I will not spend many words and immediately start with news I have found on sands of producers and distributors.

I will not show you complete lists of news I have got in catalogues. I just want to show you atmosphere, photos of stands and mainly real news I could take photos of. And of course I add brief subjective comments!;-)

ABER, Poland

Aber offers us nice turned metal barrels with brass muzzles since last years. I haven't found any info about their plans in small scale but have seen nice kit of Napoleonic gun in their show case.

ARMO, Poland

Company Pelta offered wide range of Polish kits and books. Among them you could see Armo news. Interesting are especially Japanese amphibious tanks.

CMK, Czech Republic

I forgot to take photos of CMK stand but nothing important was shown in their show cases. More important are leaflets with many interesting news. The first Dragon Wagon kit should be released soon!

DOC Models, Italy

Small  CV33 tankette the first plastic kit by DOC Models was shown on stand of their German distributor TOM Modellbau. As the leaflet in show case say we can expect more plastic kits soon /CV35, L6/40, AB40/41/42.../.

DOC resin series continues with two versions of armoured truck Dovunque.

DRAGON, Hong Kong

Asian modelling giant offers as the widest range of news for this years. If all will run well we will get many new German WW2 types as well as many modern AFV. Dragon prepares not only classic constructions kits but also "dieacast-ready made" series of built, painted and weathered models for collectors or for lazy or ham-fisted  modelleres.:-)

The first Dragon kits are relatively poor but news shown in Nuremberg look much more better so Dragon will  maybe have good reputation also in our scale in the future.

Last Dragon patent is zimmerit surface in injected plastic!

EDUARD,  Czech Republic

Eduard showed just several newer etched sets. The small scale isn't main market for them but they are prepared to react on any new interesting plastic kit available on market.   No word about Sherman series in plastic but I haven't asked in fact!:-)

Until this fair I haven't know that Eduard se for Revell T-34/85 includes also interior!

EMHAR, UK

Company Pocketbond Limited distributor of Emhar introduced new  WW1 MkA Whippet tank that should be available in February.

EXTRATECH, Czech Republic

Extratech introduced classic range plus two Extrapacks /M10 & Achilles/ and first two kits from Sherman line /M4 75mm early & M4A3E2 Jumbo/. New Shermans should be available in two moths. I slightly intervened for metal barrels available separately so they should be released. In 2004 should be released also 3 resin kits and several etched sets according demand of market.

HAULER, Czech Republic

Extratech show case included also new model by Hauler. The gun and howitzer should be released also in firing position. In 2004 we can expect also couple of Caterpillar bulldozers and maybe also something German but it's not sure.

HASEGAWA, Japan

I supposed nothing special introduced. This year probably only special series of older kits completed with Eduard etched zimmerit is released. No news in showcases, just several nice models. 

HELLER, France

Heller news surprised me a lot being unexpected and very nice. Completed LCVP wasn't shown except the box.

ITALERI, Italy

Italeri also surprised me because of not only several ex-ESCI kits released this year but thanks to three new really Italeri kits: Kubel, DUKW and M-8 Greyhound. The last mentioned not shown.

Italeri aslo again started to offer older ESCI diorama sets.

MIRAGE HOBBY, Poland

Mirage came with second biggest volume of news. Except expected Lee/Grant series, you can see text parts still missing rivets and details completed, is coming as well as new series of early Pz.IV A, B, C, D, and E. They should be available step by step since February. Printed catalogue also includes three versions of M3 Stuart as well as Befehlspanzer III E and Beobachtungspanzer III F. No info when released.

Mirage surprised introducing figures of Polish and US tank crew!

Special Note: Mirage unfortunately meet with reality of current Germany when police officers came and confiscated several models of Finish WW2 tanks because of their marking. Also Nuremberg tabloid press immediately wrote article about Nazi promoting during the Toy Far...!!!

PEGASUS Hobbies, USA

Company Pocketbond Limited European distributor Pegasus introduced new Maus kit in plastic. Pegasus also offers first of several upcoming figure sets - SS Grenadiers /1943/. All should be available in couple of moths. I like also special sets of  cactuses.:-)

PREISER, Germany

Figure concern introduced current range of 1/72 scale figures among thousands  figure in other scales. GermanWW2 mortar with crew is included!

Special place was prepared fro 2004 news and I have found following there:  modern US tankers, German WW2 PAK 40 crew and mainly four sets of WW2 Russians. All sets should be released in second quarter of 2004 but ....

R2, Germany

New producer that showed line of vacu-formed bunkers and diorama buildings.

REVELL, Germany

Also German modelling giant found in 2004 catalogue enough space for news. New King Tiger Porsche and M60A3 introduced in models the rest in box arts only.

I simply had to take photo of Revell specialist teaching new weathering called "hammering".:-)

TRUMPETER, China

Almost hidden stand of Trumpeter slightly disappointed me.  I had good luck got catalogue because my Chinese is simply poor.:-)

ZVEZDA, Russia

Nice stand full of nice coloured historical figures and dioramas.

I spent two hard days at Nuremberg fair but it's possible I haven't found or overlooked some important producer or distributor. It's also right I had forgot to look for some as I found in my mind when returned home. So I'm sorry if some fair exhibitor isn't mentioned here.  You know sometimes I simply lost myself among nice airplanes, trains, weasels ...

I'll get better next time if I have a chance!:-)

Over