We will be closed for business from May 24th until May 31st. During this period, you may freely place orders through our web site, although they will not be addressed until our return on June 1st. Moreover, any product inquiries or order updates will be responded to upon our return.
Our marketplace sites on Amazon and Walmart will be temporarily shuttered in compliance with their selling guidelines although our marketplace on eBay will be open and operational albeit with the understanding that any orders received will be shipped out upon our return, again in compliance with their venue-specific selling guidelines. As always, we thank you for your patronage and look forward to delivering the highest quality products and service possible. Enjoy the summer!
Note: Unlike previous trips out west, the purpose of this hastily put-together jaunt is to scout out both a new location for our business as well as a new home in the northern Dallas suburbs, perhaps in McKinney, Denton or Plano. Upon our return, we will then provide everyone with an anticipated timeline as to when our move will occur based, primarily, on how quickly the builder can complete our new home. By moving to Texas we will be much closer to our support network as well as the UT Southwest Medical campus, where my wife can continue to receive further treatment for her medical condition. Wish us luck!
To borrow a phrase my late mother-in-law oftentimes used when she felt as if a family gathering had run its course, Air Force 1 seems intent to produce the first diecast replica of a Chengdu J-36 Air Dominance Fighter. You may remember that the actual prototype was flown for the first time on December 26th, so getting a model of the aircraft out the door in such a short time frame is no mean feat even for the best of engineers. Interestingly, they are calling this first 1:144 scale offering a stealth drone, even though its clear from these images that the aircraft will be manned and quite possibly carry a crew of two, if the aircraft is intended to carry out long-range strike missions as some hypothesize or work in conjunction with multiple collaborative combat aircraft.
Nevertheless, we’ve passed along this information to our distributor and they are currently working on getting information about this product along with any buzz surrounding an even larger 1:72 scale version. Its also a good bet that this same manufacturer is working on developing scale versions of the Shenyang J-50 Strike Aircraft as well as the AVIC White Emperor Air Dominance Fighter. Air Force 1 is headquartered in China, so even if preliminary information is available, we don’t know if these products will be offered at an affordable price to make it worth the while of importing. Stay tuned…
Thus far, no official SKU designation has been assigned to the prototype model, nor has pricing, background information and a release date been discussed. Still, its refreshing to see Hobby Master building new models again when it seemed as if they were content to re-hash existing molds. While the J-16 may not be as sexy as say a US-built F-47 stealth fighter or some of the classified US Air Force projects still under wraps, it represents an important step in fleshing out all of the aircraft currently in service with the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force. We will have further information regarding the J-16’s inaugural model when Hobby Master provides additional details.
“We’re doing an upgrade, a simple upgrade, but we’re also doing an F-55. I’m going to call it an F-55, and that’s going to be a substantial upgrade, but it’s going to be also with two engines because the F-35 has a single engine. I don’t like single engines.”– President Donald Trump, May 16th, 2025
It pays to stay current whenever President Donald Trump speaks to the media because you never know what you’re going to get. At a press conference held earlier this week in Qatar, Trump said he welcomes the idea of developing and potentially funding a twin-engine F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which he has dubbed the F-55. Essentially, the F-55 would combine the best attributes of the Lockheed F-22 Raptor Air Dominance Fighter with the technological advancements put forward by the F-35 Lightning II, thereby giving it more muscle and a more reliable power plant should a conflict erupt over the vast Pacific Ocean. Frankly, the idea isn’t as far-fetched as some might claim, considering how the US Navy has long advocated for an aircraft equipped with two engines over one, an important consideration when landing areas are few and far between should the aircraft have to put down in an emergency. Moreover, Lockheed, which recently lost out to Boeing in the NGAD competition, claims an F-55 would be far cheaper to produce than Boeing’s F-45 Air Dominance Fighter, which is equally important when you take into account how many different Air Force projects are currently in the works. Its not clear if an F-55 would perform as well as the F-45 the Air Force is currently betting on, but sometimes funding issues are just as significant as performance when it comes to bringing a new aircraft to fruition. For more information on what Trump shared, visit The War Zone.
No stranger to the world of rotary-wing aircraft, Panzerkampf announced this week their intent to model the ubiquitous CH-53 Sea Stallion heavy lift helicopter. Five versions are to be offered according to the Company’s Facebook page, meaning there’s lots to choose from when they take on the diecast community later this year. Because Panzerkampf is headquartered in China, its not clear when these models will actually make it to our shores given the uncertainty swirling around the administration’s tariff policy. Should things change, we will update our web site accordingly.
Earlier today, Corgi revealed their May-August Aviation Archive lineup of new aircraft models. Leaning heavily on the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain along with the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe, four of the six new introductions are tied to the pivotal days of the war over England, while the remaining two offerings represent a pair of “heavies” that pay tribute to both the US and UK bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe. We’ve added all six new aircraft to our Corgi Aviation Archive section and are now accepting pre-orders for the entire batch.
In a related story, Corgi also provided a development update on their soon-to-be released Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse destroyer. The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse (Hornet) is a heavy fighter and Schnellbomber (“Fast Bomber” in English) designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt. It was flown by the Luftwaffe during the latter half of the Second World War. Work began on producing a successor to the Bf 110 in 1937, however, the resulting Me 210 proved to be unsatisfactory, leading to production being halted in April 1942. Various options were considered, including the ambitious Me 310 derivative. Officials favored an incremental improvement which was represented by the Me 410. Although visually similar to the preceding Me 210, and was sharing sufficient design similarities that incomplete Me 210s could be converted into Me 410s, there were key differences between the two aircraft. Chiefly, the Me 410 was powered by larger Daimler-Benz DB 603 engines, had a lengthened fuselage, and automatic leading edge slats. The Me 410 is widely regarded as the best heavy fighter produced for the Luftwaffe.
While no pricing information was discussed nor a particular subject indicated, we anticipate taking delivery on their latest addition to the Aviation Archive before the year is out, unless tariffs prevent it from being sold on an economical basis.
We’re on the cusp of knowing if the Trump administration plans on following through with its proposed tariffs set to be imposed on May 2nd. As you are no doubt aware by now, we have no idea where we stand with certain manufacturers, particularly those located in China, where the bulk of hobby-related products are still made. What is clear is that many of these companies will not be able to ship their products to the US if the proposed 145% tariff is, in fact, imposed as many fear. Faced with rising inflation costs, the consumer will tolerate only so much before moving on and purchase other items. Supposedly, the Trump administration is in talks with China over the tariff issue, but even if some sort of lesser tariff is agreed upon its unlikely companies will still be able to import their products into our country and hope to turn a profit, or have their products available for the holidays. Part of the problem has to do with neither side wanting to back down first and be perceived as caving to the demands of the other party. This “Blink-manship”, as I like to call it, will end up hurting both countries, ensnaring innocents on both sides until a fair and adequate resolution can be reached. Some have even referred to the stand-off as the first shots in a Sino-Taiwanese War, which many believe will eventually occur some time in the not-too-distant future.
For now, we’ve grouped the affected companies and their products into our web site’s October 2025 Upcoming Release section. Should anything change we will, of course, update this section and attempt to provide the most accurate information possible to our clientele to keep you informed and up-to-date so you can plan your purchases. We recognize that this isn’t the best course of action given the level of uncertainty permeating the market but its all we can currently do given our own situation. In the meantime, we are asking that you refrain from asking us about the expected arrival dates of these products since we simply have no idea about their fate. And, as a cautionary move, we believe that many of the products we do have in stock may see their prices rise as demand remains strong and supplies begin to dwindle. Food for thought if you have your eye set on anything marked as being in stock.
While the suspension will no doubt come as a shock to some buyers who routinely like to purchase items from Hong Kong sellers because of cheaper prices than their US counterparts, it will almost certainly harm Chinese sellers too who rely upon the service to get their products into the hands of US buyers. Needless to say savvy sellers will find ways around this obstruction such as first shipping their wares to Singapore and then on to the US, but the added cost of trans shipping may be enough to discourage their US customers from making further purchasing moves.
Earlier this month, Calibre Wings finally announced the pre-order price for their upcoming 1:72 scale Convair B-58 Hustler bomber. Decked out in a shiny metal finish and packed in a handsome wooden display case with all sorts of accoutrements, the B-58 was one of those oft-mentioned projects that seemed to take forever to finally come to fruition. Fortunately it has and now the manufacturer reports that they have completely sold out of the 1,000-piece production run scheduled to hit the streets shortly. We had hoped to stock this item, but weren’t sure if we could lay our hands on any of the pieces based upon the current tariff situation that seems to be permeating every facet of our business.
Calibre has officially said that they plan to make other schemes for the B-58, so if you weren’t able to nab one of these specimens from the first run take heart because other versions aren’t far behind. And, in the mean time, we’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Calibre Wings for not only having the chutzpah to make a model of this nature but to sell it out within weeks of it being announced. Bravo!
Update: A bit of good news for fans of Calibre Wings. We heard back from the Company on Tuesday morning, April 22nd. Turns out they are holding four (4) pieces of the B-58 Hustler for us. Our wholesale cost is right around the previously announced retail price so we’ve had to list it for quite a bit more to reflect our cost and overseas shipping charges which is significant considering that the model is packed in a heavy wooden box. Due to the cost and weight of this item, we will only be accepting domestic orders within the Continental US. Sorry, no shipments will be made to either Hawaii, Alaska or any US territory.
Needless to say, based upon heavy popular demand, we will list and offer the second version of the B-58 once information has been disseminated. A second variant is likely due some time in 2026.
Earlier this week, we heard from our principal distributor who stocks several key lines, among them the Hobby Master range of diecast military products. Hobby Master, as it turns out, is made in Bangladesh, which isn’t subjected to the same abnormally high tariffs the Trump administration plans to impose upon China in early May. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that Bangladesh has dodged a bullet — far from it. According to the latest tariff plans, Bangladesh will be subject to a 37% tariff, making any products we import from the country exceedingly expensive.
According to our distributor, both the April and May shipments of Hobby Master products are not subject to the tariffs. However, both the June and July shipments will have a 10% tariff tacked on to their existing prices, meaning we’ve had to adjust the retail prices for said items by approximately the same margin. But here’s where it gets dicey. Shipments that do not clear customs by July 8th will be subjected to the 37% tariff already discussed. As a result, our distributor plans to delay the arrival of both the August and September shipments until such time as the tariff picture comes into greater focus. In other words, if the current crisis is not averted and the tariffs do, in fact, get imposed it’s likely that we could see a pause in shipments from Hobby Master, perhaps indefinitely or at least until everything has been straightened out. Lines such as Corgi, Oxford, JC Wings, Panzerkampf and Dragon will almost certainly face the same dilemma since they are manufactured in the PRC, where the current proposed tariff has been pegged at 145%, making them far too expensive to even consider importing. Politics aside, this is clearly a recipe for disaster for a great many industries, not just ours.
Needless to say, we’re hoping that the current trade war is settled to everyone’s satisfaction in the coming weeks to prevent this scenario from occurring. If it should happen, there’s a good bet that product already in stock will go up in price too, since demand will likely remain strong and supply won’t be able to keep pace. As it stands right now, we have ample supplies of each line but cannot predict our stock situation towards the later part of the year should we experience a run on the brands. The same holds true for virtually every segment of the toy industry, so what you see available on store shelves may become scarce at a later date or see their prices jacked up well beyond the norm. You can bet that manufacturers, distributors and retailers are lobbying the Trump administration to re-consider its stance on tariffs, or at least roll them back to acceptable levels so that the holiday season isn’t a lost cause. Thus far its not clear if the proposed tariffs will have an adverse effect on new product announcements since product will still be manufactured for other regions around the world but perhaps in lesser quantities.
If the trade war does goes on for much longer, additional problems could creep into the overall equation that would almost certainly affect the retail sector. For instance, right about now is when most Asian manufacturers are beginning to produce toys and other related products for the upcoming holiday season. If these manufacturers are forced to wait and delay their manufacture, a situation could occur where our US ports are clogged with an abundance of late shipments, a scenario very reminiscent of what occurred during COVID. So even if the green light is issued to make and ship holiday-related products, it isn’t certain if they’ll make it in time to be of much value. Food for thought in today’s economic climate where events seem to be changing on an almost daily basis.
With the Trump Administration’s April 2nd deadline for imposing tariffs fast approaching, it appears as if several manufacturers and distributors are taking a wait-and-see stance when it comes to importing their goods into the US. Presently its not clear how much of a tariff will be applied to product being imported from such countries as China, one of the principal makers of diecast models, and a longtime target of the current administration. Indeed, one of our distributors has already indicated that they plan to increase prices on several lines that they import from China weeks ahead of the looming deadline. Another has thus far decided to delay the import of several lines for the foreseeable future until the matter has been settled one way or the other. Should the tariffs go into effect next month, its possible that these lines will be held up at the ports for several months until a decision has been reached regarding their cost to consumers.
As it stands right now, it may be a rather dry summer and fall in terms of new product making it to market, or at least until a trade agreement has been reached that satisfies both nations. To date, we’ve had to adjust the prices on new product coming in from Air Force 1, Luft-X, Wings of the Great War and Armor Collection. Other companies — most notably Panzerkampf, Legion, Corgi, Dragon and JC Wings — may soon have to be cost adjusted if the trade negotiations fail and pressure builds to import these lines to prevent them from languishing in limbo. Still other key manufacturers — Hobby Master, among them — are made in Bangladesh, may or may not be affected by tariffs since talk seems to change on a week-by-week basis based upon the mood and climate in Washington. To be fair, the president has said that he is “flexible” regarding the imposition of across-the-boards tariffs but as we all know by now flexibility can have different meanings depending upon who we are talking about and when the conversation takes place. In any event, we hope to have further updates regarding the tariffs and, in so doing, discuss possible delays in receiving certain lines as trade negotiations progress.
