March 15, 2016

The Motor Pool: Line Delineation

Limited Edition A

In an ongoing effort to make our business as transparent as possible while keeping everyone informed about the latest diecast we offer in our product portfolio, we have decided to add a special series of graphics to each manufacturer category called “series graphics.”

Mass Production A

Three graphics have been created – limited edition, mass produced and partworks – which will be positioned on the initial category landing page just below the company information. These have been designed to clarify how each range is presented to the public and will hopefully help you to make a more informed purchasing decision, including the likelihood of return on investment should you be approaching this hobby from a purely financial standpoint.

Partworks Edition A

We hope these graphics add to your enjoyment of the hobby!

Hobby Master: Time to Make the Donuts

Donuts

Perhaps Fred the Baker of Dunkin Donuts fame said it best when he uttered those immortal words, “Its time to make the donuts!” With Chinese New Year now all but a distant memory, we were hoping to hear a bit of news concerning several models from Hobby Master, ones they’ve produced in the past but have now dried up due to high sales demand. Key among them is their 1:72 scale F-111/EF-111 Aardvarks, not to mention their recently introduced RA-5C Vigilantes, which blew out almost as fast as they arrived. We are now completely out of both aircraft types, thanks to strong demand, abbreviated production runs and generally high consumer satisfaction with both models. Likewise, we’re hoping to see their upcoming F/A-18E Super Hornet along with their MiG 23 Flogger sometime soon, which has obvious implications for a potential MiG 27 strike aircraft.

Sikorsky: When Super-Sizing isn’t Enough

The first CH-53K aircraft achieves 120 knots at Sikorsky's Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, FL (PRNewsFoto/Lockheed Martin)

Helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky is reporting that tests are currently underway on the replacement for the CH-53E Super Stalion Stallion heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-53K King Stallion. According to Flightglobal, “The Lockheed Martin-owned rotorcraft manufacturer says its second triple-engine giant achieved flight on January 22nd, and the two developmental aircraft have logged 35 flight hours since CH-53K flying began on 27 October.

Operating from Sikorsky’s flight test center in West Palm Beach, Florida, the first engineering development model (EDM) recently flew 120kts, just 21kts sky of its advertised speed of 141kts.

The programme, which entered development in October 2005, will deliver 200 “super-heavy-lift” helicopters to the US Marine Corps as a replacement for the CH-53E Super Stallion, which the service plans to phase out by 2027.

Powered by three General Electric Aviation T408-400 turboshaft engines, the King Stallion will introduce fly-by-wire controls, “fourth-generation rotor blades” with anhedral tips, and increase the payload capacity threefold. It will haul 12.2t (27,000lbs) over 110nm – 1.4t (3,000lbs) less than the original target set in 2005 but still significantly more than the Sikorsky CH-53E.”

Hopefully, the diecast modelmakers are listening, and a replica of this important rotary-wing aircraft isn’t too far behind.