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| Photo courtesy of Ion Soltan via Linden Hill Decals. |
Showing posts with label Great Wall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Wall. Show all posts
Saturday, June 1, 2013
A Moldovan MiG-29-13
If my (admittedly) shabby pictures of Linden Hill's MiG-29-13 decals earlier this week weren't enough to spark an interest in building Great Wall's MiG-29, Guy Holroyd graciously sent me this photograph of one of the subjects on that sheet, a MiG-29-13 of the Moldovan Air Force. The photo was taken at Marculesti AB in the early 2000s.
Guy said the tires "wouldn't pass a NY-DMV inspection." Given the poor condition of the aircraft serving the nations of these former Soviet Bloc nations, I often think their pilots have all the moxy of pilots in World War Two!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Great Wall Hobby's MiG-29-13 in vivid color
When I started this blog I mentioned that I had no intention of doing product reviews, and I still don’t. That said, I reserve the right to rave about new products that make me feel young again, and that’s just what happened when I saw Linden Hill Decals new release for the 1/48 MiG-29-13.
The MiG-29 has become to Russia what the F-16 has to the United States. The FMS folks at Mikoyan Gurevich have aggressively marketed and sold the airplane into some three dozen air forces throughout Europe and Asia over the years, so there’s no shortage of interesting paint schemes for it. As a modeler, as much as I like the original grey scheme of the MiG-29, many of the new schemes are very enticing.
If you scored the new Great Wall Hobbies MiG-29-13 this weekend during Squadron’s Memorial Day sale, Guy Holroyd of Linden Hill just released an timely set of decals that offers markings for 19 aircraft representing eight nations. You’ll find a few of the typical grey schemes as well as more colorful options featuring vivid blues, greens, and tans. The decals are expertly printed, and the instructions provide more than enough information to create an accurate model, including references to Akan paints (which are also available from Linden Hill).
You should also know that Linden Hill released a similar set of decals for the -12 variant at the same time. It features 12 aircraft from five nations. I would’ve purchased that sheet as well, but I’m planning to do my -12 in Polish markings, and I already have Aztec decals and the two Polish Wings books by Adam Golabek that thoroughly explain the service history of those 44 aircraft.
My problem now? I think I need at least two more kits to do some of these cool schemes!
My apologies for the shabby photos.
The MiG-29 has become to Russia what the F-16 has to the United States. The FMS folks at Mikoyan Gurevich have aggressively marketed and sold the airplane into some three dozen air forces throughout Europe and Asia over the years, so there’s no shortage of interesting paint schemes for it. As a modeler, as much as I like the original grey scheme of the MiG-29, many of the new schemes are very enticing.
You should also know that Linden Hill released a similar set of decals for the -12 variant at the same time. It features 12 aircraft from five nations. I would’ve purchased that sheet as well, but I’m planning to do my -12 in Polish markings, and I already have Aztec decals and the two Polish Wings books by Adam Golabek that thoroughly explain the service history of those 44 aircraft.
My problem now? I think I need at least two more kits to do some of these cool schemes!
My apologies for the shabby photos.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Jorge Oppenheimer's Great Wall P-61 Black Widow
In case you missed it, Jorge Oppenheimer posted pictures of his outstanding build of Great Wall's 1/48 P-61 on Hyperscale. We all know how difficult it is to paint a black aircraft, but Jorge has beautifully balanced realism and artistry. This may be the best build we see of the P-61 this year!
Go to Hyperscale to see more of Jorge's P-61.
Thanks to Jorge for use of the photo.
Go to Hyperscale to see more of Jorge's P-61.
Thanks to Jorge for use of the photo.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Kit of the year!
After much thought and consideration, I'm thrilled to announce that Scale Model Soup's 2012 kit of the year is the Eduard 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf-110E. (Read a review on Hyperscale.)
This was a very difficult decision, one that I've been anticipating and contemplating since I started SMS back in July. I admit what you already know, that this exercise is inherently unscientific; I have my own personal interests and biases, and frankly, I didn't see literally every new model released in 2012. That said, I've tried to be as objective as I possibly can. I read several online forums and make mental notes of what I see, but at the end of the day (or...at the end of the year) I can only consider what I've seen in some form or another, whether online, at contests, or what I've actually purchased.
When thinking about the model I would select, I considered many factors. How unusual is the subject matter? (For example, do we need yet another Bf-109 or Sherman?) How detailed is the model? How profitable is the model likely to be? (I want manufacturers to be successful.) How versatile is the subject matter? Does a relatively good model already exist of the subject?
I tentatively selected Eduard's 110 when it was first released over the summer, but then Great Wall threw me for a loop when they released their 1/48 MiG-29 last month, and I was forced to reconsider my choice. After reading the glowing reviews from modelers on ARC and Hyperscale, I decided that I had to buy one myself to see if the kit lived up to the hype. And I'll be damned, it did! Friends, the MiG-29 is now, arguably, the best 1/48th scale model ever produced, an honor which I think most modelers would've ascribed to the Tamiya 1/48 F-16C Viper.
I looked very closely at both the Eduard Bf-110 and the Great Wall MiG-29. Both feature state-of-the-art, fifth generation detail and molding. Both are positioned to be profitable for their producers. Both effectively "replace" good, but imperfect kits (Fujimi and Academy, respectively).
Two features of the Great Wall MiG-29 almost swayed me to select it. First the rivets; there are two types of rivets, each molded to a different depth! Second, the armament. The AA-10s and AA-11s are works of beauty and rival any resin missile produced in plastic or resin. This kit sets a new standard that all other manufacturers will seek to meet in 2013 and beyond. I would pre-order every new release from Great Wall, even without knowing what it would be!
What the Great Wall MiG-29 is to 1/48th scale, the Eduard Bf-110E (and the other 110 variants Eduard has since released) is to 1/72nd scale. I selected the Eduard kit as my kit of the year because, frankly, I think it's more difficult to achieve this degree of detail and finesse in 1/72nd scale than it is in 1/48th. The 110 is gorgeous. It features detail that we typically see in resin and panel lines and rivets that are truly appropriate for the scale. (I hope we see that level of finesse on 1/144 scale kits next year.) That Eduard has released at least two other 110 variants and a bunch of aftermarket (photoetch and resin) tells me that this kit is positioned to be a profitable investment for our Czech friends. After their Bf-110, I'm even more excited about the promise of what is likely to be Eduard's best release in 2013, their MiG-15.
I should mention a few other models that are among the best of 2012. Tamiya's 1/72 A6M Zero is a gem, beautifully detailed and molded. (There's a review on Hyperscale.) On the armor front, Meng's A39 Tortoise and IDF Merkavas are wonderful, setting a new standard for 1/35 manufacturers, and Bronco is producing some very nice armor; hell, I've lost count of their Chaffee releases!
(Sadly, I cannot comment on ship or car releases. I hope to find someone in 2013 who can contribute commentary on those corners of the hobby).
As I look back to 2012 I feel compelled to remind everyone that scale modelers are living in the best of times. Despite a recession in the United States and economic uncertainty around the world, 2012 was a great year to be a modeler, in terms of releases and quality. Yes, the kits from the best manufactures easily exceed $50 and many approach $100, but ours is still a value-rich hobby. 2012 saw jaw-dropping examples of models produced with the latest technologies, such as computer aided design, rapid prototyping, and slide molding. Many kits don't need the aftermarket we've become accustomed to buying. Even the cottage industry is contributing to our nirvana, with innovative releases from small businesses such as Caracal Models, Barracuda Studios, Freightdog Models, and ET Model.
I've enjoyed each of the thirty-some years I've been in the hobby, and the only thing that bums me out as we enter 2013 is that I can't build models fast enough to keep up with all of the new releases we see every year. Happy New Year!
This was a very difficult decision, one that I've been anticipating and contemplating since I started SMS back in July. I admit what you already know, that this exercise is inherently unscientific; I have my own personal interests and biases, and frankly, I didn't see literally every new model released in 2012. That said, I've tried to be as objective as I possibly can. I read several online forums and make mental notes of what I see, but at the end of the day (or...at the end of the year) I can only consider what I've seen in some form or another, whether online, at contests, or what I've actually purchased.
When thinking about the model I would select, I considered many factors. How unusual is the subject matter? (For example, do we need yet another Bf-109 or Sherman?) How detailed is the model? How profitable is the model likely to be? (I want manufacturers to be successful.) How versatile is the subject matter? Does a relatively good model already exist of the subject?
I tentatively selected Eduard's 110 when it was first released over the summer, but then Great Wall threw me for a loop when they released their 1/48 MiG-29 last month, and I was forced to reconsider my choice. After reading the glowing reviews from modelers on ARC and Hyperscale, I decided that I had to buy one myself to see if the kit lived up to the hype. And I'll be damned, it did! Friends, the MiG-29 is now, arguably, the best 1/48th scale model ever produced, an honor which I think most modelers would've ascribed to the Tamiya 1/48 F-16C Viper.
I looked very closely at both the Eduard Bf-110 and the Great Wall MiG-29. Both feature state-of-the-art, fifth generation detail and molding. Both are positioned to be profitable for their producers. Both effectively "replace" good, but imperfect kits (Fujimi and Academy, respectively).
Two features of the Great Wall MiG-29 almost swayed me to select it. First the rivets; there are two types of rivets, each molded to a different depth! Second, the armament. The AA-10s and AA-11s are works of beauty and rival any resin missile produced in plastic or resin. This kit sets a new standard that all other manufacturers will seek to meet in 2013 and beyond. I would pre-order every new release from Great Wall, even without knowing what it would be!
What the Great Wall MiG-29 is to 1/48th scale, the Eduard Bf-110E (and the other 110 variants Eduard has since released) is to 1/72nd scale. I selected the Eduard kit as my kit of the year because, frankly, I think it's more difficult to achieve this degree of detail and finesse in 1/72nd scale than it is in 1/48th. The 110 is gorgeous. It features detail that we typically see in resin and panel lines and rivets that are truly appropriate for the scale. (I hope we see that level of finesse on 1/144 scale kits next year.) That Eduard has released at least two other 110 variants and a bunch of aftermarket (photoetch and resin) tells me that this kit is positioned to be a profitable investment for our Czech friends. After their Bf-110, I'm even more excited about the promise of what is likely to be Eduard's best release in 2013, their MiG-15.
I should mention a few other models that are among the best of 2012. Tamiya's 1/72 A6M Zero is a gem, beautifully detailed and molded. (There's a review on Hyperscale.) On the armor front, Meng's A39 Tortoise and IDF Merkavas are wonderful, setting a new standard for 1/35 manufacturers, and Bronco is producing some very nice armor; hell, I've lost count of their Chaffee releases!
(Sadly, I cannot comment on ship or car releases. I hope to find someone in 2013 who can contribute commentary on those corners of the hobby).
As I look back to 2012 I feel compelled to remind everyone that scale modelers are living in the best of times. Despite a recession in the United States and economic uncertainty around the world, 2012 was a great year to be a modeler, in terms of releases and quality. Yes, the kits from the best manufactures easily exceed $50 and many approach $100, but ours is still a value-rich hobby. 2012 saw jaw-dropping examples of models produced with the latest technologies, such as computer aided design, rapid prototyping, and slide molding. Many kits don't need the aftermarket we've become accustomed to buying. Even the cottage industry is contributing to our nirvana, with innovative releases from small businesses such as Caracal Models, Barracuda Studios, Freightdog Models, and ET Model.
I've enjoyed each of the thirty-some years I've been in the hobby, and the only thing that bums me out as we enter 2013 is that I can't build models fast enough to keep up with all of the new releases we see every year. Happy New Year!
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