Special Hobby and CMK has a whole bunch of new releases, kits & aftermarket out for the modeller in February. We take you on a whistle-stop tour of the best of them in our preview...
Preview: February's latest kits, resin, masks & prints from Special Hobby/ CMK
Every month Special Hobby and CMK seem to release a bunch of kits and aftermarket. Most of these pretty interesting. We thought we would show you what's new in a preview.
P-40D Warhawk/Kittyhawk Mk.I ‘Four Guns’
From: Special Hobby
100-SH72367
1/72nd Scale
Price: 17,40 € from The Special Hobby online shop
The P-40B/C Hawk/Tomahawk Mk.I/II fighter planes produced by Curtiss in the early war years and delivered both to the USAAF and their forces of the Allies lacked the performance of British fighters and most importantly of the German opponents. So the designers at Curtiss were faced with the necessity to improve the plane rather extensively and power it with the new version of the Allison engine, the V-1710-39 type. The emerging P-40D Warhawk/Kittyhawk Mk.I was to be the first type of this second generation of fighters. A total of only slightly above 40 was eventually produced, being armed with four wing machine guns. On the production line, the type was soon replaced by a further improved and mass-produced P-40E Warhawk/Kittyhawk Mk.Ia, which mainly differed by having six gun armament.
The kit set offers a mount of Neville Duke, the highest-scoring RAF pilot of the Mediterranean, a plane that wore the famous shark teeth on its nose, the second option is another MTO based Kittyhawk, this one as operated by the 3rd Squadron, RAAF. The third option is an ex-US machine captured by the Japanese on the Philippines island of Mindanao which therefore wears Japanese markings, a yellow nose section and also a very nice looking shark mouth. The final scheme is that of a US machine, as flown during a pre-war military exercises and bearing temporary applied markings.
The limited edition kit contains:
- 4 interesting schemes
- excellent styrene parts, 3D-printed parts plus an etched template to adapt the machine bays panel lines
- also separately available is a pre-cut masks set plus large variety of other detail sets.
Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1/B ‘Hit and Run Raiders’
From Special Hobby
100-SH72474
1/72nd Scale
Price: 17,40 € from the Special Hobby Web store.
In 1940, the Messerschmitt Bf 109E was among the very best fighter planes of the world. Its main role was to achieve the air superiority, nevertheless at the same time, some of the airframes were being adapted for carrying bombs on a rack under the fuselage, which resulted in a multi role, fighter-bomber variety. At first, the E-1 subtypes were adapted to this role as they were armed with machine guns only and so could carry more bomb load. Two styles oof bomb racks were used, one for four smaller, 50kg bombs, the other capable of carrying a 250kg or even a 500kg bomb. Such machines were then operated by so called "Jabo Staffel" units and saw service over the Western and Eastern front, in the Mediterranean as well as in Afrika.
The kit brings the excellent-looking styrene parts of the Bf 109E-1 version, topped with a 4xETC 50 bomb carrier with four bombs. The decals cater for three Luftwaffe scheme options, one as operated in Greece in 1941, the other two as flown against Britain in 1940.
This limited release kit features
- Top quality styrene parts with equally fine looking resins
- Eye-catching version bearing three interesting markings
DB-8A/3N ‘Outnumbered and Fearless’
100-SH48222
1/72nd Scale
Price: 20 € from the Special Hobby Web store.
The DB-8 bomber aeroplane was produced by Douglas in the USA, however, the type was first developed and initially produced by Northrop, whose designers had come with a two-seat, ground attack type known as the Gamma 2F and which had been delivered to the USAAF with the military designation A-17. As Douglas bought the Northrop later, the production was moved to its facility instead, and an improved variety of the A-17 with a more powerful engine was developed and produced for many customers worldwide. One of them was also the Dutch air force which showed interest and in 1939 bought the DB-8A/3N version of the type. In 1940, the Dutch machines were put to service, rather paradoxically, in the fighter role in which they managed to shoot down some of Luftwaffe’s Ju 52 transports, before being shot down themselves by the escorting German fighters. A few of the Dutch airframes were also captured and flown with the Luftwaffe.
The DB-8A/3N kit set comes with a decal sheet catering for three machines, one of which bears the markings of the Luftwaffe. One of the original Dutch machines can be built in two different markings. Contained in the kit are also photo etched details and resin bomb rack.
- The limited release kit features
- Etches and resin parts in the box
- Breathtaking history of the portrayed machines
Airspeed Oxford Mk.I ‘Gunner Trainer’ 1/48
From Special Hobby
Kit No #100-SH48227
1/48th Scale
Price: 46 € from the Special Hobby Web store.
The Airspeed Oxford was a British aeroplane developed early in the war and mainly used in training of multi-engine aircraft crews – pilots, navigators, gunners. The Oxfords saw service with the RAF, as well as with air forces of other Commonwealth countries (RNZAF, RCAF, RAAF and SAAF). In the post-war years, many Oxfords were also delivered to even more other countries. The Mk.I version of the Oxford was produced with the dorsal gun turret and was mainly used for gunnery training, and this is the version that our model represents.
The styrene parts come with resin items and etches, and the decals offer markings for war time machines operated by the RAF, RNZAF and RCAF and a post war, yellow and blue machine of the RNAF – Royal Norwegian Air Force.
- Photo-etch and resin cast parts are supplied in the box
SK-37 Viggen ‘Trainer’
From Special Hobby
Kit No #100-SH48209
1/48th Scale
Price: $36.85 USD from Hobbylink Japan
The SAAB 37 Viggen was an aircraft ahead of its time. Its designers used an unorthodox construction which enabled the plane to meet all requirements which had been laid on it and in some parameters even surpass them. The Swedish Air Force ordered several various versions of the Viggen jet fighter, its basic design formed a universal platform which, using a specialized equipment, enabled the plane to be used for different roles. The first of seven prototype machines took off for its maiden flight on 8 February 1967 with E.Dalström at the controls. The aircraft was powered by a Volvo RM8 turbofan, a licence-built variant of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D with an afterburner and thrust reverser which, in addition to a double-delta wing design, enhanced the plane’s performance the take offs and landings on short airstrips. The avionics of the Viggen was state-of-the-art at the time, the Viggen was the first type to be equipped with a computer with integrated circuits.
The first version of the Viggen to see service with the Flygvapnet was the AJ 37 strike fighter followed consequently by the SK 37 two-seat trainer, the SF 37 reconnaissance version with cameras in a redesigned nose section and the anti-shipping SH 37 with much differing avionics, capable of carrying a range of anti-shipping weapons. Ten years after the first Viggen version entered service, the second generation of the SAAB, the JA 37 dedicated fighter machine came into being. Up to date avionics was used and also a more powerful engine in a slightly longer fuselage. The earlier version got this updated avionics too and this way the AJS, ASFS and ASHS 37 versions were created. A certain number of the two seat airframes were converted to the SK 37 E electronic warfare trainers.
The training version kit contains:
- Eleven sprues accompanied by photo-etched details both for the exterior and interior of this version.
- The decals and marking schemes allow you to build three various airframes which cover all three styles of camouflage schemes worn by the Viggen. A natural metal Viggen, a standard splinter scheme as well as a two-grey machine.
A-17 / DB-8Mask
From Special Hobby
Kit No #8594071089146
1/72nd Scale
Price: 4.30€ from the Special Hobby Web store.
Pre-cut painting masks for the clear parts and undercarriage wheels of the A-17/DB-8 attack/bomber aircraft
2000 Lb Bomb AN-M66A2 equipped with Conical Fin Assembly M130 (2 pcs.)
From CMK
Kit No #8594071089146
1/48th Scale
3D printed parts
Price: 8.80€ from the Special Hobby Web store.
The 2000 Lb M66A2 bomb was developed during WW2. However, both the US army and naval air forces kept using it in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, too. The new conical shaped M130 tail section was developed so that these bombs could be used on modern, fast military aircraft. The finely detailed resin cast bombs have 3D printed stabilising fins.
Tempest Mk.II Engine (Centaurus) / for SH & Eduard kits
From CMK
Kit No# 129-P48005
1/48th Scale
3D printed parts
Price: 27.50€ from the Special Hobby Web store
This 3D-printed set portrays the complete Centaurus engine installation including all the open covering panels and is designed to fit both the Special Hobby and Eduard kits. The engine itself features excellent levels of detail and is flawlessly printed, too. The assembly is very easy and straightforward.
For a short time a 30% discount on most of the CMK range:
30 years have already passed since the foundation of the CMK brand! To properly celebrate, we are offering all registered customers at www.cmkkits.com a 30% discount on the entire range (except for the January/February 2023 news). The event lasts from 18 to 27 February 2023, or while stocks last.
These new kits are available on Special Hobby's Website