The Modelling News: Trumpeter's new kits - Stealth on a small scale, Russian Medium in massive scale & a couple of missile launchers ready to fire in December...

Trumpeter's December releases China's new stealth aircraft making a big show in 72nd, to missile launchers of US and Soviet origin in 35th and a HUGE MBT in1/16th scale - We now have the sprue shots, markings & boxart in today’s preview...

Trumpeter’s December 2017 releases…

Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD)

Model:# 01054

1:35th scale

Model Length: 340mm Width: 103.5mm
Total Parts 750+
Metal Parts metal tube
Total Sprues 20 sprues, cab and tires

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army anti-ballistic missile system designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. The missile carries no warhead but relies on the kinetic energy of the impact to destroy the incoming missile. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of exploding conventional warhead ballistic missiles, and nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles will not explode upon a kinetic energy hit, although chemical or biological warheads may disintegrate or explode and pose a risk of contaminating the environment. THAAD was designed to hit Scuds and similar weapons.

According to a statement released On July 7, 2016, the Pentagon announced it is conducting formal feasibility studies for placement of a THAAD battery in South Korea “as a defensive measure to ensure the security of the ROK(Republic of Korea) and its people and to protect alliance military forces from North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile threats.”After North Korea's reported launch of three Rodong missiles near the coast of Japan on September 5, 2016, Beijing publicly voiced opposition to such a deployment, citing concerns that it would not be "conducive to strategic stability in the region, and could intensify disputes."

More Features

Detailed multi-directional slide-moulded cab.

Full drive train assembly complete with engine transmission, differential housing and suspension units.

The main tires are hollow rubber with very good tread pattern

The windshield and side win

Shenyang J-31 Gyrfalcon (Airshow China 2014)

Model:# 01666

1:72nd scale

Product Link

Chinese J-31 Gyrfalcon (also known as Falcon Eagle or Falcon Hawk) 5th generation Stealth Fighter being developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, subsidiary of AVIC Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

The mid-size single-seat aircraft is in twin-engine and twin-tail configuration. Maiden flight was on October 31, 2012, and in November 2014 J-31 prototype 31001 made its debut at the 10th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. A scale model of updated J-31 was displayed at 2016 Zhuhai Airshow.

J-31 Falcon Eagle features two internal weapons bays, and can carry additional underwing weapons capability. J-31 is designed to carry new generation short-range air-to-air HSM (Heat Seeking Missile) and BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missile.

Model Brief

Length: 249.2mm Wingspan: 159.5mm

Total Parts 110+

Total Sprues 10 sprues

The kit consists of over 110 parts, 5 clear parts

fuselage & wing with finely engraved panel lines

DPRK Hwasong -5 short-range tactical ballistic missile

Model:# 01058

1:35th scale

Product Link

The Hwasong-5 is a surface-to-surface short-range tactical ballistic missile derived from the Soviet R-17 Elbrus missile and based on the ballistic missile Scud-B. Hwasong-5 with a range of 300 km and a payload capacity of slightly under 1,000 kg. North Korea purchased the Soviet Scud-B from Egypt in the mid-1970s and made improvements to the airframe, guidance, and motor.

Flight tests of the Hwasong-5 began in 1984 and the missile was deployed in 1986. The Hwasong-5 like the Scud-B is road-mobile and launched from a North Korean copy of the Russian designed MAZ-543 Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicle. However, the SRBM can also be launched from converted commercial vehicles as well. It is believed that North Korea has around 300 Hwasong-5 SRBMs with around 12 to 15 launchers. ending production in 1991 or 1992.

Model Brief

Length: 384.1mm Width:89.5mm

Total Parts 990+

Metal Parts metal shaft, copper cable, pins

Photo-Etched Parts 3 pcs

Total Sprues 22 sprues and tires

Detailed multi-directional slide-moulded cab.

Full drive train assembly complete with engine transmission, differential housing and suspension units.

The main tires are hollow rubber with very good tread pattern

The windshield and side windows are made of clear parts.

Photo-etched parts included

Russian T-72B1 MBT (w/ Kontakt-1 reactive armour)

Model:# 00925

1:16th scale

Product Link

T-72 is a Soviet second-generation main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It was developed directly from Object 172 and shares parallel features with the T-64A. T-72 was one of the most widely produced post-World War II tanks, second only to the T-54/55 family, and the basic design has also been further developed as the T-90.