News from Special Hobby 03/2023

Dear business partners,    The March Special Hobby Newsletter is here to bring you a trio of really attractive plastic model kitsets as well as highly interesting resin and 3D-printed models and accessory sets. The plastic models are represented, beside the re-release of quite eye-catching and colourful Swiss-operated Vampire 6 jet, also two models of aeroplanes that fought in the Pacific Theatre of Operations (PTO) in the war years. The Australian Wirraway and American A-20G Havoc are arguably among the very iconic types of military planes of that area. The resin and 3D-printed accessory sets and models do seem to be a response to the present time horrible situation, the Russian aggression and attack against Ukraine. Our range of model kits gets a few new members, the 1/72 HESA Shahid 136 drone and 1/35 MG3 infantry machine gun. The resin cast F/A-18F Cockpit set for 1/72 Revell kit is a contemporary matter, too. And the rest of the sets for this month might take you back to the previous large scale conflict, the Second World War – PT Boats sets, Kittyhawk Pitot Tubes, or to the immediately post-war era – 1/48 scale Zetor 25‘Military w/Towbar for MiG 15/17s’.    Let me also use this opportunity to inform you that as of 1 April 2023 we will have to adjust our prices. It is not going to be just an increase, the prices will change in both directions, up and down within a maximum range of 10%. Unfortunately, this way we need to respond to the changes in prices of the raw materials and energy. The new price lists will be prepared for you by the March Newsletter release date, however all orders received before 31 March 2023 will be invoiced at the original price levels. A.    Riedel SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC MODEL KITS

DH.100 Vampire 6 Pinocchio Nose 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72391 1/72 8594071087036 The Vampire was greatly successful first generation jet aircraft that was exported to many countries including Switzerland where these jets, known there as the FB.6, flew equipped with ejection seats and later they also got longer nose sections – which eventually lead to them being dubbed Pinocchio...    The kit set contains three styrene sprues, one with clear parts, a sheet of decals and a set of resin parts of the armament and equipment. -    Nicely detailed and so far the top quality Vampire model in this scale. -    Decal sheet with markings for four options -    Colourful liveries one of which also sports a shark mouth -    Resin parts in already in the box Read more

CAC Wirraway ‘In training and combat’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72473 1/72 8594071089030 The trainer, reconnaissance and ground attack aircraft developed indigenously in Australia from the US-produced Texan was given the name Wirraway and proved very worthy military machine. Wirraways were also flown for advanced training and in combat areas they flew recon, ground attack and target spotting and marking missions. They were produced in several batches differing mainly in equipment and a few minor details.    The model come on two styrene sprues joined by a clear one and a decal sheet with markings for two machines. The first option was operated in the north of Australia painted yellow overall with highly visible fuselage number. The other machine is from New Guinea, green overall and with white empennage. -    Limited editon -    Separately available – resin wheels and pre-cut masks Read more

A-20G Havoc ‘Low Altitude Raiders’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72478 1/72 8594071089047 The American A-20 Havoc / Boston twin engined bomber aeroplanes saw service over many a battle field of the Second World War. And they were highly successful in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. The A-20G version was fitted with a battery of heavy machine guns in the nose and a pair of the same type of machine guns in a turret to defend the rear hemisphere. This armament was also often used in ground attack sorties in addition to the bombs dropped from low levels. Besides Bostons flown by the US crews, there served also Bostons of the RAAF whose crews liked to throw so-called bomb „tea-parties“.   The kit offers nicely detailed A-20G parts broken up to five grey styrene sprues plus one sprue with the clear parts. On top of that the kit also contains a sheet of decals covering two schemes, the US one with a quite interesting, hat-wearing cat painting on the nose and the other option portrays an Australian machine bearing a unique combination of US and RAAF national insignia. -    Finely detailed model -    Interesting colour scheme options -    Wide variety of available accessory sets (masks, PUR detail sets, figures) Read more

MASKS

A-20G/K Havoc/Boston Mk.IV MASK 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-M72021 1/72 8594071088088 Pre-cut paint masks for the clear parts and undercarriage wheels of the A-20 of late series which were fitted with a gun turret. Designed for Special Hobby and MPM Production kits and the reboxings by Revell. Read more

DECALS

VR-1 Helicopter Decal 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-K48004 1/48 8594071089184 This decal sheet offers markings for the first example of the VR-1 helicopter as was known the FA 223 built in postwar Czechoslovakia. The VR-1 was delivered to the Police Air Force (SNB – National Security Corps Aviation). And it has also been for the very first time that a helicopter was used for road traffic control. These decals are designed fot Special Hobby’s FA 223 kits no SH48020 and SH48201. Read more

RESIN KITS & SETS

Zetor 25 ‘Military w/Towbar for MiG 15/17s’ 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-8063 1/48 8595593130071 The Zetor 25 tractor was among the first products of the post-war Czechoslovak industry and also the very first tractor to have been manufactured by the Zetor company. Until 1961 when the production was ceased, a total of 160,000 Zetors left the production line of which almost 100,000 had been delivered across both Europe and Asia. We are now launching the 1/48 scale Zetor 25 model kit as the previous Zetor 25s in smaller 1/72 scale (models MV128 and MV129) have been a phenomenal success with the customers. Model kit no.8063 portrays the miliary variety of the type which saw quite wide service with the Czechoslovak armed forces. Many of the vehicles were used to tow military jets on the airfields, mainly the MiG 15s and 17s, as is also shown in several period propaganda films. And this is why our model also offers the 3D-printed tow bar in addition to a few etched details and a sheet of decals. Read more

PT-579/588 Boat Radar Mast 1/72 / for Revell kits Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-N72041 1/72 8595593130170 Resin cast detailed antenna mast with a radar as fitted to the PT-579/588 boats. The set comes with a fret of etches. The detail overall is much better than on the original kit’s item. Read more

F/A-18F Super Hornet Cockpit 1/72 / for Revell kit Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-7511 1/72 8595593130101 The new F/A-18F model kit as made by Revell is really nice but lacks plenty of details in the cockpit area as well as its hot seats are of incorrect size. Our resin cockpit with photo etches offers much nicer levels of detail and the new seats are well proportioned. Read more

HESA Shahid 136 / Geran-2 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-PLT277 1/72 8595593130224 The Iran-made HESA Shahid 136 / Geran-2 drone is used by the Russian military to terrorize Ukraine and to attack its civil infrastructure. Our model is resin cast and comes with a few 3D-printed parts and is available in the Planet Model range. It also has a sheet of decals. Read more

3D printed Parts MG 3 Machine Gun - squad support variant (2 pcs) 1/35 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P35009 1/35 8595593130187 Superbly detailed, 3D-printed  MG3 machine gun in the troop-support variety with a bipod. The set contains two examples of this world-wide used weapon. Read more

RAF Kittyhawks Pitot Tube (2 pcs.) 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P72005 1/72 8595593130286 The British Kittyhawks had, among others, a different pitot tube than the American P-40. The British one was L-shaped, while the American one was straight. Our 3D printed set offers two British pitot tubes. Read more

PT Boat Weapon Set No.2 - Twin 12.7 mm AA Brownings (2 printed pcs) 1/72 / for Revell kits Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-N72031 1/72 8595593130163 A pair of nicely detailed twin-mounted machine guns to be used on the US PT Boats as made by Revell. Compared to the original styrene parts, our set offers much more details. The guns can be positioned with their barrels up as if often  seen in the period photos (you cannot do this with the original kit parts). The set also contains etched ammo belts. Read more