FREE MODEL BUS FLEET FROM METROBUS

Well, maybe that headline is a *slight* exaggeration... What’s actually on offer is pretty sweet though: four downloadable pdf files of buses (single- and double-decker designs) that are used on the routes of UK operator, Metrobus.

The Metrobus network covers swathes of South London and surrounds, including the two major airports Heathrow and Gatwick, so if you ever travel in those parts you’re likely to see the Metrobus fleet in action. To non-UK readers, double-deckers can often seem rather exotic creatures, so the Omnidekka should be of interest.

It’s nicely drawn by The Image Team, and is designed to be printed off on a colour inkjet or laser machine. Full instructions are given on the sheet, so with some cutting, folding and glueing, you should end up with a smart little card model.

If you print out on ordinary typing paper, then use spraymount adhesive to stick the result onto thin card before assembly. Or if there's no suitable printer available, we often use a local print/copy company that supplies images on a very nice smooth cartridge for about the same price as a daily newspaper - value indeed.

Scale isn’t an issue with pdfs of course - if you want your model bigger or smaller, simply dial in the percentage enlargement or reduction to get a resized printout, ready to assemble.

Good luck with these free buses - SMN will be making a couple this week, to see how they look.


The pictures above show:
1 Single-decker bus Route 1.
2 Double-decker bus Route 291.

Visit Metrobus here.

For a selection of diecast buses, visit Amazon here.

CORGI NEW WEBSITE GOES LIVE

Corgi’s new website is definitely worth a visit, as it sports a much improved, cleaner look. There are lots of goodies to look at (and you can register for the catalogue if you wish) but our present fave is the long-standing Corgi Little Nellie autogyro single-seater, from the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.

Corgi’s autogyro is to 1:36 scale, twice the size of good old fashioned 1:72. For model makers, in particular military fans, 1:36 is of course right next door to the standard 1:35 scale, which means that you could militarize this autogyro, to feature in a diorama with any of the thousands of model fighting vehicles and figures on the market.

Little Nellie already has guns, rockets and missiles, so a camo paint job is all she really needs. The Bond pilot figure will need changing though. A simple repaint would be OK, but a new figure wearing combat gear and a heads-up helmet would really do the trick.

Incidentally, Little Nellie was flown in the movie by its British designer, Ken Wallis, who is a renowned champion for the autogyro concept, and who holds many international records.

The pictures above show:
1 Screenshot of the new Corgi site.
2 Little Nellie, available direct.

Visit the new Corgi site here.

Visit Amazon where Little Nellie is also available, here.

BATMOBILE 1:1 REPLICA SEEN IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

This little movie is doing the internet rounds at the moment, and according to reports elsewhere it cost more than $1 million USD (£630,000 GBP) to construct. Hmmm... that sounds a bit of a hyped-up figure to SMN, but short of seeing the till receipts, we won't quibble. The vehicle, built by Stockholm resident Leif Garvin, is apparently based on the running gear from a 1973 Lincoln Continental, typical current asking price a definitely non-stellar $3000 USD (£1893 GBP). However, Leif's Batmobile took over three years to build, and as you can see, it’s a very impressive piece of work, packed with technoid gadgets, and with a paint job that Batman would be proud of - and in SMN satin-finish too ;)

Our own AMT Batmobile refurb is coming on a storm, and we’ll be able to show her off very soon. Meantime, there are lots of Batmobiles out there, and don’t forget that the Batman franchise has churned out many variations over the years.

SMN current favourites are both 1:18 diecast models. The Hot Wheels 1960s-era Batmobile is the TV-series design, created by customizer-king George Barris from a Lincoln Futura concept car. The other is a pricey but interesting Corgi bare-metal casting, based around a 1940s comic design, and an unusual addition to any collection.

Pictures show, from top:
1 Hot Wheels 1:18 1960s Barris Batmobile.
2 Corgi 1:18 1940s bare-metal Batmobile.

Video courtesy 'Simonize82'.

View the Hot Wheels Batmobile model here.
The Corgi bare-metal Batmobile can be seen here.

FIRST OF THE MANY - A FREE 12-PAGE eBOOK FOR YOU TO READ

When the idea of Scale Model News first fired up, the idea was to publish it as a traditional paper magazine - and we took printed dummy issues to clubs and model fans for research and feedback, most of which was highly complimentary.

However, the idea of paper publishing didn’t really stack up for a new launch - the costs were high and it wasn’t really possible to give much ‘news’ value in a monthly publication. So the decision was made to launch as the internet product you’re reading today.

However, that’s not the end of the story, as plans are afoot to expand SMN from its present blog format, to include user-features such as reader galleries, competitions, an e-store, and much more besides.

So we thought you might like a look at an e-version of that dummy issue, originally called 'Miniatures', until we found that the word was often used by the dolls-house community. If you follow the link below, you can have a look at our thoughts, and also get an idea for the sort of things that you could be seeing on-screen before too long.

As planned, this free SMN 12-page ebook will be the first of the many - from cars and planes, to tanks and robots, just watch this space. It's in 'page-turn' format, so it's worthwhile taking a little time to use the controls - in particular note that you can zoom in A LOT - and the Captain Scarlet diecast looks particularly good in closeup detail. The pictures on page 11 replace a proposed plastic folder for an old-tech DVD, otherwise it's pretty much the same.

It's worth taking a moment to learn the interface - best thing to do is click the 'full screen' button top left, and take it from there. You can download the ebook doc as a pdf to read off-line if you like; you can also print it if that's what you wish.

There’s just one small request - if you like what you see, please pass on SMN’s site address to your modeling friends. Thanks!

Pictures show, from top to bottom:
1 Dummy front cover
2, 3 Sample spreads.

Visit the SMN ebook here.

RECESSION? WHAT RECESSION! DODGE DEORA FETCHES MEGA MONEY

We reported on the RM Auctions ‘Icons of Speed & Style’ sale recently, with a closeup look at the 1965 Dodge Deora concept truck. Well, the sale results are in, and we thought you’d like to know what that golden-wonder vehicle made.

Wait for it... no less than $324,500 USD (£204,370 GBP)! Wow! However, it’s a piece of design history, so we say well worth the moolah; after all, it’s a one-off piece of rolling auto-art that would look much better in the garage than a piece of modern art on the wall - especially as you can drive it down the highway to show your friends. (Ahem, apologies to art fans out there, but SMN knows which it prefers ;)

There were heaps of other amazing vehicles on sale, including a couple of faves, such as the 1951 Belly-Tank Lakester at $209,000 USD (£131,627 GBP) with bodywork made, quite literally, from an aircraft fuel tank (look at that kissing-distance ground clearance!). The 1957 Revell Show Rod was built in 2:3 scale as a promo for the well-known kit company, and fetched a hugely more affordable $11,550 USD (£7274 GBP).

And talking of hot rods, here’s a book you might like. Terry Jessee’s Hot Rod Model Kits has 96 pages plus covers, and is packed with info and pictures. It’s full of fascinating information, and well worth having on the reference shelf.

Pictures show, from top to bottom:
1 Dodge Deora
2 Belly-Tank Lakester.
3 Revell Show Rod.
4 Hot Rod Model Kits book jacket.

Car pix courtesy RM Auctions, and you can view the sale results list here.

View Terry Jessee’s Hot Rod Model Kits here.

SUPERB ‘RED SHARK’ FERRARIS FROM CMC

Talking of Ferraris (see Puma video, 27 September) here’s a feast for the prancing horse aficionado. Marketed by manufacturer CMC as ‘The Red Sharks’ for their distinctive twin-nostril nose intake design, the three Ferrari Dino diecast models are simply mouthwatering. To 1:18 scale, they represent slightly differing versions of the Model 156 from 1961, depicting the cars of US driver Phil Hill (Numbers 2 and 4) and the German Wolfgang von Trips (Number 3). The models are produced in a (somewhat expansive) edition of 6000 each.

According to CMC, the replicas are hand-assembled from 1450 parts, with ‘hand laced’ spoke wheels. The detail is breathtaking, with engine, cables, pipes, cooling systems and more, produced in luscious detail. Definitely IWOOT replicas.

And even if you can’t stretch to a CMC model, do take a look at the luscious pdf catalogue, which reveals 76 pages of gorgeousness. It’s a big download (18 mb) but well worth it - and when you've got it on-screen, turn to page 54 to see SMN’s blue-and-silver retro-fave from the CMC list.

The pictures above show, top to bottom:
1 CMC pdf catalogue cover shows a 1:18 scale 1957 Maserati 250F.
2 Red Sharks promo material.
3 Phil Hill’s Ferrari Dino.

Click the ‘Catalog’ button at top right on the opening page here to download the CMC catalogue.

Visit Amazon here to buy one - they’re not cheap, but are fair-value for the quality workmanship involved.

DEADLY APACHE MAKES FIRST FLIGHT

Today’s the day in 1975 that an army’s best friend - or deadliest enemy - the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, made its first flight. The two-seater totes a belly-mounted chaingun, with Hellfire missiles and rocket pods carried under stub wings either side of the fuselage. It’s an all-hours helo, with nose-mounted night-vision sensors that allow the crew to literally see in the dark. The present production model is the AH-64D Longbow, with a saucer-like fire-control radar mounted above the main rotor disc.

Model fans are spoilt for choice and scale, with kits ranging from 1:144 to 1:48, and from highly complex for the experienced modeller to snap-fit offerings for those with less time or skill (or patience!).

Among the simplest Apache kits is the Revell 1:100 Easy Kit, presented in an alarmingly bright yellow-and-black camo scheme, with quad-packs of garish blue missiles. Decorative these may be, but the kit is easy enough to put together, and just about makes the cut as a ‘model’. Attention with satin-coat spray and knocking back those vivid colours with careful weathering will work wonders for this little helicopter.

Up the size scale is Italeri’s fine 1:48 scale Longbow Apache. There’s not a lot to say about this one - the parts fit well, and it looks great when completed, scaling out to some 312 mm (12.3 in) long. I just love aircraft that have lots of bits-and-pieces sticking out - and the AH-64 is utterly satisfying in that regard. Even so, there’s room in future for an enterprising manufacturer to open up the interior with detailed compartments, control runs, equipment boxes and storage bays. And of course, a nice add-on pack of maintenance techs and their equipment. Incidentally, Italeri has some more 1:48 helo kits on offer - the heavyweight Chinook, for example, would make an excellent pairing with the Apache.

The pictures show, top to bottom:

1 Kuwaiti AH-64D.

2 Two of the SMN crew (Mat Irvine and Mr J) reflected in a nose sensor at the UK’s premier Farnborough Air Show.

3 Revell 1:100 scale Easy Kit.

4 Italeri AH-64D box art.

Visit Italeri’s 1:48 scale helicopter range here.

See a range of AH-64 kits on offer here.