1/144 "Nell" Interplanetary Fighter from "Battle Beyond the Stars" (1980)

1/144 "Nell" Interplanetary  Fighter from "Battle Beyond the Stars" (1980)

The years immediately following the tsunamic success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" (1977) saw dozens of low-budget sci-fi shoot-'em-ups rushed into neighbourhood multiplexes. One of the most successful of these "Me, Too!" space operas was Roger Corman's "Battle Beyond the Stars" (1980), starring Richard ("The Waltons") Thomas, George ("The A-Team") Peppard, Robert ("The Man from UNCLE") Vaughn,  Marta ("Lost in Space") Kristen and Sam ("Ben Casey") Jaffee. Reportedly ghost-directed by Corman itself, the film was an unapologetic knock-off of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 action classic "Seven Samurai" and its 1960 American adaptation, "The Magnificent 7," all set in a far-future outer space.

Scale: 1:144
Number of Pieces: 12
Pattern: Alfred Wong
Casting: Millennium Models International (MMI)

Price: $110 USD

http://fantastic-plastic.com/nell---catalog.html

Other kits are available: http://fantastic-plastic.com/fantastic-plastic-models-online-catalog.html
Future Releases: http://fantastic-plastic.com/future-releases.html

1/144 Space Cruiser - by Freightdog

 1/144 Space Cruiser - by Freightdog

This a 1/144 complete resin kit of the projected DARPA Space Cruiser, a proposed deniable weapon developed from the 1970s Early Spring project. Designed to be carried inside the Space Shuttle bay (up to three at a time), this small manned craft would inspect and destroy Soviet spy or weapon satellites that posed a threat to the USA. This kit is very small, measuring less than 6cm, consisting of just five parts. Suggested paint finish is overall black with a gold canopy, no decals (its deniable, so don't put stars and bars on it!). Limited availability.

http://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/

Available: now

Price: 6.50 GBP

More info:
http://www.scalemodelnews.com/2015/09/smallest-model-kit-ever-made-new.html (inc, built kit)
 http://www.up-ship.com/apr/extras/scruiser1.htm 

1/144 Airport Service Sets 6 & 7 - Eastern Express

1/144 Airport Service Sets 6 & 7 - Eastern Express

Eastern Express have released another couple of sets for your Soviet/Eastern European Ground Support Equipment(GSE). They also look like they would be at home in civilian or military settings?

Price is @$30USD on Ebay..

Available: Now

1/144 "Resurgam" British Submarine - Mikro-Mir

1/144 "Resurgam"  British Submarine - Mikro-Mir
Clearly, someone at Mikro-Mir is a big fan of early and unusual British Submarines!
Here we have an early one from the 19th Century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurgam

Source:
https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MM144-012
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234999722-victorian-submarines-resurgam-1144/

interestingly, in two colour schemes 'historical' and 'bright yellow!??' this has been released in 1/144 before, as part of Takara's Ships of the World Vol.2

http://images.delcampe.com/img_large/auction/000/156/728/838_001.jpg

1-144 F-Toys Wing Kit Collection Versus 4 by F-Toys

1-144 F-Toys Wing Kit Collection Versus 4 by F-Toys
A new Versus series release this time, Late War Zeros and Corsairs over the pacific.
Expect a lottery(?) version - see inset above, and of course, some bonus items....
Will we see a French Aeronavale (or a captured F4U) ???

Source: http://www.platz-hobby.com/products/5435.html

Mitsubishi A6M5 Type 0 Model 52 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_A6M_Zero#A6M5_Type_0_Model_52

Vought F4U Corsair
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_F4U_Corsair

1/144 Boeing YC-14, MD YC-25 and Budd RB-1/C-93 Conestoga - Anigrand

1/144 Boeing YC-14, McDonnell  YC-25 and Budd RB-1/C-93 Conestoga - Anigrand

Current planned released for Anigrand this year.

Expect more of the usual formula of large kits, plus bonuses....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YC-14
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/c-14.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_YC-15

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_RB_Conestoga

1/144 HMS Holland (class) submarine - MIKRO-MIR

1/44 HMS Holland (class) submarine - MIKRO-MIR
Another in their range of 1/144 submarines, this time an boat from the early days of the evolution of modern submarines.

Expect this to be injected plastic with a photo etched parts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Holland_1


Its not on the website http://mikro-mir.com/en/ships-1-144.html , but it is appearing on ebay already!

1/144 Grumman F9F Panther - Oz Mods

1/144 Grumman Panther - Oz Mods 
Reissued, with injected plastic kit with vacform and clear canopies. Silk Screen decals for the Blue Angeles and VFA-192 Golden Dragons - aircraft 209 as seen in the movie Bridge at TOKO-Ri.

The Grumman F9F Panther was the manufacturer's first jet fighter and one of the United States Navy's first successful carrier-based jet fighters. A single-engined, straight-winged day fighter, it was fitted with an armament of four 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons and could carry a wide assortment of air-to-ground munitions.

The Panther was used extensively by the U.S. Navy and the United States Marine Corps in the Korean War. It was also the first jet aircraft used by the Blue Angels flight team, being used by them from 1949 through to late 1954. The aircraft was exported to Argentina and was the first jet used by the Argentine Naval Aviation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F9F_Panther

Available: March 2016
http://www.ozmods-kits.com/aircraft-kits-1144

1/144 F-Toys WTM Vol.3 (IJA)

1/144 F-Toys WTM Vol.3 (IJA)

Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_2_Ka-Mi

Type 89 I-Go medium tank
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_89_I-Go

Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha medium tank - NOT the same Chi-Ha as the one from the OOP F-Toys' Battle Tank Collection Vol.2. This new one represents the improved Type 97 variant with a high velocity 47mm gun replacing the original low velocity 57mm gun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_97_ShinHoTo_Chi-Ha


Source: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10377928 and Smeg1959

1/144 Bachem Ba-349 A / Ba-349 M52/M58 - Brengun

1/144 Bachem Ba-349 A  and Bachem Ba-349 M52/M58  - Brengun
Brengun have released another set of interesting little kits, previously available in resin from Fozone, its not available in build and wallet friendly injected plastic, and comes with decals and two kits in a box.

for more info on the development and history of this aircraft:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachem_Ba_349

Bachem Ba-349 A Natter (two in box)
Catalog number: BRP144001
http://www.brengun.cz/e-shop/1-144-plastic-kits-32/bachem-ba-349-a-natter-(two-in-box)-1225


Bachem Ba-349 M52/M58 (two in box)
Catalog number: BRP144002
http://www.brengun.cz/e-shop/1-144-plastic-kits-32/bachem-ba-349-m52-m58-(two-in-box)-1226

Available: March 2016
Price: 12 Euro

Maybe there is some hope of seeing their B&V-40 in 144 too now?

1/144 Euro Jets Vol.2 - F-Toys

1/144 Euro Jets Vol.2 - F-Toys
A new set of "Euro" jets from F-Toys, expected release date "late March 2016"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_JAS_39_Gripen


- 1-A: MiG-29S Fulcrum C Russian Air Force technical training center
- 1-B: MiG-29S Fulcrum C Russian Air Force aerobatic team
- 1-C: MiG-29S Fulcrum C Ukraine Air Force
- 1-D: MiG-29S Fulcrum C Russian Air Force 28th fighter regiment
- 1-E: MiG-29S Fulcrum C Soviet Air Force 115th  fighter regiment
- 2-A: JAS39A / C Gripen Swedish Air Force
- 2-B: JAS39A / C Gripen Swedish Air Force
- 2-C: JAS39A / C Gripen Czech Air Force
- 2-D: JAS39A / C Gripen Hungary Air Force

Image Source: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10377915

1/144 Bugatti 100P & Type 75sc Atlantic- by MACH 3

1/144 Bugatti 100P & Type 75sc - by MACH 3

I love this aircraft and wanted a kit of this ever since i first stumbled across it on the web, the only trouble now is that i want two - one in blue and one in a military scheme!

This is a new release from by MACH 3, but only available at shows and via DAMEYA.net which will make it hard to get: http://www.dameya.net/shopdetail/000000000363

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Model_100
http://bugatti100p.com/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Type_57

2016 Fantastic Plastic 1/144

2016 Fantastic Plastic 1/144

Some interesting looking items, some are new for 2016, others carried over from 2015.
If you see something you like then it would probably help to reserve one upfront!?

http://fantastic-plastic.com/future-releases.html

http://fantastic-plastic.com/battle-beyond-the-stars-nell--catalog.html
http://fantastic-plastic.com/horten-xviiib-2---catalog.html
http://fantastic-plastic.com/kenneth-arnold-ufo---catalog.html
http://fantastic-plastic.com/nx-beta---catalog.html
http://fantastic-plastic.com/international-fleet-shuttle---catalog.html
http://fantastic-plastic.com/bartini-a-57-bomber---catalog.html

other 1/144 kits are still available here: http://fantastic-plastic.com/fantastic-plastic-models-online-catalog.html

1/144 Brewster F2A / Buffalo - by Mark I

1/144 Brewster F2A / Buffalo - by Mark I

The Brewster F2A Buffalo^[1] was an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications for aircraft carriers. The Buffalo won a competition against the Grumman F4F Wildcat in 1939 to become the U.S. Navy's first monoplane fighter aircraft. Although superior to the Grumman F3F biplane it replaced and the early F4Fs,^[2] the Buffalo was largely obsolete when the United States entered World War 2 being unstable and overweight, especially when compared to the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero.^[3]

Several nations, including Finland, Belgium, Britain and the Netherlands, ordered the Buffalo. Of all the users, the Finns were the most successful with their Buffalos, flying them in combat against early Soviet fighters with excellent results.^[4] During the Continuation War of 1941–1944, the B-239s (a de-navalized F2A-1) operated by the Finnish Air Force proved capable of engaging and destroying most types of Soviet fighter aircraft operating against Finland at that time and achieving in the first phase of that conflict 32 Soviet aircraft shot down for every B-239 lost,^[5] and producing 36 Buffalo "aces".^[6]

In December 1941, Buffalos operated by both British Commonwealth (B-339E) and Dutch (B-339D) air forces in South East Asia suffered severe losses in combat against the Japanese Navy's Mitsubishi A6M Zeroand the Japanese Army's Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar". The British attempted to lighten their Buffalos by removing ammunition and fuel and installing lighter guns to increase performance, but it made little difference.^[7]After the first few engagements, the Dutch halved the fuel and ammunition load in the wing, which allowed their Buffalos (and their Hurricanes) to stay with the Oscars in turns.^[8]

The Buffalo was built in three variants for the U.S. Navy, the F2A-1, F2A-2 and F2A-3. (In foreign service, with lower horsepower engines, these types were designated B-239, B-339, and B-339-23 respectively.) The F2A-3 variant saw action with United States Marine Corps (USMC) squadrons at the Battle of Midway. Shown by the experience of Midway to be no match for the Zero,^[2] the F2A-3 was derided by USMC pilots as a "flying coffin."^[9] However the F2A-3s performance was substantially inferior^[10] to the F2A-2 variant used by the Navy before the outbreak of the war despite detail improvements.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_F2A_Buffalo

New kits released in February 2016:
MKM14444 F2A-1 Buffalo/B-239 ‘Early Versions’ (2in1)
http://www.4pluspublications.com/en/scale-model-kits/mkm14444-f2a-1-buffalo-b-239

MKM14445 F2A-1 Buffalo/B-239 ‘Early Versions’ (2in1)
http://www.4pluspublications.com/en/scale-model-kits/mkm14445-f2a-2-buffalo-b-339-usbelgian

MKM14446 Buffalo Mk.I/B-339D 'Far East Service' (2in1)
http://www.4pluspublications.com/en/scale-model-kits/mkm14446-buffalo-mki-b-339-far-east

1/144 Mitsubishi A5M - Sweet

1/144 Mitsubishi A5M - Sweet


Mitsubishi A5M Soryu Fighter Corps 1938-1939
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10358706

Type 96 Carrier Fighter (A5M4) HOUKOKU-348 (1st Woman Teacher-GO)
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10371986