November 2014

Hobby Master Relives the Battle of Britain

HA8601

Hobby Master is continuing to announce new tooling for early 2015, beefing up its aerial armada with a pair of 1:48 scale Hawker Hurricane Mk. I fighters that saw action in the waning days of 1940 (HA8601 and HA8602).

HA8601

A number of 1:72 scale jets were also added to the March order of battle, including an all-new A-10 Thunderbolt (HA1321), F-106 Delta Dart (HA3607), F-4 Phantom II (HA1944), F-16 Fighting Falcon (HA3828), and CF-18 Hornet (HA3522).

HA1944

We have added all of the new introductions to our web site and they are now available for pre-order.

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Italeri Claims Its Time for an Air Show

IT48182

Italian-based, Italeri, has plans to release 14 new 1:100 scale helicopters and aircraft this coming February. Many are based upon aircraft that fly with leading aerobatic teams, while others conjure up vivid scenes in recently-released movies, such as the AgustaWestland AW101 helicopter used in the James Bond feature-film, Skyfall. Happily, the new batch of aircraft will come packaged in more secure outer boxes, which, naturally enough, means you’ll have to cough up another $2 apiece to get a more appealing finished look. Still, at $14 a model, these models can’t be beat, in many cases offering subject matter no one else has offered.

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Air Force 1 Evades Radar

PAKT50

While most diecast manufacturers do their utmost to keep their products in the spotlight, Air Force 1 is trying a different approach. Their latest entrant in the 1:72 scale diecast military space is based upon a Sukhoi PAK FA T-50 stealth fighter, the long anticipated Russian response to the US F-22 and F-35 fifth-generation air superiority fighters that are now seeing service. Still undergoing rigorous testing before full scale deployment, the current T-50 looks very much like the F-22 design, featuring planoform wings, internal weapons bays and likely radar absorbent material to defeat radar signals. What’s different, however, are the exposed engine nacelles at the rear of the aircraft, which is a dead giveaway to most search and tracking equipment. Supposedly, Sukhoi is working on a masking technique to dissipate the hot engine exhaust, particularly if it is capable of supercruise flight, although why it hasn’t been incorporated on the initial run of testbed fighters is a bit of a mystery to many western analysts.

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Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens

Star Wars Logo

With filming on the upcoming Star Wars movie now at an end, director J.J. Abrams tweeted out the name for the latest installment in the space opera: Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens. We anticipate additional details concerning the new film and its merchandising tie-ins in the days and weeks ahead. Stay tuned my young apprentices.

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Amercom Reaches the Front Lines

ACBG74

It’s been several months since we last received a shipment of Amercom merchandise so its with a measured degree of consternation that we announce the arrival of certain key introductions. Our latest cache includes a 1:72 scale replica of a British MCV 80 Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle, British Chieftain heavy tank, and US M60 Patton tank, to name but a few. We’ve also received a flock of helos and aircraft, many of which have been out-of-stock for several months running.

ACHY40-1

The problem with making these announcements is that new product typically gets gobbled up in a heartbeat, and we then have to wait an inordinate amount of time before it gets replenished by our distributor. Be that as it may, get ’em now before they’re snatched up by the handfuls.

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The USPS Steps Up its Game

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHpY3Sc5I1k&w=560&h=315]

We’re happy to report that the US Postal Service (USPS) has really stepped up its game of late, since making the transition to a real-time scanning and tracking system, particularly to most international destinations. Moreover, they now offer free tracking (something we’ve been asking them to do for a long time) and include $50 worth of free insurance should anything happen to your parcel. Here’s a short primer produced by the USPS that might help allay any fears you may have using their service.

 

In related news, the USPS has announced that beginning November 17th, they will be delivering packages on Sundays straight through the holiday season. Its entirely possible that the USPS could extend this service well beyond the holiday season, as a means of getting a leg up on their competition.

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