June 2016

Anyone Still Looking for an Arrow to Add to Their Quiver?

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The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, which is nestled in Mount Hope, Ontario, recently announced their intent to come out with a third look at the Avro Arrow interceptor. This go around, however, the Museum has elected to sell and distribute the model themselves, citing higher production costs as a central contributing factor in keeping the model close to home. We respect their decision, so if you’re still looking to pick up one of these sleek warbirds, we recommend you visit their web site http://www.warplane.com/gift-shop/vintage-aircraft-diecast-models/avro-cf-105-arrow-25204-diecast-model.aspx and place your pre-order with them sooner rather than later since the model will likely sell out for the holidays.

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Rheinmetall Decides to Bulk Up for the Gun Show

Rheinmetall MGCS

If you thought Rheinmetall was content with its superb 120mm main gun used on many of today’s main battle tanks, then you’d better think again. Reports out of the German firm indicate that they will soon be producing an even larger 130mm main gun, which, according to Defense News, “weighs more than 3.5 tons, compared to the approximately 3-ton 120mm gun, and uses a cartridge of more than 30 kilograms at about 1.3 meters long. Given these enhanced parameters, Rheinmetall engineers believe the weapon can only be used with an automatic loader and a new turret design.” So vehicles such as the family of M1 Abrams tanks constituting the bulk of US armored forces won’t be able to adapt the gun to its vehicles, since its fleet is designed for a human loader.

To make the most use of such a gun, a new MBT would have to be developed, likely resembling the recently introduced Russian T-14 Armata, which places the entire crew in a capsule within the body of the vehicle thereby enabling the gun, located in the top turret, direct access to its armament racks located behind the gun. Such a system would likely load the main gun much faster, reduce the overall profile of the vehicle, and probably offer better crew protection, particularly when coupled with the Trophy active protection system still being tested on different vehicle types. The gun should be in production by 2025.

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No Reason to Be Afraid of Hobby Master this October

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Responding to a call for action for more Vigilantes, A-10s, EA-6B Prowlers and what not, Hobby Master took the wraps off of their latest spate of products due out in October. Three of the models portray aircraft embarked on the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during 1978, among them a Prowler assigned to VAQ-135 “Black Ravens”, and a pair of RA-5C Vigilante strike bombers attached to Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron 6.

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Additionally, look forward to ogling a Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IXe that was piloted by the Israeli Air Force’s Ezer Weisman, as well as Colonel Francis Gabreski’s P47 Razorback Thunderbolt fighter. All of these new introductions have been posted to our web site and are available fro pre-order.

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Namer Overcomes Its First Obstacles

Namer

The Israeli Namer, an indiginously-built armored personnel carrier designed in part from the Merkava main battle tank, passed its first series of hurdles, taking on berms and other ground obstacles to perform its intended missions. Large and quite heavy for an APC, the Namer incorporates the Trophy Active Protection System (APS) on certain command and control and engineering versions. According to Defense News, “Trophy is designed to neutralize all types of chemical energy threats in flight, from rocket-propelled grenades to high-explosive rounds and tandem warhead anti-tank guided missiles. The system provides 360-degree protection against multiple launchings “while maintaining a pre-defined safety zone for friendly dismounted troops,” according to Rafael marketing data.”

What makes the test so important is that a version of Trophy will likely be integrated into future land combat systems for the US Army, enabling nearby troops operating alongside the vehicles some measure of protection in a hostile combat environment.

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Hobby Master: I think We Were Supposed to Make a Left Turn at Albuquerque

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Every time I make a driving mistake, I think back to the Bugs Bunny cartoon from the 60s, where he gets lost boring a tunnel searching for Pismo Beach and instead finds Aladdin’s treasure. Apparently the shipment containing the May cache of Hobby Master products must’ve followed suit, since it is now expected to reach our distributor next week. After they get it unloaded, we are now probably looking at taking delivery of our order sometime in mid-June. Sorry, but some times these things are beyond our control and appreciate your patience in the matter.

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On the plus side, we should be awash in Hobby Master releases throughout the month, since the June Hobby Master releases are slated to arrive at said distributor the third week of June. That is, barring any further driving mistakes, sun flares, comets passing through the solar system, etc. Often times it pays to make light of these types of mishaps. Getting worked up over it does no one any good and the anticipation caused by the delay tends to make their last mile delivery all the more worthwhile.

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