October 2013 Newsletter

Shed Models and Decals
This edition of TOTS has been a long time
coming for two reasons. Firstly, I have had
medical distractions in the shape of
dialysis and a kidney transplant and the
side effects of strong medication have
made modelling difficult. Secondly, TOTS
comes out when there are new models and
we can only afford to produce new models
when we get money back from the
previous ones and this is not happening.
The UK Post Office had a slogan some time
ago which was ‘Use it or lose it’. We are
in the same situation. Producing new
models costs a lot. I price my models to
break even when I have sold 40 so if you
take the price, multiply it by 40 and you will
know how much it costs. Sadly only 8 out
of the 54 models in my range have broken
even with the biplanes doing particularly
badly. The RE8, which Tommy described
as the best model he had ever made, has
sold only 11!
They have to be aircraft that will sell. This
means that without the TOTS producers you
will have a limited diet of 737s, F16s and the
like. The rare, experimental and interesting will
not be produced.
I have several models on my workbench ready
to be produced. I can only show you the
masters and some will be assembled before
casting.
Firstly, I have new Sea Dart. I fear that people
will say they already have one but modern
models are very different from early ones. Here
is the master for the Sea Dart.
I have to decide whether I can afford to
produce any of the other biplanes for
which I already have the masters. The
cost of rubber for moulds and metal has
rocketed although we have not raised
prices.
I am aware that the growing range of
models from China make ours look
expensive but I would ask you to consider
the following. Chinese models are great
value but are made with compromises for
mass production, often gaps between
wings and fuselage, and some details like
panel lines over emphasised.
When Tommy did the master for the earlier
model he tended to use Putnams for the plans
and there was not a suitable Putnam for him to
use. The plans he found obviously assumed the
Sea Dart had the same nose as the F106 and
the model had no skids. The new one has a
correct nose and has the option of twin skids
or a single skid.
Any one who thinks these models are an
investment for collectors will be
disappointed. Dinkys were sold and used
as toys and quickly broken so survivors
became collectable. Chinese models are
bought by collectors and rarely leave the
box. In 25 years time, out of every 10,000
models made, 9,750 will still be around.
The 11 RE8s will still be only 11. Which will
be the collectable models? It is very rare
for any model mentioned in TOTS to
exceed a production run of 50 and most
are closer to 20.
This is the real thing
The other point with Chinese models is that
Here is the old and the new model
Many of the people involved with the Skylancer
thought that if it had been re-engined it would
have been superior to the Phantom.
The next models will be the Armstrong
Whitworth Meteor NF11, NF12, NF13 and NF14.
The masters are elsewhere at the moment so I
will show pictures later.
A new Supermarine Walrus is next and the
decals should include some colourful civil
options.
The intakes and exhaust on the new model
are separate to allow depth of hole.
The next new model is the Douglas Skylancer.
As far as I know, no 1/200 model of this has
been made before. The Skylancer was
basically the area ruled corrected Skyray
(think F102 to F106) and was a very fine
aircraft. Only four were built but they had a
busy and colourful life with NACA and NASA.
I hope to give several decal options for several
of these schemes.
The top wing is missing as it is elsewhere at the
moment. Don’t be put off by the fact it is a
biplane. The models are designed to go
together easily and they are very strong when
finished.
Hawker Hunters F6 and F9 will be next.
The Hunter will be largely assembled
before casting.
Many people had their first experience of
flight in a DH Fox Moth flying from a beach
or playing field. This can be made with a
closed or open cockpit.
I am also waiting for the master of the Saunders
Roe SR N1 hovercraft to arrive. The computer
design is as follows
I hope that the DH 86 Express will be as
popular as Wojtek’s lovely Dragon Rapide.
This kit will allow both DH 86A and DH 86B
to be made with and without end plates on
the tailplane.
I hope you will see something that you like and
support these models when they are released.
There are a few new decals in the Shed Decals
range. Don’t forget to get the base decals if
they are required. Price lists follow.
Machining tabs and flash have yet to be
cleaned from the masters.
I have often been told by people who like
dioramas that they would like some GA
models for the backgrounds so I am doing
a Cessna 172. This will have options as a
military trainer and civilian aircraft. I hope
those who have asked for this will buy it as
other requests have not produced sales.
This is a bumper edition of TOTS and I am
delighted to welcome Ben Godlington and
Martin Beacom to the group of producers. Ben
is presenting his first model, a Grob Tutor.
Martin has produced superb models for many
years under the Small World title but they were
only available finished through one outlet. He
is trying a new range, available as kits or
finished models and available directly from
Martin. I am also grateful for contributions from
regular readers. Please support us all so we
can continue to offer you a wide range of
interesting and different models.
Happy modelling
Chris
1/200 scale metal model aircraft kits. Kits include decals and many include etched brass parts
and rubber tyres.
Airco DH 9a
£18
Avro Bison II
Avro 504K
£17
BAC TSR2 £22
Beech 18 float £18
Beech 18 ski £17
Beech 18 wheel £17
Blackburn Blackburn £20
Boulton Paul Overstrand £25
Boulton Paul Sidestrand £25
Bristol Belvedere £20
Bristol Sycamore £15
Bristol Sycamore BEA £15
Bristol 138a £22
DH Sea Vixen FAW1 £25
Fleet colours
DH Sea Vixen FAW 1 £25
Special colours
DH Sea Vixen FAW2 £25
Fleet colours
DH Sea Vixen FAW2 £25
Special colours
English Electric P1A £15
Fairey Long Range £22
Monoplane
Fairey Rotodyne £29
Fairey Rotodyne BEA £29
Fieseler Storch £16
Flying Flea £3
Fouga Magister £12
GA Jindivik/Pika £12
Handley Page £28
O/100 O/400
Hunting 126 £15
NA Mitchell B/C £19
RE8 £18
Saro SR53 £15
Saro SR 177 £16
Scottish Aviation £16
Pioneer
Scottish Aviation £20
Twin Pioneer
Short SB4 Sherpa £12
Short SC1 £12
Short Seamew £16
Short Sturgeon £19
Sikorsky Hoverfly £15
Sikorsky Hoverfly £16
float
Sikorsky S55 early £18
Sikorsky S55 mid £18
Sikorky S55 float £19
Supermarine £15
Spiteful/Seafang
Westland Walrus £20
Westland Whirlwind £18
early
Westland Whirlwind £18
Mid
Westland Whirlwind £18
BEA
Westland Whirlwind £18
turbine
NB Islander
NB Turbine Islander
NA Mitchell J £19
£19
£20
Avro C30 Rota
£19
Postage for one kit is £3 UK and £4rest of world. Larger
numbers at cost, please enquire
£15
NB Trislander
PTO
£20
FMC B450 tug
£5
Cub wheel and float £15
Sikorsky H34/S58 Choctaw
Coleman MB4 tug
£5
Super Cub
wheel and float
£15
Sikorsky S58T £20
£20
£6
North American B25H
£19
Westland HSS-1 Wessex
£20
Westland Wessex early nose
Westland Wessex late nose
£20
£20
Gloster Javelin £25
Hafner Rotabuggy
Saunders Roe Saro SR.A/1
Westland Welkin £18
Leduc 021 £18
£20
North American T28
Trojan/Fennec £18
Percival Pembroke £20
Postage £3 per kit UK, £4 rest
of world. Multiple kits postage
at cost.
Next models to be cast
Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11, 12, 13, 14, Supermarine Walrus, Hawker
Hunter F6, F9, Convair Sea Dart, Douglas Skylancer, Cessna 172, DH Fox
Moth, DH 86A and B Express, Saunders Roe SN R1 hovercraft
Masters in hand awaiting decision about production
Airco DH16, Beech Kansan, Boeing B17, Bristol F2B,
Curtiss Jenny, DH60 Gypsy Moth, Fairey Albacore,
Fairey
Gordon, Fairey IIIF float, Fairey IIIF wheel, Nieuport Fighter,
Sikorsky R5, Vickers Valentia, Vickers Victoria, Vickers
Vildebeest, Vickers Vincent, Westland Dragonfly, Westland
Wallace, Westland Wapiti float, Westland Wapiti wheel.
Models in red are biplanes, production depends on how
other biplanes sell. Construction is very straightforward.
We are using a new way of supplying decals combining laser printed and waterslide decals. Laser printing is very accurate and avoids
the registration problems that screen printing often has with small roundels and marking. The ink is waterproof so needs no top varnish
and the decal is very thin. There are two problems. One is that white cannot be printed; the other is that the ink is not very opaque. They
work well on white and silver surfaces but need a white backing for others.
In the shed system you buy the laser printed top decal but also buy waterslide white decals to use as a base. Again, these are very thin.
On a light surface put down one layer of white then the top decal. On a dark surface or where the decal is over a colour boundary put
down two layers. Even with three layers, two base and one top, the decals are so thin they can hardly be felt on the model surface. The
total cost is less than that of a comparable full colour screen printed decal.The decal used here is so thin that on clear decal sheet it does
not have to be cut closely to the markings as long as there is a final coat of varnish on the model.
White Base Sheets
Each white base sheet is A5 sized and has hundreds of decals.
Five are available at £2.50 per sheet.
98% round discs for roundels
110% round discs for roundels with white outer ring
Stars
Stars and bars
Modern Chinese stars and bars
Laser Printed Top Sheets
Each top sheet is letter size (11” x 8”) and contains hundreds of markings.
Decal type
Base sheets needed
Price
RFC, RAF early (A, A1 and B type)
98% and 110% round
£12
RAF WWII (B, C, C1 type)
98% round
£12
RAF post war (D type)
98% round
£12
RAF 2 colour low viz
98% round
£12
RAF 2 and 3 colour very pale low viz
98% round
£12
SEAC (South East Asia Command)
98% round
£12
Japanese hinomarus (fresh & faded)
98% and 110% round
£12
French 3 colour
98% round
£12
French 4 colour (yellow outer)
98% round
£12
Belgian
98% round
£12
Spanish
98% round
£12
Italian post war and Co-Belligerent
98% round
£12
Italian WWII and ANR
Includes white base decals
£15
Luftwaffe WWII
Includes white base decals
£15
German WWI
Includes white base decals
£15
Soviet stars
Star base decals
£12
Chinese WWII, RCAF, PLAAF
Chinese stars and bars and 98% round
£12
US stars and bars
Stars and bars
£12
US pre stars and bars
Commonwealth Air Forces
98% round
In preparation - needs 98% round
£12
£?
Area decal sheets
Each top sheet is letter size (11” x 8”) and contains hundreds of markings in many sizes.
Countries
Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark
Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia
India, Pakistan, Iran, UAE
Austria, Netherlands, Czech, Switzerland
Romania, Portugal, Ireland (3 versions)
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru
Greece, Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria
Pacific WWII, BPF, NZ, Australia
North and South Vietnam and Korea
Base decals needed
98% round
98% round
98% round
98% round
98% round
98% round
98% round
98% round, stars and bars
98% round, stars and bars
Cost
£12
£12
£12
£12
£12
£12
£12
£12
£12
The middle east sheet is from the 6 day war period although only the Egyptian markings changed
later. The North Vietnam markings have been changed very slightly to fit the stars and bars base
decals. It would be unaffordable to do N Vietnam base decals.
Where there are fin flashes or markings these will be included printed on white decal paper and so
will need to be cut out very accurately - scalpel and steel rule are ideal. This avoids doing
expensive base decals for fin flashes that are small flag shapes.
Individual countries are available (see next page) but the most economical way to buy the decals is
as area sheets as the individual countries are parts of the area sheets.
National decal sheets
Most are a quarter of a regional sheet
Country
Base decals needed (extra)
Cost
Albania
98% round
£5
Argentina
98% round
£5
Australia WWII Pacific
98% round
£3
Austria
98% round
£5
Bolivia
98% round
£5
British Pacific Fleet WWII
Stars and Bars
£5
Bulgaria
98% round
£5
Czech
98% round
£5
Denmark
98% round
£5
Ecuador
98% round
£5
Egypt
98% round
£5
Finland
98% round
£5
Greece
98% round
£5
India
98% round
£5
Iran
98% round
£5
Ireland (3 versions)
98% round
£8
Israel
98% round
£5
Jordan
98% round
£5
Netherlands
98% round
£5
New Zealand WWII Pacific
Stars and Bars, 98% round
£8
North Korea
98% round
£5
North Vietnam
Stars and Bars
£5
Norway
98% round
£5
Pakistan
98% round
£5
Peru
98% round
£5
Portugal
98% round
£5
Romania
98% round
£5
Saudi Arabia
98% round
£5
South Korea
Stars and Bars
£5
South Vietnam
Stars and Bars
£5
Sweden
98% round
£5
Switzerland
98% round
£5
Syria
98% round
£5
Turkey
98% round
£5
UAE
98% round
£5
Smaller sheets (half size)
These are A5 size and have hundreds of marking in a wide range of sizes
Countries
Poland
Dutch East Indies
Finland WWII
East Germany
Indonesia
Iraq 1931 - 2003
Mexico
Naval Anchors
British Prototype markings
Base decals needed
None - white decal paper
None - white decal paper
98% Round
None - white decal paper
None - white decal paper
None - white decal paper
None - white decal paper
None - fits on existing decal
None - screen printed decals
Cost
£6
£6
£6
£6
£6
£6
£6
£6
£6
Myanmar (Burma)
Brazil
None - white decal paper
98% round
£6
£6
Romania WWII
None - white decal paper
£6
When a marking is a straight edged geometric shape, as some above, it will be printed on white
decal paper. These must be cut out very accurately.
Code letters and numbers
RAF WWII Set consists of well over a thousand characters on four sheets in five sizes
and three font styles consisting of white base sheet and light grey, sky and dull red top sheets
for £15
RAF Postwar Set consists of well over a thousand characters in five sizes on two sheets
consisting of white base sheet and black top sheet for £10
Note. Other colours can be printed by request for either set. Please enquire about price.
US Markings
There are also three sheets of screen printed decals available as follows at £5 per sheet
US low viz marks
US Navy, Marines and Army titles and marks in black, blue, yellow and white. The
white ones are hard to see and are identical to the row above.
USAF titles and marks in four colours. Again, the hard to see white are like the row
above.
……………………………………………………………………….
Postage is £2 in UK or £3 rest of world for single sheet. Postage for larger numbers is at
cost, please ask.
Cloudbreak Models
Autumn 2013
As summer fades away and easterly winds
start to blow leaves off the trees, our
thoughts turn to Telford and the biggest
model show in the World.
Paul and I are looking forward to meeting
old friends and making new ones, and hope
our offerings will be too good to resist!
(Always the eternal optimist)
This year, Cloudbreak hope to announce two
new models at Telford.
Due to technical problems with some
aspects of casting, we were unable to
complete and photograph finished
examples in time for this edition of the
TOTS newsletter. However, some test
castings were assembled and photographed
in the “raw state” to give readers an idea of
what’s in store.
The DH 114 Heron
was a
development of the DH Dove. Apart from
the obvious external differences of extra
engines and a stretched fuselage, the Heron
shared many components of the Dove. To
keep the aircraft as simple as possible, the
first series had a fixed undercarriage.
Later aircraft were fitted with a retractable
undercarriage, and underwent various
modifications to the engines and airframe.
Our models are of the series 1 version, and
a later series 2 version.
Decals will include R.A.F., RN, and various
civil airline schemes.
The HS 125 was another aircraft originally
from the De Havilland stable.
A very successful aircraft, the 125 was developed
into many variants to suit the needs of the civil
and military markets. In the R.A.F.as the
Dominie T Mk 1, it served as a navigation and
other crew members trainer, retiring after 46
years service!
We are offering two versions of the HS 125, the
Series 1/1A and the Dominie T Mk 1.
Decals will include various civil operators,
R.A.F. and the R.A.E.
The R.A.E. operated a single civil HS 125 Series
1, (XW930) but modified with the ventral fin of
the Dominie T Mk 1.
Included in the R.A.E. version is the prominent
“lance” and ventral antenna.
Other News:
New decals are available for the Goose
(Bahamas Airways) and the Lockheed
L10 Electra (Varig).
Photos of some of the schemes for the Heron
and the HS 125.
Looking forward to seeing as many of you
as possible at Telford.
Best wishes for Christmas and the New
Year!
Wojtek
Cloudbreak Models November 2013
1/200 scale white metal model kits
Auster IV/V (Lycoming)
Auster Autocrat not available at present
Noorduyn Norseman (wheels or floats)
Miles Martinet TT1
Miles 37 (2 seat Training version of Miles Martinet)
Hawker Henley TT3
£12.00
£12.00
£15.00
£12.00
£12.00
£12.00
De Havilland 89 Dragon Rapide (RAF/RN/other civil decals)*
£18.00
DHC Otter (Can.Pacific/USN/US Army decals)
£15.00
Percival Mew Gull, G-AEXF, Alex Henshaw Cape record
£10.00
E.E.Canberra kit, full set of RAF decals
£22.00
Antonov AN2 kit, Aeroflot ‘Arctic Polar’ decals or Polish AF
£23.00
SEPECAT Jaguar
£25.00
Grumman Goose, British Guiana Airways, USN, USCG, Bahamas Airways
£18.00
Lockheed L10 Electra, British Airways Ltd., LOT Polish Airlines, TCA
Panair do Brasil
£20.00
Lockheed L14 Super Electra, British Airways Ltd., LOT Polish Airlines,
TCA
£21.00
New! De Havilland 114 Heron Series 1 (fixed u/c) Dan-Air
£25.00
New! De Havilland 114 Heron Series 2, RAF, RN, various civil schemes
£25.00
New! Hawker Siddeley 125 Series 1
£29.00
New ! Hawker Siddeley Dominie T Mk 1
£29.00
*re DH89 Rapide. A selection of civil decals are now available, including:
BEA, Air France, British Eagle, Island Air Services, Malayan Airways.
Cloudbreak Models now have available a limited quantity of Avro 748 kits.
£39.00
E.E.Canberra model adapted to take different noses –
Available: T.11/19, B 6 (Mod) – long and short nose and T22
£22.00
For more information about any model, please contact me at
[email protected]
For information and details of all the other main producers, visit
www.the-one-true-scale.co.uk
METALMODELS NEWS
It’s been a busy summer for MetalModels! Thanks to your great support I’ve
built and dispatched over 85 models so far this year, and expect to increase
the total to 100+ plus by Christmas.
Production has been split between the ‘Golden Age’ series and a final round-up
of old favourites in the ‘Speed in the Air’ series.
Now I’m looking ahead to next year, when I hope to release the first of a new
range of USAF jet fighters – the F-80 Shooting Star, F-84 Thunderjet and the
F-86A Sabre (with lots more to follow). The masters for these three were
produced by the late Tommy Atkins and have been detailed by Wojtek
Benzinski, to whom I am most grateful. The mould-making is now well
underway but the transfers (decals) designs are still to be done.
I have to make time for preparing the transfer artwork. This means that after
completing the orders that are currently in hand I will have to suspend all
modelmaking, to focus on getting the transfers done. I expect to finish the
present orders by the end of the year and to be working on the transfers by
January.
I anticipate a high demand for the new models, leaving little time for the older
products, so I am also now withdrawing the whole ‘Speed in the Air’ series
from the catalogue.
The ‘Airpower’ and ‘Golden Age’ ranges will remain but priority will be given
to the fighters.
Out of interest, the ‘Speed in the Air’ records show that I’ve made 101 of the
S6B models since its launch in 1991, while just 43 of its MC-72 companion
have flown away from the MetalModels studio.
With fingers-crossed then I look forward to some exciting new releases next
year!
I would also like to say a big “Thankyou!” to all of you for three things:
Thank you for your constant support and kind comments about the models.
Believe me, they are very welcome and keep me going!
Thank you for buying the models!
Thank you for always paying so promptly! Truly the 1/200th fraternity is
second to none in this regard.
Happy landings,
Derek.
P.S. If you want to see an entertaining little film about early F-86s, enter ‘The
F86’s are here – 1953’ in your browser. It’s on YouTube.
METALMODELS – FOR SALE
I have one only of each of the following models for sale, sitting on
the shelf ready for mailing:
Speed in the Air:
Supermarine S6B Schneider trophy floatplane
GBP
Gloster-Whittle E28/39, Britain’s pioneer jet
Bell X-1, first through the Sound-barrier
Douglas X-3, futuristic-looking research aircraft
Macchi-Castoldi MC-72 floatplane, world record holder
49.00
39.00
25.00
39.00
55.00
Golden Age:
Ryan NYP, Lindbergh’s transatlantic aircraft
39.00
Boeing 247D, Boeing grey, NC13347 Western Air Express 39.00
Boeing 247D, Boeing grey, NC13366 United Airlines
39.00
Heinkel He.70 ‘Blitz’, Lufthansa, silver with swastika fin
36.00
Heinkel He.70 ‘Blitz’, early Lufthansa, silver with striped fin (no
swastika)
36.00
Heinkel He.70 ‘Blitz’, first Lufthansa machine, silver with striped
fin (no swastika) and ‘D-3’ registration, record-breaking aircraft
36.00
Northrop Alpha, silver/red, TWA mail-plane
36.00
Lockheed 9 Orion, red/gold/silver TWA mail-plane
39.00
Lockheed 9 Orion, white/red Varney Speed Lanes
39.00
One only of each – photos on request – postage extra
eMail: [email protected]
Tel: 01603-453650 (++44-1603-453650 from outside UK)
194 Grange Drive Swindon ,
Swindon SN3 4JZ,
United Kingdom
Telephone: 01793 822277
Email: [email protected]
On-Line Store : http://helmet-Aircraft-200.com
I am pleased to inform you that we now have both the Hawker Fury and the DH88 Tiger Moth back in stock
Both Models are available as Finished Models or in Kit format
The Hawker Fury is available currently in 4 Finishes
1) No 1 Squadron RAF Tangmere1932
2) No 43 Squadron RAF Tangmere 1932
3) No 5 Flying School RAF Sealand 1938 ( Yellow and Silver)
4) No 43 Squadron RAF Tangmere October 1938 ( Brown/ Green Camouflage)
The Kits include decals for the first three options.
Prices: Finished Models £30, Kits £12
The Tiger Moth is available both in standard RAF Training
Yellow, RAF Camouflage with Yellow underside, and RAF
Silver. Further to this many Private Owner colour schemes
have been used on this type of aircraft, I would be quite happy
to apply any of these schemes if something special is required.
Prices Finished Models £30, Kits £12
We also have in stock a completely new reworked Lockheed Hudson Mk1, courtesy of Wojtek from Cloud
Models , This is a really nice model, and will supply it in any requested finish
Prices Finished Models £55, Kits £21
In addition to the above I should also mention that we continue to review the offerings of finished models in
an attempt to make them as authentic as possible,
Further to this we are also reviewing the quality of each of the some 200 masters we own with a view to
updating or replacing if necessary any that we do not think meet today’s expected standards. We have
already commissioned replacements of the Bristol Blenheim Mk1 and the North American Mustang P51D.
These we expected to have before the end of the year, but unfortunately Martin Decarli who was doing this
work for us was involved in an accident recently and will be in hospital for some 3 months, so we will have
to be patient to receive these two models.
However we shall continue with other aspects of this exercise with re-casting of some of our other models
that we feel already meet the expected criteria but are out of stock, and hopefully will be of interest to our
customers.
If you would like to have a copy of the full list of models we have the potential to supply, please send me an
email requesting a list and I will gladly supply one. And any feedback of particular interests will be more
than welcome, as it will assist us in determining those models we should re-stock
Best regards
Paul Howard
HBM 1/200 News – October 2013
From Ron Crawford [email protected]. 735
Quaker Village Road
Weybridge, Vermont
USA 05753
Naval Gazing Department. By far the most exciting developments are taking place on the high seas front.
Let’s see…..
Just in from Mel Douyette/Cold War Submarines is a dandy model of the SS-192 Sailfish
(formerly Squalus). Those of us who read the accounts of saving crew members of Squalus and
later raising the boat are especially pleased. The more cynical collector can also claim getting 2 boats for
one, as well as one of the more successful USN fleet boats in WWII.
(Photo) Next up from Mel should be the Type VIIC U-Boat, followed by the peroxide powered (but not
blonde) X-1, a Type VIIC/1941, and perhaps a surprise midget boat. Be sure to visit their web site, as you
can order from an enormous range of US submarine patterns.
SS-192 Sailfish (formerly Squalus)
Trumpeter/Merit International seems to have made a major commitment to 1:200. After starting with the
USS Arizona., Trumpeter has brought out the German battleship Bismark, and Just on the market is the CV8 Hornet with both the Doolittle Tokyo Raider B-25’s and a conventional air group of F4F Wildcat, TBD
Devastator, and SBD Dauntless aircraft. The air groups will also be available as separate catalog items. Up
next is the battleship Missouri. And I just noticed on the Cybermodeller Online web site that a CV-6
Enterprise has been announced. Don’t bet against an Essex Class CV or a Titanic not far down the road.
1/200 CV-8 Hornet kit! By Trumpeter/Merit
Tehnoart <www.tehnoart.eu>have brought out a DM-34 Aaron Ward minesweeper to match their Sumner
Class DD’s, along with a Gearing Class DD. Check with them for other available models. I do not have an
update on their Japanese carrier Akagi. Check out the gorgeous ships
on the Tehnoart web site.
In that vein I have for sale a brand new Tehnoart USS Walke DD-723 in postwar colours. The model has
never been out of it’s shipping container. I ordered the Walke in WWII markings and received the postwar
by mistake. It really deserves a loving home.
Brand new still crated DD723 Walke for sale – talk to Ron
Tehnoart Factory Photo of a finished DD723 without ugly packing case
in 1942 trim with the cut
down superstructure. Important because that hull can be used to make all the USN boats
that served right up to the accession of Albacore hulled nukes. The Nautilus conversion
kits for the Revell Lionfish fit these extremely well.
Riich Models has another 1/200 USN WWII fleet sub out, a SS-212 Gato
Riich Models 1/200 USN Fleet Sub
The HBM Flower Class Corvette has been moving slowly forward. We have decided to model the boat
with the maximum amount of detail, as well as with the hallmark short and long forecastles. Realistically
we will be happy to have kits available a year hence.
Northstar and Aber (at least) have been introducing very nice 1/200 crew figures that are actually in or very
near 1/200. I get them from Free Time Hobbies. Just out is a photo-etched fret depicting Hitler inspecting a
U-boat crew.
One more HBM naval item. I have here a built-up example of the Sterling Models USS Missouri
in WWII trim. It is still in the corrugated cardboard packing that brought it to me from eBay. Given
a choice between finding a bargain Tehnoart Missouri, building the new Trumpeter kit, and restoring the
rd
Sterling model, the Sterling consistently finishes in a distant 3 place. The Sterling Missouri is thus an
AUTUMN CLEARANCE SALE item. If you come and get it, it is FREE. It is still free if shipped, but
you would be looking at $200+ costs for crating and shipping.
Fine Art Models is bringing out the Italian battleship Roma. It will be museum quality and a fantastic way
to get a couple of really nice and very rare floatplanes. They look like a Reggiane and an IMAM. Fine Art
is quoting $16,500 US. You can find a big photo file on the Fine Art web site.
Fine Arts Model Roma detail
….and the Reggiane
If you enjoy building card models, firms like GPM offer an enormous choice of model warships and
civilian vessels, including photoetched and machined brass detail parts. Keep in mind that even card kits in
other scales can easily and economically be re-scaled to 1:200 by any printing or blueprinting shop. I will
include a photo of a card model 1:200 Roma, but for full effect you should really check out the fully
illustrated build report at
http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/ships-watercraft/10334-gpm-roma-1-200-a.html. To give an
illustration of the available choice, Surf over to http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/shipswatercraft/24757-aircraft-carrier-builds.html. That is a thread in which card modelers list approximately 40
aircraft carriers in card kits.
GPM Card model of Roma in 1/200. (Gulp!!! Papers definitely in order.)
Thus endeth the naval portion of our report. Readers who have not succumbed to shock and amazement
or fatigue will note that we continue with info on the …..
Aeroplane Front – (Who said “Finally???)
New HBM 1/200 Aircraft Department. We have been sending out the latest models as castings arrive. We
are really happy with our new casting maker’s quality, but the production has been slowed both by medical
problems and competing priorities at their end. Please understand. We are all doing our best. I promise you
will not get left out if you have a standing order. The models in current production go back most of a year,
so please pardon any redundant pictures or descriptions.
Taking the new models individually, here is what is happening:
The Douglas AD-1 Skyraider is my personal all time favorite naval aircraft, serving in the attack role
from Korea past the fall of Vietnam. Rugged, reliable, and packing the punch of a WWII heavy bomber, the
Skyraider was a beast, and it bought its pilots home. The Douglas XTB2D Skypirate was the final
evolution of the carrier-borne torpedo bomber. It would have carried 4-6
fish – enough to ruin the day of any task force or convoy. The Northrop BT-1 was a standard pre- WWII
scout bomber, eventually replaced by the SBD Dauntless.
AD-1, BT-1,XTB2D masters
The Xian JH-7 /FBC-1 Flying Leopard is a 2-seater subsonic fighter bomber in current use by the
Chinese Air Force.
FBC-1 master model with final mod’s
The Shenyang J-31 stealth fighter jet may also become a fixture on the new Chinese carriers. It’s close
resemblance to the F-35 is anything but coincidental. We were not happy with our first effort at the J.31, so
we remastered it. This model is free to anyone who bought the first iteration.
J.31 JSF Clone
The Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning was a brute designed originally to provide a long range bomber
escort with the horrific punch of a 75mm cannon or 4 X 37mm cannon. It is the first of what will be a
series of historic American prototype aircraft.
Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning master model
The Hughes XF-11 was Howard Hughes’ idea for a competitor for the XR-12/XP-12 Rainbow. That is,
a very fast, long range, piston-engined reconnaissance machine. Howard personally crashed the XF-11
prototype, badly modifying both the plane and himself.
Hughes XF-11 Master Model
The Republic XF-12/XR-12 Rainbow, photo-reconnaissance aircraft aside from showing a shocking turn
of speed, was also drop-dead beautiful. I rank it with the Bugatti Racer for pulchritude. An airliner version
was projected. Like the XF-11, the Rainbow class of aircraft was ultimately superseded by jets.
Rainbow master model
The Sikorsky S-42 was the iconic Clipper flying boat glamorized in “Flying Down to Rio”. It was the
mainstay of Pan Am’s service to Latin America. Only nine S-42’s were built, but their contribution to the
romance of flying was important.
Sikorsky S-42 Clipper
The Martin M-130 Clipper was another beautiful flying boat that served on Pan Am’s over water flights.
Three M-130’s served on the Pacific Routes. Two of those served with the US Navy until they were lost in
service.
Martin 130 Clipper
The Boeing B-314 was by far the most successful of the Clippers. Six 314’s and 6 improved 314A’s were
built. The Boeing’s power, range and payload made it far superior for long distance intercontinental
routes. Four of Pan Am’s nine 314’s were impressed by the USAAF and one by the US Navy. Imperial
Airways/BOAC received the remaining three.
Boeing 314 Clipper
Future HBM Release Department. By popular demand we will be making a Grumman Mallard flying boat.
There are still a few NASA X-Planes to be completed as available information permits. We surely wish Jay
Miller would extend the coverage of his wonderful X-Planes books with a new edition. While waiting, our
major thrust will be developing models of the US military aircraft that never appeared in 1/200 or in some
instances in any scale. Cruise (can one “surf” hard copy?) the wonderful US aircraft directories by Lloyd
Jones and ER Johnson, and you’ll see lots of great possibilities. The XP-69, XP-71, and XP-77 are closest to
production. After those the Grumman Mallard should follow. After those we are working on a mini-series of
Consolidated fighters. If you have pined for something like the Boeing XB-15, the XB-16, or the Y1B-17, be
of good cheer.
Master models of the XP-77, XP-71, XP-69 – Yes the XP-69 was HUGE.
Other Aircraft News
Atlas Verlag threw collectors a surprise curve ball. After advertising a whole series of airliners in operating
colours, and releasing at least small quantities of a very nicely painted Junkers Ju 52 in the summer of 2012,
Atlas changed approaches and announced a Silver Classics series of nickel plated 1:200 airliners. It reminds
me of the Danbury Mint aircraft collection, but at least the releases thus far are in a common 1/200 scale.
The giant Dornier Do-X flying boat is the most welcome. Other models to date are the Caravelle, Ju 52,
Lockheed Super Connie, Focke-Wulf FW 200 Condor, and Fokker Friendship. I personally hope they will
recreate some of the old Lufthansa Junkers, Heinkel, Fokker, etc. airliners of the 1930’s. The world does not
really need more DC-3’s and DC-6’s.
Plated Atlas Do-X
Atlas Ju 52/3m
Armaments in Miniature (AIM) continues to add many models to their range. The next several releases
will be the MiG-21F-13, Sea Hawk, Vampire, Hunter, Gnat, F-104, B-57, Ouragan and Canberra. Shortly
after those you will see a family of B-17’s, a B-24J, a PB4Y Privateer, and a set of nice FW 190 fighters. A
fair number are revamped HBM and other resins that at least in my case are used with my consent and
encouragement. Dave is systematically updating and improving the models, and his castings are bubble-free
and crisp. And he is honest. My take on this is that it is the only way a new collector can achieve coverage
of the well known, popular
types, allowing guys like me to concentrate on the offbeat and obscure types. Save some extra positive
thoughts for Dave, who is also dealing with illness in his family.
Wings of Glory (Ares Games) continue to release more nicely finished plastic WWII fighting planes
aimed at wargamers. At about $10 for a fighter on a nice stand, they are an unbeatable bargain. The
September releases are three variants each of the Nakajima Ki.84 Frank, North American P-51D Mustang,
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX,, and Focke-Wulf FW 190D. An F4U Corsair has been reported. Attached are
pictures of test shots at a toy fair. You can see pictures of the finished models on web sites like Cool Stuff
and 12-7 Games.
WofG FW 190D
WoG Ki.84 Frank
WoG P-51D
WoG Spitfire Mk.IX
The most prolific output in recent years has appeared on Shapeways. Do a search using terms like “1:200”
and “Z-scale”, and you will be shocked. 3D printing or other additive production methods are probably the
only way difficult subjects like triplane floatplanes with multiple suspended motor nacelles will be available
to most collectors at affordable prices. After you look at the models labelled as 1/200 or near, do some
further scanning using search terms like “WWI” and “AFV”. A lot will be in neighboring scales like 1/285
and 1/144, but remember that the joy of 3D printing is that most models can be resized with a few
keystrokes. And Shapeways clones are popping up all over the settled galaxy. 3D printing does have its
drawbacks. All designers in this infant field are emphatically not created equal in skill. All printers are also
not created equal. The top end machines are approaching the capability of machine work, but typically you
will see much less refinement. Be prepared to fill irregularities or steps between printed layers and to do a
fair amount of detailing yourself. And handle the more complex models with extreme care. The struts are
VERY fragile.
Train Model News
Trains Department. OK. I admit there may only a few of us TOTS-persons who really care, but be tolerant.
I have to admit I am really tickled to see Atlas Verlag continue to release more and more trains in their
Z-scale “collection”. As a recovered Z-scale railroader the Atlas trains, which
are fully finished and nicely detailed but have no motors or operating features, are a way to do what I could
never do using the Märklin, Trix, and other operating railroad models. They force me in a nice way to admit
that all I really want is a display of the history of railroad trains. The other attraction of the Z gauge trains is
that the model railroaders are constantly bringing out all sorts of human and animal figures, vehicles,
structures, and scenic details.
Ron’s Help Wanted List Department .
I must have been a latecomer to the Atlas Verlag/Editions Atlas trains. Can anyone help me find the
“TEE Edelweiss,” or “ Settebello”,sets. They appeared in 2011 or later, presumably after the “Orient
Express”. See images below.
Atlas “ Settebello”
Atlas TEE “ Edelweiss”
I am also looking for a Märkli n Z (or other Z-gauge) locomotive and passenger cars for the New York
Central streamlined steam engine train of the early 1940’s. The Märklin loco is numbered 88075. This
was the very distinctive train on which my father came home from the Pacific during WWII. Historically it
is interesting because it bridges the transition between the classic steam engines and the diesel-electrics. A
used or even inoperative example would be fine.
I am still looking for information about the series of 1:200 jet fighters developed by Cruver Mfg. In
Chicago in the late 1950’s. The F-94 Starfire and F-86D Sabre Dog are the only types I have seen, but the
investment in steel tooling convinces me that this must have been part of a larger series. Was Cruver
preparing to offer 1 /200 ID models? Or was Cruver looking to offer a right- sized alternative for modellers
and collectors? Or was one of the guys in the back room just amusing himself?
Can anyone help with either photos or top view drawings of the SSX-1 (or X-1), the peroxide powered
midget submarine made by Fairchild for the USN? The original is in the outdoor display area of the
Submarine Museum in Groton, Connecticut. If anyone lives nearby or is passing by, please bring your
digital camera and blaze away. You might enjoy the museum as well. The actual SSN-571 Nautilus can be
toured, and there is a great display of models that must be near our scale.
Have any readers had experience with 3D laser scanning? I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that laser
scanning a large scale model and reducing the scale digitally would enable much more detailed and accurate
3D printed or machined models than working from 2D plans and photos. And much more efficiently. Think
of all your friends with attics or basements full of dusty 1/72 and 1/48 models languishing in the forlorn
hope of someday being reincarnated in a domestically friendly scale. Just the thought brings tears to my eyes
and sweat to my palms.
Does anyone have advance information on what Hogan-Herpa-Gulliver are planning for historic military
aircraft? We have seen gorgeous models of the B-17G, Zeke 52, and Betty, but without any evidence that
those may presage a major initiative in something other than modern jet fighters and jet airliners in ever
evolving color scheme choices.
Decal help needed. Can anyone steer us either to a printing company or a do-it-yourself decal system that
will reliably print white markings by themselves or as part of multi-color markings? Ideally we would like to
be able to develop press-down “Letraset” marking sheets on clear carrier films, but we are open to
suggestions. We also need to take into account the small volume inherent in designing 1/200 decals.
An editorial postscript. Some readers have asked me why my scribblings do not cover the great new
models appearing from Shed, Cloudburst, Helmet Aircraft, Hai, Herpa-Hogan- Gulliver, and other
ranges. The answer, in a nutshell, is that those folks all do a great job of speaking for themselves. Our HBM
Newsletter is part of a worldwide effort to represent and promote 1/200 modelling. It is a digital magazine
called The One True Scale, or TOTS. All you have to do is send an email to Chris Sayer
[email protected] and ask to be put on the mailing list. It is absolutely free, and you will be
joining some 400+ readers who follow developments in our scale. There is also an archive of back issues.
Clippers encounter sea monster over Pacific – I had to include this!
Until next time, happy hunting, and stay well.
Ron would also be interested to hear from anyone with information
about these models.
Martin Beacom is making some
of his new models available
directly.
They are SKYVAN,TWIN OTTER
,JETSTREAMS T1-3,31 AND 41.
They will be available from his
web site (modified and up in a
couple
of
weeks)
www.beesmodels.com
There will be kits and finished
models, the finished models
being sold from stock and in
limited runs on” a first come first
served basis” These will be
named D.tail models.
George Burton has written with
news for Dinky collectors.
I have taken over some of the range of
models produced by Brian Salter under the
name Transport of Delight. These were
mostly bespoke white metal vehicles or
conversions based upon Dinky/Corgi type
models - usually 'what-might-have-beens'.
Latterly he produced some white metal
models based on Dinky aircraft and it is
these that I currently have. The first issues
are based on the De Havilland Comet Racer
and are available as:
McRobertson Air Race Set - three aircraft
in the colours used in the 1934 EnglandAustralia Air Race in a Dinky-style box
(£90.00),
Aircraft G-ACSS in the later 'Burberry'
livery individually boxed (£35.00) &
Aircraft K-5084 - G-ACSS in silver with
RAF roundels,one aircraft in a trade box
that would hold six for £40.00 or unboxed
for £25.00.
All items are made to order so please allow
28-days for delivery.
Other Dinky-based aircraft in the pipeline
are:
Hawker Hunter - boxed set of three Black
Arrows aircraft
Record breaking Gloster Meteor, Hawker
Hunter and Supermarine Swift
Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf110 (sold PostWW2 only as the 'Twin-Engined Fighter
but a planned pre-WW2 issue)
Prices TBA
I hope these may be of interest.
Further details and how to order can be
found
on
my
website
www.retrotoyspares.com
Best wishes,
George
George Burton
Please visit my website: retrotoyspares.com
Paul Malmassari wrote with
some photos showing his
superb scratch building skills.
I seize this opportunity to send a
series of photographs showing how
I did build a trailer/transporter for
my 1/200 Coléoptère.
Many of our collectors began as Dinky collectors, inspired by the
toys of their youth and so are just reaching their primes.
Unfortunately it also means collections need to be sold from time to
time. Brian Bowden has kindly agreed to dispose of some of Mike
Stanton’s models for Mike’s widow. Please contact Brian on
Tel 01435 862117 or E Mail at [email protected]
MODELS FOR SELLING THROUGH TOTS – ALL MINT BOXED unless
indicated
DOUGLAS X3 STILETTO. - Metal Models No 4 Speed in the Air. £39
METEOR ‘Yellow Peril’- Metal Models No 7 Speed in the Air. £26 (out of
production)
ME 163B COMET – RED. - Metal Models No 8 Speed in the Air.£18
SUPERMARINE S6B. - Metal Models No 1 Speed in the Air £45.
MACCHI CASTOLDI MC72. Metal Models No 9 Speed in the Air £55.
HAWKER HUNTER F3 - Metal Models No 6 Speed in the Air £26 (out of
production).
RYAN NYP “SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS” - Metal Models No1 Golden Age £35.
PERCIVAL MEW GULL - Cloudbreak Models £35
DEHAVILLAND DH88 COMET - Helmet Models “Grosvenor Hous”£30
SAUNDERS ROE SR-A/1 - Aircast - Jet Fighter Flying Boat. £35
HESTON NAPIER TYPE 5 RACER - Norfolk Group £29
ME 163B COMET – CAMOUFLAGED VERSION. - Maker not Known. (No Box)
Dennis? £15
Some of you may remember that some time ago I produced a
searchable master list to try to start a list of 1/200 models. This was
partly to deal with the claim that 1/200 had little available. The first
version had over 3,300 models listed, many types not available in any
other scale. I did not produce any updates as the information was
then included in the wings900.com website run by Christian Braun
and I was happy to be relieved of the job.
Christian is now working on a new site which will eventually allow
research into models in all scales and also make it easy to catalogue
your own collections. I hope you will support this project. Christian
has sent the following information.
HobbyDB is a whole new concept in researching and
cataloguing your collection that’s just been launched.
Right now we’re working with lots of collectors and
hobbyists like yourselves to develop it into the sort of
site that will be just what you want to use.
The main concept for the site is to put together a system
where you can search the database for absolutely any
combination of attributes that you want to find - and you
can do that across what we call RealThings (eg real
aeroplanes) to see what models there are of them or in
models. Say, for example, you wanted to find a list of
every model of the Concorde made in 1:200 scale in Air
France livery made between 1989 and 1999. Using the
search/filter system we’re developing, you would put in
all that data and the system would generate a list of
search results showing models which fit only those
exact critera. Below is a screenshot of the results in
the current version. At the moment you can search
using some attributes like name and scale, but
eventually there’ll be the whole range.
You’ll notice that a couple of
the planes are awaiting an
image - it’s also incredibly easy to upload multiple
images for any model and set one as the main image.
The system is designed to have endless possibilities for
use - as well as drilling down to something as specific
as the above, you can also use it to see every model
made by a certain model manufacturer, or every model
with a certain livery (and it’s set up so you can do that
easily either by searching or by finding a model in that
livery or made by that manufacturer and clicking on the
manufacturer/livery logo on the page.
The image below shows where the site is headed in
terms of the design for an individual model’s entry page
(at present, the site looks like a slightly simpler version
of this. You’ll see the search criteria that have been
selected on the left. You’ll note the model’s name
appears at the top, followed by a description of it, a
section on the real plane it’s based on (which you can
use to click through to that real plane’s entry) and then
the livery and manufacturer details. There’s also a stats
box, giving the basic details of the model, and a
separate tab with dimensions.
You’ll also note the “Sponsored by” box in the upper right.
Eventually, the site will allow manufacturers to “claim” and feature
their logo and details on their own entry page and those of all their
products. Uploading models and data is ultra-easy, just like adding
images, and this way they’ll be able to keep their product ranges up
to date with new issues and variants very rapidly.
Here’s what it looks like from the perspective of a real plane’s page
(the Concorde again). You’ll note the tiled list of all models based
on the plane beneath the description section.
There will also be functionality allowing users to “watch” everything
from an individual manufacturer to the most specific search you
can think up, so they’ll automatically be notified of any new
products produced by that maker or anything that’s launched which
fits their search criteria.
But it’s also going to be far more than just a super-powerful
database! The site also features a collection-management system
which you can use to easily keep track of what models you have,
with the ability to add a range of data, like price paid, condition and
where purchased - plus you can add images of your own as well. In
combination with the main database, you’ll also be able to use this
to build want lists to keep track of what models you’re looking to
add to your collection. Here’s a view of the collection management
system:
The current version of the site is in start-up/feedback mode so, as
above, not all features are there yet. There IS a huge database of
model planes and real planes loaded and while there’s a roadmap
of where we’re looking to take the site, we’re very keen to hear
feedback from potential users, both individuals AND
manufacturers. We want to know what design and features you
do/don’t like, what sort of interfaces you find easiest to use and
what directions you’d like to see a site like this go in. Registration is
quick, easy and - of course - free, and feedback easy to get across
to us. So register, take a look around and let us know what you think
at [email protected] or [email protected], we’re looking forward to
hearing from you!
If you have got to the end and read everything - well done, it’s
a bumper edition this time. Please remember, if you want the
people writing in TOTS to continue to produce new models
then they must be able to get back the considerable costs of
having masters and moulds made. We are a group of friends
who work together and support each other as much as
possible and none of us see this as a money making exercise
but as a way of contributing to our and your hobby.
I will not be able to attend Telford in 2013 as the anti rejection
drugs for my kidney transplant mean my immune system is
out of action and I have to avoid crowds of any kind. I hope
to be there in 2014 and will miss seeing many of you for our
annual meeting and chat. Wojtek, Paul and Martin will be
there and I hope Wojtek and Paul will have supplies of my lists
and some hard copies of TOTS.
Best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a successful New Year
Chris