HMS Kipling's "missing part" comes through the post.

HMS Kipling's spare parts have arrived from Revell Germany (see below):

Which means the "assembly" phase of HMS Kipling is finally over (see below):

Nice little kit and plenty of scope to buy more kits in the HMS Kelly variant or another HMS Kipling style as the J-K class was a popular RN breed of destroyer. 

RN J-K Class Destroyer: HMS Kipling (Revell 1/700 Kit - HMS Kelly Variant)

This is a nice little kit. Many a fiddly part to it but it is nevertheless a welcome addition to the 1/600 to 1/720 "little big ship" range bulging out my loft (see below):

I opted for the 1940's HMS Kipling (Home Fleet) version in preference to the HMS Kelly (Mediterranean) version as it was more slightly suited to the "Phoney War to Dunkirk" era. She is a lovely ship in profile (see below): 

The only problem to the assembly came in the form of a missing "gun shield" that could not be found in the packet anywhere and I presume must have been a casualty in factory handling (see rear gun turret below, bottom left of photograph):

Still the German based "spares department" has promised to deliver the missing part in two-six weeks. Is it coming by U-Boat?

Still it is a lovely model and I plan to get "at least" another to make the HMS Kelly variant (and I could easily go on to fit out a flotilla if pushed).

Shhhh: Holiday Toys (The Haul)

Ahem, apart from the books I managed the following holiday haul. The trick seems top be to keep following the kids into the toy shops, the bigger the better, you never know what you may find. If you dig deep enough you are bound to find a treasure or two (see below): 

Revell: HMS Kipling/Kelly
(Note: I am pleased with this one as I thought I would never see one in a toy shop)

Revell: Anakin's Jedi StarFighter 
(Note: A bargain at half price, although for some strange reason my children seem to think that this is theirs. I must dispossess them of this thought by using my own Jedi mind-trick ... "Who wants an ice-cream?")

Revell WWII US Paratroopers
(Note: Now I have Airfix/Italeri and Revell US Paratroopers, it is therefore time I constructed a battalion of the 101st and 82nd US Airborne for D0Dat and Market Garden Operations)

Airfix StrikeMaster
(Note: This can be used for the called in SAS air support in the battle of Mirbat, pity it does not have the Oman Air Force markings)

All-in-all quite a cracking haul! So good in fact I think next year I know I will be escorted into and out of all toy shops by a "responsible adult"

;)

Revell kits to watch out for in 2013

Two "naval" spots from Revell:

Spot one:
1/700 RN WWII "HMS Kelly"

For WWII destroyer actions a re-release of an old Matchbox kit methinks, HMS Kelly (a WWII RN J-K Class Destroyer), waterline to boot (see below):

I just hope Revell release the other Matchbox waterline ships of yore too:

• USS San Diego
• USS Indianapolis
• USS Fletcher
• HMS Exeter (very tasty, I do have a 1/500 scale kit of this "but" in 1/700 is far better)
• HMS Duke of York
• HMS Ariadne
• KM Graf Spee
• KM Narvik Class "Z" Destroyer
• KM Bismarck.

Spot two: 
1/1200 WWII "IJNS Shinano"

I have already got this one but it is nice to see it releases from the back catalog (see below):

Model on and good hunting!

Note: Still trying to spot that J-K class destroyer in the model shops!