Lindberg 1/48 Snark SM-62 missile w/launcher @$70 Box top

Lindberg made the moulds for the Snark in the 1960s but never released the kit! It finally saw the light of day in the 1980s when Craft House bought the Lindberg name and moulds. This new re-issue still has the (very big) Snark missile with it's removeable detailed jet engine, moveable control surfaces, wing mounted fuel tanks and two rocket booster engines but it also appears to have a new style launching platform (adjustable, with rubber tyres), a towing tractor, 9 ground crew figures and a set of mobil stairs (also height adjustable). The large decal sheet has markings (and all the white stripes) for one U.S.A.F. aircraft. A rather complext but very impressive model when built!

Valom 1/72 (resin) Hampton bomb bay set @$10 Box top

For the Valom RAF Hampton, this resin 'conversion' set consists of a torpedo, four bombs, bomb bay doors, engine exhausts, wing racks and pods and a photo etched set...all for just $10!!

Hawk 1/245 Graf Zeppelin @$170 Box top

In the 1950s, America's 'oldest' model kit company, Hawk released a giant (nearly 1 metre long) kit of the Graf Zeppelin air ship. It was part vac form (the two halves of the main body) and part injection moulded (the main cabin, tail planes and engines etc.). J. Loyd International now owns the Hawk name and some of the moulds (Loyd also owns Lindberg now) and has re-issued the kit as an 'all injection moulded' product (new tooling, made in China) with the addition of 'lights' inside the cabin section (batteries included)! As well as lights, some interior detail is provided (for the cabin). This very impressive model (because of it's size) comes with a display stand, a set of historical notes and photos and of course decals for the Graf Zeppelin.

Revell 1/48 Spirit of St.Louis @$30 Box top

I had expected this to be a re-boxing of the old Lindberg kit (Revell Germany did re-box a number of Lindberg kits in the 1980s) but it's a brand new tooling...made in China...and it is excellent! All control surfaces are moulded in such a way that they can be re-positioned at any angle...there's a fully detailed engine and cockpit (with optional position side door) and an optional seated or standing figure of Charles Lindbergh (you can't have both though because there is only one head!). All the struts (apart from the main wing struts) are moulded onto other parts so that you cannot get them wrong (position wise)... a good idea but it does mean more 'join' lines. The decal sheet has markings for the Ryan NYP 'Spirit of St.Louis' (naturally).

Amodel 1/72 X-20M (Kangaroo) Soviet guided missile @$31 Box top

This rather large guided missile from the 1950s was launched via a TU-95K (not included!) and fitted with a thermonuclear warhead...130 were build and fortunately, never used! The Amodel kit has 50 injection moulded parts (including those for a ground trolly on which to mount the finished model) and a set of decals with a stack of stenciling.

Amodel 1/72 KS-1/KRM-1 Soviet guided missile @$21 Box top

Looking a bit like a Mig-17 without a cockpit, this kit can be built as either the KS-1 from the late 50s or the KRM-1 from the early 70s. There are just 28 injection moulded parts (including nine that are used for the ground trolly on which it's mounted, once assembled) and a set of decals with markings for both the KS-1 and the KRM-1. Also included is the 'under wing' rack from which the missile was launched (from a TU-16 ... not included!!!!).

Amodel 1/144 Avro Lancaster B I/B III @$50 Box top

Incredibly expensive (thanks mainly to the drop in the value of the Aussie dollar), this rather small kit is none the less, very impressive...with it's 'fully detailed' bomb bay! The kit consists of 205 injection moulded parts (including 21 in clear plastic), two 'rubber' tyres, two photo etched frets and a set of decals with markings for two RAF night bombers. As well as the detailed bomb bay, with bombs (which puts even the large scale Lanc. kits to shame), there's a reasonably detailed cockpit and all the turrets and guns are moveable! Being 1/144 scale, most of the parts are very small...including the propeller blades ... which all come separate from the spinners.

Amodel 1/144 Avro Lancaster Avro Lancaster 10MR @$50 Box top

Basically the same kit as above but this time you get a lot less for your money! Gone are the bombs and the bomb bay photo etched details and on toip of that, there are a lot of parts not used on this version (guns, gun turrets, etc.). You do get a nice set of RCAF decals...but markings for just the one aircraft!

Valom 1/72 A.W. Albemarle B.Mk.I / ST Mk.I (British and Russian marking). @$51 Box top

Same kit as the Albemarle ST.Mk.V but with an extra resin part and three clear parts (for the 'different' style turret) and a new decal sheet (markings for one RAF and one Soviet aircraft)...there are also a number of parts that were not used on the ST.Mk.V version that are used here and vise versa. In all there are 112 crisp, clean, injection moulded parts, 8 resin parts, a photo etched fret and the decals. Cockpit and engine detail is quite good, the wheel wells are 'boxed' in and you even get a spar for the wings. The instructions contain four view colour drawings and photos of the real aircraft.

Valom 1/72 H.P. Hampton P.5 (Swedish/Russian) @$45 Box top

The first thing you notice upon opening the box is the beautifully engraved surface detail...fine panel lines and indented rivet heads ... so unlike the raised rivets and panel lines on the old Airfix kit (at least Frog had engraved panel lines on it's little 1/96 Hampton, back in the 1950's). The Valom kit consists of 93 very cleanly moulded injection parts (including 13 in clear plastic), a photo etched fret and a set of decals with markings for two aircraft (Swedish and Soviet). Engine and interior detail is very good (all three crew stations are covered) and you even get the bomb bay interior (but to see it you have to cut open the bomb bay doors!). The landing gear looks great but there's no detail inside the wheel wells. Three machine guns are supplied and the instructions contain colour four view drawings plus photos of a full scale Hampton's interior.

Masterbox 1/35 BMW German WW2 motorcycle @$23 Box top

After a swag of figure sets, Masterbox has finally followed up on it's Pz.1 series with this highly detailed model of the BMW R.75 motorbike. There are 100 crisp, clean injection moulded parts plus two decal sheets with markings for six bikes. As well as the motorcycle (with a fully detailed engine) there is a 'side car' with a full interior and two nicely detailed machine guns. No 'rubber' tyres but you do get separate 'spoked' wheels with 'plastic' tyres.