Meng New Releases - December 2012

[Mike]

Annie at Meng has sent me information about their two forthcoming releases. The AMX-30B will come as no surprise if you were a visitor to SMW at Telford this year, as not only did they have some test short sprues with them for us to look at, but they had also brought along a full-sized one for us to look over. We'll be publishing a full walkaround of that particular beast in short order, just as soon as Julien gets the pics online.

Some of the highlights on their press release follow:

1. This uniquely stylish French Main Battle Tank is precisely modeled with its casted turret full of stereoscopic sensation.
   
2. Realistic and movable running gear of the model can realize travel actions.
   
3. The big and unique commander's cupola is accurately reproduced.
   
4. Elaborately designed tool makes the track assembly become easier and more simple.
   
5. Precise gun breech interior is included in the kit and it's no longer empty inside the turret.
   
6. The kit contains green sprues, brown ones, a clear one, a decal sheet, a rubber mat as well as a PE sheet.
   

Quite an impressive looking kit from the time I spent with it, and we'll be doing an online build review of it when it touches down.

The Messerschmitt Me.410B-2/U4 Hornisse (Hornet) should have been more of a surprise to us all, as its announcement came suddenly out of the blue from some bright spark spotting an advert in a publication somewhere. It's official now, and I couldn't be happier. Not only do I live less than 100 miles from the only complete example in Europe, and the only one on display, but it's also a big favourite of mine. The Monogram/Revell kit has been the only game in town at 1:48 for a long time, and has been fairly hard to get hold of lately, so the release of a detailed new tooling from Meng should hit the spot quite nicely.

In the box you get a highly detailed cockpit, bomb bay, a pair of DB603 engines, posable flying surfaces, open or closed radiators, and the rather large BK-5 barrel. The fuselage mounted barbette turrets can be posed, the model will measure 278mm long, with a wingspan of 340mm. That is also going to be on my "must build" list when it arrives, so watch this space.

Mike.

[Niall]

On the AMX30B

"1) This uniquely stylish French Main Battle Tank is precisely modeled with its casted turret full of stereoscopic sensation"

I think they mean "full width stereoscopic rangefinder"

[Tony C]

Any idea if Meng will offer an Me 410A or is it easy to convert the B version to an A?

[Mike]

On the AMX30B

"1) This uniquely stylish French Main Battle Tank is precisely modeled with its casted turret full of stereoscopic sensation"

I think they mean "full width stereoscopic rangefinder"

Maybe they just mean something along the lines of "three dimensional texture"? That sounds more likely TBH

[Julien]

It is also worth remembering that english is not these guys first language so you have to cut them a little slack, no?

Julien