(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jVDLniqvNDI/UQ7YdxP6vII/AAAAAAAAERk/5chLMKzEqKo/s400/indiegogo_02.jpg)
Well, that is. After lots of e-mails received and some time of hard thinking, we at Minairons Miniatures (http://www.minairons.eu/) have finally taken the decision to launch a 1:56 scale SCW vehicles range, alongside with those already started in 1:72 and 1:100.
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.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DniA-pb4y6I/UQ6W7I4jthI/AAAAAAAAEPs/m-UhUQF5euM/s400/indiegogo_01.jpg)
This is why we've agreed to put our multi-scale commitment under crowdfunding. Not under the popular Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/) portal, because its use is restricted to USA and UK residents only; but IndieGogo (http://www.indiegogo.com/) instead --for it allows us doing so, that simple.
We'd like to start such 1:56 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 (http://igg.me/at/minairons-28GEV008/x/2158183) and support it!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ic0PnMScX8g/UQ6vULUoXXI/AAAAAAAAERA/9vUMU93i2r0/s400/indiegogo_03.jpg)
Just started working on the thing --and finding first issues!
In short, there are no blueprints of the beast, 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 some Hispanos!!
(http://d2oadd98wnjs7n.cloudfront.net/medias/656849/pictures/full/20130211080210-mc36_99.jpg?1360598535)
The rest of dimensions can be deduced from this one, after comparing pictures showing different views of it. We can say right now that it will be 13.9cm long at 1:56!
Indiegogo campaign page (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hispano-suiza-mc-36-funding-project/x/2158183)
PROJECT UPDATE - Design keeps progressing fast, after some issues detected have been finally solved. Please check the pictures below:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GgQrvoM2Uyw/USeojjU9XsI/AAAAAAAAEbU/rB8TveRoyTk/s400/Vista17.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-355OGNgCokU/USeobQX2sEI/AAAAAAAAEbM/UXIR99wTLJg/s400/Vista13.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xt7RXtLUu-c/USeoYTlrvPI/AAAAAAAAEbE/32mk4R-yv4o/s400/Vista11.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zi3ry0HSvEw/USeon0MIUDI/AAAAAAAAEbc/UBxwYXMZBdI/s400/Vista15.jpg)
Next step will be designing turrets and other accessories, such as headlights and the pegs-and-holes system to attach parts to each other.
More captions can be watched at this post on our blog: http://minairons-news.blogspot.com/2013/02/hispano-suiza-project-3rd-update.html (http://minairons-news.blogspot.com/2013/02/hispano-suiza-project-3rd-update.html). Click on each picture to see it larger.
Cheers,
Lluís
www.minairons.eu (http://www.minairons.eu/)