April 2013 – Page 2 – The Motor Pool

MotoGP Gets Off to a Scorching Start in 2013

With the first race of the season now entered in to the record books, the 2013 MotoGP season has gotten off to a quick start with many of the usual suspects rising to the top of the leader board. Its no surprise that perennial favorite, Jorge Lorenzo, sits atop the rankings as the pack heads into Texas this weekend for the Circuit of the Americas race, however, what is unusual is seeing some of the old guard – particularly Valentino Rossi – breathing down his neck in second position. Other notables at the top include Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden, with several newcomers sprinkled in amidst the top, middle and bottom of the rankings.

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Hobby Master Rolls Out the Thunderbolt

If you collect 1:48 scale military aircraft, then you’ll be happy to learn that photos have finally been released for Hobby Master’s upcoming P-47 Thunderbolt (#HA8401). Replicating a “D” model, complete with the perspex bubble canopy, their first Thunderbolt could likely become their most sought after, largely because of who it belongs to – legendary ace, Francis Gabreski. A member of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, Gabreski destroyed 34.5 aircraft in aerial combat over the ETO and was one of only seven U.S. pilots to become an ace in two wars (World War II and the Korean Conflict). Gabreski’s mount is due to take to the skies some time in June.

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The Collectors Showcase Stomps the Competition

Every so often, we get blown away by some of the subjects created for the collecting community. For instance, have a look at The Collectors Showcase upcoming war elephants range, which is intended for use with their Romans: Claudian Invasion series. According to the manufacturer, two versions will be offered – one represents a Claudian mount complete with all the trimmings a Roman Emperor would wear into battle, while the other is a more typical Roman fighting elephant. These and other new introductions are slated to lumber on to the battlefield some time in late May.

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Hobby Master Goes Thru its Pre-Flight Check List

It’s been a while since there was anything to crow about in the 1:72 scale, piston-engine regime, so it’s with great fanfare and a good deal of excitement that we make room for Hobby Master’s first-ever Douglas A-20G Havoc light attack bomber. The Havoc is one of those aircraft that everyone is familiar with but unable to lay their mitts on since they typically take a back seat to some of the more well-known bombers of WWII. That said, Hobby Master’s first A-20 (HA4201) portrays a “G” model that was attached to the 668th Bombardment Squadron, 416th Bombardment Group, and bears the D-Day striped invasion markings on its wings and rear fuselage over a green camouflage scheme. The black-and-white stripes were added to all Allied aircraft just prior to the D-Day invasion to help distinguish them from Axis aircraft and hopefully cut down on fratricide, which became an acute problem during Operation Husky – the invasion of Sicily in mid 1943.

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Dragon Makes a Stunning Return

When stalwarts such as Dragon mysteriously disappear from the scene, you have to wonder if something nefarious is going on without your knowledge. For several months running, this company was announcing an ever growing array of new 1:72 scale armor, all of which never seemed to materialize. Fortunately, this may be changing, with two new pieces due to make their debut later this month. The first up for your consideration is an M10 Ersatz tank destroyer (DRR60529), which was used with great success by German commandos during the Battle of the Bulge winter counteroffensive.

Also expected is their first ever German VK 45.02 (P)V Ausf. A heavy tank (DRR60530), which mounts a curved Porsche turret atop the forward deck of a King Tiger chassis. Other variants are expected in May, all designed to round out some of the so-called ‘Paper Panzers’ that were contemplated but never actually deployed en masse against the Western powers. Both vehicles are part of their newly introduced Ultimate Armor collection, with other oddities due out later this year.

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Unimax 'Flies Like an Eagle'

Pictures are finally circulating for Unimax upcoming 1:72 scale rendition of an F-15E Strike Eagle. Based upon a bird flown by the 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing, out of Mountain Home AFB, Arkansas (#UNI85081), their first-ever Strike Eagle will come with a complete load out of air-to-ground and air-to-air weaponry, and boasts much the same hi-fidelity detail and features that has made its previous F/A-18s and F/A-14s hot amongst the diecast community. Painted in a dull grey low-vis camouflage scheme, look for the Strike Eagle to make a June sortie unless they’re called into action sooner.

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Unimax ‘Flies Like an Eagle’

Pictures are finally circulating for Unimax upcoming 1:72 scale rendition of an F-15E Strike Eagle. Based upon a bird flown by the 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing, out of Mountain Home AFB, Arkansas (#UNI85081), their first-ever Strike Eagle will come with a complete load out of air-to-ground and air-to-air weaponry, and boasts much the same hi-fidelity detail and features that has made its previous F/A-18s and F/A-14s hot amongst the diecast community. Painted in a dull grey low-vis camouflage scheme, look for the Strike Eagle to make a June sortie unless they’re called into action sooner.

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War Master Checks in With Their Latest Creations

Looking to stick to their bi-monthly release schedule, War Master is now showing off their latest batch of 1:72 scale goodies likely expected in June. Three German tanks were revealed on the manufacturer’s site, including a Panzer IV Ausf. G medium tank, Jagdpanzer IV L/70 tank destroyer and Tiger I heavy tank. More importantly, the company unveiled a neat-looking US M4 tractor with towable 155mm ‘Long Tom’ field gun, a nice little addition to anyone’s diecast military vehicle collection.

Also on display were two WWII piston-driven aircraft – a Japanese Ki-61 “Tony” fighter and a US Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, the latter bearing the famous tiger mouth on its fuselage. Affordable and attractively painted and packaged, the War Master range has become a staple among diecast enthusiasts and wargamers. We look forward to seeing even more new items in the months ahead.

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The Wedding on Two Continents

As several of you already know, February was a hectic month for us, since I was unexpectedly asked to attend my eldest daughter’s first wedding held in Nairobi, Kenya. Why Kenya? My son-in-law, a world renown pediatric surgeon, is of Indian descent, with much of his family still residing in eastern Africa. So, the first of two weddings was held on February 15th to honor his parents, family and friends, and required the couple to follow all of the rituals associated with a Hindu wedding. Strange as it may sound, the affair even came complete with a contingent of Masai warriors, who demonstrated their prowess at jumping in place and doing their nation proud.

Having said that, Linda, a soon-to-become trauma surgeon, and her husband are preparing for their second nuptials, which will be held here in New York City later this month. Its a blessed time for all of us here at The Motor Pool, with people from around the world coming in for the event. Needless to say, we’re putting the finishing touches on our end of the festivities, which has taken some time away from our already busy schedule. Frankly, I don’t foresee any problems attending to all of the myriad issues that arise from running an e-commerce-based business, but will certainly let everyone know if anything develops. As always, we thank you for your support and hope you understand if things slow down a bit for us as the wedding nears.

Update: We’re all particularly proud of Linda who just made the front page of the New York Times (April 2nd, 2013). As first author on a published article in a trauma journal, the article was cited in the Times even if Linda’s name was strangely absent. The article was also cited on NPR radio. Well done!

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The Korean Quandry: Could Things Go Hot?

With North Korea continuing to ramp up its rhetoric, the US has both overtly and covertly bolstered its presence in and around the Korean peninsula, with the aim of monitoring the situation and, should things go hot, provide support to its South Korean ally who would bear the brunt of any attack. One such sign of support was the recent move of two F-22 Raptors from Kadena, Japan, to South Korea, to participate in ongoing joint military exercises with the South Korean military. The pair of fifth generation air dominance fighters, are part of the 27th Fighter Squadron, 18th Wing, who were recently sent to Japan from the US to solidify their presence in the region. Obviously, the world is keeping a keen eye on the situation, hoping the North Koreans back down before a miscalculation causes serious ramifications.

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