daytona Coupe model made many years ago by Gunze Sanyo, though they are very expensive today. The kit included some photoetched parts, but they were sadly a curbside kit (no engine).

Island Collectibles also carries a resin Daytona Coupe example. That kit has everything, photoetch, engine, metal parts, etc.

To learn more about Ford Cobras, see AC Cobra The Truth Behind the Anglo-American Legend .

Scale Auto Magazine has some great pics of NNL South for 2005 online.

I am sure that's just a teaser for what will be in one of their next issues.

This car / motorcycle hybrid is a very unusual example! :-)

Check out this scratch built 1/18 scale top fuel drag racing motorcycle.

It's made out of a mixture of materials, from resin, styrene, to metal. There is a serious amount of craftsmanship in this model. Enjoy !

Sometimes you are not sure what will be the new fad. Well, check out this truck model. Yeah, it's 1/32 scale. But it looks like there's some serious custom parts on that puppy! Here's another one.

If you are a Captain Scarlett fan, they are releasing his hot set of wheels, the Pursuit Vehicle. Courtesy of Spectrum.

If you are a first visitor to the Model Blog, the November blog has been archived. It is also listed in the right column if you want to view older postings or look for something I may have talked about before.