Please note that we have no hand in either the production nor the distribution of the products we sell. While we may offer advice to several of the model makers we work with so that they have a better understanding of what our clientele may be requesting, our affiliation goes no further and we have no financial stake in any of the companies we deal with. Moreover, anticipated dates of delivery are just that — anticipated. Release dates are subject to change and can oftentimes lag far behind the original intended date of release projected by either the manufacturer or distributor. Vagaries in the supply chain can and, on many occasions, slow the arrival of shipments by lengthy periods of time.
In summation, the companies we work with are relatively small as compared with far larger corporations in the toy industry yet are looking to serve a global if niche marketplace that continues to grow both here and abroad. So, while product may show up in eastern and southern Asia where many of these manufacturers are located, it may and oftentimes can take longer before said product makes it to our shores and is then available for general sale. As a result, it may take us several months (and in certain cases years) before we can fill a pre-order. Please bear this in mind if you have your heart set on a newly introduced item and choose to pay us up front for an order using debit payments such as PayPal or AmazonPay.
Looking to kick things off for 2025, Corgi showed off a wide range of upcoming products that are due out in the first half of 2025. Rather than attempting to steal the spotlight and keep everyone at bay for hours on end, we thought you might like to watch their user-created video which covers everything in the hopper from this prolific manufacturer. Enjoy!
Even though its still several months away from lifting off for the diecast skies, Hobby Master showed off images of its upcoming Northrop YF-20 Air Dominance Fighter. Meant to portray the so-called “Gray Ghost”, their inaugural replica is based upon Prototype Air Vehicle 2 (PAV-2), which underwent rigorous analysis and fly-offs against the YF-22 by the 412th Test Wing, based out of Edwards Air Force Base in California during 1990. While the first set of images do not reflect the aircraft’s markings and insignia, it does give everyone a sense of the fit and finish that is lovingly going into the product.
The second YF-20, perhaps due out by year’s end, will almost certainly be based on the PAV-1 test aircraft, and its a good bet that the third model, likely due out in early 2026, will be based on a notional aircraft flown by the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. Amazingly, the YF-20 is still being considered by the Japanese as a viable fifth-generation aircraft bereft of certain cutting edge avionics and other super-secretive developments to keep them out of the hands of certain adversaries and even a few allies.
Thus far, the YF-20 loos superb, with no unseemly joins, heavy-handed panel lines, or noticeable differences between the replica and the aircraft it portrays. Once the markings and insignia get applied, the YF-20 will likely become the de facto winner in the annual modelmaking awards.
At this year’s Consumer Electronic Show (CES) held in Las Vegas last week, Meta (a.k.a. Facebook) indicated that they had struck an agreement with eBay to host their listings on its Facebook Marketplace. Here’s a brief synopsis of the announcement.
“Shares of eBay closed up 9% on Wednesday as Meta said it will allow some listings to show up on Facebook Marketplace, its popular platform connecting consumers for local item pickups and more.
EBay stock reached its highest level since November 2021.
The rollout will begin with a test in Germany, France and the United States, where buyers will be able to view listings directly on Marketplace and complete the rest of their transactions on eBay, Meta said in a release.
The partnership could provide a boost to eBay’s marketplace business, which has struggled to compete with e-commerce rivals like Amazon, Walmart, Temu and even Facebook’s own marketplace platform that lets users buy and sell items.
EBay has recently embraced niche categories like collectibles and luxury goods to try and keep buyers and sellers returning to its site. CEO Jamie Iannone told CNBC in an October interview that shoppers were coming to the site, known for its used and refurbished goods, as they sought out discounts amid a rocky macroeconomic environment.
Meta’s move is an attempt to appease the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, after the regulator fined the company 797 million euros ($821 million) in November for tying its Marketplace product to the main Facebook app.”
Curiously its not clear when this arrangement will take effect, whether or not eBay will share part of its commission with Meta and which listings will be shown on Meta’s far-reaching platform. Thus far, we are awaiting information from both companies concerning further details that will undoubtedly impact our business. According to the announcement, a test phase will be introduced that will enable buyers from the US, Germany and France to be able to view and purchase our products, although its not clear if special overseas shipping rates will be integrated into the system. We are assuming that parcels bound for international destinations will first be sent to eBay and then on to the customer. Its highly doubtful that anything will be sent to Meta. Moreover, arbitration and returns will likely be handled by eBay should a problem develop and messaging between the parties will almost certainly be handled through eBay rather than have Meta get involved.
With the announcement, rumors began circulating online that Meta was interested in purchasing eBay outright as a means of keeping up with certain dominant players in the e-commerce sector. If so, this would have a dramatic impact on the reach and selling capabilities Facebook has long sought to bring to its platform. It would also create a viable revenue stream that made use of both Instagram and What’s App in increasing their overall appeal, reach and marketing power.
Looking to maintain its place in today’s headlines, the Chinese PLAAF recently showed a video of its Xi’an H-20 stealth bomber. Resembling both the USAF’s B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider stealth bomber, rumors concerning its development have persisted for several years, although it wasn’t until this past weekend that actual footage surfaced of the aircraft’s maiden flight.
According to The War Zone, “The U.S. military says it still does not expect China’s long-awaited H-20 bomber to make its “debut” – unclear if this means its entrance into operational service or just its emergence publicly – until sometime in the next decade. Earlier this year, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) deputy commander was quoted as saying the unveiling of the aircraft, at least, would be coming “soon.” There have been reports for years now that the bomber, expected to be a stealthy flying wing design broadly reminiscent externally of the U.S. B-2 Spirit, could be about to break cover.
“A general assessment of the state of the H-20 bomber program is included in the U.S. military’s latest annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments. The Pentagon released an unclassified version of the report today, which also says that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is still developing a stealthy medium-ranged bomber referred to in the past as the JH-XX.
“The PLAAF is seeking to extend its power projection capability with the development of a new H-20 stealth strategic bomber, with official PRC state media stating that this new stealth bomber will have a nuclear mission in addition to filling conventional roles,” the report states. “The PLAAF is developing new medium- and long-range stealth bombers to strike regional and global targets.”
“The PRC is developing a new generation of long-range bombers, likely named the H-20. The H-20, which may debut sometime in the next decade, will have a range of more than 10,000 km [nearly 6,214 miles], enabling the PLAAF to cover the Second Island Chain and into the western region of the Pacific,” another section of the report says. “The H-20 bomber’s range could be extended to cover the globe with aerial refueling. It is expected to employ conventional and nuclear weaponry and feature a stealthy design.”
The Second Island Chain mentioned here refers to an area of the Pacific to the west of a boundary stretching between Japan and eastern Indonesia and includes the U.S. territory of Guam. The remarks here about the H-20 are also largely identical to what the Pentagon included in its China report last year.”
Most analysts agree that the unveiling of both the H-20 bomber and several smaller sixth generation aircraft are designed to strike fear in the hearts of their adversaries even though it isn’t clear if any of these new aircraft measure up to their western counterparts. Still, it does demonstrate progress on multiple fronts should a cold war turn hot in the mid 2020s.
With President-Elect Trump set to take office later this month, its unclear how his assumption of power will affect certain segments of the business world that currently import products from China. As part of his electioneering and political campaign, Trump had repeatedly promised to place a tariff on certain countries that he believes take advantage of the United States. China is one such country Trump has targeted, claiming they are ripping off our intellectual properties and underselling US-based companies for years on end.
Many of the companies that we do business with are located in mainland China so it doesn’t take a genius to realize that said companies will undoubtedly be adversely affected by tariffs. Many companies could see as much as a 60% charge levied against them unless the Chinese government decides to play ball with the US. Other companies we do business with are located in Bangladesh and Mexico so its unclear if these companies will be affected by tariffs or by how much.
One of our distributors has already indicated that they will be passing along any additional charges they may incur to their clientele until the tariffs have either been scaled back or removed entirely. If this occurs, we will make an announcement indicating that the pre-order price for such-and-such line will be increased, then pass along these costs to our own clientele in line with the revised MAP. We’re sorry to have to make this announcement and/or increase the price for certain lines but hope you understand that we play no role in these potential cost increases which could take effect later this month.
While the US Air Force has temporarily put the kabash on its NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) program due largely to escalating costs and its exploration of potential alternatives, it appears as if the PRC has forged ahead and revealed not one but two new sixth generation fighter aircraft currently in development. The War Zone has posted grainy images of a crewed tailless fighter that boasts rounded-edge characteristics typical of a stealthy design, what could be a tandem pilot seating configuration as well as internal storage bays. The Chengdu J-36as its being called, could be more of a strike aircraft than a true air dominance fighter, designed to attack long distance targets such as Guam or at-sea naval assets.
Speculation has it that this new build boasts not two but three power plants, suggesting it is being designed with long-range capabilities in mind and the ability to return to its point of origin should one or even two engines fail mid flight. Some have even postulated that a tri-engine configuration is being incorporated into the air frame for power generation should the manufacturer field an energy-based weapon. Energy-based weapons such as lasers would require a huge amount of power to fire at short-range targets if a dogfight ensued. While this conclusion has merit, its not clear if the Chinese have advanced to the point where they can successfully incorporate an energy-based weapon on board a relatively smallish airborne platform such as a sixth generation aircraft.
Meanwhile, a slightly smaller second jet, currently being designated as the Shenyang J-50, has been spotted flying over a different test facility that may be a true air dominance fighter planned to operate much closer to shore and with less stores. As the War Zone reports, “According to unconfirmed accounts, the second combat aircraft design is from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), while the first, larger design is from the rival Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC).”
Neither aircraft has an official designation as yet much less a NATO reporting name, largely because they have both been revealed to the public and defense officials in a rather surprising fashion. Needless to say both will be studied by think tanks and defense analysts around the world to determine their ultimate capabilities relative to current front line aircraft. And, as you might expect, the Internet is abuzz with speculation, so it remains to be seen what the Pentagon makes of these stunning developments and how they could impact a shooting war over the Straits of Taiwan.
It remains to be seen how far along both aircraft have progressed during their testing phases, any changes that may need to be incorporated into the prototype aircraft to overcome any perceived deficiencies and when the PRC feels it can push them along into the production phase whether or not they are completely ready for combat operations. The PRC has stated categorically that it plans to take back Taiwan by no later than 2027, by force if necessary, so these two new aircraft could play a pivotal role in the conduct of air-to-air combat operations over the island nation.
Back in late November, the National Interest published an intriguing article on the so-called “White Emperor” (Baidi), a supposed sixth generation fighter that was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow, developed by state-owned AVIC. While not fully functional, the sleek-looking mock up was characterized as an integrated space-air fighter, reportedly designed to feature supersonic capabilities that enable it to break through the Earth’s atmosphere for space operation. The National Interest went on to state that “China’s sixth-generation fighter was allegedly developed as a platform that optimizes stealth, combat agility, and fast speeds. While detailed specs and capabilities remain highly classified, published images and video footage of the jet showcase sleek, angular designs that emphasize stealth. Specifically, the cockpit canopy features a dark, multi-faceted design which will likely help minimize the aircraft’s reflective signatures.”
When taken in the aggregate, this means that three sixth generation aircraft are currently being developed by mainland China – two tailless and a third boasting a splayed vertical stabilizer configuration – all with the purpose of taking the PLAAF well beyond its current capabilities should a confrontation with the West occur in the not-too-distant future. Personally, I find it curious that the PRC would decide to trot out both of the latest aircraft during daytime hours for all the world to see and on the birth date of former premier, Mao Tse Tung, thereby giving the roll out added significance. That said, it remains to be seen if all three aircraft live up to their billing and whether or not the Chinese can build them in sufficient numbers that would have a telling effect in a shooting war.
When we heard that Panzerkampf had sold through its initial batch of MiG’s we couldn’t believe our ears. Surely a product as successful as the “Farmer-C” was going to be followed up by a new batch of product or, at the very least, even more models that would dazzle the hobby and satisfy the retail trade.
Well, it looks as if our prayers have been answered. According to our distributor, three new models are on the horizon, all expected to hit the streets some time in March. Bear in mind, the upcoming MiG-19PM, better known by the NATO reporting name of “Farmer-E” is a bit different than the original MiG-19S or “Farmer-C” in a very important way. The PM variant had its cannons removed entirely, a bit of a bummer if you like close-in dogfighting, which was typified by air-to-air combat in the Korean conflict. The PM is, however, armed with four Kaliningrad K-5M (NATO: AA-1 “Alkali”)beam-riding missiles, one of the earliest attempts at taking down adversarial aircraft by other means than the traditional gun or cannon.
Beam-riding, also known as Line-Of-Sight Beam Riding (LOSBR), beam guidance or radar beam riding is a technique of directing a missile to its target by means of radar or a laser beam. The name refers to the way the missile flies down the guidance beam, which is aimed at the target. It is one of the simplest guidance systems and was widely used on early missile systems, however it had a number of disadvantages for long-range targeting and is now found typically only in short-range roles. This version of the MiG-19 entered production in 1957.
Look for all three versions to beam in this March.
You can’t accuse Militaria Diecast of resting on their laurels. Just a scant few weeks after announcing and shipping out several new 1:43 scale military vehicles comes news that a further five vehicles are in stock and winging their way to their retail network. All five are priced at just $29.99 apiece, so when you consider the size of some of these new introductions, such as the all-new GMC truck with a communications shelter (shown above), their heft and diecast construction, that represents awesome value for the buck.
We’ve placed our initial order with our distributor so the quintet should be in stock and ready for outbound shipment to our customers by the end of next week. Barring any logistical issues, that means they can still make it under the tree in time for Christmas.
Earlier today we were surprised to see that Dragon will be bringing back an old favorite from the diecast graveyard. Marketed under their Cyber Hobby sub brand, DRR63281 is a departure of sorts for this model maker, since it resurrects one of their most popular Dragon Armor subjects that was originally released way back in 2005.
For those of you unfamiliar with this release, it contains a 1:72 scale King Tiger heavy tank that sits atop a circular display plinth which simply says DRAGON across the rim. Additionally, there are seven Fallschirmjager figures in varying poses that can be placed atop the tank to signify that they are being transported into battle. “Yellow 222”, as we’ve come to call it, was a German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank that was attached to schwere Panzerabteilung 501 — an integral part of the “Wacht am Rhein” operation — better known as the Battle of the Bulge Ardennes counteroffensive of December 1944.
For now, we will hold off listing this item on our web site since we aren’t certain if our distributor will be able to obtain this item and in any significant numbers. Moreover, we aren’t able to ascertain its price just yet, considering the vehicles comes bundled with a handsome display base and several pre-painted figures. The original set is listed on our site for $149.99 so its a fair bet this new iteration will retail for quite a bit more.
Finally, we aren’t sure if Dragon plans on re-releasing more previously available dioramas in the near- and long-term and how they will come packaged. Its clear they are trying to differentiate this new set from its predecessor by changing up the base and will more than likely alter the outer packaging to further distinguish the past from the present. Beyond that, we aren’t sure where this line will take us or the hobby down the road and how it will impact the prices of their former releases. As a guess, their next set of releases will involve the King Tiger heavy tank – likely produced in both Ausf. A and B variants — painted in a wide variety of schemes and attached to a great many heavy tank detachments that appeared on both the eastern and western fronts. So, don’t get your hopes dashed if the first few offerings aren’t your cup of tea since there will quite likely a lot scheduled for release on the horizon.
Astute customers may have noticed that our checkout process has changed dramatically over the past couple of weeks thanks in part to an update rolled out by our web hosting solution as well as some follow-up calls from yours truly explaining why the update broke some important features, most notably shipping. In any event, after spending some time on the phone with various technicians, the shipping options are now integrated into one drop down menu and includes all three major carriers we use along with different delivery options.
In hindsight, I’ve learned a long time ago that while technicians are great at performing functions such as rolling out highly technical updates, they need to be reminded of the fact that certain commercially important factors — such as making available differing shipping options — need to be present at checkout, particularly at this time of year when some customers may need to receive their parcels in quicker fashion to avoid holiday-related delays.
Now, on to a separate matter that has mushroomed over the past year or so. We’ve decided that after twenty-five years of doing business in the ether we can no longer accept pre-orders without accepting payment first. In the past, we typically had to contact the customer to obtain their billing information so that we could obtain a new authorization code, which then allowed us to get paid for the transaction. We’ve found that sometimes the customer was unwilling to provide their CC information either by phone or via messaging protocol, so we were, in effect, stuck with laying out money for an item(s) without getting paid. Now, I can understand a customer’s trepidation with giving out their information outside of a secure means of payment but from our vantage point, this issue was becoming problematic and was no longer sustainable from a financial standpoint. So, going forward, customers will be billed at the time their order is being placed not upon the date it is being shipped out. We recognize this could be an issue for some but hope you also understand that we can no longer lay out money for a customer in the hopeful event that we will one day get paid for the transaction. Other dealers may feel differently, so we fully understand if you can no longer place your pre-orders with us.
