Airfix Model World | The builds
SEABORNE SUKHOI
Chinese kit manufacturer Minibase has made a stunning debut with its sea-going 1/48 Su-33 Flanker-D. Chris Jones finds it an involved but satisfying project.
THE MIGHTY MO
Well covered in the larger scales, Academy’s 1/700 World War Two-period USS Missouri is explored by Andy Davies.
CREDIBLE CRUSTY
Mike Verier finds that this 'not-really-an-airliner' 1/144 Tu-134UBL Crusty-B from Zvezda builds into a faithful rendition of the Soviet aircraft.
NEITHER DEAD NOR ALIVE
Following its 1/16 Night King, ICM has released another figure seemingly inspired by the Game of Thrones series: one of the reanimated minions from the frozen land beyond The Wall. Johan Augustsson introduces painting theories on this creepy fellow, a 1/16 Wight.
CLOWNING AROUND
Jen Wright takes a break from reality with a couple of cartoon-style fighter builds from Great Wall Hobby.
WEATHERED WORKHORSE
Joe Turner turns MiniArt’s 1/35 US Bulldozer into a weathered machine, and places the model in a period scene.
HOWARD IN THE CONGO
Mike Grant creates a Free French Air Force aerial ambulance with Dekno Models' 1/72 Howard DGA-15P.
OLD 'CAT, NEW TRICKS
Despite a challenging construction process, Mike Williams completes Italeri's re-issue of AMT's old 1/48 F7F Tigercat and adds a convincing weathered finish...peeled paint and all!
HOW DO THEY GET IN ?
Sometimes a project can snowball if just a simple question is raised during construction – for Editor Stu Fone and Airfix’s re-issued 1/72 Beaufighter TF.X, it was wondering how the crew entered the aircraft.
Building Kinetic's 1/48 scale Harrier GR.3
Kinetic's 1/48 Harrier has been reformated to portray the RAF's GR.1/GR.3 airframes. The moved prompted Jay Blakemore to jump for joy and produce a wonderful build.
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
How 'friendly' is Italeri’s Fokker F27? Massimo Santarossa finds out, as he constructs this famous turboprop airliner in 1/72 scale.
CIRCLES IN THE SKY
Andy Davies has fun building and modifying an oddity from the golden age of aviation in the form of the 1/72 AviS Lee-Richards Annular wing No.3.
NIGHT DESTROYER
Richard Spreckley builds ICM’s new-tool 1/48 Do 217N-1 –a Luftwaffe night-fighter converted from a medium bomber – as prototype fuselage No 7.
DESERT HAULER
Jay Blakemore settles in for the long haul when he takes on Thunder Model’s highly detailed 1/35 Scammell Pioneer SV/2S recovery tractor.
NIGHT RAIDER
David Holmes builds Airfix’s newly tooled 1/72 Mosquito B.XVI out of the box to represent an aircraft from RAF Bomber Command’s Light Night Strike Force.
SUPERCAR, SUPER KIT!
Usually more at home building flying machines, Alan Price tackles Tamiya’s 1/24 McLaren Senna hypercar – whose wings are meant to keep it firmly on the ground!
MINIATURE MESSERSCHMITT MASTERPIECE
What can a newly tooled depiction of a classic and popular aircraft type bring to a market full of competitors’ takes on the subject? Mike Williams finds out with Special Hobby’s brand-new 1/72 Bf 109E-4.
ON THE CASE
Airfix has re-boxed Thunder Models’ 1/35 US Military Tractor, and Steve Budd makes the Case for this diminutive model.
LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH ACCURACY
David Holmes builds Italeri’s detailed new-tool 1/72 F-35B Lightning II, representing an aircraft from the Royal Navy’s Lightning Force aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth.
PERFECT PREDATOR
Jay Blakemore discovers that you don’t have to go on safari to experience big cats at close hand, especially with AMK’s stunning 1/48 scale F-14D Super Tomcat.
COMBAT TO COMPETITION
Dean Large bedecks the 'Civilian Scheme' edition of Airfix's recent 1/48 Spitfire Mk.XIV with a smart and shiny Canadian air-racing livery.
BALKANS SCOURGE!
Airfix's excellent 1/72 Stuka makes a welcome return, with this Balkans-theatre version built by Huw Morgan.
INTO BATTLE!
Tamiya’s newly tooled 1/35 Soviet KV-1 Heavy Tank is placed into a suburban Leningrad setting by Johan Augustsson, with the help of MiniArt figures and Reality in Scale accessories.
THUD RIDGE RUNNER
Matthew Porter readies his Hobby Boss 1/48 F-105D Thunderchief for a Vietnam sortie with the aid of aftermarket munitions and markings.
GIANT OF THE SKY
Paul Cawte builds Mark I Models’ 1/720 R33 Airship –a craft that evolved from a weapon of war and marked the golden era of inter-war aviation, when such vessels appeared to be the future for commercial travel.
IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME
Airfix’s 1/48 Bristol Blenheim Mk.I appears as a bomber in its second iteration, and Dean Large tackles this quarter-scale depiction of a Mediterranean-theatre aircraft.
TAMING THE RAT
Peter Fearon explores how limited-run kits can be rewarding – if somewhat challenging – as he builds Special Hobby’s 1/32 I-16 Type 24 ‘Rata’.
FLAK HAPPY
Jay Blakemore conquers confusion as he recreates arguably the most infamous artillery piece of World War Two, in the shape of Dragon’s 1/35 8.8cm Flak 37 gun.
RETIRED RHINO
Kev Baxter snaps up the latest offering from FineMolds in the form of its outstanding 1/72 F-4EJ Kai Phantom and builds this state-of-the-art release to represent a museum airframe.