Saturday, January 7

Four new kits from Hobbyboss in February

In Hobbyboss' new items for February, we have a very old tank, a dreadnaught from the time before dreadnaughts, a modern US monster tank and a very popular Hawk. Check them out in our new Hobbyboss item preview...
Four new kits from Hobbyboss in February

Vickers Medium Tank MK II
Item No #83880
1:35th Scale
The Medium Mark II, derived from the Vickers Medium Mark I, was developed to replace the last of the Medium Mark Cs still in use. Production and rebuilding ran from 1925 until 1934. The tank was phased out of service from 1939, replaced by the Cruiser Mk I. 
Marking Choices
It featured several improvements over the Vickers Mark I : a higher superstructure with the driver's vizor on top of it instead of in front of it; an improved suspension protected by armour skirts; and Rackham clutches, providing a primitive form of mechanical servo-control. Due to a slightly higher weight, its rated speed was somewhat slower than that of the Medium Mark I, at 13 mph compared to 15 mph.
Model Features
Model Dimensions Length: 154mm   Width:79 mm 
Total Plastic Parts 740+
Total Sprues 13 sprues , upper hull and turret
The kit consists of over 740 parts
multi-slide moulded upper hull and turret
individual tracks
photo-etched parts included


Hawk MK.200/208/209
1:48th Scale
Item No #81737
The Hawk 200 is a single seat, lightweight multirole combat fighter with emphasis on air defence, air superiority, anti-shipping, air-denial, long-range interdiction, short-range close air support and ground attack. The aircraft is fitted with the AN/APG-66H, an advanced version of the F-16A APG-66 radar with multimode systems. The aircraft is able to be equipped with the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick. 
The Malaysian aircraft has the most extensive modification to the aircraft with illumination "slime" lights, wingtip AAMs and in-flight refuelling. Its aircraft have been involved in major long-range deployments to areas such as Sabah and the Spratly Islands. Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman have ordered 62 aircraft. Brunei has been interested in acquiring this model (and the Hawk 100), but any prospective order has been continually delayed since the mid-1980s.
Marking Choices
      Hawk 208 – Export version for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. (18)
      Hawk 209 – Export version for the Indonesian Air Force. (32)
More Features
Model Dimension Length: 246mm   Wingspan: 209mm
Total Plastic Parts 190+
Total Sprues 12 sprues 
Detailed fuselage & wing w/accurate design
Detailed  cockpit
Photo Etched Parts

French Navy Pre-Dreadnought Battleship Voltaire
kit no# 86504 
1:350th scale
Product Link
Voltaire was one of the six Danton class semi-dreadnought battleships built for the French Navy in the late 1900s. Shortly after World War I began, the ship participated in the Battle of Antivari in the Adriatic Sea and helped to sink an Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser. 
Marking Choices
She spent most of the rest of the war blockading the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean. Voltaire was hit by two torpedoes fired by a German submarine in October 1918, but was not seriously damaged. After the war, she was modernised in 1923–25 and subsequently became a training ship. She was condemned in 1935 and later sold for scrap.

Model Features
Model Dimensions Length: 414mm   Beam: 73.7mm  
Total Plastic Parts 470+
Total Sprues 13 sprues, deck and stand
Metal Parts anchor chain
hull split into two parts 
Contains display stand and engraved name plate 
Photo-Etched parts included


US T29E1 Heavy Tank
1:35th scale
Kit No# 84510
The Heavy Tank T29 and Heavy Tank T34 were an American heavy tank project started in March 1944 to counter the new German heavy tanks. The T26E3 Medium Tank (that entered service as the M26 Pershing), weighing around 45 tonnes, was not considered heavily enough armed or armored to counter the Tiger II, which weighed closer to 70 tonnes. The T29 was not ready in time for the war in Europe, but it did provide post-war engineers with opportunities for testing the engineering concepts in artillery and automotive components.
Marking Choices
There are a couple of surviving T29s at Fort Benning, Georgia. They are being stored in preparation for an Armor exhibit. One has the distinctive rangefinder, while the other does not. Both can be seen as well as many other vehicles in a fenced enclosure on 25 Infantry Regiment Road. One is located in front of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum. There is also a surviving T29 without the rangefinder at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan

Model Features
Model Dimension Length: 332mm   Width: 109mm 
Total Sprues 17 sprues , turret , upper hull and lower hull
The kit consists of over 1000 parts
multi-slide moulded turret and lower hull
photo etched parts included
These four new kits should be available in either late January or early Feb from your favourite Hobbyboss Distributor