"... and boom continues ..."

My successes mission last year inspired me to visit this event again. Our hobby is popular and producers know it so I expected good of news. As you will see below this year is very good for us again.

I will not inform about all what's listed in catalogues as news or future news. I will also not comment in detail what I have seen and heard. I catch many rumours and unofficial info of course but my report only shows photos I have taken with my brief personal comets.

And here we go! 

ACADEMY, Korea

All four new WWII Ground Vehicle Sets shown. 

     

AIRFIX, UK

Heller introduced  nothing new but Airfix showed these two news.

 

CALIBRE72, CZ

The resin kit of Swedish Strv103C was introduced. The kit should available in March. Other news  (US AFV crew set] should be available also soon.

 

DOC Models, Italy

Stand of German distributor Tom-Modellbau again showed news of Italian. Only new item I have found is V33/35 crew figures. The rest news are in progress, see photos for details.

   

DRAGON, Hong Kong

Dragon stand showed only four of latest news in plastic E-100, Jagdtiger, T-34/76 Model 1940 and LCM3.

     

Fortunately DieCast section showed many interesting news which we can expect as plastic kits in the future. Note that Dragon makes best of it's zimmerit technology.

     

     

EDUARD, CZ

New Sherman kits appeared just few weeks ago but nothing mentioned on producer's stand. Only three of new etchings showed applied on models.

       

EMHAR, UK

Stand of Pocketbond Limited distribution company showed new WW1 US Infantry figures .

EXTRATECH, CZ

Only very nice Extrapack of M-36 Jackson with etched roof and three barrels included was introduced during this fair. Nevertheless the Sherman firefly and other versions will follow  in 2005.

     

HASEGAWA, Japan

The stand showed all models built from older kits and also new Sd.Kfz.234/2 Puma. Upcoming Sd.Kfz.234/1 was just mentioned on the news poster.

 

IMEX, USA

The Pocketbond Limited hosted two producers from USA. One was IMEX who introduced first sprues of awaited Korean War figure set - South Koreans. The figures are made of hard plastic. All sets of Korean War series should appear on market in April.

ITALERI, Italy

 

I have found only new Sd.Kfz.234/1 Puma and nice dio with Gladiators figures.

   

Italeri co-operates with ICM so two new BTR-60 also shown on their stand.

 

MIRAGE HOBBY, Poland

 

Awaited models of early Pz.IV line introduced. They are in production so  get on market soon. The catalogues of course shows also other news Stuart (M3, M3A1 a M3A3),  Pz.III Ausf.E, F and G and other variants in Lee/Grant line. I can confirm all of them are in progress and will be released step by step.

   

Polish producer introduced also some detailing sets. For example set for Lee Mk.I or four sets of Lee/Grant/Sherman tracks (T48, T49, T62 a T74). New figure set of US paratroopers also shown and another one (Polish infantry) is listed in catalogue.

   

MPM, CZ

This company surprisingly introduced new plastic line called Special Armor Vehicles 1/72 and showed test parts for kits of planed Sd.Kfz.11 series. Their list shows also Hanomag SS-100, A-4/V-2 missile, V-2 transporter, Sd.kfz.250/1 Neu, Pz.Kpfw,I Ausf.B and  Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F!  Very interesting is also line Special Navy 1/72 with plastic kits of U-Boot typ XXIII, U-Boot typ II and U-Boot Hecht/Hai.

   

Their stand also showed CMK interior sets for Revell U-Boot.

   

PEGASUS Hobbies, USA

Second US company hosted at Pocketbond Limited stand introduced kit of German project E-25 primarily designed for wargaming but looks very nice. The kit will include parts for two models.

   

Some of announced figures sets were introduced too. See 1939 Germans, Germans Berlin 1945, Waffen SS 1934 Set2, and WWII German Mortar Set. First and last of mentioned sets are hard plastic. Unfortunately no official info when all sets will be on market. Other news are in progress!

     

PREISER, Germany

 

German figure giant showed all of 1/72 scale figures and also three new sets, Marching German Grenadiers, interesting Allies set for jeep and civil pilots..

     

REVELL, Germany

 

Huge stand of German modelling concern included one small show-case with 1/72 scale, AFV, marine and figure news. Models of up-armored Warrior and Bradley M2 shown. The rest of announced news (M1A2, Dingo and Nashorn) introduced only as box arts and poor photos.  

 

On the other hand new Kriegsmarine figure set was promoted very attractively.

 

   

TRUMPETER, China

     

No news on stand of Chinese producer. Almost all same as last year.

All producers participated in this fair evidently compete not only with introduced news but also with volume of upcoming news listed in their catalogues. Some of plans seem to me too optimistic for one year especially when almost nobody wanted to speculate on theme of schedules.

I also have to note that the approach of producers to inform me on news  was different. Let me appreciate Mirage, Pegasus, Imex, Extratech and Calibre72 being very unreserved.

This year I spent only 6 hours on this fair so it's possible I have overlooked some producer or distributor who introduced news in our hobby but I hope I found all.

Now I can only hope, my trip wasn't for nothing!:-)

Over