New releases, hot products, and breaking news - Summer 2007

BABE FACTOR FOR ALL SCALES & ERAS

Theres a new batch of figurines from M&D to help dress up your favorite diecast display. In the period-specific Motorhead Miniatures series, the four 1:18 ladies (posed around Precision Miniatures 56 Chevy) are Trixie (in front, adjusting her stocking), Frances (reclining on the hood), Barbara (at the rear corner) and Bonnie (looking contemplative at the back). In the racier Fast Women category (showing up Jadas Dub City Charger) are hippy-chick Janice (at the front), Lonnie (on the hood), Ashley (by the door) and Rene (on the trunk). There are four additional new figures not shown from each series, and all come in three-color schemes and unpainted. They are definitely provocative, but isnt that true to the spirit of the car culture that has always thumbed its nose at the tea-and-crumpets crowd just a little?

Fast Women & Motorhead Miniatures, distributed by M&D Intl.
(954) 581-0377;fastwomen4u.com; motorheads4u.com

RUNNING OF THE BULLS

A Lamborghini is many things, but subtle is not one of them. The car has a menacing beauty that perfectly suits the Italian automaker whose symbol is a charging bull. Some contend that bull design was crafted specifically so that it appeared to be goring a certain prancing horse emblem when placed next to it. Certainly when the Miura streaked onto the scene in 1966, it was a 350-horsepower shot to the gut to rival Ferrari. Kyoshos black and gold SV manages to look both sinister and charming, skillfully replicating one of the most seductive body designs ever hand-sculpted out of sheet metal while packing in tons of techie tidbits on the transverse V-12 and tube-frame chassis. The design was taken to the ragged edge with the Jota variant. If the Miura is sexy, the Jota is positively pornographic. The curves, scoops spoilers and wings look straight off a race car, which is essentially what the Jota was. Kyosho just released an updated version of its casting, and we think red is just the color to showcase it.

Kyosho Die-cast, distributed by Minichamps North America.
(305) 971-1171; minichampsna.com; kyosho.com

STELLAR STARFIGHTER
Heres one you dont see very oftenan Air Force F-104C. Named the Starfighter for its radical profile, it looked more like something out of a Buck Rogers comic than from the U.S. arsenal when it arrived in the late 50s. This plane was essentially a missile with wings and was capable of exceptional speed and rate of climb, making it a fine interceptor aircraft. Small lifting and control surfaces made it a challenge to pilot, and it soon earned the nickname Widowmaker. Hobby Master produces this fine replica in 1:72, using a combination of diecast and molded parts to excellent effect. The silver fuselage of this example from the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing circa 1963 offsets the white wings and red tail section nicely, but the highlight has to be the well-defined panel lines. It comes with a stand as well as provisions for gear-down display and includes wingtip drop tanks and air-to-air missiles.

Hobby Master Ltd., distributed by Historic Sales (Historic Aviation)
(800) 225-5575; historicaviation.com