It's Monday Morning in Japan mates, and NEWS (and a first drawing/image) has just been released from Hasegawa Models of their next "Famous Vessels" series 1/350 scale offering, Japanese Nagato Class battleship "Mutsu"!

Continuing to build on its fine range of Photoetch sets Flyhawk Photoetched has announced the eagerly awaited 1/350 super detail set for the IJN Takao.This set will be released shortly and the retail price has yet to be confirmed.

In conjunction with Trumpeter Models, Pit-Road Models has produced a magnificent 1/700 HMS Hood battlecruiser. Join me in taking a closer look at what this kit has to offer.

Staying in step with other kit manufactures, Pit Road Models announces the upcoming Photo Etch set for French Battle Ship Richelieu Class and 1/700 Photo Etch set for WWII HMS Hood. A release date has yet to be announced. These kits will retail for $12.84.

Continuing to build on its fine range of 1/700 Photoetch accessories Lion Roar announced the release four sets of name plates a short while back, one each for the USN, German Navy, Royal Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Lion Roar set LE700070 is for the IJN, and the subject of this MSW News Update.

This kit is now available for purchase.

Airfix Models dives back in to the model ship scene with their announcement of two new upcoming releases. Hot on the heals of Mirage Models new destroyer releases, Aifix is releasing the 1/400 HMS Montgomery and 1/400 HMS St Albans. A release date has yet to be announced. These kits will retail for $11.86.

NIKO Models sends us NEWS and images of their next 1/700 scale full resin offering, the USS Iowa, 1898

NEWS in from aftermarket upgrade producer BMK of their new brass barrel set, staged for an early spring release and availability.

FUJIMI Models sends us News and first images of what seems to be a definite pattern from the major manufacturers of late, the introduction of their offering of 1/350 scale Naval Figures in plastic injection mold!

News and images in from Tamiya Models,, of some very interesting looking figures in 1/350 scale injection mold plastic, to further enhance and add realism to your builds!

Gold Medal Models announce their upcoming 1/400 USS Ward/Four Piper Destroyer Photo Etch Set. These pre-sized and pre-shaped railings are designed for the Mirage 1/400 Wickes Class destroyer kits. This very inclusive fret will be available around mid-April and retail for $14.00 USD.

News (and first images) in from across the pond at MPM Models, Czech Republic, of their anticipated release of the German IIA U-boot!

Join me in taking a closer look at Fujimi Models new 1/350 IJN Battleship Kongo. If you take a really close look, you'll see the 1/350 styrene crew!

Pavla Models, Czech Republic, sends a very interesting announcement of a new, full resin kit, in 1/72 scale.

As a producer of mainly aircraft (and a few AFV) and related kits and a/m parts, this new release from Pavla supports the fact that the shipbuilding genre is growing!

New aftermarket manufacturer Accurate Model Parts have introduced a line of new abd very exciting looking fabric flags to greatly enhance and add realism and beauty to your next build!

Part two of a News series, focusing on new company Accurate Model Parts and their decal products, this time, we look closer at The 7th U-Flottille Snorting Bull insignia, and the quality decals available from AMP!

MSW Crew-mates Wink Grise and Dougie Martindale have paired together once again in business for the shipwright, formerly of U-Brass Company, these two gents have developed a new company, Accurate Model Parts, and have plans on offering many products for us shipbuilders, that are essential to the accuracy of our builds.

White Ensign Models announces the upcoming release of their 1/350 WEM PE 35101 1/350 Nagato photo etch set. John Snyder and Peter Hall have really out done themselves with what will be the largest photo etch set ever offered by WEM. This outstanding set will retail for $98.55 USD.

Aoshima Models brings us a post war twist on an Imperial Japanese Navy war survivor. In 1947, the Japanese destroyer Yukikaze was given to the Republic of China and renamed the Tan Yang. Aoshima announces that they will kit this final version of the famous destroyer in their new 1/700 Full Hull Chinese Destroyer Tan Yang offering. This kit is scheduled to hit the market in late April of 2008. Retail price for this kit will be $20.12.

Ahoy Mates!
LionRoar sends us Details and images of three new 1.700 scale A/M upgrades in WWII, ship-board artillery...

Are you looking to add an auxiliary ship to an Imperial Japanese Navy diorama? Pit-Road Models may have what you are looking for. Available late April 2008, these finely casted resin ships from troop transports to seaplane tenders will retail for prices between $65.00 to $80.00.

Have you ever wanted to do a D-Day diorama but just don’t have the room? Dragon Models has the solution. Coming in April of 2008, Dragon will release their 1/72 LCM(3) Landing Craft + M4A1 w/Deep Wading Kit from the Armor Pro Series. This kit includes Dragon’s 1/72 LCM(3) landing craft and a brand new 1/72 M4A1 Sherman with the deep wading trunks. Dragon also packs photo etch and other diorama goodies in this kit for the modeler.

Following in the footsteps of the first, very successful release of the Japanese Antarctica Observation Ship, SOYA, from Hasegawa Models. Japan, comes this second version of the vessel. Here is a "sneak peek" inside the box of this yet to be released kit

Flagship Models are "thinking spring", with a batch of March releases, including new aftermarket photo-etch, decal sets, and new "How-To" instructional materials!

Staying with the New Vanguard Series, Osprey Publishing proudly announces part two of their upcoming nautical releases, US Cruisers 1883–1904, The birth of the steel navy. This book covers the rebirth of the U.S. Navy into the New Steel Navy of the late 1800s. Due to hit the shelves in June of 2008, this soft cover book will retail for $17.95.

Continuing the New Vanguard Series, Osprey Publishing proudly announces their upcoming nautical release, British Submarines of World War I. This book covers the development of the British submarine that was to be used off of an enemy’s coastline. Due to hit the shelves in June of 2008, this soft cover book will retail for $17.95.

Building on their growing list of 1/700 Essex class carriers, Dragon Models is proud to introduce the upcoming release of the 1/700 CVS Princeton. As with most of the Premium Edition level models, this kit comes complete with photo etch details and a clear flight deck. This kit will be released in April 2008. The retail price has yet to be announced.

Wiener Modellbau Manufactur builds upon their 1/350 Austro/Hungarian Navy SMU 5/6 Submarine with the announcement of the release of the 1/72 Austro/Hungarian Navy SMU 12 Submarine. The retail cost of this multi-media resin kit is $229.19. Join me and take a look at this very nice kit.

Royal Model, known for their excellent armor accessories, announces their upcoming release of 1/35 PT Boat Accessories. Included in their aftermarket offerings is photo etch for the 37mm canon, resin .50 cal machine gun mounts, photo etch for the torpedo roll off mounts and resin life jackets. No retail price has been given yet and the release date is unknown at this time.

Wiener Modellbau Manufactur announces their upcoming release, the 1/72 Austrian Torpedo Boat SMS Adler. The one piece hull and 65 of the main kit parts are cast in resin. The kit will also include a very nice photo etch fret and wooden masts. Retail price is in the $300.00 range and this kit will be available in May.

Keeping up with the new Trumpeter New Orleans class cruiser releases, Tom’s Modelworks announces a new photo etch set just for the 1/700 San Francisco and New Orleans. Bundling up their cruiser photo etch sets, Tom’s announces the 1/700 SF/New Orleans Package. Starting off with rails PE Set 715 – Catapults, Tom’s adds Set 717 Heavy Cruiser, & Set 753 Naval Doors to this special set. Bought separately, the sets retail for $33.00. Put them all together as the SF/New Orleans Set, retail price will be $20.00, a savings of $13.00. This set is available now.

Staying on the forefront of the model ship industry, Pit-Road announces two new upcoming kits. First up, partnering with Trumpeter, Pit-Road unveils their 1/700 British Navy Tribal class destroyer. Next, building on the success of the 1/144 LCAC, Pit-Road surprises everyone with their 1/72 Maritime Self-Defense Force LCAC. The price and release dates for these kits have yet to be announced.

Osprey Publishing announces the ninth book in their “Duel” series. The Victory vs Redoutable - Ships of the line at Trafalgar 1805 will take the reader back to October 21, 1805 as the ships of Royal Navy square off against a powerful Allied force. This book by Gregory Fremont-Barnes documents the battle that etched Lord Nelson’s nave in the annals of naval history. This book will retail for $17.95 and be out in May of 2008.

OK, for those of you who have been after us to re-run our 1/350 scale 5"/54 mounts, I've just ordered a production run. You can place your orders now for Pro 3505 and we'll ship them as soon as they arrive.

Cheers,
John Snyder
White Ensign Models
http://WhiteEnsignModels.com

Always working to meet the need of the modeler, BMK announces the release of their latest turned brass barrels for the model ship community. The 1/350 Japanese 20 cm/50 (7.9") 3rd Year Type No. 1 replacement barrel set is custom made to replace the plastic gun barrels that come with Aoshima’s 1/350 Takao kit. The set includes 10 turned brass barrels with realistic, open drilled muzzles. Simply cut off the original plastic barrel from part E3, drill a hole in the remaining blast bag and glue in the brass barrel.

Building on the success of their first two resin kits, Admiralty Model Works announces the upcoming release schedule for their new kits. Relatively new to the model ship world, Admiralty Model Works has already proven themselves with their 1/700 Federal German Navy Hamburg Class Destroyer and HMS Courageous, 1917. Admiralty’s kits, thus far, have fallen into the World War I and Post World War II genre. Their latest releases will hold true to this pattern. From the looks of the upcoming kits, the future is bright for Admiralty Model Works.

Helping to preserve the history of the tall ship, Aoshima Models announces their upcoming sailing ships 1/350 Danmark and 1/350 Esmeralda. These two beautiful clipper ships are very reasonably priced at $15.84 each. They are expected to hit the shelves in mid March.

In an effort to correct the hull deficiencies, Imperial Hobby Productions announces the upcoming release of their 1/700 Jean Bart Replacement Hull. This one-piece, resin waterline hull has the correct bulges and porthole pattern for the Jean Bart. It is configured to accept the Trumpeter’s kit superstructure. The retail price for this hull is $30.00. For those interested in purchasing this hull, please contact IHP.

Staying on top of the host of current model releases, White Ensign Models announces their upcoming 1/700 HMS Repulse Photo Etch fret. The set features tailored-to-fit railings, with an option for canvas dodgers, completely re-designed pom-poms and Oerlikons, and re-scaled quad .5" machine guns that have also been re-designed for easier assembly. As with all WEM products, it will ship post-free worldwide. Retail cost will be $16.70 and pre-orders are being taken now.

Digging in to the archives, Tamiya Models announces that they will re-release the 1/72 Vosper Fast Patrol Boat Perkasa. Originally released as a motorized model, this Vosper Fast Patrol Boat will be sold as a static display model kit. This popular classic retains all of it nicely molded detail and will build into a fine replica of this legendary maker’s patrol boat.

Continuing to push the envelope with new releases, Trumpter announces the latest 1/700 release, the French Navy Battleship Richelieu, 1946. This kit is of the final variant of this famous French battleship as she returned post-war to Toulon, France on Feb 11, 1946. The kit consists of 366 parts on 10 sprues plus lower and upper hulls, waterline plate and display stand. The completed kit measures nearly 14” long. Retail price will be $38.95.

BMK announces the latest releases of their turned brass barrels. First up is the 4,1"/65 (10,5cm/65) Gun Barrels 1:350 version 2. These MS 58 alloy barrels can be used for the German Deutschland, Scharnhorst, Bismarck, "H," Admiral Hipper and Prinz Eugen classes as well as the French Guichen. These barrels are priced at $1.45 each. Next up is the 16 piece 5.25" (13,3cm) Gun Barrel 1:400. These barrels are for the Heller "King Georg V" and can also be used for the "Duke of York", "Anson", "Howe", "Dido", "Spartan", "Lion" and the Vanguard-class. This 16 piece set retails for $23.20.

Model Art announces their latest two releases in their maritime series of books. The first new title is the Super Illustration "Japanese Battleship Yamato" with English translations. This looks like another one of those “must have” have books for all the Yamato fans. Next up from Model Art is the Water Line Model Special #27 - The Operations in North Pacific (Aleutian Operation to Kiska Evacuation Operation). This special edition will cover the participants in the often forgotten naval battle of the north Pacific. The price of these titles have yet to be announced. Availability is upcoming.

Iron Bottom Sound goes the extra mile to give the modeler everything they would need to make an accurate USN submarine. Mario from IBS has announced that all IBS 1/144 and 1/72 conning towers and sails will include the new Flood Hole Template. Mario also goes on to say that if you have bought an aftermarket sail or conning tower from IBS before this template was available, please contact him and IBS will issue you one for free.

Dragon Models goes back in time to World War 2 with their upcoming 1/350 release. Coming soon, the 1/350 USS Buchanan DD-484 will mark the first time a pre-Fletcher class destroyer is released in 1/350 scale. Loaded with details, Dragon offers us a Premium Edition right from the start with the inclusion of a photo etch fret. This kit features two different 5” barrels, on that can be elevated and the other with a molded blast bag. This kit represents the early war USS Buchanan. The release date and price has yet to be announced.

This year's Nürnberg Toy Fair is proving to be quite exciting for model shipwrights. Italeri has brought out the big guns with their 1/35 S-100 Schnellboote this year. Also from Italeri, we can expect a 1/35 Elco '80 PT Boat crew, 1/35 Schnellboote crew and a 1/72 MAS 500.

Here are some photos of the Schnellboote.

Do you like to build small scale ships? How about really small scale ships? Hobby Boss enters the super small model ship world with their latest offerings. Available now, the 1/1250 USS Ticonderoga CG47, 1/1250 USS Princeton CG-59 and the 1/1250 USS Vincennes CG-49 feature full or waterline hull options, decals for the deck and hull markings and a pre-finished base. When finished, these little gems measure 5.5 inches. Retail price is $7.50.

Do you enjoy building something of the beaten path? Flagship Models may have what you are looking for with their latest release, the USS Winslow. According to Flagship’s Rusty White, the upcoming 1/192 1898 USS Winslow Torpedo Boat (TB-5) has many additions and modifications that will improve the look and accuracy over the old Lone Star kit. The release date and price have yet to be announced and pre-orders will begin soon.

Are you wanting to build a 1/350 pier side diorama? Are you looking for something a little more rustic than the standard concrete pier? The Resin Shipyard may just have what you are looking for with the upcoming release. Their 1/350 Old style wooden Jetty with small building and yard set features an old post and beam style jetty complete with tire bumpers tied to the wharf’s side. Also included in this set is three small wharfside buildings, a fuel tank and several pieces of deck cargo all ready for your freighter to tie up and load. Retail cost of this kit is $35.00 Canadian. The Resin Shipyard has yet to set a release date.

Aoshima Models brings out the big guns with the release of two 1/700 waterline Japanese battleships. These two kits, the IJN Mutsu 1943 Katsura Island and the IJN Nagato 1944 Leyte Sea, showcases one of these majestic ships just before her tragic end and the other in her last glorious battle. These kits will retail for $21.35 each and be available at the end of February 2008.