News from Special Hobby 07/2024

Dear business friends,    Let me kick off with good news indeed, those fabulous 1/48 SH48238 and SH48238B SMB-2 Super Mystère  'Sa’ar – Israeli Storm in the Sky' Hi-Tech model kits have got back on offer and as I write this piece, the kits are being packaged and prepared for the customers to fulfill the orders we unfortunately were not able to fulfill earlier, and of course we are also ready to accept your new orders for these kits. So do not hesitate :-)    This newsletter's most important new release is the 1/48 SIAI-Marchetti SF-260M/AM/W kit, which will hopefully become as successful as its smaller 1/72 scale cousin. Double-sided inside/outside set of spray masks is also being prepared for this release, plus three more (so-far) detail sets. One of them resin cast, the other two will be 3D printed. Another new item for this newsletter is the 1/72 Fokker D.21 which gets onto the offer after a couple of years. The same story is the re-release of the 1/72 scale Seafire FR Mk.47.    Among the sets and resin cast models, let me focus on the 3D-printed Tai-atari Yūyoku Funshindan Japanese Rocket Plane, Japanese projects that have now materialised in 1/72 and 1/48 scales, and also a few more sets for the B-25 Mitchell models.   The coming months will see the release of a couple of 1/48 B-26B/C Marauder sets designed for the ICM kits. We are going to cover this model very thoroughly and the sets we are working on will deal with the interior from the very nose down to the tail gunner's position. The majority of the sets is planned to be 3D printed. In 1/72, open nose section with machine gun armament set for the highly successful F-84F Thunderstreak kit will also be made by direct 3D print.    The upcoming re-release of the 1/32 Fiat G.50bis will also contain new resin cast and 3D printed parts that will allow you to finish the model either in the fighter bomber variety with bombs and their respective racks or as the naval fighter prototype G.50bis/N that was fitted with an arrestor hook and was to serve aboard planned aircraft carriers. Some more releases you can start look forward to is the 1/32 SH32067 Yak-3 ‘Normandie-Niemen’ Hi-Tech,  1/72 SH72402 SH-89 / CASA C.212 'ASW & Maritime Patrol', 1/72 B-12 bomber in colourful schemes and another reboxing of the 1/72 P-40N Warhawk, this time with interesting schemes covering machines flying in the PTO. We look forward to your orders. A.Riedel SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC MODEL KITS

SIAI-Marchetti SF.260AM/M/W 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH48207 1/48 8594071088873    The SF-260 is an Italian training, sports and aerobatic aeroplane that is flown almost all over the world. In Europe alone, it can be found in service with the air forces of Italy and Belgium, it was also used by the Irish Air Corps. Special Hobby already have on offer 1/72 scale reproduction of the SF-260, now we are releasing also its cousin upscaled to 1/48. The kit set comes on four styrene sprues, a clear sprue with the earlier lower canopy hood. The decal sheet contains markings for the M, AM and W verisons as flown in Italy, Belgium and Ireland. The second generation SF-260EA/D airframes with bulged canopy will become available later on. The decal sheet covers markings for anniversary Belgium and Italy airframes and the third option is a standard-looking Irish machine of the SF-260W version, which comes with underewing armament and pylons. -    interesting colour schemes -    finely detailed decals with full set of stencils -    compared other existing 1/48 SF-260 kits, our one has nice and crisp surface details and the canopy hood of correct shape and type. Read more

Seafire FR MK.47 ‘The Last Royal Navy Propeller Fighter’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72501 1/72 8594071089924    The final Spitfire versions, i.e. the Mk.21, 22 and 24, sometimes also called the second generation Spitfires, had corresponding navalized counterparts in the Seafire Mk.45, 46 or 47 versions. The Mk.47 Seafire was most similar to the Spitfire 24 type, its airframe was considerably modified though. The arresting hook was a necessity of course, in this case of the sting shaped variety at the very end of the aircraft. The Y type wing could be folded to not the limit this Seafire’s service aboard the Navy’s latest carriers. The propeller had six blades and was counter-rotating. The South Marston production plant gave in total 99 examples of this very last Seafire version which eventually went to No.800 Sqn on the HMS Triumph, No.804 Sqn detached on the HMS Ocean, and also to some FAA training squadrons or RNVR squadrons. Their post-war service was uneventful and the machines were discharged in the mid fifties. The only exception was the 800 Sqn Seafires that were deployed against communist insurgents in Malaya in 1949, flying off the deck of the HMS Triumph. And a year later, the same unit took part in the initial stages of the Korea War. From 3 July to 20 September 1950, the unit accumulated 245 offensive fighter missions and 155 ground atack sorties over the Korea Peninsula.    Our model kitset covers two Seafire Mk.47 options that were operated in Korea in 1950. One of the airfames became ‘famous’ for its rather spectacular looking crash in the waters off Malta in the Mediterranean, the other one was flown from a UK base. The kit also contais a fret of photo etches and a new sprue with alternative bomb and rocket missile armament parts. Read more

Fokker D.21 ‘Against Messerschmitts’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72500 1/72 8594071089825    The Fokker D.21 was and aircraft of many contradictions. It was developed in the late 1930s during a real revolution in aircraft design. The D.21 was a modern, low-wing aircraft. Its construction, however, was of a mixed type, the undercarriage fixed with spats. Originally, the type was ordered by the Dutch East Indies Air Force, later it also served in Europe with the air forces of the Netherlands, Denmark and Finland, where it was also built under licence. Each of the air forces operated slightly differing version. The Dutch machines were used to fight the overwhelming German Luftwaffe’s Bf 109E fighters. In our model kit, we also offer schemes of machines that achieved air victories over those modern German fighters. THe kit contains decals with markings covering three Dutch airframes and a captured one. Besides that, the kit also contains detailed resin cast parts, 3D-printed details and a fret of etches.  -    this kit is and upgraded and improved earlier MPM72571 release -    contais resin, 3D printed and etched parts. -    interesting history with strong story behind every airframe portrayed. Read more

SPECIAL MASK

AJ/JA/SF-37 Viggen (Single Seater) Splinter Camo MASK 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-M48022 1/48 8594071089948    Pre-cut spray mask for the distinctive spliter colour scheme worn by single seater Viggens. Read more

SK-37 Viggen (Two Seater) Splinter Camo MASK 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-M48023 1/48 8594071089955    Pre-cut spray mask for the distinctive spliter colour scheme worn by two seater Viggens. Read more

RESIN MODEL KITS & SETS

F6F-9 Cougar Correction Wheels Set 1/48 / for Kitty Hawk kits Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-4479 1/48 8595593131627   New undercarriage wheels with excellent levels of detail for the 1/48 F6F-9 Cougar kit. The original kit items do have serious flaws of which the most visible one is the missing brakes. Our new wheels do not omit this detail and on top of that they also have nicely weighted tyres with realistic looking tread pattern. Read more

Lippisch Li P.13 Schnell Bomber Luftwaffe Project 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-PLT255 1/72 8595593131238    The Lippisch Li P.13 was a German high-speed, tandem-mounted twin engine bomber project which we offer now in the resin cast format in the Planet Models range.The resin parts of the kit come with a sheet of decals, vacuum-formed clear parts and undercarriage legs made of heat-treated resin material. The Lippisch P.13 project was developed by the team led by Josef Hubert, the head of Lippisch’s aerodynamic department of the Messerschmitt concern. When the Lippisch design office was dissolved, the P.13 project was abandoned altogether and its designation was later given to different ones. Read more

Tai-atari Yūyoku Funshindan Japanese Rocket Plane (project 1 and 2) 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-PLT281 1/72 8595593131474    3D-printed parts of this set portray the Japanese project of piloted ram missiles planned to destroy high flying B-29 bombers or other similar targets. The kit contains two versions of the missiles and their transport trolleys. Read more

Tai-atari Yūyoku Funshindan Japanese Rocket Plane (project 1 and 2) 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-PLT283 1/48 8595593131498    3D-printed parts of this set portray the Japanese project of piloted ram missiles planned to destroy high flying B-29 bombers or other similar targets. The kit contains two versions of the missiles and their transport trolleys. Read more 3D printed Parts

US Navy Aircraft Tow Bar 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P48013 1/48 8595593131559    Modern style tow bar as used for US Navy aircraft on carriers. The tow bar is universal as is the real one, too. The set also contains safety chain and a decal sheet. Read more