Category: news

Airfix Magazine on the iPad

You may have noticed that Airfix have a new magazine out for nearly a year now with the first issue published in November 2010. Those of you who are old enough will remember that there was an Airfix magazine that ran from 1960 until 1993.

The current magazine, Airfix Model World does cover all types of plastic modelling, but does have a focus on aviation, as that is the biggest share of the plastic kit market. So less useful for those of us interested in using plastic kits for gaming, as we’re more likely to be using tanks and AFVs. However it does have articles on tanks and armoured vehicles, it also takes the time to review a range of kits and publish news, and does cover military vehicles in these areas too.

You can either subscribe, though I did notice it was also available as an e-magazine on the iPad. The advantage of the iPad version is that you don’t need to get every issue and can get the issue which is useful to you. Though unlike going to WHSmiths you can’t flick through the issue to check! One advantage of the electronic version is that it us much easier to store than the paper copy and you can get hold of back issues much more easily. You can find out what was in which back issues from this web page.
So for example in the March 2011 issue is the following article

Military Build – Tiger Ausf.E
Ian Grainger, inspired from watching an old war movie, decided to spend one afternoon over a weekend building Germany’s fearsome main battle tank.

Whilst the August 2011 issue has this article on the Cromwell tank.

Battle and Build – World Exclusive! Cromwell Mk.IV
Daniel Taylor outlines the history of the Cromwell tank, and its notorious battle at Villers-Bocage against the German Tiger. Armour fans will be inspired to build Airfix’s newly tooled Cromwell. Brian O’Donoghue reports.

Hobbycraft stop the Flames of War

Okay this is based on what I saw, but it would appear that Hobbycraft (in Bristol anyhow) have decided to stop selling Flames of War in their store.

They have moved it all downstairs and are selling it off with most boxed sets and books at 20% off, the blisters appear to be between 10-20% off. There is a little sign that says “last chance to buy” too.
In case you are wondering, it is in the main Late War American, Russian and some German and British. They also have the main rulebook, North Africa and Blitzkrieg. Though I think these may be cheaper on Amazon.
No idea if this applies to other Hobbycraft stores that sell Flames of War, if it does, please leave a comment to that effect.

I am disappointed to see that Hobbycraft are stopping selling Flames of War, it was my only local supplier and it was better than nothing. The problem I found though was that the range was seriously limited, rarely updated and replaced and it never sold any of the new stuff, especially the Blitzkreig range. I did buy my first Flames of War models from the store and I doubt I would have bought them if I couldn’t actually see them and just take them to the till. Of course once the new Early War stuff was announced I was very disappointed to see that they didn’t stock any of the new stuff except the book!

Hobbycraft never seemed to take it seriously and I suspect that is what stopped it selling more than anything else. Any retailer can not rely on casual purchases and by getting the regular customers in on a regular basis they can then push more stock and make more sales. However to Hobbycraft it just seemed like another range of stuff that they sold, no one cared about it, so no one thought to promote it, check that it was what people wanted and in the end they pulled the entire range, which is a pity.
Of course from my perspective I can order from Wayland Games or similar, get a 10% discount and free shipping, but I do like the fact with a local retailer that I can see things I maybe wouldn’t have bought online or via mail-order. Let’s buy a single blister or boxed set and see where that takes us…

So for now I am reliant on online stores for my Flames of War purchases…

Did I buy anything I hear you ask?

Well I did get a Jagdpanther, the one in the boxed set with the building.

Only bought the one though…. Nice model.

Colditz

Recently on the Yesterday channel here in the UK, they have been showing the 1970s BBC Series, Colditz.

This classic series deals with Allied prisoners of war imprisoned at the supposedly escape-proof Colditz Castle during World War II, and their many attempts to escape captivity, as well as the relationships formed between the various nationalities and their German captors.

I do remember watching it back then and usually I avoid watching things I recall from the 1970s and 1980s as my nostalgic memories are often dashed when I view them now. The Channel Island drama, Enemy At The Door was also on recently and to be honest though I remember enjoying it back when it was first on, it seemed somewhat more soap opera than world war two drama.

So when I found that Yesterday were showing Colditz, I thought I would remember it from my nostalgic memories rather than ruin them by watching it again.

However looking through the listings describing the episodes, I was intrigued by the episode Tweedledum.

One memorable episode portrays the attempts of a prisoner, Wing Commander Marsh (Michael Bryant), to get out of Colditz by feigning insanity. He succeeds, but is pushed to the limits of his sanity in the process…

I did watch it, and was impressed, it certainly was worth the awards it won. As a result I watched more episodes. Slightly disappointed that I had missed so many, but at least it is available on DVD.

If you like 1970/80s world war two dramas, then you will enjoy Colditz. With an excellent cast, great writing and some poignant stories, it is a series well worth watching.

Airfix Cromwell Tank

Currently most picture of the new Airfix 1:76th scale Cromwell tank is of the 3D rendering. I was lucky enough today to get to see the actual pre-production model kit and sprues. The model can either be made with the wading gear (that was used on D-Day) or as it was used later on in the Normandy campaign without.

The sprues show a fair few parts, and unlike some of the new wargaming models that have come out recently, this is a model kit first with lots of parts.

Another view (this time from the top) of the Cromwell pre-production models.

Looks like a very nice plastic kit and for those who play 20mm, a welcome addition that has long been missing from the range.

Who’s back? He’s back…

Well I enjoyed the first episode of Doctor Who. Very epic and ambitious and setting it in American appeared to work. The result was really what they should have done when they tried to re-make Doctor Who in 1996 and Paul McGann took on the role. I am sure that if the American version was like last night’s opening episode then it may have been a success.

However back to the new episode, as I said, the American setting worked well and though I was expecting it to be a little cheesy, I didn’t think it was in the end. Reminded me slightly of an episode of the X-Files, but with a little more humour.

Nixon and the Oval Office was done well and seeing Confidential showed how much work was done in creating that infamous room in the White House. I did like the fact that it wasn’t modern America, but was 1960s America. This is why I think it worked over the modern setting of the 1996 American remake.

I was touched and enjoyed the tribute to Elizabeth Sladen that followed the opening episode. Wonderful tributes and clips about her life in Doctor Who.

I am looking forward to the next episode of Doctor Who and the series as a whole, slightly disappointed we have a split season, as I hate gaps, but I can see how it spreads the Doctor more over the year.

Sad news, Elizabeth Sladen dies

Sad news today, Doctor Who actress Elizabeth Sladen who played Sarah Jane Smith has died aged just 63. Sarah Jane Smith was the Doctor’s companion in the 1970s playing opposite both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker; however she came back more recently to play opposite David Tennant and in new spin off series, the Sarah Jane Adventures she also got to meet Matt Smith’s Doctor.

My own memories of Sarah Jane Smith are from the Genesis of the Daleks where she meets Davros and encounters the Daleks.

Sad news indeed today and my sympathies go out to her family.

Nice collection

Nice collection of 28mm vehicles for use with a Very British Civil War.

My Very British Civil War project is in danger of reaching fruition as the heady combination of great miniatures, cracking vehicles, and scenics all approach the state of being finished with the alluring promise of much gaming ahead.

See more photographs and more explanation. Some very inspiring work and has got me thinking about going into this era myself. 28mm certainly sounds like fun, but also tempted to use 15mm and my Flames of War miniatures.