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VFR Models is to release 1/72nd Beechcraft Baron 55 & 58 3D printed kits Source: https://www.facebook.com/vfrmodels/posts/pfbid02aEyWfVHMMJhduRtBpfgnS89LX2HyArpKkLTxS4PQnYr25SE1vJ7UoBk1Aq2SkK1ul V.P.

Wing Factory (http://m-wingfactory.com/ & https://www.facebook.com/m.wingfactory) is soon to release a 1/48th Raytheon Hawker Beechcraft T-400 (JASDF) resin kit - ref. ? Will be available at HLJ - https://www.hlj.com/1-48-scale-beechcraft-t400-jasdf-training-aircraft-resin-kit-mwf002 Source: http://m-wingfactory.com/entry21.html V.P.

Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, pics thanks to Dov.

Beechcraft C18S American Passenger Aircraft ICM 1:48 (48185) The Twin Beech, or to give the aircraft its proper title The Beechcraft Model 18, is a six to eleven seater twin engines low wing, tail wheeled light aircraft made by the Beech Aircraft Corporation is the USA. Between 1937 and 1969 (an impressive production run) over 9000 aircraft were built. During WWII many aircraft were pressed into service and may more were built for the allied war effort serving as transport aircraft, light bombers, trainers, and for photo-reconnaissances. The C18S was a variant of B18S with seating for eight passengers, which was made pre war. The Model This is now ICM's fifth release of their new tooled Beechcraft Model 18 kit. The plastic is as good as any main stream manufacturer, the fabric effects are good without being over done and the panel lines nicly restrained, with an overall good level of detail out of the box. There are two main sprues of parts, with two small spures, the upper and lower wings; and one clear sprue. Construction starts with adding the glazing to the main fuselage halves. There is a small strip for the 3 main cabin windows, with individual parts for all other windows in each side, Where the kit differs from others is that the main cockpit glazing is supplied as one part for each fuselage half, which wraps around from the side; but does not reach all the way to the middle. There is then a centre section which is added towards the end of the build. Once the glazing is in then the internal structure of the cockpit and cabin can be added. There is a rear bulkhead to the cabin to add along with the bulkhead separating the cabin from the cockpit. In the cockpit itself the instrument panel is built up, the lower part of this featuring the rudder pedals. A single seat is made up which attached to the right fuselage half at the very back of the cabin. Once this seat is installed the main fuselage can be closed up. Construction now moves on to the main undercarriage. The mounting for which come of the rear of the engine firewall. These are a complicated multi part affair and need careful studying of the instructions to make sure all of the parts are in the right places. Once these are complete for both sides they can be installed into the lower wing. It should be noted here that the upper and lower wings are each one part, which when complete add straight to the underside of the main fuselage. Once the engine firewalls complete with landing gear parts are mounted to the lower wing the engine faces are added to the front of the firewall and then exhaust parts are made up and added to the inside of the engine area. The bulkheads are added next to the rear of the landing gear wells. Once the one part ailerons are added to the lower wing the upper wing can be added. The top of the upper wing forms the floor of the main cabin and cockpit. As such two cockpit seats and 4 main cabin seats must now be built and installed onto the floor section. The pilots control columns are also added at this stage. The completed wing/cabin floor assembly can then be joined to the main fuselage. The next construction stage is to make up and install the tailplane assembly. To wrap up construction the tail wheel needs to be built up and installed along with the doors to the compartment. The main wheels are added to the gear legs already installed and the main gear door put in place. The propellers are then installed. If the spinners are to be used then a small amount needs to be trimmed off the hubs. Lastly the rear cabin door is added and the centre section for the main wind screen (though it might be easier to add this to the fuselage before the wing is added). Decals The decal sheet printed in house gives two options; Falcon Airways, Biggin Hill, 1959 US Forest Services, Oakland, 1954 Conclusion This is a good kit and its good to see some civilian marking for it. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Beechcraft C-45s 1:48 Iliad Designs This sheet is for the new ICM kit which is also available in a Revell box. It features three new schemes for the C-45; SNB-2h from Naval Air Station Jacksonville. This is a Hospital aircraft in NMF with Red Crosses in addition to the national insignia. AT-7C from an unknown unit in 1946, urging Enlistment. Aircraft is NMF UC-45J from Naval Air Station Atsugi in Japan from the mid 1960s. It is noted this aircraft has the longer engine nacelles not in the kit. The decals are well printed, in register and look colour dense. They should pose no problems to the modeller. Conclusion This sheet is an interesting sheet of units not normally in the main stream. If you want something different for your C-45 then this sheet is to be recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Amodel is to release a 1/72nd Beechcraft C-12J kit - ref.72344 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AMU72344 Box art V.P.

Beechcraft Model 18 / C-45 Expeditor, pics thanks to Bill (Navy Bird)

AMG is to release a 1/48th Beechcraft D.17S Staggerwing racing kit - ref.48503. Roden kit rebox + add ons? Source: http://hobbyterra.com/product/beechcraft-d-17s-staggerwing-racing-amg-models-48503.html V.P.

AModel, is to release two 1/72nd Beechcraft 2000 Starship kits. - ref. AMO72279 - Beechcraft 2000 Starship Source: http://hobbyterra.com/product/1-72-plastic-aircraft-model-kit-beechcraft-2000-starship-n82850-amodel-72279.html - ref. AMO72273 - Beechcraft 2000 Starship Source: http://hobbyterra.com/product/1-72-scale-aircraft-model-kit-beechcraft-2000-starship-n641se-amodel-72273.html V.P.

T-34 Mentor JASDF Trainer Aircraft PLATZ 1:144 The years following the end of WW2 were very unstable in the Far East, especially in Korea, and Japan needed to rebuild her forces for reasons of national defence. The need to re-establish a military force was becoming paramount and therefore the Japanese government authorised the formation of the Japanese Defense Force. This was later split into Army (JGSDF), Air (JASDF) and Maritime forces (JMSDF) with the USA providing T-6 Texan trainer aircraft in order for the Japanese forces to train new aircrew ready for defence. Japan needed to re-establish her industries as these had been lost when they were disbanded in 1945; however new companies were emerging, with some using elements of the original infrastructure that still remained. One such company was Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd (FHI) and they undertook a programme which would give them more autonomy in the development of aircraft, rather than relying solely on the USA whose attentions had been severely distracted by the Korean War and now with the emergence of a major conflict in Indo-China/Vietnam. FHI obtained licence to construct Beechcraft T-34A Mentor trainer aircraft and work started at their factory in Utsunomiya City, Japan in 1962. The T-34 Mentor was a two seat, piston-engined trainer aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. It was a development of a civilian trainer called the Beechcraft Bonanza. A total of 162 licence built T-34A's were built by FHI; 121 for the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (航空自衛隊, Kōkū Jieitai or JASDF) and 37 for the Philippines. FHI further developed the T-34 into a four-seat version, designated the LM-1 Nikko which was operational from 1962, and a turbo-prop two-seat version designated the T-3 in 1974. The Kits This is another welcome addition in the trainer aircraft series from Platz. As with their previous kit, the T-6 Texan, there are two kits in this box. Each kit contains a two part fuselage, a single piece main wing, tailplanes, propeller and undercarriage components etc. The cockpit area is open and clear for the fitting of a small deck containing two seats that is also included in the kit. There are two instrument panels for the cockpit which gives a bit more detail in this tiny little area. The propeller has a stub fit which passes through the separate front cowling unit and is to be glued to a backing piece behind. This will allow for the two bladed prop to be moved/rotated to a position as desired by the modeller. Panel lines on this kit are recessed and rather fine and they appear to be quite good representations, rather than some kits that have heavy channels as panel lines. The main undercarriage can be assembled raised or lowered with separate parts for each configuration. Two A4 size portrait sheets provide a short history, in Japanese and English, plus an illustrated assembly process chart. This model is diminutive, only 2.2 inches (55mm) long, so there is not much explanation needed to assemble the kit. The canopy is a single piece unit but strangely has four tabs, two each side (they look worse in the photo than by normal viewing) which will need a little sanding and polishing back to recover the transparency of the glass. It's not much but worth mentioning. The last but not least is the inclusion of stand for those who wish to depict the model in flight mode. There is also a small clear piece, part no. 14, which can be used as a support under the rear fuselage if you end up with a tail-sitter! Decals Quite a comprehensive decal sheet is included with the kits; with 12 pairs of hinomaru (red circle) national insignia; 2 sets of walkways and anti-glare patches, plus a whole host of side letters, serial numbers and colourful emblems etc. With so many hinomaru and markings available it is helpful that Platz has provided some good placement guides. The first is an A3 size sheet, on the reverse of the instruction sheets, and shows placements for 8 different aircraft. Beware! the lettering on the sides of the fuselage are in Japanese script and not that easy to distinguish each force they belong to. I have provided some details here; they are from left top to bottom then right top to bottom: 109 - early Navy, the Maritime Guard (Kaijyo Keibitai 警備隊) in 1954 107 - Army, (Rikujō jiei-tai 陸上自衛 隊) JGSDF in 1954 109 - Navy, (Kaijō Jieitai 海上自衛隊) JMSDF in 1954 7109 - Army, (Rikujō jiei-tai 陸上自衛 隊) JGSDF in 1954 0323 - Air, (Kōkū Jieitai 航空自衛隊) JASDF in 1973 0297 - Air, (Kōkū Jieitai 航空自衛隊) JASDF in 1960 0390 - Air, (Kōkū Jieitai 航空自衛隊) JASDF in 1970 0781 - National Defense Academy (Bōei Daigakkō 防衛大学校) NDA in 2014 The second is a colour display that has been printed on the base of the box containing the kits. This shows two aircraft, 390 & 297 already shown in the sheet above, with each providing the colour demarcations. It is important whilst applying the decals to differentiate the japanese texts for all these models and hopefully the list I have provided above may help to avoid an embarrassing mix up of incorrect writings on the sides! Conclusion These little kits can be built as any of the three forces; Army, Air or Maritime and even a Defense Academy version. The look of the sprues suggest that these are from short-run moulds; which possibly means that there won't be a massive production of these and should be of interest to anyone who builds and collects trainer aircraft in 1:144 scale. Review sample courtesy of