Editorial
Good Day, Dear Friends
I wrote the editorial for the last issue on a flight to Chicago, and today, you might expect that I am writing the next editorial on the flight back from Chicago. Such is not the case. I have been home for two weeks now and I am writing in my armchair in front of the TV, a tennis match as my background, the first rounds of the US Open. That is also one of the traditions, for me it is a kind of echo of the American trip. Once upon a time, when the RICHTA show was still held in Chicago every autumn, a kind of small American equivalent of the Nuremberg Toy Fair, the US Open at the beginning of September was for me a relaxing distraction before the next trip to the States. But RICHTA has been unfortunately a thing of the past for many years. There is not much left of the model industry in America, it fell victim to deindustrialization in the late nineties and early 2000s, and it does not look like it is in danger of returning. So we will at least try to prevent the model business in Europe from suffering the same fate. Fortunately, model making in America is still holding up and the annual summer IPMS USA National Convention remains probably the world's largest model making exhibition, with a great organization and positive atmosphere. This year was no different and for me this exhibition is the best thing about America that a modeler can experience. Especially if they don't limit themselves to the exhibition and competition itself, and also look around a bit. And then, my friends, you will be amazed at what you can see in America! A short distance from Fort Wayne is the museum in Dayton, one of the largest aviation museums in the world, if not the largest of all. Well, it's such an American piece of the journey, it took about three hours there and three hours back, but believe me, it's worth it! By the way, we offer you a small sample from the Dayton USAF Museum in today's newsletter. We didn't actually go to Dayton this year, having been there quite recently, but our colleagues from Special Hobby did go and Fredy was kind enough to take pictures of two exhibits there for us. Today, we have a collection of Catalina pictures for you, and the second collection is the basis for a discussion about the feasibility of a potential project. After all, even without a trip to Dayton, we drove a little over 3,000 kilometers this year, we drove through five American states and two Canadian provinces. In Canada, we then visited the aviation museum in Ottawa, which is not as large as Dayton, but the quality and points of interest of the exhibits are comparable. Our Canadian program was very action-packed and inspiring. I think it will also have a positive influence on the composition of our future production. Thank you to everyone who was with us in Fort Wayne and who visited us there, thank you to everyone who took care of us in Ottawa and at the base in Petawawa! For myself, I would especially like to thank the care that our American team members Jakub, Standa and Katka gave me, thank you to Mark Copeland for his help and his selfless intervention at the right time, and thank you to Robin Purgin for the great Canadian program and Canadian inspiration!
One of today's articles is somewhat related to our Canadian trip, describing a now historic trip by the well-known Czech pilot and modeler Milan Simr to Canadian air bases. Milan completed it in Canada a quarter of a century ago, we were at a Canadian base this year, and when I read Milan's article, I was very keenly aware that although much has changed in those twenty-five years, the important things remain the same.
So, enough small talk; let's get to the news. There is not as much as usual, but it is after the summer holidays, a period of relaxation, trips and limited production capacities which is now over, so we will do some catching up in the following months. We only have two actual new kits in September, the 72nd scale Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4 in the Profipack line, and the 48th scale P-40N and P-51B in the Limited Edition Dual Combo Sharks and Stallions, dedicated to operations in China and the CBI, China Burma India Area of Operations, in general. So yes, it's a Messerschmitt again and a P-40N again and a Mustang again, but I still believe you'll like these kits. And that the second one will be appreciated especially by those who have lamented that we prioritize aircraft from the European operational area, while neglecting the CBI and the entire Far East in general. So take note, we don't neglect anymore, and we don't discriminate at all against anyone. Additionally, in September we will be re-releasing the A6M2 Zero Model 21 in 1:48 and the F6F-3 Hellcat in 1:72. Both of these kits are Profipacks.
It is not so lean with accessories, new items being released is traditionally extensive. I would especially point out the 1:32 scale Meteor Mk.8 and Meteor FR.Mk.9 masks and photoetched sets for the Revell kits and the extensive collection of 1:48 MiG-17 sets for the Kinetic item. Today's new releases also include the long-awaited MiG-21F 1:48 landing gear kit (Eduard), the MiG-21R 1:72 cockpit kit (Eduard), which is interesting in that it's part cast and part 3D printed, as well as the Space set and the steel etched seatbelt set for the new P-51B in 1:32 from our Eduard Hybrid range. Also of interest are the printed F/A-18A/C 1:48 exhaust nozzles for the Kinetic kit, and thus also for our Hornet Legacy kit, released in May’s Limited Edition release based on Kinetic’s moldings. Also on offer are some new smaller 1:48 scale combat vehicle kits and two 1:32 scale printed tank track kits for the KV-2 and T-34 tanks. The full range of add-on kits for September 2026 is definitely worth exploring!
Various interesting things will happen in September, as has become a custom. This week, the pre-order of the 48th scale A-20G in the HKM - EDUARD line ended. We will be releasing this kit in truly limited quantities, as befits a Limited Series kit. The total number of kits released will depend on the number of units ordered in advance and the amount of orders from our distributors and retailers. If you haven't ordered this kit from us and are interested in it, don't hesitate to buy it as soon as it is available in model shops.
Next week we will start shipping the pre-ordered F-35A 1/48 weapon bays. We are a little late, we originally expected to ship pre-orders by the end of August. The reason for the delay is a change and adjustment to the packaging system, where the parts of this set are packed in a foam board with cut outs custom fit for the part. We are doing this practically for the first time with this set, it is a pilot project, the results of which will probably significantly affect the way Brassin sets and kits of the Hybrid series are packaged in the future.
In the second half of September, on September 17th to be exact, another pre-order will begin, this time for the Royal Class Dual Combo MiG-15/MiG-15bis in 1:48. We will keep you updated on the further content of this kit, especially on Facebook. As part of this pre-order, it will also be possible to order additional sets for the MiG-15 and 15bis kits. The pre-order will end on the last day of September.
We will also be at several shows in September. I will be in Šumperk this week and someone from our company will be at the National Championship in Vyškov in the middle of the month.
In mid-September, the shipment of new items for October will also begin. The main October kit release will be the premiere Profipack Spitfire Mk.Ia 1:72. It will again have a positively riveted fuselage and I am curious to see what modelers will say about it. We have redesigned the fuselage and put in a lot of effort to ensure that the rivets are identical across the entire rear of the fuselage. For fans of 32nd scale models, the main new release will be another kit from the Hybrid series, this time it will be a standard kit of this series, without a publication, without a pilot figure, with five decal options and one version of the Birdcage cockpit canopy. The second version of the P-51B with the Malcolm Hood will be released a month later, in November. Both versions will differ in a few more details in the 3D print assembly, and they will also be cheaper. They will also bring one surprise, but I will save that for next time.
Happy Modelling!!
Vladimir Sulc