Nürnberg Toy Fair 2011
5
Comments
It was all quiet on the aircraft model front at Academy. No real news apart from a 1:48 scale T-50 which was on display as a very early test model. From what was presented it is difficult to imagine how it will look like in the end. The 1:48 scale F-4B Phantom is still in the program, though nothing of it was visible at the Fair.
Present at the Astromodel/Adalbertus booth was Mr. Wojciech B. Bulhak who presented us his new line of products called Attack Squadron. It will focus on 1:72 scale US Navy WWII subjects and the first item to be released will be P-6 catapult for US floatplanes. The kit will be composed of photo etched parts (on an impressive A4 sheet!) accompanied by resin detail parts. The length of the model will be 30 cm!
The booth of the british manufacturer was one of the most impressive at this year's Nürnberg Toy Fair. More than 70 new items appear in the 2011 program. Sure, not all are brand new but it is quite an achievement nevertheless. How Airfix is able to keep such a pace, you can read in the interview of Mr. Darell Burge (see here).
I won't make a list of all new items of the Airfix catalogue but rather concentrate on the brand new tool items. In 1:72 we have a new A6M2b Zero and a new Curtiss P-40B which will be accompanied by reissues to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pear Harbor attack. Other new tool in the same scale will follow with a Spitfire Mk.I/IIa, a Swordfish Mk.I, a Folland Gnat T1, an F-86 Sabre, a Harrier GR7a/GR9 and an impressive Valiant which should be available soon.
In 1:48 scale it is Spitfire time! After the release of the Mk.XII, Seafires will follow. The test shots on display looked very promising and I'm really looking forward to them. In the same scale, helicopters fans will be pleased to hear that 2011 should be the year of the Lynx. The kit's will be supported by other "Operation Herrick" items like Land Rovers and ground troops.
I won't make a list of all new items of the Airfix catalogue but rather concentrate on the brand new tool items. In 1:72 we have a new A6M2b Zero and a new Curtiss P-40B which will be accompanied by reissues to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pear Harbor attack. Other new tool in the same scale will follow with a Spitfire Mk.I/IIa, a Swordfish Mk.I, a Folland Gnat T1, an F-86 Sabre, a Harrier GR7a/GR9 and an impressive Valiant which should be available soon.
In 1:48 scale it is Spitfire time! After the release of the Mk.XII, Seafires will follow. The test shots on display looked very promising and I'm really looking forward to them. In the same scale, helicopters fans will be pleased to hear that 2011 should be the year of the Lynx. The kit's will be supported by other "Operation Herrick" items like Land Rovers and ground troops.
The Czech short run manufacturer wasn't present in Nürnberg with its own booth, but many AZ Model kits were visible on distributors' displays.
Interesting for 1:72 scale Spitfire fans, is that AZ Model now features the Kits from Admiral in it's catalogue. Maybe this way they will be easier to source in the future. The presence of the boxes of the 1:48 scale Vultee Vengeance is one hint of what will come next, but the absence of plastic sprues makes me think it will not be too soon though. There are many other new items listed in the catalogue but I suppose they are more likely to be released in 2012. However, I'm particularly happy to see that AZmodel wants to do a 1:48 scale Heinkel He-70.
Interesting for 1:72 scale Spitfire fans, is that AZ Model now features the Kits from Admiral in it's catalogue. Maybe this way they will be easier to source in the future. The presence of the boxes of the 1:48 scale Vultee Vengeance is one hint of what will come next, but the absence of plastic sprues makes me think it will not be too soon though. There are many other new items listed in the catalogue but I suppose they are more likely to be released in 2012. However, I'm particularly happy to see that AZmodel wants to do a 1:48 scale Heinkel He-70.
The name Brengun won't probably tell you much. It is a new line of products launched by Mr. Jan Sobotka from Hauler. I was particularly impressed by the 1:72 and 1:144 items. Believe me or not, it will be possible to add seatbelts to 1:144 aircraft from now on! Building a German Radar station or a Rocket launch site will be possible as well, on a surface not bigger than a playing card.
About Jean-Luc Formery (TedMamere)
FROM: MOSELLE, FRANCE
Dragon had some new aircraft kits on display. Amongst them, of course, the usual German subjects (1:32 scale Bf109 and variants of the 1:48 scale Bf110). But also a Hellcat in 1:72 scale which looks very promising and with folded wings option! Other 1:72 scale aircraft models are planned (P-51D, A-20 Havoc, Bf109 E, Bf110, Stuka, Helldiver, Sea Vixen, Sea Venom, buccaneer, etc…) but release date is uncertain.
In 1:48 scale, both a Mustang and a Bf109 E-4 are in the 2011 catalogue but it could take some time before we see first test shots of them since they were already featured in the 2010 issue. It's the same story for the 1:32 scale Me163 B Komet and Do335 A-0.
In 1:48 scale, both a Mustang and a Bf109 E-4 are in the 2011 catalogue but it could take some time before we see first test shots of them since they were already featured in the 2010 issue. It's the same story for the 1:32 scale Me163 B Komet and Do335 A-0.
The 1:48 scale MiG-21 wasn't ready for Nürnberg. The Eduard team was probably the most disappointed by this situation. Having said that, the wait won't be very long. Pre-orders have already been taken and by the time you read this, the kit won't be too far away from shipping. From what I've seen of it, the MiG will be superb and you can follow it's birth on the manufacturer's Facebook page (see here).
WWI enthusiasts will surely be disappointed by this year's program since, apart from reissues, there will be no new tooling. In fact the second big release of 2011 will be a 1:48 scale… Bf109 E! I already hear people complain "no, not another Messerschmitt!" (this has been already discussed in the Nürnberg interview of Jan Zdiarsky - see here) but I'm sure Eduard will do some nice Profipack boxings or Limited Editions and it will be hard to resist to the temptation to get the one or the other kit. The quarter scale Bf109 will also mark the return of the Royal Class box (R0007) though the first kit will be probably "Battle of Britain" oriented judging from the artwork. Luftwaffe fans will be pleased to hear that a 1:48 scale big tail late variant of the D-9 will appear this year as well.
In 1:72 scale, despite Dragon being not far from releasing theirs, work continues on the Hellcat and it will be followed by a MiG-15 later. The Limited Edition of the Liberator B. Mk.VI (Academy kit) should be available as you read this and a 1:48 scale MiG-29 Limited Edition is scheduled for this year as well.
The new Brassin range of Eduard has it's own catalogue and the next products will be centered on the Bf109 E (MG17 fuselage weapon) and the MiG-21 (Rocket launchers, wheels, exhaust nozzles and seat). The 1:48 scale Bf109 E will come without engine so chances are high that a Brassin DB 601 will be done in the same scale as well in the future.
It may seem strange that I haven't mentioned Eduard's photo etched products yet, especially since they represent 50% of the sales of the company! It is because it is simply too difficult to list everything. Be sure however that almost every aircraft kit released this year by any company will receive it's share! The new printing machines Eduard have acquired last year allow the manufacturer to explore new techniques and some interesting new pre painted products will appear this year. Stay tuned!
WWI enthusiasts will surely be disappointed by this year's program since, apart from reissues, there will be no new tooling. In fact the second big release of 2011 will be a 1:48 scale… Bf109 E! I already hear people complain "no, not another Messerschmitt!" (this has been already discussed in the Nürnberg interview of Jan Zdiarsky - see here) but I'm sure Eduard will do some nice Profipack boxings or Limited Editions and it will be hard to resist to the temptation to get the one or the other kit. The quarter scale Bf109 will also mark the return of the Royal Class box (R0007) though the first kit will be probably "Battle of Britain" oriented judging from the artwork. Luftwaffe fans will be pleased to hear that a 1:48 scale big tail late variant of the D-9 will appear this year as well.
In 1:72 scale, despite Dragon being not far from releasing theirs, work continues on the Hellcat and it will be followed by a MiG-15 later. The Limited Edition of the Liberator B. Mk.VI (Academy kit) should be available as you read this and a 1:48 scale MiG-29 Limited Edition is scheduled for this year as well.
The new Brassin range of Eduard has it's own catalogue and the next products will be centered on the Bf109 E (MG17 fuselage weapon) and the MiG-21 (Rocket launchers, wheels, exhaust nozzles and seat). The 1:48 scale Bf109 E will come without engine so chances are high that a Brassin DB 601 will be done in the same scale as well in the future.
It may seem strange that I haven't mentioned Eduard's photo etched products yet, especially since they represent 50% of the sales of the company! It is because it is simply too difficult to list everything. Be sure however that almost every aircraft kit released this year by any company will receive it's share! The new printing machines Eduard have acquired last year allow the manufacturer to explore new techniques and some interesting new pre painted products will appear this year. Stay tuned!
About the Author
FROM: MOSELLE, FRANCE
I'm mainly interested in WW2 aircraft and I build them in 1/48 scale.
Comments
Thanks for taking the considerable time to put this together Jean-Luc- I enjoyed reading the news from all the companies.
As you say, not much coming from Japan at the moment, but there are a few interesting subjects being covered- the Sunderland for one. Did you find out for sure if the Italeri Sunderland Mk.I is based on the same moulds as the future MPM (I think they said theirs will be a Mk.III)?
FEB 22, 2011 - 03:01 AM
Hi Ben,
Thank you for the kind words. And thanks to Rowan for making the article live. Uploading all the pictures wasn't a piece of cake for sure!
The Italeri Sunderland won't be the MPM tool apparently.
Jean-Luc
FEB 22, 2011 - 05:42 AM
Well done Jean-Luc, some great stuff there to look forward to.
All the best.
tim
FEB 22, 2011 - 06:30 AM
Hi there
I'll be really interested to see ICM's takes on the Polikarpov I-153 and I-16 in 1:48, because their 1:72 I-15bis is a lovely little kit. For the same reason, I was really hoping they'd scale up their He-70, so I have rather mixed feelings that AZ Model have announced one.
Like Jean-Luc, I'll definitely want to grab Mirage's PZL P.43 - perhaps they might be tempted to do the P.46 too? (I think I've still got an unbuilt Polish vacuform kit of that tucked away somewhere.) And as for the Roden Staggerwing... I want!
All the best
Rowan
FEB 22, 2011 - 08:26 AM
Hi all
Great report Jean-Luc! my favorites are Zvezdas Su-2 and Haulers Ba-64 (though I also like Tamiyas Pz.IIc). I do expect more stuff from Hasegawa and/or Tamiya at Shizuoka in May ... though Hasegawas MaK stuff is very popular and the "Großer Hund" announcement the the most clicked picture in my galleries! so I think this is one of the major news from Nuremberg.
I got to say many thanks to J-L for being such a nice guy ... I really hope our November trip will work out!
all the best
Steffen
FEB 23, 2011 - 02:52 AM
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