Sexy women
2018 is likely to be the year of the #timesup and #metoo movements, but modelers could care less. We saw a large number of products depicting women in ways that many women wouldn’t be comfortable with.
Master Box released several female figures in their 1/24 scale “Trucker Series," from one that is likely intended to be a prostitute and a pair of sexy hitchhikers.
Master Box also added to their own Pinup Series.
Modern Armies in Miniatures released a number of 1/24 female figures depicting car models, runway models, and pinup girls.
Armor35 also jumped on the bombshell bandwagon with an extensive line of women in uniforms.
Even Dolman Miniatures, one of my favorite figure manufacturers with an outstanding lineup of military subjects, got in on the action with a couple of female figures, like this busty, saluting woman.
Not to be left out, Hasegawa offers these paddock girls.
Egg models
A few years ago I wrote about several trends in the hobby that I don’t understand, and one of them was egg planes. Apparently many of you enjoy them, because the trend exploded in 2018 with not just egg planes, but tanks and ships as well!
Freedom Model Kits released egg models of the F-5 and F-104 under a new “Compact Series.”
Meng Model released a number of weird warships in an egg-like series, such as the USS Missouri, USS Lexington, and the Scharnhorst.
They also have a line of armor, including the Tiger, Pz.Kpfw. III, and a Santa-themed M4 Sherman.
How do we know this is a legit theme? Well, there’s a book on the genre from AK Interactive, a Santa themed Sherman from Meng for the holidays, aftermarket (you read that right…aftermarket) from KASL Hobby, and a Facebook group (of course).
Oh, and a few modelers are doing conversions!
Bizarre German armor
The German military has been a source of fascination for modelers for a long time, and with the World of Tanks video game has provided fodder for the imaginations of modelers around the world. That’s manifested itself in a number of new kits of hypothetical German war machines.
I wrote about Revell’s flying saucer in my 2018 year-end review, but we also saw the strange Kugelpanzer 41 rolling ball thingamajig from MiniArt (with interior) and a huge line of 1/72 tanks from Modelcollect’s Fist of War series, such as an E-100 walking tank.
It's been a strange year in many ways. I can't imagine 2019 will be any different, but time will tell. Let's meet up here in a year and discuss what we saw.
Happy New Year, everyone! As always, build what makes you happy!
One thing that might explain the apparent disregard to the "me too" movement is that that "metoo" is mostly a US phenomenon. All those manufactures that produced girl themed kits hail from other countries, and to top that, are mostly from Europe.
ReplyDeleteI note Armor35 kept the tank girl's finger off the trigger of the grease gun. That indicates a distinct melding of modern firearms discipline (which may not have existed quite the same in the era depicted), and prurient interest :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, the egg plane detail kit is odd, but they must think there is a market for such things.
Thanks.
The Masterbox female figures are actually good qaulitity and they are doing something other model companies have not thought about doing and even ICM do some good figures too.
ReplyDeleteI've built an egg plane or two for some themed club displays, but I wouldn't waste my time or money them for myself. I know they are just a bit of fun and seem to be a novelty at the moment, but I just don't see the point in them. To me they are a waste of plastic and I'd rather see something kitted that hasn't been done as yet.
ReplyDelete