The Little World

When Red StarTrack deliver…you sign for it or else…

This year’s exhibition pointed out something to me – the quantum shift in the scale modelling word from US and UK manufacture of plastic kits to makers behind the old Iron or Bamboo Curtains. With the moulding going to areas of former Soviet influence there are far more Soviet and Russian models available and much more interest in building them.

Not always the case – I can recall Revell models of Soviet aircraft in the 50’s and 60’s but they were somewhat speculative and very thin on the tarmac. Airfix was even sparser. I suppose they saw their demographic as not being interested and they had few accurate plans to build from. Older modellers may recall some absolutely hilarious flights of Cold War fancy from the old Aurora series.

Now, if you have any interest in Soviet, Russian, Chinese, or their satellite nations’ equipment, there are likely to be kits  – in a number of scales – to satisfy you. Some will be crude but some will be top-notch. One can only assume them to be accurately made. I’ve put a few together myself and am impressed with the quality of the mouldings – if not with the design of some of the 30’s and 40’s aircraft. But then, if you have seen French aircraft of the same period, you are somewhat hardened to horror…

I do like one thing about Soviet aircraft – the decal stage is a greatly simplified process compared to that on Western military planes. There are stencils, but not as many, and the recognition codes are very easy to do.