Dear business friends,

The main and very important information in our May Newsletter is that the Heinkel He 177 A-3 Greif, cat.no SH48210, is now already available. Besides this model, this newsletter brings kits of two 1/72 models, SH72538 DH.94 Moth Minor ‘In war and peace over Europe and Africa’ and SH72541 Caproni Ca.312 ‘Italian Export Bomber’. While the first kit is very simple, easy to assemble and suitable for beginners and children, the second kit is intended for experienced modellers. In addition to plastic parts, it also contains a good measure of 3D-printed parts, photo etches and other accessories.

As I mentioned last time, the May sets are all in 1/48 scale. The excellent rear gun turret for the B-26 Marauder stands out  among them, but the sets for the DB-7 Boston Mk.III (HK Model) or the seats for the Fw 190 kits from Tamiya are also worth noting.

In June, the main new release will be the 1/72 Albacore Mk.I, and for the summer we are preparing the long-awaited 1/48 Baltimore Mk.I/II. However, reissues of the jet fighter kits 1/72 SH72384 JA-37 Viggen and 1/72 SH72476 Mirage IIIC ‘Armée de l'Air’ are also in the works. Besides these, you can look forward to the 1/72 SH72537 AT-6 Texan/Harvard ‘Little Warrior’, for which we have selected some really interesting camouflage schemes. On top of that, the kit will offer detailed 3D printed weapons. We will also be returning to our offer with the 1/72 Fw 189A in the form of the SH72546 Focke Wulf Fw 189A ‘Owls over the Eastern Front’ kit and the 1/48 Bücker Bü 181B Bestmann. The SH48173 kit will feature new moulded fuselages and will feature German and Swedish aircraft.

We look forward to receiving your orders.

A.      Riedel

SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC MODEL KITS

Heinkel He 177A-3 Greif ‘Baby Blitz Bomber’ 1/48

   The Heinkel He 177 Greif was the only German four-engine bomber deployed in larger numbers during World War II. Its operational use was not entirely successful, but the Heinkel He 177 is still an iconic aircraft. Its concept is unique. In each wing, two engines were placed side by side with a drive to a common gearbox. This turned a four-bladed propeller. The bomber thus looked like having only a pair of engines.

   We have already offered the Heinkel He 177 kit earlier. Now we are returning it to the offer with redesigned  small parts. These are now made from metal moulds, originally the kit was all short-run. The decals offer markings for two Luftwaffe machines, first one of which took part in the Operation Steinbock, Luftwaffe’s bombing offensive against Great Britain. The operation was launched in the spring of 1944 and caused more losses than gains for which the British mockingly called the offensive Baby Blitz. The other scheme option of the kit set features a machine with yellow trim and in two differing forms.

-          the only 1/48 model kit portraying the He 177 aeroplane

-          new metal tooling parts accompanying the original ones

-          photo etches, 3D printed parts and resin cast parts included in the box

-          also available for this kit are more resin detail parts and pre-cut set of masks

DH.94 Moth Minor ‘In war and peace over Europe and Africa’    1/72

   The production of the sports and touring DH.94 Moth Minor monoplane was interrupted by World War II. The De Havilland company stopped its production in Britain and moved it to Australia, where it was restarted for the needs of the RAAF. British-made aircraft were flown by private owners and in flying clubs. After the outbreak of the war, civil flying was restricted and the Moth Minors were used as training or liaison aircraft. One, originally an Egyptian machine, served as a liaison aircraft for the USAAF in Egypt in 1942. After the war, Moth Minors were flown in civil hands until the 1970s, participating in many events and races. Some, after overhauls, still keep flying today.

   The kit offers parts arranged on two sprues, joined with injection-moulded windshields. Decals include the USAAF DH.94 ‘Sand Fly’ from Egypt, the British G-AFTH in two forms, in yellow with RAF markings and camouflaged as it served as a liaison aircraft during the war. Civilian DH.94s are represented by G-AFOZ and G-AFPN, the former in cream scheme, the latter silver overall, both with colourful trim and start numbers.

-          easy to assemble and yet finely detailed kit set

-          colourful schemes

-          also available are set of masks and 3D-printed wheels

Caproni Ca.312 ‘Italian Export Bomber’  1/72

   The Italian company Caproni began producing the light twin-engine bomber Ca.310 and the more powerful Ca.311 for the Italian Air Force in the late 1930s. These also attracted foreign customers. Belgium ordered the Ca.310 and Norway the Ca.311, but with more powerful engines. Caproni first offered Belgium the Ca.312 Belge, built on the basis of the Ca.310, but the production machines were to be built for both countries on the basis of the Ca.311. They were to differ in the design of the nose section. The Belgian machines were to have a stepped nose while the Norwegian ones a smooth shaped nose in the He 111 style. In contrast to the Ca.311, they had massive engine cowlings, three-bladed propellers and modified landing gear. Caproni managed to build two Ca.312s by the time Belgium and Norway had been occupied by the German Wehrmacht and both orders were cancelled. The unfinished batch of 24 was taken over by the Italian Regia Aeronautica. They were operated in the transport role in Italy, Africa and on the Eastern Front. Two machines were used as ambulances on the Eastern Front and flew white overall with red cross markings.

   The plastic mouldings are completed with a combination of 3D printed parts, resin parts and etchings of the new engines, the cowlings, landing gear parts and interior. The decals offer a Norwegian prototype option with a smooth nose and three Italian machines with stepped noses. Two are camouflaged, one from Italy, the second from Africa and the third one, white overall, flew as an ambulance in the Caucasus area.

-          kit set of a very interesting and unusual version

-          contains 3D-printed parts, resin cast parts , a fret of etches and a set of masks

-          eye-catching colour schemes and decals

SPECIAL MASK

Heinkel He 177A 1/48 MASKS

Pre-cut masks for the canopy and wheels of the Heinkel He 177A 1/48 kit.

Mosquito NF Mk.XV 1/72 MASK

Pre-cut masks for the canopy and wheels of the Mosquito NF Mk.XV kit.

RESIN AND 3D-PRINTED MODELS AND SETS

HP.52 Hampden B.Mk.I - Vickers K Rear Machine Gun (twin installation) 1/48 / for ICM kits

   Fixed, forward facing machine gun operated by the pilot, nose mounded flexible mg and two rear machine guns, the dorsal (upper fuselage) and ventral (belly) ones, both of which in twin installation. All these are made by direct 3D print and offer much better detail levels than the styrene items in ICM’s kit. And of course the set also contains about two dozens of the drum shaped ammo magazines placed on the fuselage sides.

B-26 Marauder Tail Gun Turret 1/48 / for ICM kits

   The 3D-printed tail gun turret as featured in this set possesses such levels of detail that cannot be achieved via standard styrene moulding. The interior detail offered in this set contains the 12.7mm machine guns, fuselage bulkheads, ammo feeds and gunner’s seat. On top of that there are also two styles of the fuselage rear ends, one with glazing and the other one with fabric covers and zippers that opened and closed as the gun muzzles moved.

B-26 Marauder External Gun Pack 1/48 / for ICM kits

   The Marauder bomber was armed with four fixed machine guns in a pair of pods either side of the front fuselage. Our 3D-printed set offers these pods with high levels of detail and one of the pods on each side can be posed open.

A-20B/C/DB-7 Boston Mk.III Wheels 1/48 / for HK Models kits

   Nicely detailed, weighted resin cast wheels with 3D-printed hubs. The tyres feature diamond-shaped pattern and wheel hubs come either with or without their covers.

DB-7 Boston Mk.III Ventral & Dorsal Machine Guns 1/48 / for HK Models kits

   The DB-7 Boston Mk.III model kit offers armament for both the upper fuselage (or dorsal) and belly (ventral) gunners stations, however the type of armament is not correct as it portrays the larger 12.7mm guns. Our set, on the other hand, brings the required British 7.7mm machine guns. The dorsal station can be fitted with two styles of the armament, in single or twin installation. The set also contains flexible mounting for the ventral station machine gun. All made via direct 3D print and joined with a fret of etches.

Fw190A Seat and Side Section Back Armour (w/ harness) 1/48 / for Tamiya kits

   Based on a private collection original seat, armours and most importantly with uniquely preserved cushions (a seat cushion and a back cushion with a cutout for the parachute), we have prepared a 3D printed seat. The seat is printed with the belts. Designed for Tamiya’s Fw 190 model kit.

Fw190A Seat and Side Section Back Armour (w/o harness) 1/48 / for Tamiya kits

   Based on a private collection original seat, armours and most importantly with uniquely preserved cushions (a seat cushion and a back cushion with a cutout for the parachute), we have prepared a 3D printed seat. The seat is printed without the belts.

DB-7 Boston Mk.III Bomb Sight Mk.IX 1/48 / for HK Models kits

    Superbly detailed, 3D-printed bomb sight for HK Models‘ Boston Mk.III, a part that for some reason is not included in the kit itself. Can be used with other British WW2 bombers, too.