Back from Vacation

So, we returned from our semi-regular trip to see one of our daughters for Mother’s Day. While, it was great to see her and her family, it also gives us a breather from the daily chores associated with running an online business that serves the needs of customers worldwide. We pushed out all of the orders we received during our hiatus, addressed several lingering issues that always seem to pop up while we are away, and have started to get back to updating our web site with any news that might have arisen during our time away.

Earlier today, we posted three new Corgi aircraft models expected later this year, which were part of Corgi’s second product announcement made on May 9th. Of note is a new 1:72 scale B-17 Flying Fortress, which always sell well despite their prices rising with each new release. Currently, all three new aircraft are slated for a September fly-in, although this could likely slip or even get moved up depending upon events with the global supply chain, manufacturer-related delays and other factors that seem to regularly occur despite everyone’s best efforts. We also had to increase our pre-order for their upcoming Short Stirling bomber, which has now eclipsed our original forecasts by a substantial margin. While some pundits seem to enjoy taking Corgi to task for any number of reasons, both their twin- and four-engine bombers routinely sell well and with the holidays just around the corner, will likely be in limited supply through the fourth quarter.

Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – 43-37756, “Milk Wagon”, 708th Bombardment Squadron, 447th Bombardment Group, RAF Rattlesden, England, 1945. While the price has once again increased, their B-17s regularly sell out

In other news, the latest spate of DeAgostini 1:43 scale tanks are en route and should be in stock by week’s end. Designed originally as part of a partworks series for Russian consumption, these vehicles do not come with a traditional hard back exterior package, although for the price, they sell well and represent great value. We had also hoped that more of the 1:72 scale World War II aircraft would be returning to stock but alas they seem to have been relegated for a later release. Likewise, their 1:1250 scale Warships series should receive reinforcements some time this summer barring any unforeseen delays.

DeAgostini’s 1:43 British Valentine Mk. III Infantry Tank – “Harry I,” 8th Royal Tank Regiment, Libya, 1941. While it isn’t a Russian tank, per se, the Valentine and other British-built tanks were shipped to the Soviet Union to bolster the Red Army’s own tank production

We are still awaiting news from another distributor to determine if the desert version of the M1070 heavy equipment transporter is still on track for a late May arrival. If it does show up on time, it will likely be accompanied by other Panzerkampf products we’ve had listed in the pre-order section for several months running but have had no updates. Bear in mind that the global supply chain still hasn’t been fully fixed at either the shipping or receiving end, no doubt exacerbated by the current COVID-related lockdown in Shanghai. I know a number of you are getting impatient and awaiting several highly anticipated items to arrive but we have no hand in when they actually hit our shores. And with trans-oceanic shipping costs still well above where they were just two years ago, several distributors are trying to get the greatest bang for the buck possible, by consolidating shipments and using every square inch available in each shipping container before it gets hog tied and placed on a cargo ship.

We’re still waiting on this one. Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Oshkosh M1070 Heavy Equipment Transporter with M1000 Semi-Trailer – Desert Scheme

We’ve received the April Hobby Master shipment albeit without two F/A-18 Hornets (HA3560 and HA3561) that have apparently been delayed and rescheduled to arrive with the May shipment. Several key items were included in the mix among them a pair of 1:72 scale Stuka dive-bombers as well as the latest iteration of their A-10 Warthog, this time around painted in a scintillating blackened veneer. Currently, our distributor does not have a firm idea as to when the May shipment is supposed to show, no doubt affected by the slowdown occurring in China. Frankly speaking, if China does not arrest the problem soon with their so-called “Zero COVID Strategy”, then we are likely looking at a repeat global shipping dilemma where goods are unable to arrive in time for the holiday season.

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale German Junkers Ju-87D-3 Stuka Dive-Bomber – T6+EK, Friedrich Reissner, II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 “Immelmann”, Eastern Front. Break up those tank attacks with their latest dive-bomber

The next Forces of Valor shipment has been pushed back until July. While it contains several back ordered items, such as their inaugural Tiger I tank and second issue Sturmtiger, it will also include a handful of new items, chief among them their second Sherman tank as well as their latest Tiger I. While its not clear if their first ever 1:32 scale model kit will make the cut, the manufacturer did post a video on it to Facebook, hyping its components and relative quality to one of their fully completed vehicles released earlier this year.

According to one of our distributor’s who handles Precision Model Art (PMA), the company’s latest shipment is on track to arrive during May, although you’d never know it by the manufacturer’s web site. For the better part of 2022, the site has displayed next to nothing in the way of useful information, a rather sad state of affairs for a company looking to maintain momentum and keep collectors informed as to what’s going on from their standpoint. Be that as it may, it would appear as if their US 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 will likely come in this month (fingers crossed) and hopefully several items that have been languishing on back order status since the beginning of the year.

PMA’s 1:72 scale US 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 Self-Propelled Gun – “Big Bruiser”, B Battery, 937th Field Artillery Battalion “Arkansas Long Toms”, Korea, 1953. The “Duck and Cover” public service announcements of the 50s and 60s come to mind

The second batch of Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II has been pushed back a month and is now pegged for a June arrival. The vehicles are finished, packed up and loaded onto a container — the problem, as we have already discussed, is the slowdown in China which has affected virtually every outbound shipment headed to America and parts unknown. While the third batch of vehicles is currently being worked on, they too will likely be shunted to the back burner if the current COVID crisis isn’t put in check. As difficult as this news is to hear, the fact remains that we are likely going to be addressing the spread of the Corona virus and its ugly variants well into 2023, which, of course, plays havoc with the release of every type of diecast collectible.

Armored Fighting Vehicles of WWII’s 1:43 scale US M24 Chaffee Light Tank – 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Armored Division, Germany, April 1945. Like the opening of the second front in Europe during WWII, time waits for no man, particularly if they are awaiting the arrival of these fine replicas

That’s about it for now but if anything else comes to mind over the next day or so, I’ll update this blog post and do my best to keep everyone informed as to what’s happening. Peace out.

Oh yeah, the photo. With our upcoming move to Florida, I asked my son-in-law, who is a world class pistol shooter having fired a gun competitively for well over thirty years, to take me to a gun store in Dallas so I could determine which hand gun might suit my needs for home defense. He ended up taking me to Plano, about a thirty minute ride from Dallas proper, which is where RifleGear has now set up shot. Frankly, I was amazed by the selection of hand guns and long guns they had on display, running the gamut from the “Pink Lady” snub nose revolver to $10k Ruger sniper rifles. Even better, they have an indoor shooting range, where you can rent and test out which ever gun you may be interested in purchasing or do an ammo dump with a fully loaded AR-15 assault rifle set to automatic. So, he attached the silhouetted target to the overhead target carrier system, dimmed the lights using the booth’s side-mounted lighting and atmospheric controller, punched in a ten-yard range setting and let me have at it, after first showing me how to handle a firearm. Well, yours truly blasted away for the next fifteen minutes, emptying three clips into the target, and imagining, if you will, an intruder breaking into our newly-built home at one in the morning. My son-in-law was flabbergasted at the results, muttering to himself he better take care of my eldest daughter or else his father-in-law might pay him an unexpected visit in the wee hours of the morning. Anyway, just call me Dead Eye…

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So, we’re back from our week long trip to Dallas to see our children as well as their children (I guess that makes them our grandchildren barring any DNA tests). For the second year running, we got to take two of our grand daughters trick-or-treating through Highland Park and enjoy some well-deserved rest after an up-and-down year that saw the passing of my father-in-law and partner. Now, its back to work and quickly get ready for the all-important fourth quarter rush before contemplating any other down time.

AF-X 1:72 scale US North American X-15A Hypersonic Rocket-Powered Aircraft

Needless to say, we were deluged with orders and messages during our trip, along with lots of new product information that needs to get posted as quickly as humanly possible. Perhaps the most significant update is the launch of a new line of military aircraft from a company called AF-X. Designed along similar lines to both Luft-X and Wings of the Great War, AF-X is looking to fill a gap in the aviation sector by offering loads of experimental aircraft that might not see the light of day by other manufacturers. Constructed of resin and designed to sit atop a multi-poseable base, their first effort looks at the North American X-15A hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft, an iconic experimental plane which took wing in the 1960s and set all sorts of speed and altitude records ahead of the blossoming of the US-led space program.

Interestingly, the X-15A is expected to arrive in November, which shaves quite a bit of time off of the typical pre-order window. On the plus side, the X-15A will run you only $32.99, making it an affordable yet important entry-level aircraft that can also double as a wonderful gift for the holidays.

Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Kerala Class Starship – USS Kerala NCC-1255 [With Collector Magazine]

We’ve got quite a bit of other information to post, just as soon as we knock out all of the in-house orders and take receipt of a rather large Hobby Master shipment currently en route to us. Most importantly, we expect a large array of Eaglemoss made Star-Trek products prior to Thanksgiving, which is certainly welcome news given that we haven’t received anything new from them in several months. We’ll leave the details regarding the delay for another time, although I do want to point out that several items have witnessed a price increase, particularly in the Star Trek Discovery range. We’re still not sure how the resumption of Eaglemoss shipments will shake out and whether there could be a temporary hole in the receipt schedule meaning we could receive them in non-sequential order. We recommend everyone keep a careful eye on our release schedule to better gauge when they can expect to see each new item arrive and take steps accordingly.

That’s it for now. We will post further updates once all of the new products have been added to our site.

Just Call Me Dead Eye!

We’re Back in the Saddle Again