Chinese modelmaker, Modelcollect, has never been one to shy away from a risky project, churning out a steady diet of unique subjects that other companies seem to sidestep. That said, their latest venture has us a bit baffled, since it seems to stray far from the beaten trail into no-man’s land.
Recently, the company unveiled CAD pix for a new line dubbed Fists of War, which seems to combine familiar WWII-era weapons systems with science fiction. As you can see from the accompanying pictures, one item features what appears to be a King Tiger Ausf. B. Henschel turret and chassis with a multi-legged means of getting around. We aren’t sure if Fists of War is a home grown sci-fi system or one licensed from another company, since we haven’t been able to locate any information on it on the web.
Frankly, we aren’t sure how many of our customers are interested in this new range and how it fits within our present product portfolio, more rooted in historical fact than fiction. As more information is disseminated, we will likely list these items on our site as special order merchandise, meaning we will bring in product only to fill any orders we receive.
Not content to watch a grizzled old warrior die on the vine, Boeing has put together a slick new video showcasing what they call the Advanced F-15 2040C Stealth Fighter. Based upon a standard F-15 Eagle airframe, “the F-15 2040C series of upgrades would extend the life of the fourth-generation F-15C air superiority fighter to complement the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor. The 2040 version would double to 16 the number of air-to-air missiles the fighter carries, extend its range and improve its lethality and survivability with upgraded electronics,” according to AIN Online.
“An F-15 2040C would also extend the fighter’s production line in St. Louis, which with 84 F-15SAs destined for Saudi Arabia has firm orders through 2019. Boeing previously offered a stealthy “Silent Eagle” version for South Korea’s F-X III fighter competition, but that country last year settled on the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II for the requirement.
The package would incorporate the programmed radar upgrade of F-15C/Ds with the Raytheon APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned radar and a new electronic warfare suite called EPAWSS, for the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System. A proposed long-range infrared search and track sensor pod would complement the AESA radar. Boeing supplies conformal fuel tanks on the multi-role F-15E Strike Eagle; the 2040C upgrade would add them on the F-15C. The proposed weapons load increase would be accomplished by adding a Boeing-developed “quad pack” carriage system on two weapons stations. A communications and networking pod with advanced datalinks, now being demonstrated under the Air Force’s Talon HATE program, would enable the older F-15 to interact with the Raptor and other platforms.”
With other planes in the US military’s arsenal already being re-purposed to extend their life at a fraction of the cost of obtaining newer aircraft, there’s a good chance the F-15 2040C will survive any proposed budget cuts and remain a staple of the USAF well into the 21st century. Interestingly, Boeing is billing the F-15 2040C as a stealth fighter, so it will be curious to see how they plan to achieve this lofty aim considering all of the plane’s ordnance are slung externally thereby increasing the aircraft’s radar return signature.
Ebay is currently running a promotion where buyers earn 10% on qualifying items made by August 11th at 11:59PST for purchases of $50 or more. Said discount can be applied across all categories. This discount may be deducted from any future purchases once the buyer has been notified, which generally happens one month later.
Four new 1:72 scale Dragon Armor vehicles are now in stock and available for your immediate purchasing pleasure
If you’ve been experiencing shakes and even cold sweats over the last few months not getting your Dragon Armor fix, then you’ll be happy to learn that we’ve got the latest AFV candy in ample supply. In addition to the recently released PzKpfw IV Ausf D medium tank we received earlier this month (DRR60693), we now have four more vehicles available for immediate delivery. The quartet includes:
DRR60694 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. D Medium Tank – 4.Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 7, 10.Panzer Division, France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60511 – German Sd. Kfz. 142 Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. F Assault Gun – Sturmgeschutz Abteilung 201, Eastern Front, 1942 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60512 – German Sd. Kfz. 142 Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. F Assault Gun – Sturmgeschutz Abteilung 210, Eastern Front, 1942 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60700 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. G Medium Tank – 7.Panzer Regiment “Totenkopf”, 3.SS Panzer Grenadier Division “Totenkopf”, Kharkov, Russia, 1943 (1:72 Scale)
Each is priced at a paltry $29.99, a far cry from the $40 plus price tag for some of their 2016 introductions, meaning there’s loads more vehicles in the offing at more attractive pricing.
Hermes, the sole British aircraft carrier in the Eaglemoss Warships of the World navy, finally pays us a port of call visit
Four more Eaglemoss 1:1100 warships arrived at our port of call in recent days, all hot sellers and long overdue favorites for would-be captains. The newest task force includes:
EMGC67 – Royal Navy Hermes Class Aircraft Carrier – HMS Hermes (95) [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
EMGC69 – Imperial Japanese Navy Asahi Class Battleship – Asahi [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
EMGC70 – German Kriegsmarine Admiral Hipper Class Heavy Cruiser – DKM Prinz Eugen [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
EMGC72 – Imperial Japanese Navy Takao Class Heavy Cruiser – Maya [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
As a side note, I can see why the first three warships are doing well at retail, but the surprise here has been the heavy cruiser, Maya, outselling our initial forecast and already scheduled to be re-ordered by our naval procurement department. Enjoy!
Fancy a 1:48 scale replica of a USAAF Lockheed P-38J Lightning Interceptor – Major Thomas McGuire, “Pudgy IV”, 431st Fighter Squadron “Red Devils”, 475th Fighter Group, August 1943?
Perhaps Shakespeare had foreknowledge five hundred years ago as to how much new product we would receive in early August. The following items are now available for shipment or en route to us, making August 2017 one of the most impressive new arrival months to date:
Dragon
DRR60693 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. D Medium Tank – 3.Kompainie, Panzer-Regiment 3, 2.Panzer Division, Western Front, 1940 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60694 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. D Medium Tank – 4.Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 7, 10.Panzer Division, France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60511 – German Sd. Kfz. 142 Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. F Assault Gun – Sturmgeschutz Abteilung 201, Eastern Front, 1942 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60512 – German Sd. Kfz. 142 Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. F Assault Gun – Sturmgeschutz Abteilung 210, Eastern Front, 1942 (1:72 Scale)
DRR60700 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. G Medium Tank – 7.Panzer Regiment “Totenkopf”, Panzer Grenadier Division “Totenkopf”, Kharkov, Russia, 1943 (1:72 Scale)
Luft-X
LUFT006 – German Blohm und Voss P.209.02 Fighter (1:72 Scale)
LUFT007 – German Focke-Wulf Ta 283 Interceptor (1:72 Scale)
Eaglemoss Warships
EMGC67 – Royal Navy Hermes Class Aircraft Carrier – HMS Hermes (95) [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
EMGC69 – Imperial Japanese Navy Asahi Class Battleship – Asahi [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
EMGC70 – German Kriegsmarine Admiral Hipper Class Heavy Cruiser – DKM Prinz Eugen [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
EMGC72 – Imperial Japanese Navy Takao Class Heavy Cruiser – Maya [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)
Eaglemoss 1:43 Scale Military Vehicles
EM031 – US Studebaker US6 (M16A) 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Truck – CIAB (Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade), Northampton, England, April 1944 (1:43 Scale)
EM045 – US Army GMC CCKW 353 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Workshop Truck – Vehicle 3, 3886 Transport Company, Advance Section Communications Zone, Cherbourg, France, 1944 (1:43 Scale)
Ebay is currently running a promotion where buyers earn 6% on qualifying items made by August 5th at 11:59PST. Said discount can be applied with no minimum purchase and across all categories. This discount may be deducted from any future purchases once the buyer has been notified, which generally happens one month later.
Its refreshing to see so many new products coming to market over the past year, many of which I never thought we would see on the diecast battlefield. From Soviet warbirds to German vengeance weapons, “paper panzers” to WWI zeppelins, I don’t think there has been a time when we have seen so many new types of weaponry being modeled for the collecting community. Having said that, there’s still loads of armament to explore in scale and lots of different ways model makers can entice collectors into making space for these new ranges. Here’s a few suggestions for 2018:
Modern warships – perhaps offered in the same manner as Eaglemoss Star Trek starships series, I think that a range of modern era 1:1100 scale submarines and surface ships would do exceptionally well at retail, particularly if they were coupled with a full-color magazine that discussed the ship in detail along with behind-the-scenes information presently only available from select sources.
Drones – There is no question that drones are taking their place on today’s battlefield and will one day play an even greater role in combat as we progress into the mid 21st century. On the ground, in the air and at sea, drones provide real-time assessments of the enemy’s capabilities, and can take action against threats when other assets may not be available.
Experimental Aircraft – Luft-X has already done a remarkable job of bringing into focus some of the Luftwaffe’s secret projects that could very well have turned the war around for the Axis forces in the waning days of WWII. That said, there are still a myriad of aircraft that were on the drawing board from a number of nations that could just as easily become hot-selling items. The question is can Luft-X tackle this subject matter faster than they have to date, or will other manufacturers step in to steal their thunder?
The Littorals – We’ve all seen documentaries about the Vietnam War, and the effect the US Brown Water Navy had on the prosecution of the campaign around the Mekong Delta. How many times have you wanted to see some of these low draft ships offered up at scale or, if we dare to dream bigger, some of the E-Boats, PT-boats and other river craft that played a vital role in taking the war to the enemy in the Second World War.
Missiles – I’ve often thought that it would be interesting to compare and contrast air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance from a number of nations around the world. Perhaps offered in a larger scale so everyone can appreciate some of the detail that goes into their construction, I think that a range of post-WWII era guided and unguided bombs, rockets and missiles would sell well. In so doing, a similar range of ICBMs would open the door in a number of respects, particularly as it applies to today’s world of threat and counter threats being deployed almost on a daily basis
Eleven more 1:43 scale Atlas Editions vehicles are being added to our arsenal, all packaged handsomely with acrylic cases and stenciled terrain bases
Eleven more 1:43 scale military vehicles were added to the Atlas Editions juggernaut, all of whom are expected by mid August. While many vehicles have been seen before under different banners (EDG, Schuco, Eaglemoss, etc.), its nice to see they haven’t been permanently retired or left to languish in decaying green pastures. We’ve posted all of the newcomers to our Atlas Editions section and are now taking pre-orders ahead of their arrival next week.
While some vehicles have been offered previously, the Atlas alternatives include some nice gems, such as this Type 82 Kubelwagen in a desert scheme.
