Botan

Hobby Boss is going to release a new model (a new variant?) of PLA Navy Type 039 Song Class submarine: PLA Navy Type 039 Song Class on scalemates

Serial number is different, old kit is "80231", posted by Homebee is "80299". Maybe new moulds?

And now, decals schemes: FM-2 Wildcat Expert Set decals

New post on blog Photoetched parts and masks for Wildcat

Usually I don't even read those "blurbs" on Revell site, but just go straight for instruction download page. I hope that one for this model will be added soon.

Still in

So Homebee posted dowloadable Nurnberg Toy Fair report by French magazine RVB Cocardes According to informations about Heller (page 34-35), in 1/72 Martinet is a Smer kit and Dakota is a Airfix kit. There is quite a lot about Alpha Jet, but some assistance would be needed with translation.

And if I'm correct because those made by American Army aircraft names are now trademark of private corporations, there will never expire...

So to sum up aircraft in 1/72 scale, I guess those kits with "30" as first two digits, are reboxes. Taken from Spielwarenmesse Nürnberg list. 30372 Douglas C-47 "DAKOTA" Q4/20 - a few candidates for rebox glow2b website link - 39,99 € 30388 Siebel 204 / SNCAC NC 701-702 "Martinet" Q3/20 - R.V. Aircraft sprues? glow2b website link - 17,99 €

To be honest, IBG full catalogue have been already posted here: IBG Models 2020 catalog - programme

Apparently, according to google translated discussion posted today on French forum via link in first post, Alpha Jet will be a new tool. This part was in English though:

Video from Airfix. There is a trst shot/printed/prototype I guess of Spitfire about 9:53 Airfix part is from 7:19.

I specifically did not used Zvezda as a example, because, well, that's a special case. For sure it is possible, and that's really great some companies do both once, but I just not take it as given.

I think I can be called as somebody from that generation, and I think your assessment is not bad. That obvious that model were originally toys to be built by yourself, but hobby over years evolved and branched into something completely different. I mentioned earlier in Airfix 2020 thread, that trying to make kits for both: toy shops, where parts should be tough and simple, and for "rivet counters", who want a lot of small and delicate parts, must be a real headache. That's a reason I have quite high hope for "Beginners" kit, with those made specially for first mentioned target audience, may Airfix for example tone down with size of panel lines in "normal" kits. Still, I'm not sure that "Beginners" is a good name, such kits and also toys should be their own thing, not just prelude for "serious" modellers. Anyway, the facts is that Airfix kind of attracted such harsh judgment of their kits by its own PR strategy. Quick built kits or for example simple Hobby Boss kits are not a target of criticism, because it is obvious forum dwellers are not their main customers. From the other hand, Airfix made a big deal and was basically bragging about about their LIDAR usage, clearly aiming at "rivet counters" too, so no wonder those were a bit ... perplexed, when Airfix did not delivered such high accuracy.

This is not exactly correct. First option is hypothetical and isn't a "what-if". That's a prototype which was used in combat in 1939, his pilot was credited with two He-111 bombers. Unfortunately, no photo of it is known, so scheme was reconstructed based on eyewitness account. More details can be found here: Other schemes indeed are pure "what-if's".