Thursday, May 10, 2018

The best new releases at the 2018 Shizuoka Hobby Show

The 2018 Shizuoka Hobby Show started today. I'm gutted that I'm not there - I visited Shizuoka in December, I walked through the exhibition spaces where the show is held annually, and I can imagine how amazing it is there right now! Plus Tamiya Headquarters is holding an open hose session over the weekend, where members of staff from every department are on hand to answer questions - aaargh, I am having Japan hobby withdrawals!!!


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Oh man, what I wouldn't give to be there this weekend...
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(Just to highlight this from the start: in case the longing in my opening paragraph didn't make it clear, I'm not currently in Japan - none of these images are my own. All image sources are attributed with links in the captions.)


My highlights of the 2018 Shizuoka Hobby Show


Here are the most exciting new releases I have collated from the web coverage available so far.


ARMOR


Tamiya 1/25 RC German Panther

A 1/25 scale radio control Panther Ausf.A, which seems to come with most of its RC components in the kit? Sounds like fun in a box.

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Fine Molds 1/35 type 97 Chi-Ha

It's just a cool looking Japanese tank.

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Meng World War Toons Sherman-Firefly

I really like Meng's cartoonish WW2 tanks. I've not built one, but I like that they exist. New releases to the range just keep on coming.

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MILITARY


Gecko Models 1/35 W.W.II British MG team in combat (N.W. Europe)

A welcome addition to British military figures in 1/35 scale. For so long we had a glut of Germans and Yankees, with a tiny sprinkling of Soviets and Japanese. British soldiers were few and far between. I love that this has been rectified in recent years.

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SCIENCE FICTION


New Maschinen Kreiger

I can't quite tell what is new and what is just a tweak of old stuff, but damn it all looks good!

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AIRCRAFT


Hong Kong Hobbies 1/32 Lancaster bomber

Wow. Just wow. This is BIG. A 1/32 Lanc? Insane.
This has been in the works for a while now, I've been hearing rumours about it, but it seemed like one of those "too good to be true" myths. Now it seems to be nearing fruition, scheduled for a release later in 2018...

Look at the size of that monstrosity.
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Seriously, look at how big that is!
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Doyusha 1/32 Kawanishi K5Y2 Willow

This is a re-release of a kit that is originally a 1970s vintage, but something about it really appeals to me. I think the re-release simply consists of new box art and new decals, but I'm tempted...

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Wingnut Wings - new 2018 releases

1/32 scale WWI and 1920s aircraft? Just look at the detail in these new releases:

  • Halberstadt Cl.II
  • A new Junkers D1
  • I don't know what the British plane is, but I like it...


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I'll try to come up with more updates if I see more cool stuff over the weekend.

Now, how much for airfares to Japan for May 2019???

Dave





4 comments:

  1. That WnW British plane is a Sopwith Dolphin... unless I'm sorely mistook, the first time that it's been issued in a styrene kit (there's all-resin efforts out there). Weird but gorgeous wee plane. Des Delatorre had just started building one, sadly never to be finished... https://www.ww1aircraftmodels.com/page59.html

    Deffo on my "to buy" list...

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    1. ..and I'm really excited about the Halberstadt. Not to mention the Junkers (just finished the 1/48 Roden: getting Roden decals to lie down on corrugations... no wonder I'm bald!) Must go rob a bank or two..

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    2. Decals on corrugations? You, sir, are a masochist! ;)

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    3. I must be... I dfon't know if you're familiar with Roden kits, but their decals are somewhat notorious! A hairdryer was my friend in this situation.

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