*Inj. molded plastic* Upcoming Ship Kit Releases

[davidwaples]

Is that a seemingly quite accurate early war Lexington with 8" guns and wide flight deck? Ooh!

What do we know about Meng's quality? The kit looks set up for snap-together but otherwise good. Who distributes these in Europe?

These MENG kits are operating way under the radar right now. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that they are known primarily as an armor kit producer with the exception of some deformed cute aircraft kits. MENG are very well known in those circles and are of the highest quality. Probably none better in fact. These kits were hardly noticed on their Facebook page back in July announcing the USS Lexington and HMS Rodney. I'm sure those in the modeling community were saying "what the *#%@ is this about!"

I haven't seen anything other than art work. It will be interesting to see how they are received. Here are some pictures. Here's the MENG web site where you can find more CAD drawings of these two subjects.

http://www.meng-model.com/new.php?id=612

[biggles2]

Amazing CAD drawings. It is easy to be fooled into thinking they are actually the plastic model.

[MartinJQuinn]

Hobby Link Japan has the new Aoshima Illustrious listed for pre-order: http://hlj.com/product/AOS05104?utm_sou ... -225682237

[Vlad]

So, Aoshima seems to have decided that completely closing off the hull side openings was still OK in this day and age. No thanks, I'm waiting for Flyhawk on this one!

The CAD for that Meng Lex does look good though, I have high hopes and if it's cheap I think it will be popular.

[Haijun watcher]

So, Aoshima seems to have decided that completely closing off the hull side openings was still OK in this day and age. No thanks, I'm waiting for Flyhawk on this one!

The CAD for that Meng Lex does look good though,.

3 things:

1.) Perhaps we should make sure the Meng Lex is not just a copy of the Fujimi 1/700 early war Lexington with its inaccurate bow as stated in the the Trumpeter Lex review.

The Fujimi Lexington was not a bad kit in it's day, but is way behind the curve in molding technology.

2.) About the Aoshima Illustrious, wouldn't cutting the side openings not be much of a problem for scratch-builders such as yourself? Making the interior would be a challenge I'm sure you'd relish.

3.) The thing we need most from Aoshima is INDOMITABLE!!! If they're gonna re-tool Illustrious class kits, they might as well make both Formidable and Indomitable as well!

[taskforce48]

Don't worry, the Meng Lex is in no way a copy of the Fujimi one. The hull at the stern clearly follows her BC hull lines and the island is teardrop shaped in foot print unlike the square Fujimi attempt. I am curious about these as well, prepainted and easy almost snap together fit could be good for young starters.

I try to hold comments about new kits until I hold them in hand, but the Wasp and Hermes shows that Aoshima is not interested in super detail and accuracy. The Flyhawk Hermes is impossible to compare in detail and the Wasp had the shapes and layouts but severe lack of finer detail and the scale accuracy was way off the mark.

Just my $.02

Matt

[Admiral John Byng]

I wonder if that pic of the Aoshima Illustrious is an early CAD that they issued by mistake? There seems to be a complete lack of detail, the island looks as though it is blank with no indentations for windows etc.

[Timmy C]

The caption on one of the sites said the illustration is a prototype and not representative of the final product.

[potchip]

But it's a new kit, might have to get another couple.

Also, either way this kit is 10 bucks cheaper on HLJ. Amiami hasn't listed it yet but would be cheaper than HLJ usually.

It's an re-issue. Monochrome branded kits (Akitsuki, Fuyutsuki) were out of production for a couple years (last seen in 2012?) and been fetching somewhere around $120 on ebay lately. No wonder there was a bunch of them appearing on ebay from Japan in recent weeks then, now that they will be re-issued. It's not a bad kit for its time..

[Vlad]

I'm happy to give Aoshima the benefit of the doubt if that's a very early CAD but given what we've seen of Hermes i would still expect the Flyhawk Illustrious to be worth waiting for. While I am generally very happy to set myself wacky challenges, I don't do it for its own sake when there are better alternatives. I've drilled and scratchbuilt hull openings on the old Aoshima Illustrious, it was a chore I'm not eager to repeat!

Personally I'm happy Aoshima has given us Ark Royal and Wasp even though each kit has some issues, but when there's competition I'll turn to the better one!

As for Lex, it looks ideal for adding a quite unique fit and paint scheme to my collection as a relaxing OOB build given I've already made Trumpeter's one with PE and all. The test will be in the detail and quality of small fittings, especially AA.

[Timmy C]

Hobby Search has updated their entry for the Wave 1/350 Akizuki - from the display base, it is confirmed as the Monochrome kit.

[Haijun watcher]

Was the Trumpeter 1/700 Belfast ever released? There seems to be no changes on the upcoming releases list on the first page of this thread.


While I realize it takes a while for new Trumpeter kits to get to North America, I can't seem to find this 1/700 Belfast kit in any Vancouver hobby shop yet. Or on Ebay.

[PaulC]

Was the Trumpeter 1/700 Belfast ever released?

Nope. Trumpeter hasn't released a new 1/700 ship kit in months!

[Angeliccypher]

Hobby Search has updated their entry for the Wave 1/350 Akizuki - from the display base, it is confirmed as the Monochrome kit.

Was the Monochrome kit bad?

[Timmy C]

It was a pretty good kit from what I recall - check the CASF thread for details.

[Bill Clarke]

Just saw both the Lex and Rodney advertised on HobbyEasy for pre order at $42.71 AUD each.

[Dan K]

I have the Monochrome kit. It's still in the stash. There are some very minor accuracy issues, but overall, very, very good.

[Jabberwock]

Not long to wait now for Dunkerque?

http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=ho ... id=73&l=en

Cheers, Jabb

[MartinJQuinn]

Not long to wait now for Dunkerque?

http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=ho ... id=73&l=en

Cheers, Jabb

Wow! Always loved the looks of those ships, every since I built the Heller kit years (and years) ago.

[mopy]

Not long to wait now for Dunkerque?

http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=ho ... id=73&l=en

Cheers, Jabb

Hopefully, the scaled down 1/700 version from Trumpeter could emerge.