Artful69

Hi All ... Announced over on LSP a few days ago ... The next 1/32 kit from HpH should be on display at Telford (for those fortunate enough to be going!) - A Ta.154 'Moskito' ... I've known about this one for a while now (not when it would be ready - but that it was in the wind!) - It was all secret squirrel for me though - I wasn't allowed to say anything ... I'll be getting one ASAP after release to add to the growing night fighter collection. Also planned in 1/32 ... A Curtiss Helldivers SB2C (or "Son of a B1tch 2nd Class") A (previously announced) C.47 (DC.3 will also be available - so here's your tow rig for the Horsa Glider!) Other long term projects - at 'drawing' stage only: A Caproni Ca-3 (For the WWI enthusiasts) ... and ... wait for it ... A Me.232 Gigant ... I'd heard this one was being considered at the same time I'd heard the Ta.154 was in the final stages of production. Seriously? ... You're kidding me! ... In 1/32 this will be a garage display item only. There's another American built twin in the works. I was told about it at the same time as the Ta-154 and Gigant - but again, I'm not allowed to disclose what it is ... and I have no idea of the timeline for release compared with these other announcements ... except to say that it's much further along than these last two items mentioned. All I can say, is that it has been on my 1/32 wish list for quite some time and I hope that some lovely AM decal specialist will release some RAF markings for it. Rog

Classics Publications ... I have the Ju87 & 88 stuff ... the Fw190 volumes and the Bf110, 210&410 stuff ... Missed out on the Hs129, and Me262 series though ... Apparently the He111 book isn't so good? Rog

... you have a comparo' review to finish first though ... don't you? ;) Rog

Just seen this ... My area!! Rog

I love the 109E!! ... My favourite Messerschmitt - it seems (for me) to typify the German approach to things at that point ... 'never mind how good it looks - does the damn thing do what we want it to do?' ... The E was rough around the edges (I wouldn't dream of calling that nose 'streamlined') but it had the power needed (at the time), decent manoeuvrability ... and the necessary armament (including explosive canon shell upgrades) ... It is so good to see some originals - or original design replicas -flying around today ... especially with a DB engine! Rog

I know someone makes this is 1/35 ... somewhere ... A very interesting subject!! ... excellent effort all round - from boxing, to packaging, to detail ... nice work in miniature! Rog

... Reference page 258 of Classic Publications 'Junkers Ju.87 - From Dive Bomber to Tank Buster' ... These are MG 81A weapons containers ... or 'Gießkanne' Usually fitted as an option to the D-3 ... a perfect load out for the night fighter / bomber variant each container could carry either 3 pairs of Mauser MG 81Z machine guns (6x MG's per wing!) @ 259 rounds PG installed at a 15 degree downward angle for staffing ground positions ... OR ... 3 pairs of belt fed MG 17's fitted in a horizontal firing position ... OR ... 2x 20mm MG 151 cannon. HTH Rog

YES!!! ... Thanks so much for this one ... I've been waiting for someone to do a comprehensive look at it ... Cheers James!! Rog

Definitely right about the reviews ... always awesome ... especially when multiple members are doing build reviews together! Rog

Okies ... Time for another post First up ... something I've been chasing for quite some time ... not LSPs ... but my favourite Sensha-Do team from Oorai - Team Anglerfish!! Max Factory posable figurines ... about 1/12 scale ... I've got their 1/12 Panzer IV.D on backorder as well - due end of October! Miho Nishizumi (Commander and school captain), Yukari Akiyama (Loader) , Saori Takabe (Radio Operator), Hana Isuzu (Gunner) and Mako Reizei (Driver) Next is the new Zoukei-Mura SWS Ta.152H-0 ... Been looking for another 1/24 Trumpeter Hurricane for a while (I have the Mk.I) ... but only for a decent price! ... and thanks to a fellow LSP'er ... ... and because it came in a package deal ... and you can never have enough Spitfires, 109's or 190's on the shelf ... I already have one of these ... but because it was the same price as the package deal and a fellow LSP'er is going to need one for a Bf.110G-4 conversion due out in the not too distant future ... I thought it would make a nice gift!! *** EDIT *** ... I didn't include this at the time because ... 1) I didn't order it - I thought it was a mistaken inclusion and 2) I thought I'd have to return it ... after all, modern jets just aren't my subject! BUT ... after a PM exchanged with the original owner ... it turns out that the box was just protection (and camouflage!!) for this!! More later ... Rog

I may actually take you up on that at some point ... I have a couple of questions I'll need to ask John first - mainly about his kit bits ... it appears (according to instructions) that I'm going to have to scratch a couple items for the conversion ... Rog

I really don't know how to answer that question, Cees ... since you already seem to have a set of assumptions in place ... I guess I could type out a whole list of plans here ... yet this isn't really the thread for it. Rog

Thanks Steve I'm very impressed with Johns detail ... Although, looking through the box, I'm going to have to email him a bunch of questions and for some directions as my skill set leaves me unsure on how to proceed with a lot of it. Rog

Is that your stash behind you? impressive! Rog

A few things inbound at present ... Those that have arrived include: An AIMS G-6 conversion for a Revell Ju.88 ... not sure which kit I'll have to use at present ... but this is one of the original releases with quite a few marking/decal options ... so I can get another from John at some point: Next ... the HK Mosquito ... ... And the Tamiya effort ... More in a couple of weeks Rog

That is NO monster, Eric!!! Rog

It's not a negative thing to only have 14 subscriptions to this point ... The industry is so 'rumour fuelled' ... and more than a few people have been 'burned' with announcements that never came to fruition, so there will always be that scepticism. Even Tamiya (A VERY well reputed company in the industry) was rumoured to have a 1/32 Mosquito in the pipeline 12 months before it was announced and the majority of the community was sceptical until it became official. No-one has seen any of your castings - I'm quite sure that once you display quality prototype masters / shots for visual reference ... you'll gain momentum with pre-orders ... nothing says 'we're serious' like moulded plastic / resin! ... and remember ... those pic's may take time to circulate! ... It might be worth extending your deadline if you end up with 65-70 preorders ... Rog

Just remember folks ... That if this kit hits the market ... and if it makes a name for itself (and the company) ... ... that the Blenheim was a precursor to the Beaufort .... and therefore the Beaufighter - which has gained a rather large 'wishlist' following in 1/32, the variant possibilities of which, are endless. I wonder if this pair might be on their radar for the future also?? Just a thought! Rog

Ohhhh nice! ... I love to see these HK Models kits go together!! Rog

I don't want to sound completely sceptical!! ... A little is healthy - a lot is not, like being a dark cloud raining on everyones parade. I may just take the punt anyway - they'll be posting up numbers on their website of those who've invested and updating them regularly ... I'll wait and see - If it gathers momentum and it looks like they'll reach their target, I'll shell out some cash. Apparently ... the story is (from what I've read around the various forums): that they'd like to release two LSP kits per year and two large scale engines as well - and this Blenheim (and it's Canadian counterpart) are the first crack at the market. From bits I've read ... the idea is to produce kits that are in demand and that not a lot of manufacturers will take the punt to make on their own investment. Certainly, crowd funding the first effort is a wise choice - I have no problem with someone asking others, who are pleading for a Blenheim, to put their money where their mouth is! It could, possibly, turn out that if the first few runs are successful and they generate enough investment capital ... we'll end up with another "Fly Model" type company producing the Combo IM/Resin kits that others refuse to make the investment on. This is a good thing! ... And may - finally - bring me closer to the 1/32 Do.17z that I'm so desperately craving!! Rog

... I'm almost willing to take the punt ... $60.00 is neither here nor there as far as being out of pocket in the short term ... But I agree - no kit should equal no money!! most especially for international buyers who stand to lose out on the exchange rate! ... My other reason for scepticism is below ... ... Well ... It's not completely resin, bro ... apparently there's some plastic in there as well ... The main problem for me is that we've got no previous releases to go off ... what will their kit turn out like?? I can't say I'd speak for everyone here, ok? ... But I'm inclined to think that the benchmark for complete resin kits would be HpH?? So for a detailed twin engined kit - with the lot, in good quality ... 170.00 - 200.00 EUR The vac form canopy is a turn off - I'd expect a resin one, at least, in this day and age - bearing in mind that this is a complete kit, not a conversion - no matter how well done! ... and yet still ... the subject matter is attractive!! ... decisions, decisions ... Rog

Jase ... Lovely review ... my kit is in a holding pattern waiting for the Tamiya kit to arrive at the store, so they can both be sent together. Love this kit!! ... Loved when I saw it in all it's raw beauty via Telford photos ... Loved it when (with some feedback) they went back to work to fix up a couple of issues prior to release ... and still loving it now! I really wish some of the Tamiya 'Fanboys' with their doomsday premonitions, advice etc would go take a cold shower! Well detailed, accurate and ingeniously engineered - Jase (and HK Models) we thank you! Rog

Oh ... Yeaaaaah! Rog

Well ... It's that time again! ... I was hoping everything on order would be around by now ... but Tamiya's hanging back with their Mosquito ... Meanwhile these have arrived ... Annoying (and never changing!) is the flimsy side opening box from Revell ... I'm glad Spruebrothers pack their international packages fairly well ... these two didn't come through completely unscathed though - boxes slightly squeezed , yet the goods are sound I thought I might give one of the AIMS Ju-88 Conversions a go at some point ... so I ordered another Ju.88 kit ... Via Amazon For some reason, it's come in the Pro-Modeler format instead of the ROG one that I ordered ... No matter - It's the same kit in better boxing! (are you hearing me Revell????) While grabbing that pair of Fw.190's from Sprue' I tagged the latest Trumpy '109 into the order ... knock 'em all you want - Trumpeter at least knows how to pack 'em ... Last ... Not too far off now, with the AFV's ... I'm basically looking around for old stock of the newer tooled Dragon gear minus the DS Tracks (i.e. with Magic Tracks instead) This one turned up in China for reasonable $$ ... A king Tiger (Ardennes Pz.Abt 501) with a couple of sets of Fallschirm figures in box!! Rog

... the kit makers seek him ... everywhere!!