The tempo of operations has taken a marked increase over the past week now that we’re headed into the all-important holiday season. We’re getting a lot more visitors to our web site, added product/order inquiries both online and via phone, and a general surge in sales for various product that cuts across all categories. As a reminder, our phone support line is now being manned to cover additional hours and we’ve updated our Calendar of Events page to reflect the cut off dates for both domestic and international shipments if you are hoping to receive your packages before Christmas. Keep in mind that this is expected to be an exceptionally busy holiday season due to the pick up in business across America, so its entirely possible we could sell out of a number of items earlier rather than later. Add in weather-related delays, a Canadian postal worker strike, forest fires out west and the odd asteroid strike and you can see why we continually urge everyone to submit their orders as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Happy holidays!
Wings of the Great War’s 1:72 scale French Saint Chamond Heavy Tank – “Chantecoq,” As31, Laffaux, France, 1917
Apparently, last week’s 100-year commemoration marking the end of World War I has had a profound impact on both marketing strategies and sales for several manufacturers. Take, for instance, the 1:72 scale Saint Chamond tank (WW10207) from Wings of the Great War, which is currently en route to us just in time for the holiday season. According to our distributor, it is already sold out at both the factory and distributor level, meaning we will only have a handful of pieces available for general sale once we have filled all of our existing pre-orders. Frankly, once people read this blog post, we may not even have any pieces available for general sale either.
Corgi’s 1:48 scale German Fokker D VII Fighter – 4649/18 “Seven Swabians” Wilhelm Scheutzel, Jasta 65, September 1918
In the air, Corgi has launched a new sub brand dubbed World War I 1914-1918 Centenary Series, which includes several of their soon-to-be-released 1:48 scale WWI-era fliers. We’ve grouped the recently released cherry-red Dridecker flown by Manfred von Richtofen in with these aircraft for obvious reasons but the first true Centenary warbird is called “Seven Swabians”, another Dridecker piloted by Wilhelm Scheutzel, who was attached to Jasta 65 during September 1918 (AA38906). While his mount laid claim to only two enemy aircraft in its brief tenure over the Western Front, the “Seven Swabians” is perhaps better remembered for its intricate artwork adorning both sides of its fuselage. For the uninitiated, “Seven Swabians” draws its title from a famous Brothers Grimm German Fairy Tale. Brandishing an oversized spear, which required all seven of the Swabians to carry, the story tells the farcical tale of this hapless group and their futile attempts to achieve greatness through performing great deeds. Look for the “Seven Swabians” to rise high over the diecast trenches some time before the end of the holiday season.
Corgi’s 1:48 scale RNAS Sopwith Camel Fighter – Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner, No.3 Squadron, Bray Dunes Aerodrome, France, 1918
Likely expected in league with the Dridecker is a Royal Naval Air Service Sopwith Camel fighter, which was flown by Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner (AA38109)
Canadian ace Lloyd Samuel Breadner can
surely claim to have flown one of the most distinctive Sopwith Camels
on the Western Front. Featuring two large circles on the top wing, his
aircraft also included King of Diamonds playing cards on the top of the
lower wings, the badge of the Canadian Expeditionary Force carried
behind the cockpit and a striking red and white ‘rising sun’ on the tail
and elevators – there can be no doubting that Flight Lieutenant
Breadner wanted his German opponents to see him coming.
Corgi’s all-new WWI 1914-1918 Centenary Series banner
Joining No.3 Squadron RNAS in 1917, Breadner initially flew the Sopwith
Pup scout, in which he managed to score seven aerial victories, one of
which was a mighty German Gotha bomber on April 23rd, 1917, the first
time a British fighter had brought down one of these behemoth’s over the
Western Front.
When his unit converted to the new Sopwith Camel, he went on to score a
further three victories during September 1917, all of which were against
Luftstreitkrafte Albatros D.V fighters. Surviving the war, Breadner
became Air Officer Commanding-in Chief RCAF Overseas during WWII and on
his retirement, was promoted to Air Chief Marshal – the first Canadian
to hold this rank.
