TWO ‘TOKYO 1946’ EXOTIC COMBAT AIRCRAFT FROM MENG MODEL

REPORT: DAVID JEFFERIS

“This is not a toy” declares a stern caption on the box of an interesting kit from China-based Meng Model. Actually, it’s not a real aircraft either, but an 1:72 scale kit of an uncompleted World War II design, the Mansyn Ki-98 pusher-prop ground attack machine - but that makes it all the more interesting!

Imperial Japanese Army Mansyn Ki-98 Attack Aircraft

The Mansyn Ki-98 was a Japanese piston-engined concept, designed by the Manchurian Aeroplane Manufacturing Company towards the end of the World War II. The prototype was under construction when Soviet forces swept into Manchuria in August 1945, and all works including design drawings were destroyed by the retreating Japanese Army.

Science-fiction or faction?

The Meng Ki-98 kit has been created by, in the company’s words, “...Inference From The Original Design Drawings. Finely Moulded Fuselage Details Make The Model Look Like A Real One.” Which makes the aircraft a fascinating subject for all lovers of what might have been in that era - and that includes Luftwaffe 1946 fans, the SMN Crew, and we’d guess anyone with an interest in alternate history, science-fiction, and probably steampunk lovers, too.

What’s in the box?

Meng Model has supplied a highly detailed Mansyn Ki-98 ground attack machine in 1/72 scale. When built, the model has a length of 159 mm (6.3 in), tail-fin height of 52 mm (2.03 in) and wingspan of 157 mm (6.2 in). One complete kit is included in the box (read on for a two-kit model, also from Meng) with two main component runners, plus one for clear parts, a decal sheet for three alternative markings and a decent instruction manual.

Different markings

The decals give you the option of building the Mansyn Ki-98 in Imperial Japanese Army, Royal Thai Air Forces, or Manchurian Air Force markings, and as you can see from the pictures they are attractive schemes, very different from run of the mill stuff.

Imperial Japanese Army Kayaba Ku-4 ramjet fighter

Next up from Meng is the equally attractive flying-wing ramjet fighter, also a Tokyo 1946 design. Originally designed as a glider, the Pacific War delayed development into a full-blooded combat craft, so as modelled by Meng, the Ku-4 is 'what might have been' had the little fighter been fully developed by Kayaba.

What’s in the box?

Not one, but two highly-detailed Kayaba Ku-4 ‘Katsuodori’ ramjet flying wings to 1/72 scale. Each one is tiny, but perfectly formed, with a length of just 62 mm (2.4 in) and wingspan of 125 mm (4.9 in). But it’s beautifully done, with a reasonably detailed cockpit, air intake (though a ramjet shouldn't need turbine blades) and a set of rocket boosters for takeoff and acceleration to high speed, when the main ramjet powerplant kicks in. There’s also a neat ground-handling trolley displayed, and - perhaps because the model is so small - Meng Model has supplied the pair of them, which is terrific. The suggested alternative markings are very different, and make for an attractive show duo, both built from the same box.

War-changing aircraft?

Like Luftwaffe 1946 designs, it’s doubtful if advanced ‘Tokyo 46’ technology would have made any difference to the war’s ending, though the Allies might have been slowed down somewhat. No matter - kits like these are fascinating for their own sake, so here’s hoping Meng will produce more of this kind of subject in future.

About Meng Model

The name behind Meng Model, Rui Ye International Co Ltd of Hong Kong, is a new kid on the model block, being founded only in 2011. The company is dedicated to developing and selling high-end scale model kits globally, and has already earned a good reputation, winning ‘Model of the Year 2012’ from the German magazine ModellFan. Meng is a Chinese surname, but more importantly in this context, is also used for Master of Engineering, an appropriate title for an outfit making finely produced miniatures.

Meng Model kits available here.

DINKY LITTLE 1:35 SCALE TAMIYA SIMCA 5 IN GERMAN STAFF CAR SERVICE

REPORT:DAVID JEFFERIS

Available shortly from Tamiya is this very neat 1:35 scale Simca 5 military staff car. The tiny Simca 5 was a French-built version of the better-known Fiat 500 Topolino, and many of them were pressed into military service during the World War II occupation of France.

Neatly produced model

The little Simca is beautifully produced, and well up to Tamiya’s usual high standards. There’s plenty of detail, including a driver figure who looks kinda outsized, but that’s actually because the Simca-Fiat was so small - not for nothing was the Fiat 500 nicknamed Topolino, meaning ‘Little Mouse’. 

Careful handling required

As for components, the picture above shows that the runners hold plenty of parts, many of them tiny enough to need a pair of tweezers for easy handling. But that’s OK - the result looks excellent when built, and would be a surefire hit if used in a period diorama.

Big success

The original Topolino was a big hit for Fiat, with more than half a million being produced by the time production ended in 1955. In France, the Simca 5 - real thing shown below - was also a success, though it came nowhere near the production levels of the Fiat 500. The Simca 5 was made from 1936-1949, during which time, some 46,472 cars were manufactured.

STAR TREK USS ENTERPRISE AT WONDERFEST 2012

REPORT BY MAT IRVINE:

Here I continue my review of the 2012 WonderFest science-fiction and fantasy show, held at the end of May in Louisville, Kentucky - and take a close look at the test shot (above) of the huge 1:350 scale USS Enterprise due for release soon.

The large scale means that the bridge of the Enterprise is clearly visible (above). 

Main runners (below) for the kit.

 

Mighty starship

Jamie Hood of Round-2 showed off the upcoming Star Trek USS Enterprise. This is the original version from the first series, and ‘the best’ as Scotty might maintain, “No bloody A, B C, or D…” The kit is made to a massive 1:350 scale, and stretches some 813 mm (32 in) long. Five moulding colours are involved: two shades of grey and three transparent tints. The Enterprise will be sold under the Polar Lights name, and should be available in October.

You even get a tiny Galileo shuttlecraft, seen below next to a business card.

Munsters at home

Frank Winspur and Dave Metzner of Moebius Models had test shots of several of new kits, such as the Bride of Frankenstein, the Cylon from BattleStar Galactica, and an HO (1:87 scale) model of 1313 Mockingbird Lane (below) perhaps better known as the home of The Munsters! 

Dressed-up ladies

Jimmy Flintstone’s kits range from car bodies to human bodies, mostly of the female kind, and the items he bought to WonderFest tended to lean towards the latter. However, some are, shall we say, for the more discerning and open-minded modelmaker. So, because WonderFest was a family show, some of the ladies had to be ‘dressed’ for the occasion. Jimmy is seen (below) peering from under his Rat Fink sign. 

Full-size heads

Some dealers had full-size objects on show, usually just the heads of famous science-fiction, fantasy and horror characters, as full bodies would be a tad impractical. Dale Morton displayed an excellent range of fantasy heads, while the ex-GEOmetric George Stephenson also deals with full-size horror and fantasy heads, these marketed under his BlackHeart company name.

Popular pirates

Pete Vetri and Rick Delfavero of Atlantis Models, part of Mega-Hobbies based in Long Island, NY, were at the show. Atlantis Models has already reissued some classic Aurora kits, both from the original moulds and re-tooling. One new one shown at WonderFest was Blackbeard the Pirate (above). With Sinbad featuring in a new TV series, and Pirates of the Caribbean still being so popular, ‘pirates’ are obviously the new ‘aliens’, ‘dinosaurs’, ‘Star Wars characters’ or whatever you reckon the last popular phase was! 

General view of the main dealer room at WonderFest 2012.

The Round-2 stand, primarily Polar Lights, but also including AMT and MPC.

Moebius Bride of Frankenstein.

Moebius reproduction of the Aurora Forgotten Prisoner at left, Cylon at right.

Part of Jimmy Flintstone’s display showed a mix of science-fiction, fantasy and horror figure busts, and ladies that were mainly busts.

Dale Morton of Dale Morton Studios, sharing the limelight with one of his creations.

George Stephenson’s BlackHeart company stand, with full-size figure heads including Mr Hyde (top left) and Terminator (top right). George himself is at left.

The Atlantis Models reissue of Aurora’s Blackbeard the Pirate.

Unpainted test shot of Blackbeard. Do you think there's a resemblance to another pirate, maybe a certain Captain Jack Sparrow? Well, that answer’s up to you...

Rick and Pete of MegaHobbies/Atlantis, with the Blackbeard (or Jack?) figure.

JAPANESE TOBU 2012 MODEL CONTEST

REPORT: DAVID JEFFERIS

The Tobu Department Store is located at the Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo, and is one of the Japanese capital’s largest such stores - and is also venue for the Tamiya Tobu 2012 model contest. Importantly for Tamiya, 2012 is also the 50th anniversary of its first military model, so in the company’s words, “... epic tour de force gathered more than usual.” Well, that’s the Google translation, anyway!

Diorama settings

The models look truly excellent, and the mini-diorama settings really do add to their appearance. As you can see from the pix we show here, there’s been a wide variety of subjects - perhaps our favourite is the Beatles Abbey Road piece (above), mainly for the imaginative vinyl disc mounting arrangement, not to mention the lifelike figures and scooter-mounted music fan.

Vertical format display

The Bristol Beaufighter (above) looks good too, and again we like it especially for the diorama, this time in a curving vertical format, which is particularly neatly done. Note though, it’s not the only one of this kind - the Africa Corps 'Tripoli Sky' has a similar flavour - so perhaps verticals are this year’s thing with Japanese model-makers. No matter - both are terrific models.

'Transformer Problem' (above) and tank preparation (below).

More entries in this contest to look at here.

Tamiya kits here, plus the beautifully produced current catalogue.

 'Testing the Water' (above) with wall-mounted Space Shuttle Atlantis (below).

  

AOSHIMA H-IIB SPACE LAUNCHER KIT

ROCKET REVIEW BY MAT IRVINE

Give that the H-IIB launch rocket is the mainstay of Japan’s satellite launch industry it’s somewhat surprising that there has been no kit of it before - this kit from Aoshima is a first.

Small scale

The H-IIB is number four in the Aoshima ‘Space Craft Series’, and is produced in a small 1:350 scale. Even so, the kit still makes up into a comprehensive model with several interesting features. The pic above shows H-IIB with clear sections. Inside these are the rocket stage and H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV).

Clear and white runners, as supplied in bags. Note the small decal sheet in the clear bag on the right. Only two components - the third stage and payload shroud - are moulded in both white and clear plastic. 

What’s in the box?

You get two runners, one in white styrene with 34 parts, the other in clear with 22, and you can build up the rocket to be displayed in four ways. The H-IIB is not a difficult kit to build, and it’s likely you’ll have more difficulty deciding which way it will be displayed than actually building it. 

Paint choices

However, the paint scheme is slightly more taxing. Aoshima recommends Gunze Sangyo paint, which although available in the West, are less common than Humbrol, Testors, Revell-Germany, or even Aoshima’s Japanese stablemate, Tamiya. Because of this some compromises were made, and in the end I used colours from the Testors range, including Competition Orange and Metallic Platinum. Humbrol was used for Satin Black.

The box side panel (below) shows some of the display options.

Multi-finish launcher

The rocket is finished in mainly white, orange and gold, though two other shades are needed - black, and a dark coppery-orange. This affects mostly the main rocket structure, while the four strap-on boosters are fortunately plain white - it’s easiest to leave these off and paint them separately. The H-IIB’s third stage and payload components are supplied in clear plastic as well as white, so you can build these up without paint.

Another display option (below) holds the rocket at an angle, traditionally the sort of attitude you see used for model aircraft stands.

H-II Transfer Vehicle

The clear parts can then take the HTV, used Japan’s JAXA Space Agency to resupply the International Space Station. The illustrations also indicate that the HTV and its orbital rocket stage can be displayed separately - so maybe making for a fifth option!

Exhaust flame stand

So the Aoshima H-IIB model can be displayed in three basic ways, plus variations.  It can be set on the supplied base, standing vertically. Or it can be mounted on the additional stand that displays the rocket at approximately 10 percent from the horizontal. And  thirdly, and perhaps the most interestingly, the H-IIB can be displayed atop a simulated lift-off rocket blast exhaust liftoff (above), and this option is built up from many of the supplied clear parts. These obviously need colouring with suitable ‘rocket exhaust’ effects, and clear paints are the best here, with both Humbrol and Tamiya making examples in their respective tinlets and bottles. Some colours are also available in Testors clear ranges, including aerosols.

Bigger kit please

In all, this is an intriguing model, and my only comment really is that it’s a pity that Aoshima couldn’t have made the kit bigger - it measures just 160 mm (6.25 in) long. It would be so impressive in the far more common 1:144 space launcher scale.

Thanks to Hobby Link Japan for the review kit.

More rocketry available here.