News from Special Hobby 09/2026

Dear business friends,    At the beginning of the September newsletter, I must apologize for the delay in the 1/48 Baltimore kit. The kit was ready for distribution, but at the last minute we discovered that one of the propellers was mirror-imaged. We had to quickly produce part of the mould with the new propeller, which is why the Baltimore distribution was delayed. This also delayed the preparation of other models, SH72491 Junkers W 34 and VT48003 Sea Venom FAW.21/53. The September newsletter therefore brings the new 1/72 TP-40N Warhawk and three attractive reissues of the 1/48 Maryland Mk.I/II, Heinkel He 178V-2 and AF-2W      Guardian kits as well as re-released 1/72 SH72395 F-84F Thunderstreak. I believe that we will avoid further mistakes. Among the 3D printed and resin cast kits and sets, the fully printed Anatra Anasal kit is certainly worth your attention, we also bring other accessories for the M36 Jackson and the Baltimore. We look forward to your orders. A. Riedel SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC MODEL KITS

TP-40N ‘Two-seat Warhawk’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72543 1/72 8595593134239  The American P-40 Warhawk fighter is one of the iconic types of World War II. It was also supplied to the Allies, named the Kittyhawk. The P-40N version is the last mass-produced version. A limited number of this version were converted into a two-seat fighter trainer. The instructor's cockpit was situated behind the original pilot's cockpit. Due to the limited visibility, the instructor used a periscope mirror system for forward vision.    The kit combines P-40N styrene parts with new clear parts and 3D-printed parts of the rear cockpit. Since it is necessary to cut a hole in the fuselage for the second cockpit, it is intended for more experienced modellers (the cuts are simply made along the panel lines). The decals offer three USAAF machines, two in olive drab and one in natural metal scheme. The kit also contains a mask set for the fuselage national markings -    limited number release featuring this unusual version  -    plenty of accessories and figures also available for the kit Read more

Reedice

Maryland Mk.I/II ‘Warburton’s War’ 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH48077 1/48 8594071082048   The American light bomber Martin Model 167 was not included in the US Air Force's inventory. But both the French and the British ordered it. The British machines were given the combat name Maryland. While the French machines managed to join the defense of France in 1940, the British machines operated in Africa and the Mediterranean, within the RAF and SAAF squadrons. Some Marylands were used for reconnaissance. This machine was most famous for the excellent reconnaissance pilot Adrian Warburton. His machine from Malta, originally French, is offered in the kit. Along with it, there are two other RAF machines and one SAAF. Four sprues of grey plastic parts complement the sprue of clear parts, etches and resin parts. We are returning the kit to the offer in limited number. -    attractive colour options -    machine associated with the fate of one of the best recce pilots Adrian Warburton. Read more

Heinkel He 178 V-2 ‘First Jet Plane in the World’ 1/48 – re-issue Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH48093 1/48 8594071081706    On 24 August 1939, the Heinkel He 178 with pilot E. Warsitz took to the air for the first time over the airfield, the actual flight took place three days later. These were the flights of the first jet aircraft in the world. During the ongoing tests, the aircraft was demonstrated to the RLM executives on 1 November. Later, the machine received a more powerful HeS 6 engine, a longer wing and retractable landing gear. This variant is referred to in some sources as the He 178V-2.    The He 178 V-2 with retractable landing gear and a longer wing includes two sprues of parts, an injection-moulded canopy, resin parts and decals featuring the prototype markings. We are returning the kit to the offer in limited quantities. -    the world's very first jet engine aircraft Read more

AF-2W Guardian ‘Submarine Hunter’ 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH48158 1/48 8594071084424   In the 1950s, a pair of AF-2 Guardian anti-submarine aircraft operated from aircraft carriers of the US Navy. While the AF-2W carried a bulky APS-20 search radar under the fuselage, the second version, the AF-2S, carried anti-submarine attack weapons (anti-submarine torpedoes, depth charges or missiles, and attack radar) in the bomb bay and under the wing. The development of the Guardian began during World War II, but the US Navy originally requested a torpedo bomber. This project was designated G-70 by Grumman and designated by the Navy as XTB3F-1. The XTB3F-1 was to have a combined propulsion system, with a P&W R-2800 radial engine in the bow driving a four-blade propeller, and a Westinghouse 19XB turbojet engine in the tail section. The turbojet engine was removed before its first flight. This happened on 19 December 1945. However, on 24 December 1945, the US Navy changed its requirements and demanded a conversion to an anti-submarine aircraft in the two above-mentioned versions. The prototype of the “Hunter”, as the AF-2W version was called, flew for the first time in November 1948, the prototype of the “Killer” in January of the following year. In 1950, the first AF-2s of both versions were included in the US NAVY's inventory. Later, they were joined by the AF-3S version. This corresponded to the AF-2S version, but carried an additional magnetic anomaly detector. AF-2s operated from both aircraft carriers and land bases. During the Korean War, they provided protection for US Navy aircraft carriers in combat areas. They were withdrawn from the front line in 1955, but served in reserve units until 1957. The Guardians became the first specialized anti-submarine aircraft of the US Navy operating from aircraft carriers. They also hold the record for the largest single-engine piston aircraft in regular service ever to operate from the decks of US Navy ships.    The kit consists of eight sprues of grey plastic parts, a sprue with clear parts, a set of resin cast parts and a fret of etches. The decals offer two all-blue machines with white trim and markings. One operated from the aircraft carrier USS Bairoko, the other from the deck of USS Badoeng Strait. -    the largest single-engine, piston engined aircraft to have ever served on aircraft carrier decks -    nicely detailed resin cast parts and photo etches already in the box  Read more

F-84F Thunderstreak ‘US Swept-wing Thunder’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 100-SH72395 1/72 8594071089573   The first batch of SH72395 model kit is long sold out and due to huge demand and the orders still coming, we had to decide to prepare a re-edition of this excellent model as soon as possible. Kit no.SH72395 brings three USAF machine options, two of which saw service overseas in the UK and the third one flew over the USA. The kit is superbly detailed, offers the option to have the canopy hood either open or closed and the four styrene sprues also contain wide variety of underwing ordnance.    The F-84F Thunderstreak swept-wing jet fighter was a development of the Republic F-84G straight wing aircraft. Using a wing with the sweep along with a more powerful jet engine improved the performance to that of the F-86 Sabre. At first, the F-84F experienced several trouble with their power units, manoeuvrability as well as with corrosion. Later, after the outbreak of the Berlin Crisis and subsequent need to make the NATO forces more powerful, the F-84F jets started to equip many NATO air forces, including that of Germany and France, while earlier these planes were used mainly by the USAF and US Guard units. The first combat deployment the F-84F saw was during the Suez Crisis and the only air victories gained by the type were acieved by Turkish machines taking on Iraqi Il-28 bombers violating the Turkish air space. -    highly detailed model -    excellent fit -    striking schemes and decals -    pre-cut paint masks sold separately -    accessories sets currently being developed Read more

SPECIAL MASK

Baltimore Mk.I-V 1/48  MASK Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-M48028 1/48 8595593134420 Pre-cut paint masks for clear parts and u/c wheels of Special Hobby's 1/48 Baltimore model kits Read more

RESIN AND 3D MODEL KITS & SETS

ARSAERO CT-10 Target Drone 1/48 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P48054 1/48 8595593134345    3D-printed kit set portraying the French CT-10 target drone, that was reverse-engineered in the post war years from the German Fi-103/V-1 missile. The CT-10 went to serve with the militaries of France, Great Britain, Italy and Sweden. The kit offers French and British (Royal Navy) drones. Read more

M36 Jackson Machine Gun Travel Locks 1/35 / for Tamiya and other kits Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P35055 1/35 8595593134376   The machine gun mounted on the turret of the M36 Jackson tank destroyer had to be secured during transport to prevent damage from shocks or unwanted movement. The detailed 3D printed machine gun barrel lock offers details that cannot be produced in plastic for technological reasons. The parts of the set replace the plastic parts. Read more

M36 Jackson  Fuel Tank Filler Caps (A type) and Extinguisher Pull Handles 1/35 / for Tamiya and other kits Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P35056 1/35 8595593134383  We offer the armored tank filler caps and external fire extinguisher control as a 3D-printed set with significantly better details than the plastic parts of the kit. The set parts replace the plastic parts. Read more

M36 Jackson Towing Eyes, Horns w/ Guard and Antenna Base 1/35 / for Tamiya and other kits Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P35057 1/35 8595593134390    The towing eyes, horn with frame protection and antenna base, printed on a 3D printer, offer significantly better detail than the plastic parts of the kit. Read more

Baltimore Mk.II Armament Set 1/48 / for SH kit Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-P48057 1/48 8595593134437    Twin machine guns for the dorsal and ventral gunner stations that defended the rear hemisphere of the Mk.II Baltimore bomber. The armament comes as 3D-printed set with a fret of etches, all designed for the new Special Hobby kit set.  Read more

Anatra DS Anasal ‘Czechoslovak Version’ 1/72 Art.no. Scale Barcode 129-PLT291 1/72 8595593134444  In the Planet model range, we bring you the first kit completely made by 3D-printing. The Anatra Anasal aircraft were built in the factory of the Italian entrepreneur Anatra in Odessa, Ukraine, designned by the French designer Elysée Alfred Descamps and based on a licensed German biplane. The name Anasal was an abbreviation of the designation Anatra Salmson. The Anatra was created by modifying the older Anade aircraft, into which a radial, water-cooled 150HP Salmson engine was installed. The aircraft were ordered by the Russian tsarist government, which took over only a few of them. The rest fell into the hands of the Austro-Hungarian troops, which occupied the territory that Soviet Russia had given up with Lenin's signing of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty. The A-H army ordered another 200 aircraft, under the designation Anatra C.I. In the turbulent period at the end of World War I, in the Ruso-Polish War of 1918-20 and in the Russian Civil War, Anatras were finally used by the A-H army, Poles, White and Red Russians, Ukrainians and communist Hungarians. The next operator was the newly formed Czechoslovakia, which acquired 23 of Anatras. They were used by the Czechoslovak Army Air Force, after they were decommissioned, some Anatras were bought by civilian flying clubs. One of the machines has survived to this day and is exhibited at the National Technical Museum in Prague. The Czechoslovak Anatras had a modified exhaust system compared to machines of other users. The kit offers one Army Air Force machine, one Civilian Flying Club machine and the machine in the form in which it is exhibited in the Technical Museum. Read more