Preview: Special Hobby, CMK & Planet Model's latest kits in Nov/Dec

Special Hobby, CMK & Planet Model's latest kits for November / December look like a good bunch, with plenty of detail & great colour choices. We have picked the most interesting to show you in our preview...

Preview: Special Hobby, CMK & Planet Model's latest kits in Nov/Dec

Every month Special Hobby seem to release a bunch of kits and aftermarket. Most of these pretty interesting. We thought we would show you what's new in a preview.

Westland Whirlwind FB MK.I Fighter-Bomber Hi-tech kit

by Special Hobby

1/32nd scale

Product Code: 100-SH32088

$124 USD from Hobbylink Japan

Not long before the outbreak of WW2, the British Air Ministry issued a requirement calling for two types of fighter aircraft, one light weight with machine gun armament and the other one with heavy cannon armament. To these requirements, the machine gun armed Hurricanes and Spitfires were designed, while to fit the second category, the Westland offered their Whirlwind twin-engine ‘Cannon Fighter’. This type was eventually produced in more than a hundred examples and further production was ceased only by the shortage of the Peregrine engines. The Whirlwinds were deployed over the English Channel in fighter and ground attack missions. For the latter ones, the Whirlwinds were fitted with bomb racks and were designated FB Mk.I. This modification proved very successful and it became more than clear that the Whirlwinds suit these types of missions very well indeed.

Our model of the Whirlwind now comes in the Hi-Tech format and contains ten styrene sprues, one with clear parts, a fret of photo etched details, set of 3D-printed parts and also resin parts. These details improve the cockpit area substantially and also make it possible to leave the nose section open to show the four Hispano cannon armament to good advantage. The decal sheet offers markings for four green and grey RAF machines, two of 263 Sqn and the other two of 137 Sqn. One of the schemes has a title under the canopy and another one sports the striking black and white wing undersurfaces, the markings carried for the Operation Stalker.

- top notch equipped model kit containing multi-material accessory sets

- two decal sheets

- eye-catching colour and marking schemes

P-40M Warhawk ‘Involuntarily from Russia to Finland’

by Special Hobby

1/72nd scale

Product Code: 100-SH72486

$22 USD from Hobbylink Japan

During the Second World War, the P-40M Warhawk fighter aircraft was used both by the USAAF and the air forces of the Allies. Over two hundred were also delivered to the Soviet Union. P-40M s/n 43-5925 White 23 saw only very brief service with the VVS (Soviet Air Force). When the new machine was being flown over to the unit, its pilot 2nd Lt. V.A.Revin got lost, landed by mistake on Finnish territory and both the machine and the pilot were captured. The Finnish military was reluctant to put the machine to operational service, Finnish pilots of HLe.Lv.32 were of the opposite opinion however, get the machine to airworthy condition and flew it covertly, which eventually came to light and the Curtiss was officially approved for military use and flown until the end of the war.

The P-40M kit comes on three styrene sprues with one containing clear parts. All of which offer the top quality and detail overall. The decal sheet caters for the original markings of the Soviet-flown White 23 with red stars and silver tail, and the markings of the plane in two various Finnish schemes. 

- superbly detailed model, very easy to build

- interesting colour schemes with breathtaking history

- separately available masks, accessory sets and figures

Fordson WOT2 E (15CWT) ‘Wooden Cargo Bed’

by Planet Models

1/72nd scale

Product Code: 129-MV134

$27 USD from Hobbylink Japan

The WOT2 light-weight military lorry was in production with the British Ford company at Dagenham since 1939 and several versions of the type was constructed. The total production number reached some 60 000 examples which served with the British Army, RAF as well as with the Royal Navy until the end of the 1950s. In the war times, these vehicles offered support to British forces in Western Europe, Africa and elsewhere too. 

Many units composed of overseas personnel also got these vehicles, for domestic modeller might be of interest that the WOT2s served with the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade. Some of the WOT2s were also captured by the Germans and were put to rather extensive use with the Wehrmacht. In the post war period, some of the WOT2s went further still to other armies.

The basis of the model is made from resin and it also contains a fret of etches and printed parts. The decals cater for a vehicle in use by the famous Desert Rats in Africa.

F-84F Thunderstreak ‘US Swept-wing Thunder’

by Azur-FRROM 

1/72nd scale

Product Code: 

$27 USD from Hobbylink Japan

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 achieved by Turkish machines taking on Iraqi Il-28 bombers violating the Turkish air space.

The F84F served both in the home skies and overseas in Europe and in the Pacific. Our SH72395 kit set brings four USAF marking schemes, two of which were flown in the US while the other two in the UK. Special Hobby’s F-84F kit is completely new with superb levels of detail and offers two styles of the canopy hood which can be posed either closed or open. Four styrene sprues also bring wide range of underwing stores

- highly detailed model

- excellent fit

- striking schemes and decals

- pre-cut paint masks sold separately

- accessories sets currently being developed

Marder Tank Destroyer Commander and Gunner

by CMK

1/72nd scale

Product Code: 129-F72400

$11.36 USD From Hobbylink Japan

Two crew figures in this set portray a commander and a gunner of a Marder tank destroyer. Made to fit the Special Armour line Marder II kit made by Special Hobby. In fact, these two can be used with any German WW2 tank destroyers or even another type of military vehicles.

These new kits are available on Special Hobby's Website from Hobbylink Japan