Website of the Week

It's been ages since I posted a WOTW feature but once in a while I stumble on a suitable site.

One such is Matchboxkits.org.  I have fond memories of discovering Matchbox kits - in the far off 1970s they made for an interesting contrast with the staple Airfix offerings.  Oddly enough Bertrand and I were reminiscing only a couple of weeks ago about some of the kits we had built.

Anyway, back to the website.  Here you will find loads of information about this surprisingly large and diverse range of kits.  All images are copyright Matchboxkits.org.

To whet your appetite, here are a few carefully chosen images together with my own awards.

Winner - Worst use of two colour plastic.  The Gnat was the first Matchbox kit I built.  It may have been a nicer kit than it's Airfix competitor (I wouldn't know) but here the two-colour plastic rather let it down.  Red and Orange Arrows anyone?

Winner - worst scenic base.  My first Matchbox AFV - and save for an appallingly built Airfix Lee some years earlier - my first tank kit.  The base was a bit of a let down. being just a bit of desert!

The only MB ship kit I ever built.  Well, sort of built.  Prepared for a game of the St. Nazaire raid, this poor thing was hacked about into a representation of HMS Campbeltown after the charges were detonated.

Winner - best scenic base.  Not least because if you and a friend each had one you could make a complete bridge!  And frankly a rather nicer kit than the older Airfix Sherman.

Winner - nicest AFV kit.  I know this debate could run and run, but for my money the Panther was head and shoulders (or should that be turret and hull?) above other tanks kits of the time.  It still builds into a nice model and remains my favourite Panther kit.

Winner - wierdest 'plane.  Another hard fought category as MB did produce some oddities (Siskin, He-115, Ju-188, Fury etc) but when I saw this in the late 80s - during an extended break from kit building - I just had to have it!  It will come as no surprise to regular readers that I opted to complete mine as the pug-ugly Hungarian version!  I wonder what became of it.

Website of the Week

One of the commentators on my recent TMP post provided a link to his own website.  Horse and Musket features some beautifully painted 54mm toys so regular readers of my blog can see what they're meant to look like!  Have a look: Horse & Musket

Website of the week - Replica tanks

I arrived at the Filmpanzer site by following a link from Steve Weston's site link . 

There is much to see - my first port of call was this splendid replica A7V
The site index is here
Another clip which manages to be both entertaining and rather disturbing features some East German children practising to defend socialism against the capitalist imperialist onslaught: link

Not Quite Mechanised

Chris Kemp's NQM website (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nc.kemp/index.htm) already features on the favourite sites list on this blog, but I hadn't looked at it for some time before this week.  It was a report on Phil Steele's splendid blog (http://pbeyecandy.wordpress.com/) which prompted me to look again.  There had been a number of changes and updates since my previous visit - including more photos of Chris's toys! 
NQM was one of the major influences which led to the development of my own Megablitz game, and I have fond memories of playing and running NQM games in the 1990s.  Somewhere I have some photos of the Kursk (South) game which Chris ran in 1995(?) which, if I can find them I'll post sometime.
So now take a look at NQM yourself.

Website of the Week

While checking a few details on Staghounds I discovered this rather interesting website:
http://www.staghounds.org.uk/index.aspx

Another argument in favour of basing models - they don't get stuck so easily!

The site is owned and maintained by Tobin Jones and James Shopland. Both own and are currently restoring Staghound armoured cars. The site offers a focal point for other Staghound owners, restorers and enthusiasts.  I'm not sure that a pair of 20mm models qualifies me as an owner!

Website of the Week - MERDC Camo

I came across this site while looking for MERDC camo references recently.  While the information it contains is quite widely available, it is useful to have it all on a single website.  Enjoy.

http://sites.google.com/site/merdccamo/home

Website of the week

My thanks to Wg Cdr Luddite for sending this week's link.  Remember these 'exploded' views you get in plastic kit instructions?  Well have a look at this:

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal9/8301-8400/gal8319-Lightning-Large/00.shtm

A work of genius!

Website of the Week

This week's entertaining site was brought to my attention by my stepson - Louis Blackwell.  It reveals the five plastic army men poses which are least useful in combat.

http://www.cracked.com/funny-6421-plastic-army-men/