FAB FIVE: REVISITING THE GLORY DAYS OF AURORA KITS

Five years ago, we looked at Aurora kits, which "... represented a goldmine of exotica in years gone by. While other companies were giving us familiar (even then) P-51 Mustangs and Spitfires, Aurora teased us with luridly marked P-36 Peashooters and of course, movie monsters like The Mummy…"

REVELL BOX ART: UNSUNG ARTISTS WHO MADE YOU WANT TO BUY A KIT

Celebrating five years of Scale Model News, here we look again at Revell box art, and the artists who created them. The visuals that decorate kit boxes are what the marketing men call ‘primary sales tools’. Put simply, if you can spot a decent box from a distance - or today, easily on screen - the odds are that you’ll go over to have a closer look.

FIVE YEARS AGO: SCALE MODEL NEWS VISITS THE SCIENCE MUSEUM, LONDON

Scale Model News hits the five-year mark around now, so we are revisiting scale models and subjects from that time for the rest of this week.

EXTRAORDINARY VIDEO: V-22 OSPREY FOLDS ITS PROPS AND WINGS. AMAZING!

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is the only operational tiltrotor in combat service. Kits of the aircraft come in 1:72 and 1:48 scale.

MODEL MATTERS FROM FRANCE: 1967-2000 THE STORY OF ESCI KITS

This is the fifth book French modelling expert Jean-Christophe Carbonel (universally known as ‘JC’) has written on aspects of various model kit companies.

RIDE OF THE VALKYRIE: MACH 3 NUCLEAR SUPER-BOMBER FROM LINDBERG

This is a Round 2 reissue of an original ‘Lindberg line’ kit, one of the first since the R2 takeover of Lindberg (and Hawk) in 2013.

POCHER LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR: TASTY 1:8 SCALE MEGA-KIT

Pocher's 1:8 scale multi-material Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 weighs in at a massive 7.3 kg (16 lb).

NEW KIT COMPANY RELEASES X-47B US NAVY DRONE BOMBER

Freedom Model Kits is a new scale manufacturer, and the company’s first product is the highly advanced Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle, to 1:48 scale.

STEALTH TANK PL-01: INVISIBLE DEFENDER FROM POLAND TO FACE RUSSIAN HORDES?

With Poland seemingly worried about possible Russian moves after the Ukraine and Crimea, this concept for a stealth tank looks well timed. It also makes a fine subject for a kit bash.

FAMED BIPLANE TRAINER FROM REVELL: BOEING-STEARMAN MODEL 75 TO 1:48 SCALE

The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 (also known as the PT-17 and Kaydet) was a biplane first built in the mid-1930s, followed by wide use as a military trainer throughout World War II.

FRENCH RALLY RACER FROM TAMIYA: RENAULT ALPINE RADIO-CONTROL CAR TO 1:10 SCALE

Big 1:10 scale kit of a classic French sports car, beautifully produced by Tamiya. Excellent for RC enthusiasts, and sufficiently detailed to make a display machine alone.

OUT OF THE BOX BARNSTORMER: READY2FLY YAK-130

Here's something amazing to think about as the days lengthen and life goes outside, a truly excellent flying scale Yakovlev machine.

SLEEK RETRO MARSLINER FROM GLENCOE MODELS BRINGS BACK A TASTE OF THE FUTURE PAST

This elegant spacecraft model is a reissue of the Glencoe Models Marsliner, itself a reissue of the original Strombecker kit of the TWA Moonliner that stood in Disneyland from 1955-1962.

SCHWARZENEGGER’S “I’LL BE BACK” CATCHPHRASE RETURNS: EXCELLENT 1:6 SCALE TERMINATOR FIGURE MARCHES IN FROM HOT TOYS

The T-800 Terminator strikes back with this latest 1:6 scale figure from the Hong Kong firm, Hot Toys.

NEW LOOK FOR SCALE MODEL NEWS

Watch out for a fresh new look at Scale Model News, due very soon.