Our first 1/56 SCW model!

We are proud to show you the master prototype of our first Spanish Civil War model in 1:56^th scale: the stylish (and somewhat pulp-ish) Hispano Suiza MC-36 armoured truck, a huge beast measuring some 13cm long at this scale! Thanks to the picture above, you can see what it looks like with its MG-armed standard turret...

...and below, its dreadful look when improved with the turret of a cannibalized T-26!

The prototype will be delivered tomorrow to the resin caster, for starting the master moulds making --after some slight polishment, likely. I wouldn't look as too optimistic at forecasting, but it seems quite probable for us to be able to have the ultimate resin model available within this month --or June, probably.

Our most sincere thanks to all those who have been supporting us so far. You won't be deceived.

(Apologies for the so obvious faulty alignment of wheels --I could only use BlueTac for a provisional assembly before sending the prototype to the mould maker!)

So what's next, right now?

After the huge financial effort due for releasing up to three new models in so a short period of time around Saint George's Day (1:100 Panzer IA, 1:72 Pz.Befehlswagen IB and 1:72 T-26 tank), we should better stop for a while and breath...

...but we won't, though. As our firm slowly grows and earns a reputation of its own, we've committed ourselves to keep a pace that maybe some would judge a bit slow, but otherwise is willingly a steady one –as regular and firm as we can.

What will be first, then?

Accordingly to our previous commitments, there's no way out: it's turn for our first 1/56 scale model: the stylish (and somewhat pulp-ish) Hispano Suiza MC-36 armoured truck. Masters' first pictures to follow next week, hopefully.

And what's on the workbench right now?

Hard to answer in few words –but we'll try: our T-26 tank has already been re-scaled into 1/100 . It will be our next model in plastic, for sure.

Along with it, we've started to design a new model, to be released in resin at 1/72 scale first. Please allow us to still keep some secrecy around this new AFV id. For the moment, we can just say it will be a vehicle never before produced in any scale or material. Oh, and it will include a couple of surprise accessories –for if the model itself wasn't a surprise enough...

Oh, some other designs have also been started, naturally: who wouldn't give a chance to good old Renault FT-17, for instance? Following our philosophy of allowing several assembly options for every model, we shall include Berliet and Renault turrets in sprue, as well as the command casemate version. Also, such is the case of another model we've been often asked for: BA-6 armoured truck, of course. We're still studying design as to give the model several assembling options –that might go either around the alternative BT-2 turret some BA-6 were fitted, or to allowing it to be built as an early BA-I.

Additional 1/56 models, when?

Soon, pretty soon... Some patience is still needed. Once the above commented Hispano Suiza is released, we shall see. Apologies for that much caution, but finance is a risky business nowadays...

Any other plans?

Oh yessssssss, lots of these. Up to three new period ranges, for instance. A first design will be started soon regarding one of these. Some talking has just begun on a second one, and (last but not least) a third project is currently being pondered –what about some Lace Wars, for instance?

1:56 Hispano-Suiza MC-36 nearly finished

We are happy and proud to let you know that designing process is almost finished. All main features have already been outlined and approved by the resin caster. A few improvements were left for afterwards due to not being critical to caster analysis --such as hull rivetting, some detail on wheel tires and windshields... But, once this is done, the model will be ready for prototyping!

Perhaps some will have noted that the alternative cannibalized T-26 turret has not been shown here. But there is one such, indeed!

Please donate and help funding it! Crowd Funding campaign page: igg.me/at/minairons-28GEV008/x/2158183

Hispano-Suiza Project 3rd update

Design keeps progressing fast, after some issues detected have been solved. Please check the pictures below:

Next step will be designing turrets and other accessories, such as headlights and the pegs-and-holes system to attach parts to each other.

Please donate and help funding it! Crowd Funding campaign page: igg.me/at/minairons-28GEV008/x/2158183

Hispano-Suiza Project 2nd update

Our first 1:56^th scale beast is progressing fast. Here you can watch some captions of it:

Please donate and help funding it! Crowdfunding campaign page: igg.me/at/minairons-28GEV008/x/2158183

Hispano-Suiza Project 1st update

Just started working on the thing --and finding first issues!

In short, there are no blueprints of the beast, not even a data sheet specifying its dimensions; so we've had to use a little imagination for guessing the vehicle's main dimensions. So good that someone back in the 30s had got the idea of fitting a T-26 turret on a Hispano!! Thanks to such improvement, we'll be capable now of calculating vehicle's length and height. The rest of its dimensions will be deduced by comparing pictures showing different views of it with this one.!

Thanks to the T-26 turret, it can already be said that the 1:56 scale model will be 13.90cm long!

(Indiegogo funding campaign page)

1:56 Hispano-Suiza MC-36 Project

Well, that is. After lots of e-mails received and some time of hard thinking, we at Minairons Miniatures have finally taken the decision to launch a 1:56^th scale SCW vehicles range, alongside with those already started in 1:72^nd and 1:100^th scales.

It hasn't been an easy decision by any means. For starting a plastic & resin range can be financially considered more or less sustainable, if in one single scale; while a somehow risky but exciting business to endeavour it in two scales altogether. However, committing oneself to a third scale in parallel, at so a tender stage of our firm... well, quite far from sustainable, unless some help from requesting hobbyists themselves is provided.

This is why we've agreed to put our multi-scale commitment under crowdfunding. Not under the popular Kickstarter portal, because its use is restricted to USA and UK residents only; but under IndieGogo instead --for it allows us doing so, that simple.

We'd like to start such 1:56^th scale AFVs range with a rare, handsome and stylish armoured truck: the Hispano-Suiza MC-36, a competitor to Bilbao Armoured Car for equipping the "Guardia de Asalto" Spanish Republic's Police. Although finally lost the contest in favour of the cheaper Bilbaos, Hispano-Suizas didn't resign to lose their chance and saw action in Republican hands, in numbers of 5 – 15 vehicles, depending on sources. Some were captured by the Nationalists, and at least one of them experienced some improvement thanks to a cannibalized T-26 tank.

Please take a glance at our 1:56 Hispano-Suiza MC-36 Crowdfunding Project and support it!