Now carrying 1/56 Rubicon Models plastic tanks

When Minairons Miniatures was born, we committed ourselves to multi-scale production of our projects, but for both financial and technical reasons then stated we would focus mainly on 1:72 and 1:100 scales first, leaving the larger 1:56 for after the company had strengthened enough. After those first two years of life though, things have happened --either inside and outside the company. These ultimately making 1:72 to stand out significantly face to the rest of scales. As a result, some of you have perhaps watched sadly how our 1:56 scale projects began to slow down, as if forgotten in a drawer.

As a way to sort out such timeline break, we have just decided to carry on a permanent basis the products of another newly born brand: this is Rubicon Models. This company is focused on making excellent hard plastic, easy assembly WWII model kits at 1:56 scale, and they've started launching the models below:

All these models are already available for pre-order on our website. Not surprisingly to many of you, our hope is to help by this deal boosting our own SCW and WWII models at this scale.

Some Finnish T-26 tanks

I'm proud to show you a couple of 1/72^nd scale T-26 tanks of Minairons, superbly painted and depicted by Bruce Murray as Finnish captured for one his customer - who also wanted a T-34.

Hope these pictures are useful to someone as a source of inspiration!

Heads!

We have just launched a new kind of accessory, hopefully complimentary to our developing range of SCW 1/72, or 20mm, figures. This consists of a several different sets of white metal small sprues, each one holding 3 separate heads in a particular headgear.

Our first released sets include male heads in either Adrian, Czech or Trubia helmets, and Pasamontaña caps. They're sold in single headgear 3-sprues bags --that is, 9 heads-- at the price of € 2.95 each.

A similar collection of female heads will follow next, while future developments will progressively include all those helmets/caps also used by our growing range of white metal figures.

1/72 Benach M1935 Fast Tank

Our long expected 1/72^nd scale model of this widely unknown Inter-wars tank design is nearly out there, for a first production batch has just started a few days ago. While awaiting those first ultimate models to come out from workshop, please take a look at this couple of samples masterly painted by Claudia Zuminich - these belonging to its first testing batch:

We reasonably expect to release it within due time - that is, on next month. Decals are already printed and box design is likely to start next week, so we must just wait for the first production batch to be completed.

It will be sold by the pair on a box, with both running arrangements for each tank - so that you can choose how to build each one.

SCW fans, please have in mind this tank never got into production - not even for prototyping purposes. It was just a workbench design we've brought to life - somewhat like the German E-50, E-75 and E-100 Panzer series. This is why we haven't included it in our 20GEV999 SCW vehicle series, but have started a new, separate 20IGV999 Inter-wars range with it. So this AFV is mainly suitable for fictional settings over those purely historical ones, naturally.

I guess that 1/72 VBCW, what-if and pulp gamers will be pleased, for the decals sheet for this tank includes fictional markings only: Turkish roundels (as if the tank had been ultimately purchased by this country as planned at start), what-if WW2 Spanish Republican roundels, what-if Catalan Republican markings (as you can see on the samples above) and VBCW Liverpool Free State flags.

New 1/72 Frontline Bookmobile

I'm proud to show you our latest product, a 1/72 scale Catalonian frontline bookmobile on Ford AA chassis. The Catalan Government pioneered during SCW the very first proper bookmobiles service in Spain, as a way to bring leisure and culture to the Republican soldiers. It consisted of a small fleet of adapted trucks/buses, whose task had to be visiting regularly field hospitals and rearguard encampments. One such bookmobiles was built on a Ford AA van chassis - and this is the one we've reproduced in this kit.

As it can be seen above, this is a pretty light and easy to assembly model kit. Most of its parts are high quality resin, except for a few metal or hard plastic parts. Kit is complimented by a white metal female driver/librarian, whom you can watch below:

And last, kit comprises a couple of optional resin panels, so as to convert the van into a windowed ambulance. Following such purpose too, a decals sheet is included containing the markings needed for either a Catalan bookmobile, a Spanish Republican ambulance and a fictional, humouristic British bookmobile.

This new model kit is already available from Minairons Miniatures webshop, www.minairons.eu.

1/72 Nationalist Cavalry

Here you have a sneak peek on our surprise upcoming figures set:

The whole set will consist of 9 horsemen including officer, horn blower and standard bearer. Besides, one of the privates will be shown dismounted and horse holding. Work on them is progressing fast enough as to be reasonably sure to release the new set by late October - November as late.

A 1/100 Panzer I conversion

A user of The Guild forum has kindly let us know the results of his job on one our 1/100 Panzer I ausf. A, in order to convert it into a Munitionsschlepper I. We warmly greet his initiative, as well as the permission granted for showing it here:

Anyone curious at this regard can read the original thread in The Guild (it's a public subforum, so you don't need to be registered therein for reading).

Grumman FF-1 / GE-23

Allow me a few captions on our next SCW aircraft model: the US Navy Grumman FF-1 fighter, whose licensed GE-23 Canadian version was exported to the Spanish Republic. Here you can watch a prototype of it superbly painted by Bruce Murray:

Despite having it scheduled for release at 1/100 scale first, we're currently producing it at both 1/100 and 1/144 scales altogether, and decals are to be designed jointly too - so that we'll be able to launch any of them first, within this second half of year.

Decals are to include Spanish Republican, US Navy and British Commonwealth markings - even some Nicaraguan insignias too, perhaps.