Preview: January's latest kits, resin, masks & prints from Special Hobby/ CMK

Special Hobby and their partner company CMK has a great selection of kits, new resin printed and accessories for us in January. We look at them all in our preview today...

Preview: January's latest kits, resin, masks & prints from Special Hobby/ CMK

L-4 ‘Cub in Post War Service’

100-SH48222

 1/48th Scale

Price: $25 USD from Hobbylink Japan

Quite soon it became clear to the US military, as well as the British RAF, that the rather large and complicated types such as the O-47 or Lysander which had been designed in the pre-war days for army co-operation, close support, artillery observation and liaison roles were in fact ill-suited for the real operations. Lighter types with the ability of very short take offs and landings proved much more successful. 

Arguably the most famous of all types of this category is the L-4 Grasshopper, developed from the originaly civil J-3 Cub which did really well during US.Army pre-war excercises.

While the L-4s proved their worth during the war, as they also did later when they attributed in the development of the sports aviation when the US began to sell cheapy the surplus machines. And many of those ex-war birds keep flying until these days.

The kit contains two styrene sprues joined by one with clear parts, a set of etches and a decal sheet catering for four machines. It offers markings for one Czechoslovak machine with an advertisement for alcoholic beverages on the fuselage, another one as flown in Poland, then one Piper from the UK which bears rather plain-looking colours and finally a Swiss machine in yellow with striking red trim.

The colour choices in the box

- Four colourful civilian options included

Fiat G.50B Bicomando 

1/32nd scale

Kit No #32083

Price: $50 USD from Hobbylink Japan

The Regia Aeronautica, as well as many other air forces during WW2, used two seat machines converted from standard fighter types for the pilot training purposes. In 1940, the RA faced a difficult task as besides new pilots requiring the pilot training, those many already accustomed to flying in the open cockpit of a biplane needed to learn to fly modern, fast monoplanes with retracting undercarriage. And the Fiat G.50B suited this need very well. 

This two-place variety of the standard G.50 fighter came about by adding another pilot’s seat in place of the fuselage armament, in front of the standard cockpit. In total, 100 of these trainers were built and became a welcome addition to the Regia Aeronautica and a few also saw service with the Luftwaffe and the military of Croatia. One such machine survived the war and went on serving with the new Italian Air Force until 1948.

The model kit contains five grey styrene sprues, one with clear parts, finely detailed resin parts and etches. The decals cater for four marking options, machines of the Regia Aeronautica, Luftwaffe, Croatian Air Force and the post-war Italian Air Force.

- Highly unusual and rare version

- Four colourful schemes in the box

- resin cast parts and photo-etch in the box

MASKS

SK-37 Viggen Mask

Stock #129-M48013 

1/48th scale

Price: $4.48 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Pre-cut spray masks for the clear parts and undercarriage wheels of the SAAB SK-37 two-seat trainer version of the Viggen jet model.

RESIN KITS & SETS

Yak-9D Wheels 1/48 / for Zvezda kit

129-Q48405 

1/48th scale

Price: $4.48 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Finely detailed, weighted wheels for the new Zvezda Yak-9D kit.

Yak-9K/T Exhausts 1/32 / for ICM kit

Stock #129-Q32406 

1/32nd scale

Price: $4.97 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Resin cast exhausts with hollowed out ends and some more detail are a direct replacement of the original styrene ones of ICM’s Yak-9 kit.

Yak-9K/T Wheels 1/32 / for ICM kit

Stock #129-Q32407 

1/32nd scale

Price: $8.84 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Undercarriage wheels with weighted tyres and plenty of detail. For the new ICM Yak-9K and Yak-9T kits.

15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 / 3,7 cm PaK 36 Wheels / for Special Armour kits

Stock #129-B72107 

1/72 Scale

Price: $4.48 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Special Hobby’s SA72026 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 and SA72025 3,7 cm PaK 36 models can only benefit from this resin cast detail wheel set.

Beaufort Mk.I Mainwheels and Tailwheel w/Leg / for ICM kit

Stock #129-4456 

1/48 Scale 

Price: $9.95 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Mainwheels and tailwheel correction set designed for the otherwise very nice ICM Beaufort Mk.I kit. Our cast wheels feature weighted tyres as well as the correct type of the hub which is also of the correct size. The tailwheel leg is made from special resin material which is heat treated for greater strength. The tail wheel is also of the correct shape and size

3D Printed Parts

Yak-9D Exhausts 1/48 / for Zvezda kit

129-P48004 

1/48th scale 

Price: $4.48 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Printed exhausts directly replace the original styrene items, offer much better detail and have their ends hollowed out. Designed for Zvezda’s Yak-9D model.

These new kits are available on Special Hobby's Website