HUNGRY ROBOTS HEAD FOR HAMEX: K-9 CAFE FEATURES AT THE ANNUAL SWAPMEET AND MODEL SHOW

It’s December again, and that means another HaMeX Swapmeet and Model Show, to be held on Sunday, December 8, 2013, in Hanslope, UK.

MILITARY VEHICLES COLLECTION: WORLD WAR II SERIES TO DIECAST-STANDARD 1:43 SCALE FROM EAGLEMOSS

Here’s another partwork collectible from the publisher, Eaglemoss. For enthusiasts of scale militaria, this World War II series could be a tempter, especially as the models themselves seem to be well made.

FRENCHMAN AT IPMS MODELWORLD 2013: TAKES PIX OF THE EXCELLENT MODELS ON SHOW

French model fan JC Carbonel was hard at work during his visit to the IPMS ModelWorld 2013 recently. His pictures show a kaleidoscopic range of model choices, and highlight the hugely high level of craft skills on display.

JAMES BOND ASTON MARTIN AND JAPANESE WARSHIP: EAGLEMOSS HAVE THEM COVERED AS PARTWORK COLLECTIBLES

The partwork publishers are hard at it with model products these days, and we’ll doubtless be seeing a bunch of new items launched after Christmas. Meantime, here are a pair of ready-built models to inspect, coming piggy-backed with collectible magazine-style publications.

DOCTOR WHO FANS CELEBRATE: 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION HELD IN THE LONDON DOCKLANDS

To coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the famed TV sci-fi series Doctor Who, a massive event was held at the giant ExCel exhibition complex in London’s Docklands last weekend, November 22-24, 2013. Among the exhibits was this Sea Base 4 from the 1983 episode, ‘Warriors of the Deep.’

HEAVY-METAL BIKERS: THIS 1:6 SCALE MOTO GUZZI 850V CALIFORNIA IS FOR YOU

Italeri has just released a motorbike kit that will have working-part fans drooling to get their hands inside the box.

INCOMING: AIRFIX 1:24 SCALE HAWKER TYPHOON

Brilliant news from Airfix at the IPMS Scale ModelWorld show is the soon to be released 1:24 scale Hawker Typhoon.

SCALE MODELWORLD 2013: THE WORLD’S GREATEST MODEL SHOW

The massive IPMS Scale ModelWorld is on again this weekend at Telford, UK. For anyone with an interest in scale modelmaking, it’s THE show to visit.

INCOMING: F-101 VOODOO FROM KITTY HAWK MODELS TO 1:48 SCALE

Set for near-future release is a 1:48 scale F-101 Voodoo from Kitty Hawk Models. But can this model beat the classic Monogram kit to the same scale?

HMS ‘ENDEAVOUR’ SAILING SHIP KIT: AHOY THERE, IT’S MADE TO MODEL AIRCRAFT STANDARD 1:48 SCALE!

Sailing ship enthusiasts can climb aboard here for this big model of HMS Endeavour, ‘the ship that discovered Australia.’

JAPANESE ANIME KIT: FINE MOLDS JIRO BIRD-WING AIRCRAFT FROM ‘THE WIND RISES’ MOVIE

‘The Wind Rises’ (Taze Tachinu) is a hugely successful 2013 Japanese animated movie, the fictionalised story of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the Mitsubishi A5M, and its famed successor, the A6M Zero. And this 1:48 scale Jiro ‘Bird-Type’ aircraft features in the movie.

COMET MINIATURES: THE END OF AN ERA, BUT THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE

Mat Irvine reports: After 30 years of being a major model store in South London, Comet Miniatures closed its doors for the final time last week.

WEEPING ANGEL TEMPORAL VAMPIRE: DOCTOR WHO FIGURINE COLLECTION

Doctor Who fans queue here for a set of collectible figurines from partwork publisher, Eaglemoss. They are moulded to a common 1:21 scale.

“WE’RE AT WARP 9.6 CAPTAIN: THE ENGINES CANNA TAKE IT ANY MORE!” “WRONG SHIP SCOTTIE: THIS IS A ROMULAN WARBIRD!”

Star Trek lives with an interesting fortnightly, ‘The Official Starships Collection’ from partwork publisher, Eaglemoss.

iHOBBY EXPO 2013: MAT IRVINE’S WRAP-UP REPORT

My last look at the excellent iHobby Expo 2013 includes some famous and not-so-famous faces, and even a book of mine.