Kit countdown... Clayton's top ten upcoming releases of the month...
Obscure tanks & turrets, A big-gunned Henschel, Godzilla, Kongo & Takao, A tracked Stuka, a skinny whisky, a Raider plus a Turkish delight, along with a stealthy hole. Clayton Ockerby treats us to his top ten of upcoming releases in his video preview...
Kit countdown... Clayton's top ten upcoming releases of the month...
Here are some of the new announcements and releases that caught my eye from June in the hope I can shed some light on some of the stuff you may have missed! They come around fast, don’t they? and I think there will be a few surprises in this list too… So let’s get started!
Automotive modelling isn’t really my thing, but I can appreciate a great-looking car. But more than the 1000 km race at Bathurst has become an institution in this country, so seeing the Nissan Skyline GT-R in which Jim Richards and Mark Skaife won the 1991 race was a bit of a nostalgia trip for me. This limited-edition release from Hasegawa is a nice piece of Australian road racing history.
Tamiya’s F35 range has been extremely popular, with scale modellers regularly adding these things to their stash. The F-35 is so widely used there is clearly a great deal of affection for the airframe. Cashing in on that, Aires has released upgrades for the 72nd scale Tamiya kit – those being an open and closed exhaust nozzle as well as the ladder accessory for the pilot. These upgrades were only a matter of time given Aires is already producing upgrades for the 48th-scale version of the kit.
Following on from their Yamato release last year, Border Models continues their venture into the world of Japanese warships with the release of the Kongo and the Takao. From all accounts, the Yamato was considered a standout in the 1/350 battleship category, particularly for its combination of modern engineering and high-detail components.
It included 3D parts, etch and metal barrels, as well as internal structures in the three main gun turrets, so you would think these new kits would be delivering a similar level of finish. I have had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Border kits, but I am hoping they are now finding their stride and the nautical modelling in us all can sink our teeth into their latest release!
And another manufacturer I have had a love-hate relationship with is FC Model Trend. I love the unique subjects they release, but I have some of their scaling and execution… So, I am hoping this Fire Support Vehicle upgrade doesn’t fall into that category…
For years the only game in town was the 1979 Tamiya release, and as you’d expect for that age, it was a little light on detail and accuracy. The M113 FSV is a uniquely Australian vehicle, which explains the appeal for me. The vehicle saw the Saladin turret plonked on top of an M113, and that vehicle was used to support troops in the Vietnam War.
Fellow Aussie modeller Black Hat Scale Models is using a 16th-scale FC set to create his version of this vehicle, so be sure to check his channel out if you can.
You can't go wrong with a German halftrack, and even though this iteration of the halftrack has been produced many times before, most notably by Tamiya and AFV Club, a modern boxing is always welcomed. The engine detail looks really nice, as well as the framing that holds the rockets on the sides of the vehicle. The half-track is one of those subjects that gives us a chance to display all that hard work we put into our interiors and not have it hidden behind hatches.
The initial run will (I believe) include two metal rocket projectiles to reward us early adopters. Snowman Model often collaborates with Takom, so I am assuming that is again the case for this vehicle.
The initial releases of these Meng Phantoms were praised as offering a compelling balance of detail, buildability, and value. And while not as detailed as the Zoukei Mura kits, they were well received and built into a beautiful model of this iconic, brutish jet!
This one is an example from the Turkish Air Force and is unique to other boxings, as it represents updates specific to that aircraft as well as specialised weapons and NATO 70th anniversary markings.
This will be a solid kit and a must for you Phantom tragics.
Meng again made the list with the early mobile command and communications tank from WW1. This is a French tank, and around 188 of them were produced between 1918 and 1919.
The kit will use the standing FT17 components and provide the upgrades to produce this unique little vehicle… the same style of release as the Kubelwagen mashup we saw a couple of months ago.
This kit has been previously released for the Japanese market; however, it is good to see it now being produced for us in the Western World.
I’ve snuck this one in just because I think it is such a beautiful-looking helicopter, and that is the AH-1W Super Cobra from Trumpeter. This is a rebox, although it was still newly tooled this year. This boxing comes with new markings for the US Marine Corps, but probably the main thing I like about it is the scale. It's 1/35, which ties in beautifully with the armour and figure scales, giving us options when it comes to displaying the model.
It’s a sweet-looking subject; you just have to make sure you have room in the display case for the blades!
Takom wings! Who’d have thought? I love their armour models (for the most part), so I am sure I’m going to love their aircraft. Hot on the heels of their Horten release, Takom has announced the Henschel Hs129 B2 and B3 in 1/48th scale.
You can get both of these kits, a Panther and a figure, in one box if you have the moolah!
The Hs 129 was a German World War II ground-attack aircraft known for its armoured design and anti-tank capabilities, which is the thing that draws me to it. In particular, the B3 has that thumping 75 mm cannon protruding from the front of the nose – brutal!
The kit comes with a fully detailed cockpit and interior and, although a little gimmicky in my opinion, clear parts to help you display it.
Similarities have been highlighted between this release and Zoukei-Mura’s “Super Wing Series,” but Takom’s design approach is a little more accessible — offering that layered detail without quite as much complexity. It’s fair to say Takom is channelling the SWS spirit, but with a slightly more modeller-friendly execution.
1. U.S.A.F. B-21 Raider
AFGSC 28th Bomb Wing Ellsworth Air Force Base
Modelcollect | No. UA72222 | 1:72
One of my all-time favourite planes because of the technology, the shape, the look and the capability is the B-2, and whilst the B-21 is significantly smaller than the B2 there is no escaping the family bloodline.
It’s hard to believe the B-2 first flew in 1989, and now we are seeing the transition to the B-21 Raider.
The raider uses next-generation stealth components through modular components and has been optimised for multi-spectral stealth capabilities. The B21's engines are fully buried, unlike the B2, which emits a lower radar/IR signature.
This plane is so far ahead of its time and is as deadly as it is beautiful, and I can’t wait to tackle the challenge of painting a black(ish) model.
Although Takom has been rumoured to be looking at this aircraft as a future release, Model Collect has led the charge to bring us the beast in 72nd scale. In saying that, a lot of detail around the aircraft is classified, so it’s possible we will all end up with a highly inaccurate representation of the B-21… But who cares?
So that’s it! What did you think? Did you agree? Did I miss something? Please let me know in the video comments.
Check out Clayton's video that accompanies this story on his YouTube page—Workbench Hobbies.
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