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

Aircrafts

2024-02-18

Added the last Trumpeter – 01640 – Grumman A-6A Intruder, a newly tooled 2023 kit and promised for this year 2024 there are expected at least two A-6E variants, which at least will be more accurate than this A-6A, expected for a long time, but sadly a deception for the modelers community. The weapons payload is a total disaster as well as fuselage and seat are more appropriate for an A-6E than for an A-6A.

2024-02-21

Special Hobby is reissuing this month (February 2024) Special Hobby – 72397 – Breda Ba.88B Lince, a short lived Italian WWII ground attack aircraft, relegated to nothing due its poor performance, and releasing Special Hobby – 72495 – External armament for SMB-2 and other IAF planes which is a complement for existing Dassault Super Mystère 1/72 scale kits.

2024-02-23

Mirage 2000s by pairs, Modelsvit is reissuing their 2000C (single seat fighter) excellent kit with a new decal sheet, Modelsvit – 72078 – Mirage 2000C while DreamModel is releasing their 2000N/D kit in D variant DreamModel – 720022 – Dassault Mirage 2000D, both kits are expected soon, question of weeks.

Added last Eduard kits Eduard – 7472 – Avia S-199 ERLA canopy (Weekend Edition), Eduard – 7044 – L-39C ALBATROS (ProfiPACK) (February release) and the exclusive Eduard – 2144 – GUSTAV pt.1 DUAL COMBO with two full models and 14 markings to choose from.

2024-02-24

Just filled gaps in our Dora Wings listing adding new thee references, including Dora Wings – 72009 – Fairey Delta 2 released this year. The other two models are Dora Wings – 72033 – Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker Air America (ex BPK) and Dora Wings – DW72029 – Republic P-43 Lancer (reconnaissance).

Added the excellent Big Planes Kits – 7225 – E-7A Wedgetail, a beast of the air as only BPK regularly does. The brand announced on social networks earlier this month that sadly some mold part was damaged during the first batch cast and quantity was limited for a time while the mold is repaired/reworked.

2024-02-25

Just added Tamiya – 60792 – Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, for many the best F-35A kit available in 1/72 scale in the market, anew tool by Tamiya in 2023.

2024-02-26

Added Academy kit Academy – 12582 – F-15C ANG “75th Anniversary Medal of Honor”.

Added a couple of Brengun releases from past year (2023), they both are updates (new decals) from previous kits, Brengun – BRP72048 – Letov Š-16T (Turkey) and Brengun – BRP72047 – Henschel Hs-126K6/B1 GREECE-ESTONIA-USSR.

Re-poker of Mitsubishi F-2 kits by Fine Molds just added:

• Fine Molds – 72849 – Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2B Veer Guardian 2023 (Limited Edition)
• Fine Molds – 72848 – Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2A Veer Guardian 2023 (Limited Edition)
• Fine Molds – 72748 – JASDF F-2A Fighter w/JDAM (Limited Edition)
• Fine Molds – 72948 – JASDF F-2A Fighter (Limited Edition Flight Development Experiment Group Unit 501)
• Fine Molds – 72949 – JASDF F-2B Fighter (Limited Edition Flight Development Experiment Group Unit 101)

2024-02-28

Last batch of IBG Models new kits it’s officially released now:

• IBG – 72520 – PZL P.11c Polish Fighter “Rare Birds”
• IBG – 72533 – Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-11 Sorau Factory Series
• IBG – 72553 – PZL P.24A/F Fighter in Turkish service

A&A Models is about to release a very interesting new kit in 1/72 scale, A&A Models – 7242 – Basler BT-67, Basler BT-67s are old DC-3s refurbished and improved to as new conditions that have been flying since 1990 in a variety of roles, since manufacturer, Basler Turbo Conversions, configure each build to the custom specifications from clients.

Aoshima is one of the makers we have missed in the Aircraft section for long, but we’ll try to fix this in the coming times and just today we added Aoshima – 065686 – Ki-61-Ⅱ KAI TYPE 3 FIGHTER HIEN MODEL 2 TEARDROP CANOPY, a 2016 kit just reissued by the Japanese brand.

Vehicles

2024-02-17

The next batch of new IBG kits in 1/72 scale is about to hit the stores in the next weeks, including the totally newly tooled series of Daimler Armoured Cars, IBG – 72144 – DAC Mk.I British Armoured Car and IBG – 72146 – Daimler Armoured Car “Sawn-Off” plus two more models related to past releases as are IBG – 72090 – Type 95 Ha-Go w/short wave radio and IBG – 72131 – M41M Semovente da 90/53 Italian SPG. This last one can be considered a continuation of the M13/40 kits tooled in 2023. The kits are excellent and the only for some modelers is the way IBG is tooling tracks, mainly in a single part hard plastic.

2024-02-18

Added latest Hobby Boss kits in the vehicles section, with 4 new additions to their catalogue, pending from 2023, plus one still expected to release as is the Hobby Boss – 82936 – German Panzerträgerwagen which reuses the Pz 38(t) from Hobby Boss – 82956 – German Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf.E/F. Also added Hobby Boss – 82954 – German Panzerjägerwagen Vol.1 and Hobby Boss – 82935 – Russian 9K79 Tochka (SS-21 Scarab) IRBM.

Added a couple of Trumpeter kits released in 2023, derived from previous releases as are Trumpeter – 07191 – German Leopard 2A6 MBT and Trumpeter – 07429 – M1135 Stryker NBC RV which is a nice addition is the Striker family.

Also from Trumpeter, added Trumpeter – 07196 – Faun SLT-56 Franziska Panzertransporter which is an excellent option to transport all the new Leopard 2 1/72 scale kits appeared in 2023, not only those released by Trumpeter itself.

And lastly for today, Trumpeter updated their Cadillac Gage Commando releasing Trumpeter – 07441 – V-150 Commando w/20mm cannon, a subject also recently covered by ACE in ACE – 72430 – V-150 Commando AC w/20mm cannon.

2024-02-19

Several brands understood the importance in the hobby of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict, and several new models related to them has emerged in the last two years. Many newly tooled kits for subjects not seen before in the hobby in 1/72 scale and other just taking the opportunity of good sales. In this second category we think S-Model mastered it by tooling the BMP-1P and later the BMP-2 in 2022, and since then, repacking up to seven times their existing ex-Soviet IVFs range. Today we added to their catalogue the following references:

• S-Model – PS720200 – BMP-2 IFV Early Production
• S-Model – PS720201 – BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• S-Model – ST007205 –  Middle East AFV Set B
• S-Model – ST007207 –  Middle East AFV Set C
• S-Model – ST007209 – Middle East AFV Set D
• S-Model – ST007203 – USSR/Russia AFV Set A
• S-Model – ST007206 – USSR/Russia AFV Set B
• S-Model – ST007210 – BMP-1&BMP-2 Russian/Ukraine Decal

To finish with the Chinese brand S-Model another 5 references have been added, all of them based on previous releases of the brand:

• S-Model – SP072010 – Sd.Kfz.253 propaganda Fahrzeug
• S-Model – SP072008 – Yugoslavia Somua S35 (6 PRD)
• S-Model – PS720197 – Type 97 light armored car
• S-Model – PS720137 – Pak36 & Weapons Set
• S-Model – PS720064 – ISU-122S Self Propelled Gun

2024-02-20

We have started to recover all the missing entries from First to Fight, we still have work to do, but six new references has been added already. In the list mostly there are updates of previous kits but point to your attention to the AMR35 kit, which not only is a new tool of 2022 by the brand, but also the only kit in 1/72 scale injected plastic for this kit. For sure something that French customers will love, and in general anyone looking to complete the France 1940 campaign model collection.

• First to Fight – 095 – Panzerspähwagen 30(t) Tatra OA vz 30
• First to Fight – 096 – Renault R39 37 mm SA38
• First to Fight – 097 – AMR35 ZT1a French reconnaissance tank
• First to Fight – 098 – 155mm heavy howitzer M1917 A4
• First to Fight – 099 – Three-horse cavalry carriage for 37mm Bofors wz. 36
• First to Fight – 100 – Polish TKD self-propelled gun

2024-02-22

We have finished with current released list of First to Fight models. Remarkable is the AMR35 ZT3, the only injected plastic kit in 1/72 scale for the topic, derived from the previous AMR35 kit which is also the only one available, and there is a third release appearing this month that we’ll add soon to the list of the brand.

• First to Fight – 107 – Renault R39 with SA38 cannon with “tail”
• First to Fight – 106 – Sd.Kfz 138/1 “GRILLE” AUSF.H
• First to Fight – 105 – Panzerspähwagen 30(t) command car
• First to Fight – 104 – French Hotchkiss H35 light command tank with a 37 mm SA38 gun
• First to Fight – 103 – French tank destroyer AMR35 ZT3
• First to Fight – 102 – German heavy infantry gun 15 cm sIG33 for mechanical traction
• First to Fight – 101 – German armored car Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf. B with MG34

Lastly from the Polish brand First to Fight, a new model announced for this February which will be available by the end of the month, First to Fight – 108 – French reconnaissance tank AMR 35 ZT 1b.

2024-02-23

Added a new Chinese brand, RPG-Model, and their only model in 1/72 scale till now, RPG-MODEL – 72001 – “Tigzer-M” SPN SPV Russian GAZ 233115. Quality of the molds and engineering looks really good, but seems the brand moved to 1/35 scale. They have a couple more of announced 1/72 projects, we’ll see in the future.

Added another past year release, an excellent work done by Meng in Meng – 72-003 – M1A2 SEP Abrams Tusk II as well as we recovered one of the accessories packs released by T-Model some years ago, T-Model – A72002 – Modern U.S. M153 CROWS II System, we still need to recover more of these.

2024-02-24

Filled the gap in the Flyhawk catalogue with 5 new references which include 3 totally new tools from past years, and 3 updates of existing kits.

• Flyhawk – FH3016 – BT-7 Fast Tank Model 1937 (New tool 2023)
• Flyhawk – FH3302 – M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank (Update)
• Flyhawk – FH3023 – T-34/85 medium tank Plant 183. autumn 1944 (New tool 2023)
• Flyhawk – FH3022 – T-34/85 medium tank Chinese People‘s Volunteer Army (Update of newly tooled in 2023)
• Flyhawk – FH3020Z – Sd.Kfz.182 Kingtiger Porsche Turret w/Zimmerit (Update)

2024-02-25

Past year (2023) MiniArt started a new line of 1/72 scale vehicles, started with an excellent MiniArt – 72101 – StuG III Ausf. G Feb 1943 Alkett Prod which have been completed with two more sub-variants MiniArt – 72105 – StuG III Ausf. G March 1943 Alkett Prod and MiniArt – 72106 – STURMGESCHÜTZ III AUSF. G APRIL 1943 ALKETT PROD which about to be released soon. The kits feature a nice detail but build process might be some complex for some modelers due the high number of details. Always that MiniArt joined the 1/72 scale they produced nice an interesting models, so it’s a very welcome addition have them now producing this vehicle line.

Added sprue pictures, finished model sample pictures and instructions sheet for Clear Prop – CP72043 – ZiS-5V (Advanced Kit).

2024-02-26

Added the six Revell kits released under Academy brand, Academy – 13427 – French Army Char Leclerc, Academy – 13428 – Leopard 2A4, Academy – 13422 – Tiger I early, Academy – 13425 – USMC M60A1 RISE (P), Academy – 13423 – German King Tiger “Henschel Turret” and Academy – 13421 – Soviet Medium Tank T-34-85.

2024-02-28

Last batch of IBG Models new kits it’s officially released now:

• IBG – 72090 – Type 95 Ha-Go w/short wave radio
• IBG – 72131 – M41M Semovente da 90/53 Italian SPG
• IBG – 72144 – DAC Mk.I British Armoured Car
• IBG – 72146 – Daimler Armoured Car “Sawn-Off”

Figures

2024-02-19

Strelets adds two more sets for the Napoleonic range, Strelets – 285 – British Infantry in Skirmish and Strelets – 286 – British Infantry in Square. They both share same format, 42 figures split in 36 figures in 3 poses of each of the 12 figures in the sprue plus a 6 figures unique sprue. Sculpture looks nice enough as does cast and poses selection.

2024-02-24

We’ll add soon the newly announced Mars kits, but in the meanwhile we recovered today two old Atlantic sets from series 1800s, and we’ll keep doing the same whenever we can, as by now, we only listed the 1500s series for the ancient figures. Atlantic – 1806 – “The Greeks” The Greek Cavalry and Atlantic – 1807 – “The Greeks” The Greek Cavalry are the new additions, and if you want the full lot, then you are looking for Atlantic – 1510 – “The Greeks” The Greek Cavalry.

2024-02-28

We are about to finish adding the Ultima Ratio releases happened between late 2022 and 2023, which are boost for Carthage army and Gladiators topic, we added 4 references listed below and still we have to add one more for the Gladiators as well as extend the Guards of Cardinal Richelieu box because the brand updated the product as did earlier with their Musketeers of the King of France. The references added are:

• Ultima Ratio – UR021 – The Carthaginian Army Libyan Infantry
• Ultima Ratio – UR020 – Gladiators Retiarius Provokator
• Ultima Ratio – UR019 – The Carthaginian Army Hannibal’s Veterans
• Ultima Ratio – UR018 – The Carthaginian Army Part Two Iberian Infantry

This particular last kit subject, Iberian warriors around the Punic Wars time, has been covered other times in the 1/72 scale (See for example Orion – 72035 – Iberian Infantry or HaT – 8019 – Hannibal’s Carthaginians – Spanish Infantry) but sadly result never has been so good as some of the examples you can have to cover the African army of Carthage or, of course, the Roman troops, largely covered in our hobby and this set is not an exception. It will add more variety to previously released troops for this subject but you need a well amount of work to clean figures from flash, turn weapons into something better looking and in general terms they are not the best example of what Ultima Ratio can do.

2024-02-29

Added the last Ultima Ratio set by now, Ultima Ratio – UR017 – Gladiators Hoplomachus Thracian.

Ships & Submarines

2024-02-17

With pleasure we added today a new brand to our listings, HiSModel from Czech Republic, a store devoted to ship model kits who also has released a nice kit in plastic 1/72 scale for a Dutch Luxury Yacht from 18th century, the Statenjacht Utrecht. The kit has been released in two versions, standard and premium, but we would say they are premium and more premium, as both packages are just excellent.

• HiSModel – HiSM-001 – Statenjacht Utrecht
• HiSModel – HiSM-002 – Statenjacht Utrecht Premium Version

We echoed today also the 3 models Heller tooled in 1969 for the Christopher Columbus expedition in 1492 to discover America.

• Heller – 80865 – Santa Maria
• Heller – 80816 – Pinta
• Heller – 80815 – Nina (La Niña) 1/75 Scale

Together with the 3 sets, Heller also issued a compilation box with the three models. Heller – 52910 – CHRISTOPHE COLOMB 1/75 scale. This kit were reissued during 2021/2022.

2024-02-18

In 2023 Trumpeter released three kits for the series of the most important Chinese research submersibles, from older to the newer, they are the Trumpeter – 07331 – JIAO LONG 7000-meter manned submersible (This kit is an update of the previous edition Trumpeter – 07303 – Chinese Jiaolong Manned Submersible), kit Trumpeter – 07332 – SHEN HAI YONG SHI 4500-meter Manned Submersible and finally Trumpeter – 07333 – FEN DOU ZHE (FDZ) Full Ocean Deep Manned Submersible capable to dive up to 10.000 meters.

Helicopters

2024-02-18

Answer Model Kits completed they offer for the Polish helicopter PZL W-3 Sokół with 3 releases focused in the RM search and rescue variant.

• Answer – 72021 – PZL W-3RM Anakonda First Version Naval Rescue Helicopter
• Answer – 72022 – PZL W-3RM Anakonda (Early) Naval Rescue Helicopter
• Answer – 72023 – PZL W-3SP Anakonda GROM Special Forces Unit