Titled “WWII Aces”  this kit consists of the following pilots: Sakai Saburo (Japan), Werner Moelders (Germany), Richard Ira Bong (the USA), James Edgar “Johnny” Johnson (UK), Lily Litviak (the USSR), Albert Marcel (France).
These are all based on actual WWII Pilot Aces and the kit includes an  illustrated leaflet with these pilots’ biographies.

We only have images of the first four so far but will add an updated post when we have images of the Russian and French pilots.

These look to be just as suited to 1/35 but we’ll confirm that for definite once we have a set in the flesh.

MasterBox WWII Aces

I’ve already covered the upcoming Artillery bonanza so here’s what else there is to look forward to.

In what looks to be a continuation of the 2009 trend towards more wheeled vehicles ( think Tamiya Citroen 11CV, Bronco Staff Car, Bronco Adler, Miniart British Staff Car, Zvezda Mercedes L4500 ) Tamiya brings us their new Austin “Tilly”, ICM a Kfz. 1 Staff Car and Kfz.2 Radio Car, Bronco a radio version of the Adler and most interestingly IGB enter the 1/35 scale market with an Einheitsdiesel in two versions, Telephone Truck and Cargo truck.

Why is that the most interesting ? Because IGB do a large range of 1/72 scale Bedford QL series and Chevrolet 15 trucks and it looks like they will also be upscaling some of those with a 1/35  Bedford QLD and a Chevrolet C15A No.13 listed as coming soon.

In other kit news …

Tamiya will be bringing us some new – and some new look make overs – with a Japanese Type 3 and  a Type 5 Tank as well as a  the JagdTiger “Otto Carius” – which just looks to mate the figures and bike from their King Tiger Ardennes kit with their new JagdTiger. Figurewise there’s a US Field Maintenace set which whilst it appears to be made up primarily of the figures and accessories from the Red Ball Express kit does have a much welcomed frame and hoist included.

Trumpeter has their eye on PaperPanzers it seems with an E50 and E75 as well as the Grille 21, and some more bits for those of you building Armoured Trains.

Dragon is possibly playing it close to the chest with only the Nashorn that we already knew about ( going head to head this time with AFV Club’s own Nashorn ). A little dissappointing for me really as Dragon seems to be sticking to the tried and true and we aren’t really seeing anything innovative and exciting, more StuG variants upon variants, Sherman variants upon variants and old kits given a make-over into Smart Kits or Orange Box. Hopefully it is just a case of keeping things hush hush and this year will still bring us more fresh kits from them like last year’s Sd.Kfz 7 range, and the Pz.Kpfw IV based variants like the Ostwind, Bergepanzer and Wirbelwind ( I’m still holding out for a Mobelwagon and an Sd.Kfz 8 )

ICM as mentioned have the Kfz.1 and Kfz.2 as well as a nice looking set of Russian Field Medics and of course their recently released Studebaker with the Stalin Organ rack. More expensive than the Zvezda one but then the Zvezda one is the wrong type of vehicle for WWII.

Miniart will be bringing us a Valentine Tank, initially as a lend lease Soviet version but I assume there will no doubt be a standard British/Commonwealth service version not far behind.

Masterbox have their DAK panzercrew with a Bedouin on a donkey now out and still to come are a set of Soviet and German troops in urban fighting, a British 8th army tank crew with bedouin on a camel, US Artillery crew as well as US Infantry with nuns and there’s still hope for a 2010 release of the Horsa Gliders and possibly also the long awaited Ju52 and C47.

So plenty to look forward to this year.