Peter Van Buren reports on the
2002 All-Japan Model and R/C Show.
Waterline Series Ship collection

This show is second to the Shizuoka Show, but still a great place to see what the Japanese makers are up to.

Special note:  the **entire** Waterline series in one place, the 1/35 scale CWIS from AFV (not in stores until early 2003), the resin Pitroad Arizona and new Hasegawa.

The (sort of) bad news: the trend seems to be heavily in favor of R/C:  small cars for the kids, big tanks for the Dads.  In plastic it is planes, planes, planes and then cars and tanks.  Few new ships.

No sign of the once-mentioned Tamiya WWII-era Iowa's.