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At the beginning of our February newsletter I would like to greet all our business partners with whom we met at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2015. I hope you all had a pleasant journey home and that you were satisfied with the outcomes of the fair at least as we were. It is because of that, except that we have had many successful business negotiations, we were, as a manufacturer of models and modelling accessories, awarded with three prizes. We got two awards from ModelFan magazine . The first one in a category of injected models from metal moulds for the AH-1G Cobra family of models in 1/72. The second prize in the category of resin cast accessories, editors of ModelFan magazine awarded our interior sets for Revell 1/72 Type IX submarine. From IPMS Deutschland we got the Aircraft Modelling Innovation Award. Actually, we got four prizes as in 1/48 scale the ModelFan Award went for Tarangus Saab JA-37 Viggen model. The Viggen model is manufactured in cooperation between Tarangus and our company. Our (in Special Hobby boxing) version of this model, the AJ-37 Viggen, will become available in April. But now let's look at the February news:
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Special Hobby plastic kits
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During the 1950s, AF-2 Guardian anti submarine aircraft were operating from the decks of US Navy aircraft carriers in Hunter Killer pairs. These pairs consisted of the AF-2W version, which performed the `Hunter' role using its volumous fuselage mounted AP-20 search and early warning radar to locate submarines while the second aircraft of the pair was the AF-2S which was the `Killer' and carried offensive anti-submarine weapons such as torpedoes, depth charges or rockets in the bomb bay and under the wings. The latter also had a small radar attached to the wing.
Development of the Guardian began during the Second World War although the original request from the US Navy had been for a torpedo-bomber. At Grumman, this project was known under G-70 designation while the Navy recognized it as XTB3F and this new aircraft was to have combined powerplants with a P&W R-2800 radial engine driving a four-bladed propeller in the nose and a Westinghouse 19XB jet engine mounted in the tail section. The Westinghouse jet engine was later removed from the specification however before the maiden flight of the prototype which took place on the 19th December 1945. By this time the torpedo bomber role had become outmoded and therefore the US Navy changed its requirements for the new aircraft. On the 24th December 1945 Grumman was asked to re configure the aircraft for the anti-submarine role but because the current AP-20 search radar was too big for a single engined aircraft to carry alongside a weapon load this woud require two seperate versions which would fly together, one carrying radar and the other carrying weapons. The result of this were the AF-2W and AF-2S. The prototype AF-2W (which was the radar equipped Hunter version) first flew during November 1948 and the AF-2S (Killer variant) performed its first flight in January 1949. The type also received the name `Guardian'.
The first Guardians entered service with the US Navy in 1950 in their Hunter Killer pairs and were later joined by the improved AF-3S version which was almost identical to AF-2S but had a MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector) added. AF-2 and 3 Guardians flew from carriers and from land bases and during the Korean War they were responsible for protecting the US Fleet in the combat areas. Although the type was removed from front line service during 1955 it continued in service with units of the the US Naval Reserve until 1957 and the Guardian was the first custom built specialized anti-sub aircraft to fly from US Navy carriers. It also holds the record for being the largest single engined piston engined aircraft to be flown from the decks of the US Navy.
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SH48135 AF-2S Guardian “Submarine Killer” 1/48
This model depicts the attack or `Killer' version of the Guardian and consists of seven plastic sprues , clear injected parts, resin and PE-parts. The underwing weapons are laid out in two sprues along with the search light. The decal sheet provides marking for two machines, the first serving with a reserve unit at NAS Oakland which wore distinctive orange stripes while the second option flew from the deck of USS Saipan.
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SH48158 AF-2W Guardian “Submarine Hunter“ 1/48
Hunter version of the Guardian model consists of seven plastic sprues, clear injected parts, resin and PE-parts. The decals provide markings for two machines, the first serving aboard USS Bairoko, the other flew from USS Badoeng Strait.
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Development of the A4/V2 missile was a very demanding project. Besides the design work on the rockets a need also arose to design new equipment and support vehicles to maintain this weapon system, especially on a mobile basis out `in the field'. One of these vehicles was the A-Stoffanhänger trailer. This four wheeled road trailer was used for refuelling of the A4/V2 rockets with liquid oxygen, which was also known as Sauerstoff and code named A-stoff by the Germans. Empty weight of this road trailer with pneumatically operated brakes was 3.100kg, with a full payload of 8.000kg. The fuel tank was welded together with a steel frame construction and this was movably mounted on the chassis. The tank had two main parts, the outer steel envelope and inner pressure tank with capacity of 6000 litres. Between the outer envelope and the pressure tank there was an insulating layer made of Iporka foam. (note – use of glass wool as an insulating material is stated in another source). The tank was filled with liquid oxygen and as this substance was constantly boiling, a pressure valve was fitted in order to allow vapours to drain off the tank. A filling valve and a hose were located at the rear of the tank. The A4/V2 rocket support vehicles were known as “Fahrzeug der Gruppe 4” vehicles in German nomenclature and this trailer was assigned number 402 (Nr.402). Because of its heavy weight, the SS-100 Gigant was the most widely used tractor for towing this trailer.
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A-Stoffanhänger "Liquid Oxygen Tank for V2 Rocket" 1/72
The A-stoffanhänger is yet another model from our Special Armour range to represent a member of the A4/V2 family of support vehicles and the design of this model was completed using state of the art CAD. The parts of this kit are provided on two sprues of sand coloured plastic which are moulded within high quality injection steel moulds in order to make sure that the parts of this notably large vehicle are of the highest possible standard.
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We are preparing these models for March 2015:
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Cast resin model of one of the most commonly used German small-calibre anti aircraft weapons from the later stages of the Second World War. Pivoted gun carriage with three MG151 20mm cannons was very effective against either low-flying targets or light armoured vehicles of the enemy. By the end of the war, the Drilling was mounted to almost all German wheeled vehicles (not excluding trailers) as a stopgap anti-aircraft defence. It was most known as mounted on Sd.Kfz 251, but also on Opel Blitz, Mercedes 3000 etc.) The Drilling was also used as a AA defence for trains, airfields, bridges, important cross-roads etc.
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7319 EADS GAF Telelens Recce Pod for German Tornado 1/72
EADS GAF Telelens Recce Pod is a modern optical reconnaissance pod for mid and high flight levels and can be fitted to a model of West-European Panavia Tornado aircraft in service of German Luftwaffe.The set contains a decal sheet with stencils and a detailed guide showing their correct position.
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The set contains new control surfaces (ailerons, wing flaps, tail plane, elevator and a separate rudder) The aileron and rudder trim tabs are cast as separate pieces. The set is intended for the Luftwaffe trainer aircraft used during WW2 and by Czechoslovakia and other countries in the post-war era.
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This set contains new cockpit floor, sidewalls, seats, instrument panel, rudder pedals mounting frame and other details for a model of the trainer aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during WW2 and by Czechoslovakia and other countries in the post-war era.
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The set contains a complete engine installation of the Argus Ar 410 engine, including the engine bulkhead, bearers and covers for a model of the training aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during WW2 and by Czechoslovakia and other countries in the post war era.
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Couple of interior sets have been prepared for the new Revell U-boot IXC and one of these detailed sets is the Command Section N72014. Detailed figurines of German submarine sailors can be placed in this room. The commander is standing beside the table with maps, the second sailor facing him with his arms folded and the third is standing aside. All figurines are one-piece except for their heads.
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EADS GAF Telelens Recce Pod is a modern optical reconnaissance pod for mid and high flight levels and can be fitted to a model of West-European Panavia Tornado aircraft in service of German Luftwaffe.The set contains a decal sheet with stencils and a detailed guide showing their correct position.
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This set contains new main undercarriage leg covers, new tailwheel with a separate leg, textile walkways for the wings used by mechanics, new propellers and a new wing spar in the undercarriage bay. The set is intended for a Luftwaffe WW2 training aircraft model. This plane was also used by Czechoslovakia in the post-war period.
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EADS GAF Telelens Recce Pod is a modern optical reconnaissance pod for mid and high flight levels and can be fitted to a model of West-European Panavia Tornado aircraft in service of German Luftwaffe.The set contains a decal sheet with stencils and a detailed guide showing their correct position.
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