OT-130 Chemical Tank conversion kit

We've just made available a conversion kit for converting our 1/72 T-26 mod. B tank into a Soviet OT-130 flamethrower tank. This consists of a small set of resin parts that can be adapted onto our T-26 hard plastic kit. As it can be guessed by its configuration, this set is also suitable for other makes' own T-26, thanks to the rectangular resin platform allowing kit to have its turret balanced to the right side --unlike "normal" T-26s, that had it balanced to the left.

Here below you have some captions on what does this tank look like, once superbly painted by the talented Heresy Brush:

A first batch of OT-130 flamethrower tanks is already available from this particular page in Minairons website.

Minairons Plans for 2016 (II)

As a second part to the 2016 plans review written some days ago, I'd like now to let you know those other plans regarding 1:72 scale. I must admit these are our most extensive and ambitious plans; and this shouldn't catch anyone by surprise, for it is 1:72 stuff what actually keeps Minairons standing and holding the line. So that we are going to expand our Spanish Civil War range even further in 2016 - this involving both new white metal troop types and high quality resin vehicles.

As for figures, we'll go first for the Foreign Legion - this implying not less than two boxed sets, and quite probably up to three: legionary infantry, command and PaK 36 AT teams. Such will take us the first four to five months of 2016, likely. Once the Legion is done, it will be time to choose between the two best positioned sets behind: either Assault Guards or Requetes - or whatever is adviced by our wishlist status. BTW, I'm saying nothing about Militiamen because this is an upcoming set to be released very soon, still within 2015:

Going now for SCW vehicles, we are working hard to release Trubia-Naval "Euzkadi" tank soon, as already explained in a recent thread, so this will likely be our first AFV release in 2016. Other SCW vehicle projects in portfolio for 2016 are CV-33 Carro Veloce tankette and its Lanciafiamme version, Lancia Ansaldo IZ/IZM armoured car, Fiat-SPA Dovunque 33/35 truck and BT-5 fast tank; except for the truck, all of them are currently at various design stages. I'd also like to take a decision regarding BA-3/6 armoured car - a decision that must compulsorily have into account the excellent model already produced by Pegasus, which is nevertheless little known in Europe.

As for other ranges, we shall keep dropping a few WWII and Interwar models amidst, such as a Landesa improvised tank, or a OT-130 flamethrower version of T-26 tank, for instance - but we don't expect these ranges to grow significantly yet, for SCW is to be prioritary still for a long time. One important exception to this rule is our range of 1938 Grand Prix racing cars, that will be expanded further during 2016 with new racers, a ruleset and probably racing circuits too. At present, the British ERA type B car is already being designed at both 1:72 and 1:100 altogether.

A possible new range we are still pondering is related to War of the Spanish Succession - although little can be explained about yet, for it is currently at a very preliminary stage. In any case, it's in our mind to produce some 20mm items complementary to the plastics 1/72 GNW range already launched by Zvezda. Logically, we would then focus on the Peninsular theatre of WSS, making those troop types not covered by Zvezda plastics --such as southern European grenadiers, Spanish and French dragoons, Catalan Mountain Fusiliers, mounted personalities and so. Nothing at regard can be considered as final, though --not even year 2016 as a start.

End-of-August State of the Thing

Now that Summer is about to leave us, let me explain what we have been working on, all this time. Just for starting season, Our next release will be the 1/72 scale Interwar Renault TSF command tank, all of whose components are ready right now. Releasing date will fall around next weekend.

Little afterwards we shall launch the 1/72 scale version of Chevrolet 1.5 ton truck, most of whose components are ready too --this is a real SCW and WWII must! We're just awaiting box designing and printing, as well as metal casting of mudguards. Its release can be expected for the second half of September.

Good news for SCW 15mm gamers too --for our first release in 1/100 scale is going to be the UNL-35 armoured car. A first batch of this nice AFV is already cast, and a couple of samples has just been painted by Heresy Brush. Please watch them right below. We've planned to launch it just behind the above --so you can expect it for late September or early October.

That isn't all. Another model almost ready is the also SCW 1/72 Landesa artillery tractor --in our kit, it will be towing a Vickers 105mm gun. All parts and figures have already been cast, so that it is simply awaiting its turn for release. A first sample of it has been painted by Heresy Brush too:

Other two models that are currently waiting their turn are related to WWII, rather than to SCW. The one is the flamethrower version of T-26 tank, that will be released at 1/72 scale during Fall season. Again, take a glance at one of them superbly painted by Heresy Brush

The other one, deviced to be released at 1/100 scale first, is the Japanese Ha-Go light tank. first casting trials of this latter have recently started.

At earlier, design workbench stages, there are still a few models else: Trubia Naval "Euzkadi" tank, Lancia Ansaldo armoured car, CV-33 tankette along with its flamethrower version, and Landesa tracked "tiznao" (an improvised tank). As you can imagine, not all them can be expected to appear altogether, but slowly in the few next months, as while as we can get funded by your kind purchases ;)

A last word regarding figures: no I'm not forgetting them. We have just started the process of defining our new 1/72 SCW Militiamen set. Pictures of it soon!