April 2013 – The Motor Pool

PayPal Express

Yesterday, we completed our integration with PayPal so that we can now offer PayPal Express. Now, shoppers who choose to pay via PayPal will never leave our site for payment, as PayPal Express provides a much smoother customer checkout process. The payment process is a little bit different than before. Now, when you have finished placing items in your shopping cart, click on the yellow ‘Check Out with PayPal’ button located at the bottom of the checkout page instead of moving on to our standard payment page (see accompanying image). Should you have any questions, feel free to call us and we will walk you through the new procedure.

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The Internet Sales Tax: Will it Affect You?

If, as many believe, the proposed “Internet Sales Tax” passes both houses of Congress some time in May, shoppers may have to pay an additional fee for purchasing products online. While this is certainly an inconvenience and affects customers even in “zero sales tax” states, there is a a silver lining to the law. Vendors who rack up sales of less than $1,000,000 per year are purportedly exempt from the ruling, while those doing more must collect the new sales tax. While we’re successful, having been at this for 13 years, our annual sales do not meet this sales tax threshold, meaning we would not have to collect sales tax for anyone residing outside of New York, where we are located. Other similar retailers may not be so fortunate depending upon their sales volume, so it may pay to check around before you buy if you’re looking to save some hard earned coin.

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Hobby Master Avoids Any FAA Entanglements

Sidestepping the government-enforced furloughs currently affecting the FAA, Hobby Master has managed to land several new aircraft as part of their April release schedule. Two sharp-looking 1:72 scale jets taxied up to The Motor Pool’s arrivals gate, including a USAF Republic F-105D Thunderchief, nicknamed “The Polish Glider” (HA2510), which was attached to the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, then deployed to Takhli, Thailand, during 1970, and a Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18B Hornet strike fighter (HA3531), attached to the Aussie’s 3 Squadron, then deployed to RAAF Base Williamtown, during 2006.

Also disembarking its passengers is a 1:48 scale rendition of a USMC Chance-Vought F4U-1A Corsair Fighter that was attached to VMF-111 “Devil Dogs,” then deployed to the Gilbert Islands during 1944. More new warbirds are expected later this month.

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The April Forces of Valor Cache is on the Way!

Unimax, the makers of the wildly popular Forces of Valor line, has confirmed reports that their April batch of diecast goodies are headed our way. Several important show stoppers are part of the shipment, including a 1:72 scale look at “Duke” Cunningham’s “Showtime 100” F-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber (#UNI85021), a 1:700 scale representation of the HMS Ark Royal aircraft carrier — complete with twenty-four (24) aircraft — (#UNI86007), and a 1:32 scale examination of famed ace, Otto Carius, and his Jagdtiger heavy tank destroyer (#UNI80078).

Lots of other products are joining the military parade and we expect to take delivery early next week.

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We're Headed Off for an Oxford Education

We’ve had great success with Oxford’s 1:72 scale line of diecast military aircraft, so it makes sense for us to dig a little deeper and offer their accompanying range of diecast military vehicles. Crafted in 1:76 scale, which is a smidgeon smaller than a traditional 1:72 scale vehicle, the Oxford military vehicle range offers loads of options for the discriminating collector, again designed to help build your war museum on a shoestring budget.

Most of the vehicles are priced less than $20, with several contenders weighing in at just $7, providing good value and choices not previously available to the military enthusiast. The first wave of sixteen soft skinned vehicles are expected to storm the beaches some time in June.

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We’re Headed Off for an Oxford Education

We’ve had great success with Oxford’s 1:72 scale line of diecast military aircraft, so it makes sense for us to dig a little deeper and offer their accompanying range of diecast military vehicles. Crafted in 1:76 scale, which is a smidgeon smaller than a traditional 1:72 scale vehicle, the Oxford military vehicle range offers loads of options for the discriminating collector, again designed to help build your war museum on a shoestring budget.

Most of the vehicles are priced less than $20, with several contenders weighing in at just $7, providing good value and choices not previously available to the military enthusiast. The first wave of sixteen soft skinned vehicles are expected to storm the beaches some time in June.

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Unimax Puts the Bravo Back in Bravo Team

When Unimax decided to discontinue their highly successful Bravo Team line of 1:18 scale plastic vehicles and figures back in 2012, we were stymied The range sold well, and was the perfect entree for younger enthusiasts to get their hands on something big and beefy in the military arena. Fortunately, Unimax has done an about face and plans to relaunch the line beginning in May. The same WWII era vehicles previously available are being reintroduced, along with two separate figure packs — one German and one American — with each figure boasting 18 points of articulation and loads of weaponry. Keep in mind shipping costs have gone up considerably over the past twelve months, so the best way to ship these vehicles across the Continental US is with UPS Ground service. For collectors living outside the US, well, get ready to fork over some hefty dough in order to take delivery.

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Disney: New Star Wars Movie Each and Every Summer

According to a recent press release put out by Disney, plans call for the filmmaker to release a new full-length, feature film that takes place within the Star Wars universe each summer beginning in 2015. The plan is to create a trio of sequel films to be released every other year that serve as a continuation of the space opera as we know it. Interspersed every other year within this scheme will be a new generation of one-off films that will remain true to the original Star Wars universe but take place at differing periods and perhaps introduce a bevy of new characters that fit within the tale.

Seeing as how there will likely be an avalanche of new Star Wars related memorabilia due out to coincide with the movies releases, our intent is to carry the more adult-themed collectibles, such as limited edition diecast ships and ground vehicles, or the occasional figure, rather than the burgeoning toy line likely to be made available to the big box stores. We hope to have more concrete information available when the lineup of manufacturers and their plans becomes more certain.

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Hobby Master Pays Tribute to Boston

In a roundabout fashion, Hobby Master is paying tribute to the city of Boston with its upcoming Douglas Boston Mk. IV light attack bomber (HA4202). Portraying a bomber that was attached to the RAF’s 18th Squadron deployed to Italy during late 1944-early 1945, the Boston is actually a derivative of the Douglas A-20 Havoc, which was originally built and intended for use with the French Air Force prior to their capitulation in 1940. The RAF agreed to take up the balance of the now-frustrated French order which was diverted to the UK, and the bombers were given the service name “Boston” with the further designation of “Mark I” or “Mark II” according to the earlier or later engine type. Look for the Boston to fly into history some time in August.

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Corgi Harkens Back to World War I

There was a time when Corgi was pumping out scale WWI aircraft faster than you could shake a stick at. That was then and this is now. For 2013, it looks like only one WWI-era biplane is on the docket – a German Fokker D VII Fighter that was piloted by Oblt Erich Lowenhardt, then deployed to Puisieux-Ferme, during August 1918 (#AA38905). A squadron of these beauties are on their way to us, which will likely get snapped up the moment they land. If you were thinking about purchasing one of these ageless beauties, now would be as good a time as any to lock in your order.

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