Grumpy Old Modeller

Tailpiece

This year's Crystal Balls

At this stage of a New Year - well, at least I'm writing this as the Year of the Dragon is trying a few experimental flaps of its wings - announcements are being made in one form or another of some at least of what we can look forward to between now and, say, the next ScaleModelWorld. Thanks to my name presumably not having been deleted from the corporate address list when I gave up writing for SAM the new Revell catalogue thumped on to my doormat this week (in English and Spanish - I wonder what the other language combinations are). Even though it's been a while since I was responsible for compiling a New Kits List for the benefit of others, something I always enjoyed even if I never got to Nuremburg - since 1949, anyway - I still seek through such publications for what might engage my fancy at some level in the next few months as wll as the various magazines as they gather information. Mind you, given that the focus of much of my modelling has changed over the last few years what I'm looking for, as you'll know if you've followed my deathless prose for any length of time, has altered somewhat; I still hope for the odd Real Aircraft to have engaged the attention of one or other of the major manufacturers, last year's Airfix Valiant being a case in point, and I'm waiting (fairly) patiently for Hasegawa's EA-18G Growler to materialise in 1:72nd (which reminds me, what happened to all thos USN aviation Centennial special schemes we hoped for last year?). I always tried when I was making up The List for SAM to contact the "Cottage Industry"/"third level" kit makers " - I don't think we ever came up with a universally accepted term, the US "aftermarket" for me only being satisfactory for "bits", though I've always like the French artisanale - to add their Master Plans, and it's on these that my attention lights more readily these days because of my current devotion to the counterfactual. As well as the expectations raised by the Anigrand Craftswork "Future Releases" page and the occasionally changing plans of Colin Strachan's Freightdog Models - this title now seems to have returned to overall popular use and perhaps someone could draught a cartoon freightdog? - Mel Bromley's S&M Models have recently, and will in this coming year, provide an interesting source. While some of the less likely subjects fly straight out of the (well-thumbed!) pages of Colin Gibson's splend "Vulcan's Hammer", we are also invited to expect in time for Telford in 1:144th a Vickers Windsor and an Avro Tudor; which version of each I hope to talk with Mel about this coming weekend at MK, but I have plans to make the Windsor in the colours of 57 Squadron, Tiger Force.

And just to make sure I make a real aeroplane once in a while I've just picked up a Cyber-Hobby Sea Vixen 1 to remind me of, when we lived just off the western end of the Christchurch runway the cups in the cupboard would rattle alarmingly whenever a freshly-minted one would be launched. And with a Gnat likely to be in a goodies bag when I come home tomorrow, I see a Yellowjack in my future! And if I can get hold of the new profile on '50s/'60s RN AEW projects, maybe a little discussion with the Casters Of Resin.