It seems there’s no shortage of documentaries centering on World War II this Memorial Day, the first, WWII with Tom Hanks, set to air later this evening. A second film, World War II: Saving the Reality also popped up on our radar, intriguing to ay the least since it appeals to me both as a military historian and seller of conflict-oriented collectibles.
Narrated by Dan Aykroyd. World War II: Saving the Reality tells the story of an individual who owns the largest private collection of World War II artifacts in the world. Over 50 interviews with veterans and survivors of the war help tell the story of the meaning of the over 7,000 individual items in the collection of Kenneth W. Rendell. Airing on American Public Television.
Ordinarily, we don’t comment on all of the military-themed flicks destined for both the small and large screen unless they are of particular significance to the average enthusiast. In the case of actor, Tom Hanks, he’s agreed to both host and narrate a lengthy 20-part mini series covering the entire scope of the Second World War. Hanks is no stranger to WWII, having produced and starred in a number of pet projects from Greyhound to Saving Private Ryan. He also helped to dedicate the National World War II Museum and played an integral role in the making of the 4-D film Beyond all Boundaries, which has been updated and currently plays in the Solomon Victory Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana.
WWII with Tom Hanks was ordered by The HISTORY® Channel back in 2024 in conjunction with theA+E Factual StudiosTM group and Nutopia. With the 250th anniversary of the formation of the US set for 2026, the series is scheduled to begin airing on Monday, Memorial Day, at 8PM EST. Subsequent episodes are slated to run each Monday thereafter, finishing up some time in October. For more information on the series, you can visit this link.
Update: You can watch the first three episodes of “World War II with Tom Hanks” for free before you need to start paying. Here’s how…
“World War II with Tom Hanks” will be broadcast on the History Channel in the U.S. beginning at 8pm EST. You will need a cable package that includes that channel, but you could sign up for a free trial of YouTube TV and enjoy the show while you can.
Given the first three episodes all drop on Monday, May 25th, you can watch those episodes to get a taste for the docu-series before continuing your viewing via cable.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale Soviet T-34/85 Model 1944 Medium Tank – “White 36”, 55th Guards Tank Brigade, 7th Guards Tank Corps, Berlin, 1945 [Bonus Model V-2 Diesel-Fueled 12-Cylinder Engine]
As we close out the week and the month of May, we learned early this morning that three 1:32 scale armored fighting vehicles are earmarked to make their return. The three vehicles — a Soviet T-34/85, German Jagdtiger and British Firefly — had been released several years ago when Waltersons first burst onto the scene. Since then, stocks have slowly run out, making them exceedingly difficult to find in the marketplace. While the three tanks aren’t exactly new, its refreshing to see that the manufacturer hasn’t given up on the line as some have speculated, perhaps largely due to the Trump tariffs getting nixed by the US Supreme Court.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale British M4A4 Sherman Firefly Mk. Vc Medium Tank – 24th Lancer, 13th/18th Hussars, 8th Armoured Brigade, Normandy, France, 1944 [Bonus Chrysler A57 Multi-Bank Engine]
According to sources, all three vehicles are scheduled to come in this July, and will likely be followed up by some of the other vehicles recently shown at the Beijing Hobby Show that was held back in April. The remaining vehicles — which includes a Kubelwagen, Panzer IV, King Tiger and M26 Pershing — are likely being assembled as we speak and are probably scheduled to hit the streets in late 2026. If you were planning on shelling out big bucks for one of these behemoths you may want to wait a bit so you can snag them at more realistic prices.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Sd. Kfz. 186 Jagdpanzer VI Jagdtiger Heavy Tank Destroyer with Porsche Suspension – Feldwebel Erich Bonike, “Black 314”, 3.Kompanie, schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653, Germany, March 1945 [Bonus Maybach V-12 HL 230 P30 Engine]
Thus far, its not clear when the Company will begin producing new vehicles they have repeatedly alluded to over the last couple for years. The list is too lengthy to post here, so we’ll leave it up to the manufacturer to expound further, hopefully with some good news they can take to the bank.
For years, collectors have been lamenting the fact that they feel as if their voices aren’t being heard when it comes to new aircraft. Frequent the forums and you’ll see there are loads of Aviation Archive enthusiasts who feel let down every time Corgi announces their upcoming releases.
So, to be fair to their critics, Corgi recently indicated that they wanted to hear directly from their fans, and were even taking a poll as to which aircraft should be produced next. What follows is the email Corgi sent out on Monday morning, along with a link to where collectors can provide details behind their decision. Oddly, no polling questions were provided in the link, so we’re assuming that this is still a work in progress.
Our Next Aircraft Subject is Up to You
CORGI collectors, we are asking your thoughts again.We are considering new tooling subjects for Aviation Archive and we want to know what you think.We’ve put together a questionnaire for some of our most important questions. But ultimately, we want to know if our next big idea is something you actually want.The questionnaire will take no longer than 10 minutes to fill out, and to thank you for your time, we’ll send you a 10% discount code upon completion. Be a part of CORGI’s future. Click the link below to get started!
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Sgt. Daniel “Buttons” Cardell, “Julia”, 761st Tank Battalion “Black Panthers”, Task Force Rhine, Germany, 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Even though we are still awaiting information concerning products shown at the recently concluded Beijing Hobby how, we were lucky enough to snag a number of products that had been languishing on the back burner for a lengthy period of time. While they haven’t been added to our New Arrivals section, we decided to include them here, so you can better see what’s back in stock without having to scroll through numerous sections. Bear in mind that Father’s Day is fast approaching, so any Forces of Valor product – on the ground, at sea or in the air – makes an ideal way of putting a smile on dear old dad’s face once he eraps his arms around them.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – 753rd Tank Battalion, Gustav Line, Italy, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Training Vehicle, C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, New York, 1943 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Late Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane and Zimmerit – Panzersturmmorser Kompanie 1002, Berlin, Germany, May 1945 [Bonus Maybach HL230P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]
Forces of Valor’s 1:38 scale USMC Bell AH-1W “Whiskey” Super Cobra Attack Helicopter – “Never Forget”, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 “Stingers”, Camp Pendleton, California, March 2012
Forces of Valor’s 1:799 scale US Navy Enterprise Class Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier – USS Enterprise (CVN-65), Mediterranean Sea, 2001 [Full Hull Version]
Update: Please note that Waltersons has changed the display stand for this item. The aircraft carrier now comes on a wooden base atop metal pillars as shown above.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale US Navy Pennsylvania Class Battleship – USS Arizona (BB-39), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1941 [Full Hull Version]
Update: Please note that Waltersons has changed the display stand for this item. The battleship now comes on a wooden base atop metal pillars as shown above.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Yamato Class Super Battleship – Yamato, Operation Kikusui Ichi-Go, Okinawa, 1945, Okinawa, 1945 [Full Hull Version]
Make no mistake about it, this blog post is a bit of a two steps forwards, one step back approach at defining what makes a good candidate for our expanding product portfolio. For starters, we’ve decided to pull down the latest batch of Leopard 2 main battle tank that Panzerkampf has in the hopper, all of which were scheduled to roll out later this spring. We’ve taken this unusual step largely because we don’t think very many collectors care about a Turkish, Finnish or Swiss Leopard 2 tank, despite their appearance and pedigree. To bring in all six vehicles, requires a large investment in capital, money we believe could be better spent in other areas of our business. While there are far fewer new releases coming out of late, we also believe that financing stillborn projects such as Leopard 2 tanks is a waste of resources and ensures manufacturers make a more well-informed decision as to which subjects they should replicate.
As I have stated previously, our job is to curate each line, bringing in those products we feel we can sell within a prescribed period of time. We are not here to carry EVERYTHING a manufacturer decides to make, and would rather limit our selection than stock an abundance of items that would likely need to be reduced substantially to help clear them out. Likewise, we’ve taken down both of their 1:64 scale M1 Abrams listings not because we already have an ample supply of Abrams but feel as if a $85 price tag for a “smallish” AFV replica is a bit much to swallow.
With that out of the way, we’re happy to report than Panzerkampf has decided to model the German-built Leopard 1 main battle tank, which we see as a better way of both moving the hobby forward, keeping collectors interested in their most recent releases and freeing up dollars for more cogent purchases. According to a Facebook posting, at least four new Leopard 1 tanks are on the drawing board, although images were provided for their inaugural vehicle. We’re pegging them at the customary price of $59.99 apiece, and anticipate taking delivery later this fall.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Vought A-7D Corsair II Attack Aircraft – 70-0970, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1970s
Never one to miss a beat, Hobby Master debuted their lineup for November earlier this week. Of particular note is their Vought A-7 Corsair II attack aircraft, when the mold was acquired from Century Wings just before they announced they were closing up shop. Aircraft of all size and eras were included in the mix, so there should be something for everyone when these warbirds take flight.
Interestingly, two Avenger’s made the cut. We bring this up because many collectors had feared that Hobby Master was giving up on World War II, instead preferring to offer jets from the Cold War on up to the present day. Privately, it remains to be seen if interest is waning in World War II, what with the 25th Anniversary of the Unites States coming up, History Channel’s WWII with Tom Hanks series set to kick off this Memorial Day, and record crowds attending all of the WWII museums located around the nation.
So, without any further ado, here now the rest of the models we plan to bring in for Turkey Day:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAAF North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang Fighter – Captain Leonard “Kit” Carson, “Mildred”, 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, RAF Leiston, England, June 1944
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USAAF North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang Fighter – George Preddy, “Cripes A’Mighty”, 487th Fighter Squadron “Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney”, 352nd Fighter Squadron, RAF Bodney, England, July 1944
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 170106, VMA-311 “Tomcats”, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, 2024 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14B Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – 161435, VF-103 “Jolly Rogers,” NAS Oceana, Virginia, 2002
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC Boeing Harrier II AV-8B Jump Jet – 165427, VMA-223 “Bulldogs”, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, 2025 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo-Bomber – “White 5”, Torpedo Squadron 4 (VT-4), USS Ranger (CV-4), September 1943
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo-Bomber – “The First Avenger”, January 1942
Earlier today, Corgi threw back the curtains on their May-August 2026 releases, bringing back a range that had been dormant for several years running. According to their press briefing and accompanying video, two 1:32 scale WWII warbirds are in the offing, one for the Allies and a second for the Axis. Both represent mounts flown by two high-scoring aces — one in the ETO and the other in North Africa.
Corgi’s 1:32 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 (Trop) Fighter – Hans-Joachim Marseilles, “Yellow 14”, 3/Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, Egypt, September 1942
A number of other aircraft are also in the mix, most notably their third take on the Me 410 heavy fighter. Curiously, no mention was made of either the Commemorative Aircraft Collection they discussed in a previous video post or the Top Gun series they alluded to on Facebook just one day prior. Either no information was available at the time of this video blog or they could be waiting until later in the year to take the wraps off of both series.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Sgt. Daniel “Buttons” Cardell, “Julia”, 761st Tank Battalion “Black Panthers”, Task Force Rhine, Germany, 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
As some companies shutter or slow down production due to an uncertain future, one seems content to keep us guessing as to what’s going on. Recently, at the Beijing Hobby Show, several 1:32 scale subjects were shown for the “first” time — well, lets just say they haven’t been heard from in a very long time. Among them were a King Tiger, Panzer IV Ausf. F1 and Pershing, to say nothing of the illustrious Kubelwagen. When we asked when they were expected and their cost, we got a cold, starry eyed response — if that’s even possible from several thousand miles away and over the Internet.
On the positive side, we did finally receive a price list for their complete collection sans these new entrants. Apparently, some old favorites will be marking their return including “Julia” a heavily requested Sherman tank, along with a handful of previously sold out earlier Shermans. Also expected is a 1:700 scale reproduction of the USS Arizona along with a pair of USS Missouri battleships. The wholesale price for many of their products seems to have also decreased, so we are finally able to reduce the price on much of the Forces of Valor range to reflect these adjustments. Anyway, we’ve placed a re-order with them and hop to have the whole shebang back in stock by the end of May, just in time for Father’s Day.
In the meantime, we will keep pestering Waltersons to determine when the “new old” products, or should that read “old new” products are ready to make their triumphant return. Wish us luck.
In a somewhat curious Facebook post, Corgi intends to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the showing of the feature film, Top Gun, with the announcement that they plan to bring back the classic to the diecast fold. Several years ago, the company produced a series of “fit-to-box” Top Gun models that paid tribute to the Top Gun Maverick film. By announcing their renewed partnership, its not clear if this diminutive range will be brought back or if the manufacturers plans to launch an entirely new lineup that could include much larger 1:72 scale replicas. If so, they could be in for a strong showing, seeing as how a third film in the franchise was just discussed and will likely materialize in either 2027 or the following year.
The manufacturer is supposed to pull back the curtains on their second trimester launches tomorrow, May 15th, so I guess we will have to wait another 24 hours to see what they have in store.Stay tuned.
On the surface, it would appear as if Dragon Models has decided to call it quits in the face of the on-again, off-again Trump tariffs, escalating labor costs and higher oil prices. According to a blog post on Facebook made earlier today, it seems as though they will be shuttering their production facilities and instead offer its intellectual properties as digital downloads that can then be 3-D printed by the end-user. We’re not certain what they plan to charge for this service and whether or not this shift in philosophy and business strategy will be successful.
It was, perhaps, a matter of time before home-based 3-D technology was good enough and cost effective from the consumer’s standpoint before companies such as Dragon pulled up stakes and called it a day. Could other model makers follow suit? Almost certainly, if they feel as if there are enough inexpensive 3-D printers being adopted and whether or not end users feel comfortable printing out a model kit instead of buying one off the shelf. Needless to say, customers who prefer pre-assembled models are in for a rude awakening in the coming years unless there are firms willing to print out, decorate and sell IP-based properties for a decent profit to make it worth their while to shoulder the burden of this type of service. In any event, we’ll keep an eye on this developing story and its impact upon other model makers that we deal with.
Update: On May 18th, the following announcement was posted by Dragon Models:
