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Our October Newsletter brings one long-awaited new kit produced in Special Navy range, which is the Biber midget submarine. When we showed on our blog the first series of photos covering this kit’s moulding blocks production, they raised huge interest among the modeleller community. We have also another new kit for you, the Italian IMAM (Romeo) Ro.37 “A30 engine” in 1/48. And the final kit for this month is a limited re-release of our earlier and succesfull 1/72 Nakajima Ki-43 Ko Hayabusa model.
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SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC MODELS
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SH48183 |
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1/48 |
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8594071086169 |
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In the early 1930s, the Italian Regia Aeronautica operated IMAM Ro.1 (licence-built Fokker C.V) reconnaissance and observation biplanes. The military were quite happy with the type, however when IMAM offered a new biplane type designed by Giovanni Galasso, the decision was taken to acquire this new aircraft. Following the prototype’s successful test flights, the production was commenced in 1934. The Ro.37 was powered by an in-line Fiat A.30 engine. The Italian military also showed interest for a version fitted with a Piaggio P.IX radial engine. This version was known as the Ro.37bis and was produced along the inline-engined type. The Ro.37 and 37bis became the main observation and reconnaissance types of the Regia Aeronautica and were kept in service until Italy surrendered on 25 August 1943. By this time, a total of 621 machines of both versions had been produced, 325 of which were the bis version. The very first time the type saw combat action was during the Italian attack on Abyssinia (Ethiopia). They also fought in the Spanish Civil War, operated both by the Aviazione Legionaria and by the Aviación Nacional.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the type saw service everywhere the Regia Aeronautica were fighting, except for the Eastern Front and across the English Channel. By the time Italy became involved in the war, the Regia Aeronautica had had 483 of both versions, 200 of which were the bis, but only about a hundred of machines were in fact in air worthy conditions. They saw service over the Balkans, Northern Africa and mainland Italy too.
Because of its sufficient performance and the option to carry various power plants, the type was exported successfully. In Europe, it saw service with the military of Hungary, Austria and Nationalist Spain.
Our Ro.37 “A30 engine” kit comes on as many as six trees of grey styrene and one with clear parts. The styrene parts are accompanied by nicely detailed resin parts and a photo-etched fret. The decal sheet offers four interesting camouflage options covering service of the in-line engined version in Italy and abroad. Camo option A portrays an Italian machine in pre-war colour scheme which is also adorned with Venice flag with the Lion of St.Mark. The Austrian option, camo B, had the same camouflage scheme. Camouflage scheme C brings a machine which saw service on Greek front, being operated by the Regia Aeronautica and wearing a scheme of sand with green mottles. The final option, scheme D, is also an Italian machine, this one wearing creme overall and a unit’s badge on the fuselage sides as being used during Italian attack on Abyssinia. This machine of an early series was produced by OFM – Aeroplani Romeo and is interesting by having two oil coolers on either side of the nose and a wooden propeller, while standard production machines had only one cooler and a metal prop. In our model, both the coolers and the wooden propeller have been 3D-designed and exquisitely cast from resin.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SN72006 |
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1/72 |
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8594071086176 |
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The Biber was one of the weapon systems developed during the Second World War at the time when the situation on both fronts was gradually becoming worse and worse for Germany. In 1943 it became clear that the Allied invasion would take place soon somewhere on the Atlantic coast of the continent and the German military began to seek and develop new and rather unorthodox weapons to avert the invasion. Along the Neger, Marder and Hai manned torpedoes, also the Biber and Molch midget submarines were to stop the invasion fleet.
The original idea of the Biber sub came from Korvettenkapitän Robert Bartels and first prototypes were built and the production took place at Flanderwerke in Lübeck, the development being led by Hermann Bunte. Allegedly, Bartels was influenced by captured British Welman W46 midget sub. The Biber’s displacement was 6.6 tonnes, on the surface it was powered by a 32 HP Otto Blitz petrol engine and while submerged, the propulsion was provided by a Siemens SSW GL231 electric motor. The Biber could submerge down to 20m, in emergency to 30m. It could carry either two G7e torpedoes or mines. The hull was so diminutive that its operator (only a crew of one was possible) did not have much space in the conning tower.
The Biber prototype, known also as Adam, was put to tests on 29 March 1944, though the tests were not quite successful and several improvements had to be implemented before German admiral Karl Dönitz approved building of further four prototype Bibers and later also the large scale production, which gave a total of 324 Bibers from Flanderwerke, Ansaldo and Klökner-Humbolt-Deutz plants.
Bibers were put into so-called K-flottillen numbered 1 to 9, which saw action in the English Channel during the Allied invasion, in the North Sea off Norway, in the Scheldt estuary and also in the river Waal during the attack on the Nijmegen bridge. Bibers did not enjoy much success in the torpedo-carrying role, mine-laying missions suited them better. Some trouble also occured due to the exhaust fumes getting into the operator’s station and many Bibers were lost just to this reason. The conning tower lacked in height causing the submarine pilot, who was equipped only with wrist compass, difficulties in finding his way to the target. Moreover, the Biber although being rather manoeuvrable and stable on the surface, was clumsy while under the water. Several Biber submarines were captured during the war, but the Allies did not seem to find interest in them and tested them only very briefly. Some of the surviving machines have been put to display in museums.
The kit is 3D designed and injection moulded using metal moulding blocks. The kit’s components come on two grey styrene sprues and one with clear parts. The A sprue offers the fuselage halves, B sprue has the torpedoes. The decal sheet brings markings for four overall grey Bibers and one bearing a camouflage scheme consisting of four colours. The latter and also one grey Biber were also decorated with a shark mouth. The rest of the machines in the kit have only numbers on the tower.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SH72178 |
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1/72 |
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8594071086039 |
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Imperial Japanese Army Air Force fighters Ki-43 fought throughout WW 2 from the attack on Malaya till the last fights over mainland Japan. Subsequent versions of Ki-43 model I, II and III in different modifications were built. The final, mass produced version of the famous fighter was the Ki-43-III Ko Hayabusa was deployed in time when Japan was slowly beginning to lose the war. Even though it was fitted with a more powerful Nakajima Ha 115-II engine and equipped with two 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns it was not able to outperform modern allied machines. Because of its phenomenal manoeuvrability, the Ki-43 was still a deadly weapon in hands of a skilled pilot.
One of such pilots was without any question Capt. Hideo Miyabe, commander of 64th Sentai, stationed in Burma in autumn 1944. The decals in our model cater for markings of his machine that sported an arrow on the fin as the 64th Sentai marking. Other two options cover a 48th Sentai machine from Nanking in China 1945 and a 65th Sentai machine stationed in mainland Japan in 1945. Of note is that the 65th Sentai was light bomber unit and their Hayabusas were to be used in the fighter-bomber role. The kit contains two sprues of grey plastic parts and a frame of injected clear parts.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SH72370 |
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1/72 |
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8594071086190 |
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SH72329 |
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1/72 |
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8594071085711 |
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SH32065 |
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1/32 |
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8594071086206 |
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 100-SH48167 |
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1/48 |
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8594071086039 |
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-5110 |
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1/32 |
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8595593125183 |
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This set contains extremely detailed resin replica of the Napier Sabre engine and its complete installation for Special Hobby Tempest kit. The resin parts portray the whole engine with no covering panels,even the lower half of the engine and also the radiator has been kitted, including such finesses as various tubings and wirings. The engine panels are not offered in this set. This engine was created in 3D.
UK / WWII
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-F35 338 |
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1/35 |
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8595593125190 |
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US Army soldier in winter clothing, kneeling and holding an M18 Bazooka. The weapon comes is a separate item comprising several parts. The arms of the figure are also separate parts. Bazooka was created in 3D.
GERMANY/ WWII
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-F48 333 |
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1/48 |
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8595593125206 |
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A figure of a Commanding Officer of the US Army Infantry squad 2nd Division, taking part in a patrol somewhere in Afghanistan. The standing figure wears a bulletproof vest, helmet and ballistic goggles. On his chest he has a SOPMOD M4 carbine and a MOLLE ruck sack on his back. The figure has been created using 3D CAD.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-Q32 282 |
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1/32 |
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8595593125213 |
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This set contains smooth tyre mainwheels with superbly detailed hubs. The wheels are tailored to fit both Special Hobby and Azur/Frrom kits of the Rumanian I.A.R.-80/81 fighter. Created using 3D technology.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-Q32283 |
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1/32 |
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8595593125220 |
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This set offers anti-slipping tread pattern mainwheels with nicely detailed hubs for Special Hobby and Azur/Frrom I.A.R.-80/81 kits. Created using 3D.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-Q72286 |
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1/72 |
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8595593125237 |
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This set brings two nicely detailed Martin Baker MB 8LC ejection seats designed for an Airfix kit of the British Tucano T.1 aircraft. The seats are cast as one piece along with the pilots’ harness.
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| Art.No. |
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scale |
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barcode |
| 129-RA 058 |
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1/35 |
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8595593125244 |
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German heavy trench mortar of the Imperial German Army. It was designed before WWI by Rheinmetall and was in service until the end of the war. The mortar was transported using an attached pair of wheels and before fire, it was placed in a pit or trench protecting the mortar and its crew. Later in the war, a new model with a longer barrel was also developed and known as the n/A (neuer Art). The earlier short-barreled version was then redesignated as the a/A (or alter Art). These mortars were used during the siege of fortress Maubeuge in France or Liege and Namur in Belgium.
The 25cm schwerer Minenwerfer was much more effective in destroying enemy trenches and barbed wire obstacles than guns with much larger caliber even though it possessed shorter range.
Our model of this famous weapon, as well as other WW1 weapons in our RA range, was designed using 3D technology, the pattern parts came from a 3D printer and the resin components of the kit are cast in outstanding quality.
GERMANY/ WWI
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