1/144 M60A3 / CM-32 by 1/144 Strategist

A a new range of 1/144 has been launched in Taiwan, initial subject matter appears to consist of RoC (Republic of China) AFVs, both those purchased/adpated from the USA and those products indigenously developed within Taiwan.

The guys behind Strategist are going for full deal on these releases with professional packing and in later releases such as the Cm-32 metal axles and mixed media construction.

Currently released is the M60A3 "Patton" cast in resin, then painted and decaled, more info here
Price @25 USD
Available: December 2010

Next release with tbe the TIFV CM-32 "Cloud Leopard" APC with digital camo.
Price: to be confirmed
Available: to be confirmed
Colour Options - two options being considered

Available from Zetas ebay or Ruten shop

A full website will follow at the following location http://www.strategist-toy.com/
Further information is avilable from strategist-toy@strategist-toy.com or via Zeta ebay store

some images from: Obake Blog & CGD
http://blog.sina.com.tw/231/article.php ... yid=618337

Others are from the main Strategist Site / ebay shop
http://www.strategist-toy.com/

Radjapan - New items

Radjapan 'your gateway to the east', is now selling some new ranges of kits!

I think this will be useful for many of your who only pick up items from HLJ etc who do not carry these interesting range of kits:

Foxone Kits - Here

A&W Resin Kits - here

1/144 F/A-18 C/D Detailing Kits - Retrowings

1/144 F/A-18 'Legay' Hornet Cockpit Detailing Set, by Retrowings (RW44006)
(for Revell F/A-18 C or D Kits ref 04001 & 04064 respectively)
1/144 F/A-18 'Legay' Hornet Control Surfaces Detailing Set,
by Retrowings (RW44005) (for Revell F/A-18 C or D Kits ref 04001 & 04064 respectively)

Retrowings first previewed these back in March 2010, and now just in time for the new year for consideration on your 2011 projects list are the final issue release sets.
http://kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com/2010/03/1144-aircraft-detail-parts-by-retrokit.html

RW4005 - Control Surfaces Set
This set provides a comprehensive array of replacement parts. 2x of each are provided for Folded wing Tips, Dropped Flaps,Dropped Slats,Rear Stabilisers,Vertical Tails. Full pictorial and textual descriptions (see above and HD images below) to assist in the replacement and modification of the appropriate sections. The detailing on this is nice and clean and complement s the Revell kits well.

RW4006 - Cockpit Detail Set
This 10x part upgrade set provided detailed replacements on a part for part basis for the Revell kits, it allows to build the singe of twin seat cockpit versions with very nicely molded and detailed providing not only great detailing on instrument panels, but also fine amount of detail in the seaing and tub as a whole. Instructions provided

Available: December 2010
Price(s):
RW4005 Control Surfaces Set - 3.99 Euro
RW4006 Cockpit Detail Set - 3.99 Euro

Available from Retrowings (Shop)
http://www.retrokit.net/retrowings_103.html

HD Images A B C D E F

KG144 BBS

1/144 Eurofighter - Revel vs Pit-Road Review - By Spejic

1/144 Eurofighter - Revel vs Pit-Road Review - By Spejic

On the Kampfgruppe144 BBS companion site, Spejic has post an 'In Box Review" for two of the leading versions of the Eurofighter Kit in 1/144.

The Revell and Pit-Road kits are presented with a selection of photo comparisons and comment, the review is available on the following link.

http://www.kampfgruppe144.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=529#p2105
http://www.kampfgruppe144.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=529

KG144 BBS

1/144 Bachem Ba349V "Natter" - by Foxone

1/144 Bachem Ba-349V "Natter"- by Foxone

Foxone has released his latest kit, a great reproduction of the Bachem 'Natter' rocket fighter. Designed as a short range 'point defence' for key infrastructure such as factories or cities in a bid to stop the Allied bombers.

As with a lot of the late war German products it is an interesting item for us historically, but useless in its time.

The Foxone kit is supplied with a reduced number of parts for easier assembley, and and included a launch gantry that will greatly help the reproduction of a nice diorama and display!

This is the "V" varient, and was the early development and testing version.
Therefore the kit has some revision over the previous versions and the selection of decals and recommended paint schemes refelct this. The other big difference that is hard not to spot, is the inclusion of a large industrial launch tower.

As with most Foxone kits this will be an interesting but challenging kit to build.
It is again one of many subjects that Tomytec or Project Flieger failled to address!

Available: Devember 2010
Price: 4000 Yen
These kits can be ordered direct from Foxone, or via Radjapan

The previous "combat" version of the 'Natter' is still available.
http://kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com/2010/10/1144-bachem-ba349a-natter-by-foxone.html

Foxone has also revise the Fi-103 (V-1) 'Doodle Bug' kit, look for the A007.1 kit reference - See here for details It has been remastered with fewer parts for easier construction.

1/144 Maintanence Crew 001 + 002 - Foxone

Foxone has launched a new range of accessories, primarily to support the Ba-349 a/v 'Natter' kits.
It will be interestesting to see how this side of the products is received by people?

Available: December 2010
Price:
500 Yen (B001 - Crew Set.1)
500 Yen (B003 - Crew Set.2)

These kits can be ordered direct from Foxone, or via Radjapan

1/144 A-39 Tortoise Assualt Tank WWII - CGD

1:144 CGD WWII British A-39 Tortoise Super Assault Tank

The British A-39 Tortoise Super Assault Tank started developement in 1943, and was developed to counter heavy fortifications such as the Siegfried Line.

Weighing in at 78 tons, it carried the british Ordance QF 32 pdr (96mm) derived from the QF 3.7 AA gun.
Although more like an assault gun or self propelled gun, its gun was tested effective knocking out a Panther tank at almost 1000 yds.

Near the end of the war 6 prototype was built and one is preserved at the Bovington Tank Museum in Bovington, UK.

An interesting addition to the collection, and something to face up to all those Panzer'46 kits!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoise_heavy_assault_tank

http://web.archive.org/web/20091028175237/http://geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/7413/a39tortoise.html

Available: December 2010 (CGD Ebay)
Price: $19.90

1/144 88mm Flak 36 & SdKfz 7 - Panzer Depot

1/144 88mm Flak 36 & SdKfz 7 - Panzer Depot

The Panzer Depot release for December bring another in two items, another in the series of German Prime Movers, and an associated 88mm Flak 36.

Available in four colour options, these should meet a variety of scenarios for deployment!

The main gun can move horizontally and vertically on the gun base, the wheel axles are can be attached or detached to replicate transport or deployed configurations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sd.Kfz._7
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_FlaK_18/36/37/41

88mm Flak 36 Panzer Grey $25.80
88mm Flak 36 Dunkel Gelb $25.80
88mm Flak 36 Winter Wash $25.80
88mm Flak 36 Camo $26.80

SdKfz 7 Panzer Grey $14.80
SdKfz 7 Dunkel Gelb $14.80
SdKfz 7 Winter Wash $14.80
SdKfz 7 Camo $15.80

Available direct from Panzer Depot at shop or ebay

1/144 German 60cm Searchlight Set (Flak-SW 36)

WWII German 60cm Flakscheinwerfer (Flak-SW 36)
(60cm Searchlight with Carriage and Generator)

60cm Fakscheinwerfer or Searchlight is a commonly used searchlight used by the WWII Germans for air defense accompanying flak batteries. It was small compared to it's 150cm or larger searchlights and can be deployed on a sled with towed carriage or mount directly on vehicles. It required a massive power generator to power up its carbon arc lamp.

This 1:144 WWII German 60cm Searchlight with Carriage and Generator Set include a 3 part searchlight assembly (elevating searchlight body, transverse searchlight mount and sled), a carriage, a generator, and two vehicle hooks.

The vehicle hooks can be glued to any vehicles using Cyanoacrylate based glue or 'Super Glue', or 2 part epoxy glue, so that you can toll the searchlight assembly with its carriage behind vehicle of your choice.

The item has been produced in response to customer demand for more auxiliary items and support vehicles.

It is fairly safe to say you will have not seen these items in 1:144 before!

(Towing Vehicle NOT Included)

The price of is USD 17.9, the link is here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270677851093

1.144 Me1101 & Focke-Wulf FW Ta 183 - Valom.cz

„What if“ Messerschmitt Me1101 & Focke-Wulf FW Ta 183 - by Valom.cz

Valom kit No. 14401 Messerschmitt Me 1101 and Focke-Wulf Ta 183
Box contain four kits(?) with four markings covering Luftwaffe and IJA schemes.

http://modelingmadness.com/industrynews/valom/valom.htm
http://www.valom.net/index_en.html

Interestingly, as has been noted by others this would appear to be a repackaging of the Jach.cz kits. See my previous report http://kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com/2009/08/1144-luft46-by-jachcz.html

The Jach kits were plastic injected kits, clear plastic canopies, photo etched radars & decals.

The price is unspecified, but maybe be a little more than the Jach released kits?
Available: Soon

144Shop still has the Jach version of these kits available.

1/144 Piper Cub J-3 / L-4 by Dameya

I have acquired through trade a specimen of a 1/144 Piper Cub by Dameya.

It is a nice garage kit of an unusual subject that is unlikely to be produced in the foreseeable future by one of the big kit makers.

The kits comes in a mixed media combination of resin and photo-etched brass parts.
There is a little flash on some of the smaller parts, but this is not to be completely unexpected for a garage kit that is been in production for a while.
The brass parts will be essential to obtaining the fine detail of the struts for this aircraft.
The canopies are clear resin and there is one for each of the J-3 or L-4 configurations.
Decals are provided for early and late war period, and of course a civil option.

It s a great little model that should look great in the Piper Cub L-4 Military configuration alongside the Foxone Auster as Allied military liaison aircraft.

This kit can also be configured for the Civil Piper Cub J-3 Option.

Although the J-3 was configured as the civil option and had the enclosed style canopy, references indicate that some L-4's were simply redesignated and kept the additional roof glazing.

Please see here for images of the the completed model

Price: 2,700 Yen
Available: Now (via Dameya Shop, Japan Only)

1/144 Bf-109 Gimix Series - Tomytec

Following on from the shows earlier in the year, websites in Japane are begining to show early pre-order listings for the Tomytec Gimix Series for the Bf-109.

Recent Gimix issues have show that these will most likely come with motor options and display base. These should also be comaptible with the optional desktop flyer/spinner accessory.

The Fw-190 Gimix series also indicate that Tomytec hve raised that standard of the old FAOW:WOTL series even further by adding detials such as aerial wires, metal parts and nice paint work.

Bf109 E-3 2nd Air Wing Instructor
Bf-109 E-4/B 54th Combat Wing
Bf-109 E-7/Trop 27th Combat Wing
(finally, a desert bf-109 with interesting paint!)
Bf-109 E-4 1st Night Fighter Wing
Bf-109 E-3 Romanian Air Force

The price is higher than the old series (but the yen is 50% more exspensive than a last year even!, but cheaper than the FW-190 series.

Availble: March 2011
Price: 1,400 (discount rate 1,120)
Source: 1999, HLJ & niitakayama

1/144 15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 SWS - CGD

1:144 German Panzerwerfer auf sWS
(15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 auf Schwerer Wehrmachtsschlepper)

The next in the series of sWS from CGD, now it gets interesting!

This is the one you've really been waiting for the Panzewerfer, incorporating nerbelwerfer technology this armoured half track used rockets as artillery to undermine enemy positions.

This was a real weapon system deployed during WWII, not a paper panzer!

Available: Pre-order (forDecember)
Source: CGD (ebay)
Price: $17.90 USD

Hint: the first two pre-order batches sold out due to demand!

1/144 XB-59 and Sentinel R-1 Update - Anigrand

Boeing XB-59 competitor to the Convair B-58 Hustler
http://www.anigrand.com/future_releases.htm
Available: Jan 2011
Price: tbc

Raytheon Sentinel R.1
http://www.anigrand.com/AA4057_Sentinel_R-1.htm
Available: December 2010
Price: $78

The Bonus aircraft with the Sentinel R-1 are:
Westland Gazelle = here =
Westland Rotodyne (Production Version) = here =
BAe P.1214. (Supersonic Harrier) = here =