'2001' SPACE WHEEL FROM FANTASTIC PLASTIC

DAVID JEFFERIS REPORTS:

For my money, 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the seminal science-fiction movies of all time, sharing the podium with the first Star Wars trilogy. Despite its fame, 2001 has not been kitted much over the years, so here’s an opportunity to catch up, with a twin-scale Space Wheel, from Fantastic Plastic.

  

About the kit

The scale is an interesting one. In the words of Fantastic Plastic: “The size of the 'real' space station is under much dispute.  Sources close to the production insist was meant to be 1000 ft (305 m) in diameter.  However, director Stanley Kubrick ‘cheated’ by optically reducing the size of the approaching Orion III as it approached the station to enhance the drama, causing fans to recalculate the station's ‘actual’ size to twice that... or more.

Orion shuttle choices

Fantastic Plastic adds: "To placate fans, we're including two Orion III miniatures along with the station - one in 1:1400 scale and one in 1:2800, so the resulting 8.6 in (218 mm) diameter model can be which ever scale you choose!” So there you go 2001 fans - the choice is yours, along tiny alternative Orion III space shuttles.

Plenty of parts

It’s not a kit for the beginner I reckon, as there are more than 200 resin and photo-etch parts to assemble, but take care and a decent model should result. When completed it just has to turn, so there’s a further opportunity to bring realism to the finished thing, an easy way being to simply to mount it on a turntable, using a length of steel or brass tubing.

Summation

Fantastic Plastic’s Space Wheel is a salute to the movie-making achievements of Stanley Kubrick and to the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke who co-wrote the script. It was The Sentinel, his short story of 1948, that inspired 2001.

Get better, Allen

Fantastic Plastic’s leading light, Allen B. Ury, recently injured his arm, but he reckons things are looking up: “...thank you to everyone who has expressed good wishes concerned my recent arm injury. I visited my orthopedist yesterday. The X-rays were good, I have 85 percent range of motion and he expects all restrictions to be lifted within three weeks.” Good luck Allen, and keep those kits coming!

Visit Fantastic Plastic here.

More space and science-fiction kits here.

Original poster, showing the Orion III space shuttle departing the Space Wheel. Artwork was by the fabled illustrator Robert McCall, who worked on just about about every space-orientated project of the period.

ITALERI INCOMING - COUGAR HELICOPTER UPGRADE KIT

Italeri's 1:72 scale Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar helicopter kit has received an upgrade to the moulds, and a four-country super-decal sheet. This looks like a worthwhile job and the revamped kit should make a useful addition to the helo’s fan’s build-list.

Wide range of markings

You now get decals for four air arms, those of Sweden, France, Spain, and Thailand. And if you want to add more you can, because the Cougar - an upgrade of the Puma - has been a big success around the world, with a user base totalling some 40-odd countries.

Moulding quality

Detail on this upgrade kit is really well done, though there’s always room for more, especially at the relatively small 1:72 scale. The pic of the Turkish machine (below), used for combat search-and-rescue, gives an idea of just how much fine detail there is on the full-size helicopter. It's worth pointing out that there are no crew figures supplied, so if you like humans aboard your helicopters, you will have to supply your own. When assembled, the kit has a main rotor diameter of 226 mm (8.9 in) 

Summation

An upgrade that’s worth having for helicopter fans. The Cougar will be in stores soon, meantime there are more Italeri helicopter kits, including our favourites, the massive Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low III and ‘Night Raid’ edition of the MH-60 Black Hawk. See them all here.

And plenty more Italeri kits here.

Four service markings supplied in the kit (above) and one of the many options (below), an AS 532 in Bulgarian service.

ONE WHEEL OR TWO? MEN IN BLACK MONOWHEEL vs. TAMIYA MONSTER YAMAHA

SMN REPORT:

Tech-freak film fans can go loopy over the ace monowheel motorbikes (above) ridden by Agents J and K in the latest 'Men in Black 3' sci-fi saga. The movie is terrific entertainment, and a real “Want one” from the SMN Crew for those monowheel bikes. Back in the real world, Tamiya has a Yamaha Monster model for you...

Monster sponsor

The kit is the Tamiya Yamaha YZR-M1, in presented the markings of chief sponsor, the Monster energy drink outfit, its logo a memorable glowing ‘M’. Great design, not so sure about the drink though. The Yamaha is a 1:12 scale kit, which assembles to a fair size, even for a relatively small subject like a motorcycle - length 172 mm (6.8 in), width across the handlebars 56 mm (2.2 in).

Packed with detail

It’s the 2009 season bike we have here, and Tamiya has excelled with fit and finish, the 800 cc engine, frame, and suspension all passing muster in the accuracy department. Tiny screws are supplied to allow removal of bodywork sections if you wish, while fine vinyl tubing is used for scale throttle, clutch, and brake cables. 

Photo-etch set

Finely printed decals have come from specialist supplier Cartograf, and there’s an available Tamiya super-detail set (above) to add even more realism - the turned front forks look particularly good. The tyres are synthetic rubber racing slicks, and just so the whole thing won’t fall over when it’s finished, Tamiya has added a wheeled support stand for the rear wheel. 

Waiting for mono

Would those MIB 3 monowheels work in real life? There have been various attempts at making such machines, and all have worked after a fashion - but we’re not laying a bet on it. Meantime, let’s hope that it’s only a matter of time before we see those MIB 3 monowheels in miniature form - first of all, almost certainly as toys, later perhaps we’ll get a fully accurized injection kit, perhaps from the likes of Moebius Models. Let’s hope so! 

 Mind your head wheel climbing aboard.

Like a Segway, the MIB 3 monowheel stays upright while parked.

Alien monsters threaten the world. As portrayed, the Zeppelin-like creatures are somewhat bigger and blobbier than the Yamaha Monster!

Tamiya Yamaha motorbike kit available here.

Men in Black 3 and other movie stuff here.

LONDON BUSES NEW AND OLD

DAVID JEFFERIS REPORTS:

The SMN Crew had a trip to London yesterday, and apart from rides here and there on standard buses, we also saw one of the prototypes of Mayor Boris Johnson’s ‘Boris Bus’, and have to report it looks amazing in the metal.

Diecast Boris Bus

The 1:76 Corgi version (below) is nearly with us, so it's wait-n-see time for this one. Judging from this promo pic, it looks to be an excellent little model, and one we'll definitely have on display ASAP.

Airfix Old Bill bus

The Boris Bus is only the latest type of London bus of course, and was a reminder of the old Airfix 1:32 kit that came in both civilian 1910 B Type and military 1914 ‘Old Bill’ versions. The Old Bill (below) was used for troop carrying and as an ambulance to take war-wounded away from the Front, to field hospitals. Dating from the early 1960s, these kits come up regularly on auction sites and swapmeets, so it’s worth keeping an eye out, as they are both well worth a look. The kits include crew and passengers or troops, as relevant. Gorgeous stuff.

The Airfix B Type kit (above) assembles to make a fine model. The real thing out on the highway (below), with a last-generation classic double-decker behind.

Collectibles site

The Little Wheels Museum site specializes in diecast collectibles, and it’s well worth a visit to see another B Type, the Matchbox diecast model, sold from 1956-61 (link at bottom). It’s a tiny little thing - Little Wheels Museum reckons it’s about 1:100 scale. Not a lot changed during the Matchbox B Type’s five-year production run, though the windows may differ between models. According to Little Wheels Museum: “...the row of small windows at the top of the lower deck side windows. There will be four per side or eight per side.” The four-window version is rarer than the eight-window type, so is worth more.

Routemaster from Revell

And don’t forget the 1:24 scale Revell Routemaster, definitely the best ‘big red bus’ kit on the market. According to Mat Irvine: “...there are a lot of parts, so much so that adding them all up is tricky, but it has to be approaching 400. Part numbering actually goes only to 272 - but you get two sets of four of the 16 runners, and identical parts (such as seats) share the same number - and remember this bus is a double-decker bus with seats for up to 70 people.” And the decal sheet: “...is enormous, and if you were worried about reproducing all those tartan-patterned seats so beloved by London Transport, these are supplied as decals.” As for the bus-side adverts, they include: “the British Museum, Jacob’s Cream Crackers and ‘The Rod Stewart Musical’.”   

Revell Routemaster bus - Mat Irvine’s first look.

Little Wheels Museum here.

Vintage Airfix site here.

Airfix 1:32 scale kits here.

MORE MODELS ON DISPLAY

SMN REPORT:

Here’s the second set of scale model pix, courtesy Revell-Germany, the Mercedes-Benz set (above) due for release in August. And also a reminder that RG’s Scale 2012 modelbuilding competition is open for entries until August 15.
 

SpaceShipTwo

The one we’re really looking forward to later this year (November release) is the 1:144 scale SpaceShipTwo with the carrier plane WhiteKnightTwo. The kit is reportedly being developed with Hasegawa, and looks as weird in prototype model form as it does in reality.

Scale astronauts please

It would be rather good if a set of 1:144 scale astronauts came with it, though figures to this scale are a rarity. A modicum of interior detail would be desirable too, especially as there are so many portholes to peer into. Whatever, it’ll be a decent-sized model on display, the mother ship’s wingspan being some 297 mm (11.7 in).

More good stuff

Here’s a roundup of more Revell stuff, and note the winners. The ‘big red’ London bus, Junkers Ju 88, Aida cruise ship, and Airbus A400M have all gained respected awards. 

Retro eco-car

Funnily enough, just as interesting to us is Revell’s 1:18 scale model of the Lloyd Alexander, an economy car that was produced in Germany from 1957-61. It had a two-cylinder 600 cc engine, which gave a top speed of just 100 km/h (61 mph), the company proudly announcing that this could be reached in one minute from a standing start. Still, it was more of a ‘car’ than the Heinkel and Messerschmitt three-wheelers, produced around the same period. 

Details of Revell Scale 2012 here.

Revell kits here.

And talking of spaceships...

The Revell Star Trek pair are up for awards too, though Trek fans are divided as to the absolute accuracy of either spacecraft. As occasional fans of 'classic' Trek (though big junkies for the most recent movie) both the Enterprise and Klingon ships look pretty good to us.

REVELL SCALE MODELBUILDING AWARD 2012 - GET YOUR MODELS ONLINE AND WIN!

SMN REPORT:

Target date for this year’s entries in the prestigious Revell Scale Modelbuilding Award competition is August 15, 2012. So if you want your talents recognized, here’s the chance.

Ships old and new (above). Just count those oars! 

Competition entries

Revell has made the Scale 2012 competition wide open for subject matter, so you are free to choose your model kit and how you finish it. Entries do not have to be constructed stock, as the most important assessment criteria are creativity and attractiveness. So that leaves the field clear for everything from a simple but perfectly-constructed ‘from the box’ kit, to a major kit-bash with added genius ideas.

Leonard da Vinci kits are major Revell production items.

The winners

First of all, there’ll be an expert jury review, to pre-select 10 of the best models in each category - adults or teens. These will then be presented to the public at the Leipzig Model-Hobby Fair in October, when visitors to the show will cast their votes to name the outright winner, as well as the runners-up.

Current production racers (above) and a Mini Cooper from the Flower Power era (below).

1:35 scale lineup, with neat engine detail under lift-up panels.

Revell Scale 2012 prizes

The winner bags the Revell Scale Trophy, plus a day-trip to Revell-Germany's HQ, for a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on there, which should make a fascinating visit. Further prizes wait for runners-up, plus the teen-winner gets a Revell Certificate and a €200 Euro kit voucher. Actually, just to confuse the issue somewhat, Revell has a special meaning for the word ‘teen’ - it’s really 16 and under. There you go, 17-19 year-olds are honorary adults!

Add captions

You can email or post pictures to arrive no later than August 15, 2012. Don’t forget captions so the judges know exactly what they are looking at - essential info includes scale and title, but do add anything else of interest, such as extra components added, detail options and so on. And don’t forget those all-important contact details!

Twin-props make an interesting counterpoint to the Heinkel He162A jet.

Picture show

Meantime, our pix here reveal Revell models on show earlier this year - there’ll be more to see after the weekend.

Details of Revell Scale 2012 here.

Revell kits by the boatload here.