(19 December 2014) - Due to a number of reasons currently all plans for new Ugo Fadini and SpeedONsalt models are on hold. Wether the models listed on the Models to come page will ever be releasedÉ time will tell! Ugo Fadini 11 to 19 and So 01 to 05 are all still available, usually to order, although some may be available off the shelf from time to time. Please check the price list on the how to order page.
On the other hand TOM is still active and, while his previous models are all available to order, he will soon introduce the 1963 version of the Summers Brothers Pollywog and then possibly a completely new model. Please check back soon!

(25 July 2011) - Once again I missed my own self-imposed deadline, but the 1959 Burke streamliner is indeed on the way and will be available, let's say, sometimes between now and Xmas 2011É

(1 February 2011) - Thanks to contact with the current owner, I am resuming work on the 1959 Burke streamliner, which I hope to release before the summer of 2011 (yes!).
As of 1 January 2011, I am no longer distributing Omicron models. This will not affect Omicron 10, Infinity jet car, which is in fact a Fadini model, based on an Omicron master that I purchased and reworked. Models 8 and 11, the two Mercedes W25 record cars will also continue to be available while stocks last, as the master also belongs to me (although it is 100% Omicron work).

(8 February 2010) - In addition to The Phoenix, Ugo Fadini 14, The Redhead, is no longer available: that means that even if the total of 200 numbered has not been reached yet, I ran out of moldings and before I venture into ordering a new (and final) run, I need to collect at least 10 orders. The same applies to the Baymo Heishman BMW 1994 (and pretty soon 1995 too). Please do not hesitate to place your order, but you will have to be very patient!

Availability of every single model is now indicated in the price list. I will do my best to keep the list updated, but I cannot guarantee that the model listed as available off-the-shelf will still be there by the time you place your order!

(16 December 2009) - Collectors have been wondering wether they will ever see new models from myself or Omicron or Tom and it is time for an update.
The situation of economy in the last couple of years and the competition of Chinese manufacturers, with prices impossible to even imagine for quality European modelers, have made it risky to venture into producing new models in general, and those that have a limited appeal in terms of market in particular. "Niche" markets are fine as long as the niche does not get too small! It will depend on you, the collectors, wether we can go on offering new models or you prefer to wait for the Chinese to fill the gaps in your collection. It may work for the main LSR vehicles, but it is doubtful wether they will ever pay attention to such specialized themes like Bonneville cars. So it is really up to you.

That said, TOM is more a Bonneville enthusiast willing to model cars that he likes than a pro model maker, and he has a regular job, but at least the blue 1963 version of the Summers Bros streamliner will definitely see the light in 2010 and also quite possibly the long awaited Herbert-Steen streamliner.

The model maker behind Omicron has lately decided to turn his attention to themes with a wider appeal than LSR vehicles, but has at least a master almost complete, the Guzzi-powered Stanguellini Colibr“, that will probably be the object of another joint-venture with myself, also in 2010.

As to myself, in 2010 there will be new versions of the Shadoff (1957) and Hill-Davis (1955) streamliners and if these will provide enough income and the economy will recover a little I might venture into releasing the long, long, long awaited Fred H. Stewart Enterprise, for which the master is half-ready, but was kept on hold so far in view of the high production costs: it is quite an intricate model, resulting in too many parts to be molded separately.
And now that the small stock of Baymo Heishman BMW I was able to build from old parts is almost sold out, I may be producing myself the original 1990 version (finless and with a different nose and wheel streamlining), which Baymo did not make. More about this one later.
 
IMPORTANT! - once again The Phoenix diesel truck is no longer available.
The new mold released in 2008, after gathering the dozen orders I needed to make it feasible, has worn out much quicker than expected and only produced some 22 (very costly) bodies. All have now been sold (reaching a total of 99 built of 200 planned) and I am again at that turning point where I cannot afford to produce a new run of moldings unless I have a dozen pre-orders, so, if you are interested, please place an order now and cross your fingers! Last time it took about a year to collect the orders, so you will need patience.
As a side effect, by ordering the model you will help me to keep alive the memory of one of the most extraordinary land speed vehicle, built and raced by two visionary racers that unfortunately are no longer with us, Carl Heap and R.B. Slagle. Read the story of The Phoenix here.

(14 February 2009) - While I do not have any new models to offer, I obtained the remaining stock of parts for the Baymo Heishman BMW Bonneville streamliner, released a few years ago, and I am offering it again in built form in the 1994 and 1995 versions. Read the story of the car.

(27 December 2008) - The Burkland streamliner story pages have been updated with the 2007/2008 activity and the new FIA International mile record set last September.

(3 March 2008) - The only news at the moment are that, at long last, The Phoenix diesel truck (Ugo Fadini #18) is available again. The minimum of orders needed to produce a new run of mouldings has been reached in the fall of 2007, mouldings have been ordered and models have been built to fulfill those orders. More can now be built to order, as long as the mouldings will last. This will really be the last chance, so please order yours without delay!

(21 December 2007) - At long last, here is a quick update on new models and future plans for myself, Omicron and Tom.
For different reasons, none of us was very active over the last year or so, which explains why the website was not updated. While Omicron and Tom will be on hold for a while longer, I have now resumed work on new models. As you probably guessed one reason for the long pause was to figure out wether the competition from Chinese manufactured models would make it impossible to stay in business.
Two recent facts have convinced me to give it another try. On one side some unexpected interest from new collectors, on the other the quality of the most recent LSR releases from China. As some of you may have noticed , while their building and finish level is unquestionably high for the price, some of their recent LSR releases were not up to the expectations in terms of accuracy (I mean the basic shape of the bodies: Goldenrod and Thrust 2 are fair examples). So perhaps there is still room for models of a better quality, which cost more not just because they are made in Europe, but also because they involve a lot more time and hard work to get them "right".
Wether my guess is right, it will be up to you to decide!
A revised release schedule will be posted soon, but while you wait you may give a thought to a couple of semi-new releases, which will be produced in very limited numbers.

The Fiat-Abarth 750 Bertone, Salone di Torino 1956 (#19). This is how the first Abarth record car looked, just out of the Bertone workshop, before Abarth and his team chopped and modified it for the sake of performance rather than beauty, much to the dislike of Nuccio Bertone! With a longer fin and higher wheel arches, without the "grilled" tail it looks much cleaner and sexier, slightly reminiscent of the BAT Alfas.
Production of this model, which some of you might think unnecessary, was prompted by the disappointement casued to me by a cheap model recently released, based on an older kit, that obviously tries to recreate this particular variation at low cost, without any mould changes, just using a minimum of (wrong) decals...
I love this beautiful little car, so I felt I had to put the things right!
The run will be limited to 150 numbered.

The Cooper Avus F3 race 1953 (#16C) is not strictly a record car... It is of course the same car that ran at Montlhéry in 1951 and 1952 and then at Bonneville in 1954/55 to set records, but shows how versatile the little streamliner was.
The model uses the existing moulding, but has open front wheels, a different windshild, rear view mirrors and new decals.
It will be made to order and limited to 50 numbered, the race number the car had when raced by John Cooper to win the F3 race at the Avus in 1953. Check the story here.

(6 November 2006) - IMPORTANT! - The Phoenix diesel truck is no longer available.
A new run of moulds could be ordered only if I can gather a minimum of a dozen new orders, otherwise the cost would not justify the investment.
If you ever seriously wanted to have this model and counted on the fact that it would be available for a long time and you would have plenty of time to decide, well, that time is over and you have to make a quick decision. If a dozen of you will place an order, the model will become available again, otherwise it will be gone forever.
This is your last opportunity to get the only existing model of a most extraordinary land speed vehicle, built and raced by two visionary racers that unfortunately are no longer with us, Carl Heap and R.B. Slagle. Read the story of The Phoenix here.

Please note:
- price will be the same as before, 450,00 euro, but if you place your order within 15 December, you will have a 10 per cent discount and free shipping.
- your order will be confirmed ONLY if I will receive 12 orders by the end of 2006.
- if that number is not reached within that deadline, you will be notified that your order is cancelled and the model will no longer be offered.
- if your order will be confirmed, then you will have to wait at least a further 3 months or more (depending on your position on the waiting list) for delivery, while a new run of parts is moulded and then painted and assembled.

(20 October 2006) - No new models yet, but please note I only have one left of The Phoenix diesel truck. Although the limit of 200 has not been reached, the small number I could sell does not justify investment in a new run of mouldings, so this will be the last and the model will go out of production. You have been warned!
The Burkland streamliner history pages have been updated after the 2006 campaign.

(10 September 2006) - After a year of silence, it's time for a quick update.
For various different reasons, since September 2005 there have been no new models released by any of the model makers represented on this site, i.e. myself, Omicron and Tom. Tom has had serious personal problems, but Omicron has indeed been working and has produced the master for a model that had not been announced, Craig Breedlove's American Spirit piston engined aborted record breaker, but is still uncertain wether it is worth producing it, considering the high costs of both the moudling (a three wheeler is always a problem!) and the paintwork (similar to the Spirit of America 3-wheeler), which might make the retail price too high for today's market, dominated by China-made cheap, but high quality models that make the price of a hand made model produced in Europe look too expensive. More about it whenever he decides what to do about it.
As to myself, the same market situation has suggested me to be very very careful, but after receiving quite a few inquiries about the fate of the announced model of the Fred H. Stewart Enterprise, I convinced myself that there might be just enough interest for it to justify the investment, so I have restarted work on the master model, which I had abandoned a few months ago when it was about 65% finished, and there is a chance that it may be ready by the end of the year.
In the meantime, as originally planned, l released the 1953 version of the Shadoff Spl. streamliner in the SPEEDONsalt range, painted a dark metallic blue as it first appeared on the salt to break several AAA/FIA International records (see the Shadoff's story for details).
All other projects are currently on hold, while I try to understand wether it makes sense to keep releasing new models of LSR vehicles at all.

(22 September 2005) - NEW from Omicron is #12, the Djelmo LSR car as driven by Giulio Foresti at Pendine Sands in 1927, when his attempt ended with a spectacular crash.
A full history of this unsussessful but interesting car will be added within the next few days.
All other models are late on schedule (as usual...).

To make it easier for collectors to decide what they need, the current models page now allows you to see all the models listed either by brand or by type of record (LSR, wheel-driven LSR, SCTA etc).

(15 May 2005) - NEW model in the SPEEDONsalt range by Ugo Fadini is the legendary Shadoff Special streamliner in the red 1954 SCTA Speed Week version, when it set a new C class record. As usual, you can read the full story of the Shadoff Spl., with photos and a list of records.
Also in the SPEEDONsalt range, the Hill-Davis streamliner is now available in the blue metallic 1953 Bob Estes Mercury livery, used both during the SCTA Speed Week and the AAA Speed Trials.
(This version has been released earlier than planned in order to avoid it being released by unfair competitors based on copies of my model - see "IMPORTANT NOTE" below - please note this person has tried to sell one of his copies on ebay describing it as "possibly made by Ugo Fadini" - this says it all...).

Work is progressing on the next model in the main Ugo Fadini range, Norman "Wizard" Smith's 1932 "Fred H. Stewart Enterprise", the first World Land Speed record challenger from Australia. Only partially successful (it only set 10 kilo and 10 mile records), but quite a serious contender and a striking looking vehicle. Model is due for release sometime during the summer.

As to Omicron and Tom, they should have their new models out before the summer.
Check models to come page for details.

(30 December 2004) - NEW from Omicron is #11, Mercedes W25 rekordwagen 1934, the open cockpit sister car to the "Rennlimousine". The history page, which tells the story of both cars, has been updated with more photos of the open car and a list of all records set.
Please note that, unlike with Omicron #10 Infinity, which ended up as an 80% Ugo Fadini model, this one is a regular Omicron model, made and released by Omicron. My collaboration has been limited to the usual documentation support.

Also NEW in the SPEEDONsalt range is a new version of the Hill-Davis (City of Burbank) streamliner, in the Bob Estes Mercury bright red livery the car wore to set FIA International records at the AAA Speed Trials in September 1952. The 1953 version (blue metallic) will follow shortly. Check the history page for more details about the car's achievements.

IMPORTANT NOTE: although my intention to issue more versions of the City of Burbank had been announced since the original model was first released, the same Bob Estes AAA Speed Trials version has been recently advertised, and possibly released, by a new belgian/ french company. I am told by independent sources that the mould may have been made using one of my models as the master-model. I have not seen my competitor's model other than in photo so I cannot confirm and I sincerely hope this is not true, but it is a fact that the same company is using on their web site text and a photo copied from my site (and more from other sites too), without crediting the source (rather, crediting a copyright to themselves) and this is not a good indication of their honesty. Please remember that my model is sold under the brand SPEEDONsalt and if you see a model that looks the same but has a different brand name, it is NOT my model!
More on this disturbing subject as soon as I will have been able to see the french model with my eyes.

Master model for the next SPEEDONsalt release, the famous Shadoff Special streamliner is now ready for moulding, so the first version should be released on schedule in February 2005, to be followed by other versions at regular intervals to avoid copies in different versions being released by unfair competitors...

The next model in the Ugo Fadini range is also under way: an important gap in the history of the outright Land Speed record will be filled with the realease, scheduled for late spring 2005, of aussie Norman "Wizard" Smith's Enterprise. The car, designed along the lines of the famous Golden Arrow, but showing two tail fins behind the wheels, gradually assumed quite an odd look when a huge radiator was mounted on the nose to help inusfficient engine cooling. Eventually Smith failed to set the WLSR, but did set the 10 km and 10 miles records on the Ninety Miles Beach in New Zealand in 1932.

TOM has announced the 1963 (blue metallic) version of the Summers Brothers streamliner to be issued in early 2005, while Omicron has confirmed that the Pendine 1927 failed attempt versions of Giulio Foresti's Djelmo will be released by mid-2005.
Check the models to come page for an updated schedule of future releases in the Ugo Fadini, SPEEDONsalt, Omicron and TOM ranges.

(for older news go to the news archive)

Updates to the web site

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