Hobbyboss have five new releases for March – with some nice
looking armour – new and old, add a pretty looking post-war ME-262, a simpler
Bf-109 to ensure some interest. Let’s see the kits and sprues in the Hobbyboss
preview…
Hobbyboss’ new items
for March 2016
Model #83878
1/35th
scale
The Vickers Medium
Mark I was a British tank of the period between the two World Wars built by Vickers.
It replaced some of the Mark V heavy tanks; together with its successor, the
slightly improved Vickers Medium Mark II, it served in the Royal Tank
Regiments, being the first type with a total 200 tanks to be phased out in
1938.
The Medium Mark I was the first tank to see "mass"
production since the last of the ten Char 2C's had been finished in 1921.
Indeed, as of the next tank, the Renault NC27, only about thirty were built,
the British Mediums represented most of the world tank production during the
Twenties. They never fired a shot in anger and their performance in a real
battle can only be speculated upon but as the only modern tanks in existence in
the decade after the First World War they provided the British with a unique
opportunity to test the many new ideas about mechanised warfare using real
operational units. The knowledge thus gained would prove invaluable in the
Second World War
More Features
12 sprues, upper hull
and turret
Photo Etched Parts 1 sheet
The kit consists of
over 720 parts
multi-slide
moulded upper hull and turret
photo etched
parts included
individual tracks
Model #83859
1/35th
scale
The
Saint-Chamond was the second French heavy tank of the First World War, with 400
manufactured from April 1917 to July 1918. Born of the commercial rivalry
between the makers of the Schneider CA1 tank, the Saint-Chamond was an
inadequate design. Its principal weakness was the "caterpillar" tracks.
They were much too short in relation to the vehicle's length and heavy weight (23
tons).
Later models, however, attempted to rectify some of the tank's original
flaws by installing wider and stronger track shoes, thicker frontal armour and
the more effective 75mm 1897 field gun. The Saint-Chamond tanks remained
engaged in various actions until the late summer of 1918, belatedly becoming
more effective after combat had moved out of the trenches onto open ground.
Eventually, however, the Saint-Chamond tanks were scheduled to be entirely
replaced by imported British heavy tanks.
Model Features
The kit consists of
over 300 parts
Length: 263mm Width: 102.2mm
14 sprues, lower hull,
upper hull and tracks
multi-slide moulded
upper hull
photo etched parts
included
individual tracks
Model #80380
1/48th scale
The Messerschmitt
Me-262 was the first jet fighter in the world. Project work had begun at
Messerschmitt as early as April 1939 on a new high-speed fighter plane the
propulsion of which was to consist of the “turbine jet” system. And on 18th July
1942 the Me262 took off on his first flight. The Me262 was powered by two Jumo
004B type engines giving the Me-262 a maximum speed of 870 km per hour at an altitude
of 6000m.
Its service ceiling was 11400 m and its range was 1050 km. Basic armament
consists of 4×30mm MK108 cannon installed in the nose. In addition, 2×12 type
R4M rockets could be carried the wings.
Model Features
Length: 244mm Wingspan: 260.6mm
11 sprues
The kit consists of 180 parts, clear parts
for canopy.
-Detailed fuselage &
wing w/accurate design
-Detailed gear cabin
-Optional metal nose
gear cabin
Model #81750
1/48th
scale
Messerschmitt Bf-109G, produced up to the end of the World
War II (23500 machines), by the quantity was the most mass model of airplane
Bf-109.Pilots of this airplane marked, that some increase of speed achieved the
installation of more high-power engine DB-605, has turned back deterioration of
the common controllability of the machine.
Bf-109G has gone to
manufacture by summer of 1942.The basic modifications of steel G-1 and G-2 with
engine DB-605A, one 20-mm cannon and to two 7,62-mm machine guns; G-3 and G-4
with modified radio equipment; G-5 and G-6 with more high-power cannon
armament.
Model Features
Length: 186.5mm Wingspan:206.8 mm
Total Plastic Parts 70+
Total Sprues 8
sprues
the kit consists of
over 70 parts
Detailed fuselage &
wing w/accurate design
Detailed cockpit 
Model #83867
1/35th
scale
The Leopard 2A4M CAN is the upgraded Canadian version of the
Leopard 2A4 acquired from the Royal Netherlands Army surplus. The Leopard 2A4M
CAN is specially designed for the war in Afghanistan, based on experience
gained by Leopard 2 operators. The first 20 were delivered in October 2010 and
with only 5 being deployed to Afghanistan at end of 2010, and operated until
July 2011 when combat operations stopped.
Though originally planned to be
up-gunned to the L55 for consistency with the 2A6M CAN, the longer barrelled guns
were found to be less than ideal in Afghanistan, therefore it was decided to
retain the L44. In addition, only small areas of slat armour were added, in
contrast with the fully caged 2A6M CANs. The protection of the Leopard 2A4M CAN
has been further augmented with the addition of applique armour resembling that
found on the most recent Leopard 2A7+ variant, but modified to fit the turret
configuration of the 2A4.
Model Features
Length: 261mm Width: 99mm
30 sprues, upper hull,
lower hull and turret
The kit consists of
over 390 parts
multi-slide
moulded turret, upper hull and lower hull
photo etched
parts included
individual tracks
Model #83839
1/35th
scale
The BA-3 was a heavy armoured car developed in the Soviet
Union in 1933, followed by a slightly changed model, the BA-6 in 1936. Both were
based mostly on the BA-I, the most important difference being the new turret,
same one as in the T-26 m1933 and BT-5 tanks, and also equipped with the 45 mm main
gun. Around 180 BA-3 cars were built until production ceased in 1935. Most of
BA-3 production was based on the Ford-Timken chassis, a 6×4 modification of the
US Ford AA 4×2 truck, but the last batch was built on a Russian version of the
same chassis - GAZ-AAA, continued to be used in BA-6.
The biggest limitation of
the BA-3 was mobility, limited to roads or very hard ground, the result of its
unnecessarily large weight. The innovation that slightly improved mobility was
the auxiliary ("Overall") tracks that could be fitted onto the rear
tandem wheels, effectively converting the car to half-track.
Model Features
The kit consists of
over 250 parts
Length: 140.8mm Width: 59.5mm
12 sprues, hull and
tires
the kit w/refined
detail
multi-slide moulded
hull
turret split into
three parts
photo etched
parts included
rubber tires
These kits will all
be available from Hobbyboss’
distributors in March 2016.
