BIG BOMBER KIT - 1:32 SCALE B-25J MITCHELL FROM HK MODELS, HONG KONG

Hong Kong Models is going bigtime for big planes, with a range of tasty-looking 1:32 scale bomber kits. And the first of these flying towards us is the HK North American B-25J Mitchell, due for release now.

Newcomer from Hong Kong

HK’s website welcome note says it all: “Our company was established in 2010, formed by a group of enthusiasts with modelers, Military fans and experienced mold maker. Combining with our historical knowledge, passion on modeling and creative tooling technology, we strive to bring you the most ultimate scale model in ever. As a model enthusiast, we know what you want, what you expect and we will make your dream come true. Keep close eye on our website, HK Models will be surprises you all!”

Hundreds of components provide fresh levels of B-25 detail in 1:32 scale.

New kids on the block

Mild language adjustments aside, this is really good news, for here’s a two-year-old team of keen model fans, eager to go head-to-head with established Chinese brands like Dragon and Trumpeter. But we say there’s plenty of room for quality, and now that 1:32 scale really does seem like the new 1:48, there’s plenty of room to grow into the big-kit space.

It's a big kit, with enough detail to keep you busy for weeks of construction.

Brief stats

Over 500,000 rivets represented

Highly-detailed Wright R-2600 engines

Detailed cockpit and bomb bay

Wingspan 643 mm (25.3 in)

Length 548 mm (21.6 in)

Contains 514 components

Loaded with detail

Tail gunner has raised canopy for wide rear view. Note open engine cooling gills.

About the B-25J

The B-25 Mitchell was a US twin-engine medium bomber, named after General Billy Mitchell, pioneer of US military aviation. The B-25 was used in every combat zone in World War II, and long after. The aircraft is generally reckoned as the finest medium bomber of those war years.

B-25 being test-flown shortly after manufacture in 1942.

TEXAS AIRPORT MODEL SHOW

Weekend read from Mat Irvine:

It’s probably a bit obvious to say that you see aircraft at an airport, but more to the point, many airports also display aircraft models.

Military-civil combo
One such, which I passed through recently, is Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport, Texas. It’s a military/commercial joint-use airport, in which one section is used by the Fort Hood military reservation, and there’s a check-in desk for arriving soldiers on the first floor of the terminal building. 

Big enough for jumbos, small enough for models

Being regional, Killeen-Fort Hood is not a large airport, although its single runway is long enough to take a Boeing 747. Commercial operations are mostly to link with larger airports, like Dallas Forth Worth to the north, using turboprop aircraft such as the ATR-72. But, apart from standard passenger facilities, the departure hall also features a number of model aircraft hanging from the ceiling, and in cabinet displays.  

Robert Gray Army Airfield

The military side of the airport is named in honour of Killeen native Cpt. Robert M. Gray of the US Army Air Corps, and Sgt. George Larkin, after whom the airport’s Deployment Terminal is named. Gray and Larkin flew on the famous ‘Doolittle Raid’ on Tokyo, in April 1942. Sadly, both were subsequently killed six months later, when their B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed in Burma. To commemorate their loss, a B-25 scale replica (above) hangs on display from the airport ceiling.

Fly Rio Airways

If you pass through Killeen-Fort Hood with enough time to look, there are also displays (above) that relate to another local, Ted C. Connell, who died in 2001. At various times he was Mayor of Killeen, served as aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson, and also owned Rio Airways, a regional operator that flew out of Killeen’s old municipal airport, now known as Skylark Field. 

Rio fleet choices

The display shows models of various aircraft that Rio flew from 1970-87, when it ceased operation. You can see Piper Cherokee Six, Twin Beech Model 18, and the de Havilland Twin Otter (top pic in article) and Dash-7 aircraft that Rio flew after 1977. Another ceiling-hanger is this half-scale Beechcraft 99 (above), finished in Rio’s trademark yellow paint and swirly logo.

Rio Airways Dash 7.

SMN note: Mitchell bomber kits

Seeing that B-25 hanging from K-FH's ceiling reminded us that the North American bomber has always been a popular scale model choice, and remains so today, with a wide choice of kits available, especially in 1:72 and 1:48 scales. The attractive model shown below was crafted by US modelmaker ‘vlambo’, a long-time modelmaker who came third in the one and only competition he entered. SMN says, maybe you should enter some more competitions vlambo, and thanks for the pictures!

Visit Killeen here.

Choose B-25 Mitchells here.

More vlambo models here.