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Check out this new item from Cult TV Man. The Belle of Tortuga figure. Very nicely done ! From the website:

"The Belle Of Tortuga is a new 1/7 scale figure from Lunatic Fringe. She comes with 17 resin and metal parts and stands almost 10 inches when built up. She can be built with "clothing optional" variations as well. This kit comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity and a mini poster. This figure was sculpted by Joe Simon."

The Model King is going to release the AMT Mack DM600 kit later this year. In expectation of that kit, here is a pretty nice build of one. I especially like the realistic weathering on this example. Well done !

How about this? A few older pictures of Disneyland, featuring : "Hobbyland !".

How cool is that? Wonder what kind of models they had? Looks like a few car models are on display in this photo.

While not model car based, I though this was interesting and important. This company, Dream Technology, makes RC cars that are able to be controlled by handicapped children. From their website:

"Dream-Racer technology enables children with disabilities to use body movements to control their racing car. When we build Dream-Racer into a baseball cap the user controls their racing car by movements of their head."

My own daughter is a special needs child, though not severe, but I come into contact with many other special needs children and their families all the time. I see this as a very good moral booster for children who have limited mobility. More than just a toy, it allows a child to extend themselves beyond their normal capabilities. And have a little fun in an otherwise everyday hard life.

Revell Germany has released a Ferrari GT250. This to me this is one of Ferrari's best car designs.

I built the Italeri kit years ago, which is an excellent model. Probably the best, although we will see when I compare it to this Revell version. The word is that this Revell kit is actually a Hasegawa kit, which is fine with me, I have not built the kit before.

A quick visual comparison: The Italeri kit had some of the best chrome wire wheels I have ever seen. Like a real wire wheel, you can see completely through the spokes. The picture I have seen of the Revell kit (check out HobbyLink's website for this image) may be a pre-production camera shot, the wheels are not chromed, and it's hard to see what their quality is like. One advantage I see is the the doors open on the Revell kit. That's a plus.Maybe in the final production, (hopefully) there will be a chrome tree.

Sanyo-Gunzo also released a Ferrari GT250, a high detail version (I think it had photoetch and metal parts) but that was a curbside I believe. It's also long out of production. I never built one, but I wonder how it would compare to these kits talked about here.

The Aurora model company is making a return.

If you have been a modeler for some time, you know we have been here before. Aurora has tried to come back a couple of times, but it has never quite made it.

Sure, they issued a few dinosaur and Japanese monster kits back a few years, but then faded away again.

I won't go into all the politics of the past company and owners. Let's just hope that some of the kits again make it to fruition.

I can't believe their first two kits are going to be WWI airplane kits. I don't know about you, but the large hobby store in my town has a couple of isles of those. I just can't see those kits bringing in enough revenue to produce other kits later on.

If I was going to release a kit, the first one to me would be something you can't get from any other model company. I mean a subject no one else has. Fokker DR1 ? That kit is already being produced. Skip it. Bismark? Skipjack Sub? Those are available from others. SKIP THEM.

They mention the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea's Flying Sub. I have built one of those in the 1970's (original Aurora I am sure) and a few years back, the Monogram (now Revell) one. To be honest, I would build another one. It's a good kit. But I am still not sure how popular the model would be today to those of us old enough to even remember the movie / show.

There are two kits they mention, that might be viable to all ages. Meaning, appeal to adults, but could also appeal to younger people (if packaged accordingly). These two would be the Jesse James figure, and the Vampire caricature figure. Maybe the Air Force pilot as well. I would say the Astronaut, but I am not sure if that is the same as the Revell or Glencoe kit? I seem to remember someone producing a kit like that (not the later modern Astronaut with the MMU backpack thing). It might even be worth doing all the Military Service people as a 4-pack, and just sell them that way. (Kinda like Retro Hobby's 4 trikes issue).

Again, for first issues (based on the products shown on their site) to generate sales, I think they need to release kits that no one else makes.

(I would post a cool image here, but there is so much lawyer BS on their site, I think I'll pass.)

Having met some of the great members from 501st Trooper Garrison, you can understand that these people take their model prop building serious.

Recently I was looking at some of the props mentioned on the TK560 site. It's worth taking a look at, because this is some great scratch building work. Many times just using simple things you may have in your garage, from PCV tubing to wood. And usually on a low budget to boot.

(here, the 501st takes care of another rebel disturbance. He'll be cleaning out the bilge tanks on some Imperial Cruiser for sure! :-) LOL

I don't really know anything about Battletech, Transformers, or gaming. But I think these guys could give the model railroad people a run for their money in the diorama dept.

Check out this site (click here).

A lot of detail painting and scratch building terrains and landscapes. Note that these things are TINY. Most I think are less than an inch high !

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I think it is about as close as a car company ever came to making a rocket car that drives on land. At least, it's pretty cool and it does LOOK like a rocket.

EastCoast Car News has a review of the AArdvark Models Firebird II kit. This kit not only includes the resin parts, but photoetch, rubber tires, and decals.

I like to see resin companies moving away from just repopping an old promo to doing totally new designs and products. This has never been done in kit plastic form, and really shows just how far the resin modeling business' have come.

I've been thinking about getting one of these Tamiya Lotus cars for some time. I Haven't bought one yet, but I came across this build online. Looks pretty good.

To view the whole build, be sure and scroll down to the bottom of the pages and click on the button that says "AVANTI".

In this build / kit, the rims for the tires look a little disappointing. Almost toy like?

Time to mention some show pictures from some model events:

• NNL East 2007 - Model Cars Magazine (390 images !)
• GMO NNL 2007 - (JeffT)
• GMO NNL 2007 - (Gwangiboy)
• GMO NNL 2007 - (1802)

Scale Auto Magazine will be issuing their Context Cars book here at the end of 2007.

But you can save $ 2.00 by preordering it now. Click here for the details :

Here is an interesting article on swapping out the heads on figure models to make your project more accurate. There are 3 examples, Polar Lights 16 inch Godzilla, Revell's (originally Aurora's) 1960's Batman, and a Space Ghost head of the Revell (again, originally an Aurora mold) Superman kit.

Check out all these conversions here.

Some modelers out there may find this interesting. A small machine that makes dry transfer decals.

This website from Decal Pro has some videos that show how it is done.

The Modeler Channel has it's site up and running.

There are 3 videos online to start with. The first is an introduction about the site, and what it's all about.

The second explores modeling in general, some of it filmed at a model show with interviews with modelers themselves. Both the first and second video have cameos by none other than "Hollywood" Jim, talking about his Tiki Bus and a Pirate ship wreck he built. Pretty cool !

The third is a real treat for armor modelers. An in depth view at a new M1A Abrams Tank kit. The video format online works very well for this approach. You get direct commentary on the kits and it's parts, and tips of what to look for in the make up of the kit, from an armor modeler who just happens to specialize in M1As.

The model manufacturers should be all over this site to promote their products. What better way to tell (and show !) modelers all about a new product / kit ? Forget printed ads and static web ads. It's the online video age. Since model related companies do not advertise on TV, I can't think of a better way they can reach their Customer base than joining forces with the Modeler Channel.

Bandit Resin has released a new body, a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda Funny Car kit. As you can see, it's one clean casting.

Be sure and visit their all new website and check out their offerings. They have a lot more products than mentioned online (currently they are working on getting pictures for all of them) so be sure and shoot Kenny an email about anything you are interested in.

Ken Kitchen Table Top Resins is well know for his 6-cylinder resin engines. Sure, using a Hemi or 427 big block in your kit project is great, but in reality, most vehicles probably had a small block or a 6-cylinder workhorse under the hood.

Ken's engines allows you to build that everyday truck or family car. Primarily Ford engines. he has an affection for the early Ford pickups.

Check out his collection of engines, and his new grilles to build variations of the early Ford F-series.

Here's a video explaining how to make a mold, for casting your own parts or products.

It's very informative, and includes some good tips.