[MoMo]

Dear Dragonheads,

On today's trip to Edinburgh's premier Model shop, Wonderland, I discovered, yet again, that he who hesitates ( or who just ain't there ) is lost!

I picked up a couple of Dragon Warbirds for £12.00 ( see posting in 'Bargains' ) but, at the same time, discovered that the dealer had received a carton of 30 mixed vehicles with 25 Fireflies in it! All of them were either spoken for as preorders or were sold within hours!

I talked with the guy at the desk and he said that the U.K. distributer had said that he couldn't promise any more! Boy, was I pissed-off!

I did manage to get a hold of the M4A1 Sherman, 7th Armoured Division, France 1944, " Battling Bitch" and was impressed with the simple finish and aplique armour. A simple and effective Sherman with few pretentions.

I thought that the texure on the moulded/cast hull and turret was very fine. Compared to its dad, the old ESCI kit ( now Italieri ) it represents a clear improvement. I loved the old ESCI kit and built a few of them so I felt vindicated after buying the Dragon when I compared them side by side at home.

I also purchased the newly arrived Hummel. Plenty of these on the shelves.

I liked the build and finish of this heavyweight from the 6th Battery of the 4th Panzer Division, Eastern Front, 1944.

I first checked out the traverse and elevation of the gun. Both appear to be correct, for the scale, and both actions worked beautifully. I especially appreciated the interior detail in the fighting box. The gun and the stowage bins are finely modelled. I'm even tempted to buy the kit and try out the detailing for myself. The camo finish and fine detail on the exterior hull are a joy and pro-modellers would find it hard going to equal the superb finish. Top marks Dragon!

After talking with the shop's representative, I asked him if he had thought of stocking any of the Admiral stuff, in the pipeline, and he said that after adding 17.5% VAT and Import Duty, it was not a good prospect to compete with Dragon or FOV. I had to pay £12.99 for the Hummel ( $ 26.00 ) and £10.99 for the Sherman ( $22.00 ). At these prices, I'm sure that Admiral could compete!

The shop assistant also informed me that some variant of the 251 had come and gone. He said that it had gone so quickly that he couldn't recall the variant exactly, " Yellow camo, I think, with some winter scheme sloshed on top!"..????

I'll now have to go on the hunt for the elusive Firefly!

Happy hunting!

MoMo