Last month and at this very spot, I was writing about the Nuremberg Model and Toy Fair not taking place again. I had the feeling that that was a really serious problem which affected the model business as well as the modelling community as a whole. Today, however, everything is completely different. Serious events have happened and suddenly the mere fact that some toy fair did not take place seems to be completely irrelevant. A war has broken offut less than a thousand kilometers away. Putin's Russia, along with that its subordinate dictator Lukashenko, shamelessly invaded Ukraine, an independent and free state, under the bizarre pretext of de-nazification and demilitarization. In an effort to build a new empire within the borders of the former Soviet Union, Putin has treaded in the footsteps of past evil leaders destroying Russia. He and his oligarchs are only getting rich, ordinary Russians on the other hand are only poorer and poorer every single day. To divert attention from his deeds, Putin only blames both the enemies abroad the domestic opposition. His expansionism only seems to copy Hitler and Stalin. And on top of that, Putin also scars the world with his nukes. Even in my worst dreams, I was not able to imagine anything resembling the current situation.
The fact that the people of Ukraine have stood up to the agression and keeps fighting off the enemy hoards is incredible and admirable at the same moment. The whole of Europe backs Ukraine. I hope that Ukraine will keep resisting the enemy machinery, that justice will prevail and that the freedom of Ukraine and her people will win eventually. If not, we all will gradually lose our freedom too. And just believe me that the people here in Central Europe keep very well the memoriwa of what it was to lose their freedom to the Kremlin and the frost coming from the East.
The people of Czechoslovakia experienced such tragic events back in 1968. It is already clear now that the price we all will have to pay for the freedom of Ukraine as well as our freedom will be high. Perhaps all Europe will need to tighten their belts. But please keep in mind that the freedom is much more important and one must not give way to evil. So, support Ukraine and her brave people, please.
Sadly, and just becuase of insanity of one lunatic individual, our editorial may seem more like political information. However, Special Hobby is a model-making company and all we want is to keep making models never mind the outside situation. This month being no exception, of course. Everything goes on smoothly here. The 1/48 AH-1G Cobra is going to become one of the flagships in the Special Hobby range of kits and this month will see its premiere. We do believe the modellers will like the model, we have done our best to reach the latest standards both in the realistic levels of surface detail and in the straightforward and easy assembly. The second release for this March will be the 1/72 Junkers Ju 87D-5 Stuka, model no.SH72448. This is the first of several future limited releases based on the exceptional Academy Ju 87G kit. Our team have designed and injection moulded an extra sprue with conversion as well as correction parts, which when accompanied by a fret of etches are going to turn the Academy styrene parts into a couple of various Junkers Ju 87 versions, from the D-1 through to the D-8. The other two kits I am going to mention now are not insignificant either. The Sunderland Mk.I/II and the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 trop simply belong to the iconic WW2 models. Our regular monthly range of kits and accessory cannot fail to offer pre-cut masks, too, this time aptly for the AH-1G Cobra and the Junkers Ju 87D-5 Stuka kits.
From our resin cast products, let me point out the 1/72 Mosquito sets for the Airfix kit and the all-resin 1/72 Zetor 25 tractor – the military version now. Our team have also finished a few new 3D sets in 1/35. A real gem is the Luftschutz helmet, a pair of which can be found in the set, joined by etches and a decal sheet.
Among the new kits due for this April release, let me draw your attention to the limited release of the 1/35 Panhard 178B. The styrene parts of the kit originate in ICM’s kit and are joined now by a huge amount of resin cast conversion parts, turned metal barrel and a fret of etches. And the new set of modelling tool will be no less interesting, believe me.
A. Riedel
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