April 2024, 1/72 scale plastic model kits news.

Aircrafts

2024-04-01

We start the month we the same hard task as previous one, recover AZ Model releases. To open fire we added 6 new references, all of them devoted to the Heinkel He 162. At this stage AZ Model did more variants than ever planed. It’s interesting that for this new series they tooled a new mold to address differences of the B series airframe. The kits are:

• AZ Model – AZ7851 – Heinkel He 162B-1 “Volksjäger 46”
• AZ Model – AZ7852 – Heinkel He 162B-2 “Volksjäger 46”
• AZ Model – AZ7853 – Heinkel He 162B-3 “Volksjäger 46”
• AZ Model – AZ7854 – Heinkel He 162B-4 “Volksjäger 46”
• AZ Model – AZ7855 – Heinkel He 162B-5 “Volksjäger 46”
• AZ Model – AZ7856 – Heinkel He 162B-6 “Volksjäger 46”

2024-04-4

Airfix is reissuing this month Airfix – A08016 – Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V, same kit as released in 2015, when the kit was tooled. Also reissuing Airfix – A04003 – Supermarine Swift FR.5, and again an original tool of 2015. The Supermarine Swift is not a super popular topic but other options were available and in the 2000s Xtrakit tooled the same exact variant.

Adding today an interesting release by Dora Wings, Dora Wings – DW72034 – Noorduyn Norseman Mk.IV, till today, the only option in injected plastic 1/72 scale for the Noorduyn Norseman was the old MatchBox kit (also issued under Revell brand).

2024-04-05

In early March, Dora Wings also released Dora Wings – DW72038 – Vultee Vengeance MkI/IA, also a new tool kit in 2024.

Eduard is reissuing this month Eduard – 7077 – F6F-5 Profipack and releasing also the excellent Eduard – 2145 – GUSTAV pt. 2 (DUAL COMBO) box, with two full models and deluxe instructions with everything you need to know about the G series. Include “just” 10 different markings to chose from.

Italeri is reissuing this month Italeri – 1312 – Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9, a kit dated from 1978 with a new decal sheet.

2024-04-06

Litaki is about to release their second kit, Litaki – 72002 – NJ-22 Orao, the two seat variant of the Soko J-22 Orao with new parts for fuselage, cockpit and canopy.

Recovered a couple of past AZ Model releases, and again, two more Messerschmitt Bf 109, the most produced topic in 1/72 scale aircraft kits. The models in question are AZ Model – AZ7862 – Bf 109G-6 with WGr.21 and AZ Model – AZ7859 – Bf 109F-1 “Fridrich are coming” and they both include also the AZ Model – AZ7860 – German Luftwaffe Weapons set and Accessories set. On a different topic, also added two Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing kit, with origin in the original Sword tool, but updated with a new canopy and of course decal sheets by AZ Model. AZ Model – AZ7857 – Beech D-17 “Staggerwing” and AZ Model – AZ7858 – Beech Traveler Mk.I.

Updated box cover image for two Hasegawa kits aimed to release this month, Hasegawa – SP593 – Kawasaki T-4 “Blue Impulse” Acro View and Hasegawa – 02468 – Kyushu J7W2 “Local Fighter Shinden Kai 352nd Air Corps”.

Recovered a trio of Aero Ae-45s aircrafts released and tooled by Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) in 2023. Produced as a domestic Czechoslovakian aircraft had a great export success and was produced for two decades in almost 600 units. The kits are Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0430 – Aero Ae-45, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0429 – Aero K-75 “Military” and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0431 – Aero Ae-45S “Super Aero Pt.I.”.

2024-04-08

Back to routine, recovering 4 more AZ Model references, and yes, you guessed it, they are 4 more Bf 109s !. The kits added are AZ Model – AZ7850 – Bf 109K-14 “Late”, AZ Model – AZ7849 – Bf 109K-6 “Late”, AZ Model – AZ7848 – Bf 109E-7/Trop “Croatian Eagles” and AZ Model – AZ7864 – Bf 109G-6 “Balkan Eagles”.

2024-04-09

Added two more AZ Models kits, AZ Model – AZ7846 – Fieseler Fi 167 “Are Coming” and AZ Model – AZ7847 – Fieseler Fi 167A-0 “Luftwaffe”. The Fieseler Fi 167 is certainly a subject we like, the aircraft had amazing low speed capabilities and handling during flight.

2024-04-10

Unless mistake we have finished with the AZ Model update by adding AZ Model – AZ7866 – Gauntlet Mk.I, AZ Model – AZ7867 – Gauntlet Mk.II “RAF” and AZ Model – AZ7868 – Gauntlet Mk.II “Special Markings”.

2024-04-11

The main objective of this month is to finish the update of Kovozávody Prostějov (KP), slowly going by adding today Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0424 – L-200D “Morava” and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0423 – L-200A/D “Morava” Ambulance.

Four more references added from Kovozávody Prostějov (KP), in this case they are part of the last batch of releases to happen in very short time, but not available yet. The four kits are devoted to the Ansaldo SVA biplane WWI aircraft, updating an older Admiral (AZ Model) kit from 2011. The kits are:

• Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0445 – Ansaldo S.V.A.9 “Italian Eagles”
• Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0446 – Ansaldo S.V.A.9 “Other services”
• Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0447 – Ansaldo S.V.A.10 “Italian services”
• Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0448 – Ansaldo S.V.A.10 “Other services”

2024-04-15

Airfix is releasing a new Starter Set for the P-51D kit, but number of parts stated by the brand is significantly lower than kit tooled in 2012, so we are not sure if it’s a simplified “new” model. Airfix – A55013 – North American P-51D Mustang (Starter Set)

2024-04-18

Special-Hobby is releasing three sets this month, one of them is just a reissue of kit Special Hobby – SH72395 – F-84F Thunderstreak “US Swept-wing Thunder”.

I don’t forget i still pending work recovering all the KP releases, just added Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – CLK0012 – Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc (very old kit) and the newer Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0438 – Let L-420 “Turbolet”.

2024-04-19

Added four more references from KP, and in particular from the new Let L-410 line released in 2024. Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0435 – Let L-410UVP-E “Turbolet”, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0436 – Let L-410UVP “Turbolet”, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0437 – Let L-410UVP-E “Turbolet” Military and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0457 – L-410UVP-E “Turbolet” Over Europe. By now i’m all set with the L-410.

Tamiya is working to release a second variant of their own tooled F-35 kit, time for the F-35B STOVL variant with kit Tamiya – 60793 – Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II.

2024-04-20

Two more KP models, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – CLK0016 – Me 262A “Schwalbe” and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – CLK0015 – Avia S-92 “Vlaštovka” both based in the Heller kit tooled in 1974.

2024-04-21

Three more KP models added, all variants of the Aero Ae-45 released in 2023. Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0434 – Aero Ae-145 “Special Markings”, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0433 – Aero Ae-145 and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0432 – Aero Ae-45S “Super Aero Pt.II.”.

Also added Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0444 – Fouga CM-170 Magister “Over Europe Pt.2”, which is a new 2024 release, despite based in a Valom kit from 2013.

2024-04-25

Two more Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) references recovered from 2023, time for two Spitfire Mk.Vc tropicalized kits, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0417 – Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop “Mediterranean Theatre” and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0418 – Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop “Over Yugoslavia”. And two Curtiss Hawk H-75, coming from the 2017 AZ Model tool, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0419 – Curtiss Hawk H-75C-1 and Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0420 – Curtiss Hawk H-75A/Mohawk IV. And last for today, an old Heller/Smer kit issued under the Club Line, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – CLK0011 – Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc “Aces”.

2024-04-26

Not a secret that Lockheed P-38 Lightning is one of the favorite topics of RS Models, with over 15 releases since 2012 when the first one was issued. This time the brand offers three new P-38s, derived from the P-38J variant, including two nice markings to choose from, the 5000th P-38 produced in RS Models – 94025 – P-38J “Yippee”, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry last flight at RS Models – 92288 – F-5B Lightning (with two more markings) and lastly RS Models – 92289 – F-5C Lightning including a D-Day marking a two more.

Recovered Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0426 – Miles Messenger “Early” from the KP, this time a release of this 2024.

2024-04-28

Another KP release recovered, Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0443 – DH-82A Tiger Moth Mk.II “Royal Navy”, issued in 2024, ex-AZ Model tool. We are at less than 10 KP kits to be up to date. Also just added Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) – KPM0425 – Fokker S-12/T-22 “Instructor”.

Vehicles

2024-04-03

ACE release of the month is for a particular Ford truck design, COE (Cab over engine) tanker variant, ACE – 72592 – COE (CabOverEngine) refueler truck m.1939, as seen in several pictures in German Luftwaffe service.

2024-04-05

Hobby Boss is about to release in next months Hobby Boss – 82963 – DF-41 ICBM, a fourth generation Chinese ICBM seen publicly for first time in 2019.

2024-04-06

AMG (Arsenal Model Group) is adding a new aerosan to their catalogue, AMG (Arsenal Model Group) – 72308 – German “Max Henschel” Aerosan (Attack), a variant of the previous “Max Henschel” aerosan with new parts for an MG mount.

2024-04-13

RPG-Model is working to release a second variant of the Tigr-M, RPG-Model – 72003 – GAZ-233114 Tiger-M Russian armored high-mobility vechicle with “Arbalet” remote control weapons system with a newer remote weapons station introduced in 2017-2018, the “Arbalet“.

2024-04-21

Attack Hobby kits has released a new variant of the LT-40 Czechoslovak light tank, Attack – 72962 – Light Tank LT-40 37mm gun version Slovak and Soviet Army. The brand has announced also a Willys Jeep which seems to belong to the “cooperative” line, which means it’s originally plastic parts from other maker, upgraded by Attack with new parts.

2024-04-25

UMMT is releasing two new kits, the first one just added is a new armored train, UMMT (Ukrainian Models Military Technics) – 704 –  Armored Train No. 15 Of The 1st Armored Division (Basic Version), following the recent format by the brand, reducing the number of armored platforms (basic version) and including 3D printed parts. The second model is a new variant of the BT-7 tank, UMMT (Ukrainian Models Military Technics) – 703 – Tank RBT-7 With Rocket Launcher For RS-132.

Figures

We have extended our review of HaT – 8003 – British Rocket Troops which is an excellent and recommendable set to add some “exotic” troops into your British Napoleonic Army.

Sci-Fi & Anime

2024-04-20

Added today a very Japanese subject that probably will not have distribution outside Japan, Fujimi – 092256 – MAT Arrow No. 1 (DAICON FILM version). Fujimi has tooled many other Ultraman related kits, so this is a very good addition for the fans of the franchise and in particular for Hideaki Anno fans. The kit is inspired in the 1983 film produced and directed by Hideaki Anno as “fan” of the Ultraman franchise.

2024-04-27

Kotobukiya keeps reissuing their Armored Core line and several more models will be re-released later this year, you have to wait for September-November but at least the following models will be issued again: Kotobukiya – NX13 – Aspina X-Sobrero Fragile, Kotobukiya – NX10 – GA GAN01 Sunshine-L (Armored Core) and Kotobukiya – NX07 – Rayleonard 04-Alicia Unsung (but in Full Package update). This list join more previously announced Armored Core reissues that are happening all this 2024. Kotobukiya – VI066X (Old VI066) – ASPINA WHITE-GLINT ARMORED CORE 4 Ver. which was not in our listing also will be reissued later this year.

Ships and Submarines

2024-04-18

Special Navy reissues Special Navy – 72006 – Biber “German Midget Submarine” without changes. A good occasion to see again the excellent work of our friend Florin with this kit, BIBER GERMAN MINI-SUBMARINE (Special Navy). The two new releases are Special Hobby – 72497 – AJ-37 Viggen “Show Must Go On” and Special Hobby – 72505 – F-84F Thunderstreak “Reborn Luftwaffe”.

Miscellaneous

In these last day with less updates, while i still have some pending work to do about recover all 2023 releases, i worked in a new type of page that i can only apply to certain subjects, with a limited number of associated kits. The test has been done in two particular periods, mainly related to 1/72 scale figures (plastic soldiers) as are The American Civil War and The Crimean War in 1/72 scale. This kind of pages offer me the option to add some more information and useful links, hope you find them useful too.