June 2018

Eaglemoss Reckons its Time to Test Star Trek Cadets with its Own Kobayashi Maru

Perhaps one of the most poignant moments in Star Trek lore was when Captain Kirk demonstrated his prowess as a star ship captain by skillfully defeating the Federation-created Kobayashi Maru training exercise. Thetraining exercise in the fictional Star Trek universe was designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets in a no-win scenario. The Kobayashi Maru test was first depicted in the opening scene of the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and also appears in the 2009 film Star Trek. Screenwriter Jack B. Sowards is credited with inventing the test. The test’s name is occasionally used among Star Trek fans or those familiar with the series to describe a no-win scenario, a test of one’s character or a solution that involves redefining the problem.

The notional primary goal of the exercise is to rescue the civilian vessel Kobayashi Maru in a simulated battle with the Klingons. The disabled ship is located in the Klingon Neutral Zone, and any Starfleet ship entering the zone would cause an interstellar border incident. The approaching cadet crew must decide whether to attempt rescue of the Kobayashi Maru crew — endangering their own ship and lives – or leave the Kobayashi Maru to certain destruction. If the cadet chooses to attempt rescue, the simulation is designed to guarantee that the cadet’s ship is destroyed with the loss of all crew members.

Look for the Eaglemoss replica of the Kobayashi Maru (EMSTSP14) to test your knowledge some time in August.

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The Modelcollect Train Pulls into the Station

We’ve known for some time that Modelcollect was getting into the model train market, combining its expertise in military modeling with aspirations of becoming a major player in yet another hobby sector. Earlier today, the first two fully assembled items were unveiled – a pair of German flatcars circa 1943. While flatcars aren’t exactly going to set the world on fire, it does demonstrate that they have big plans ahead, likely offering armored trains in the not-too-distant future and perhaps other ancillary products aimed at building out the category. Both products have been listed on our web site in Modelcollect’s Railway Series sub category, along with a pair of two new tanks and some updated photos for several soon-to-be-released vehicles.

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Oxford Vertically Integrates with the Dragonfly

Oxford’s first ever 1:72 scale helicopter is going through a lengthy pre-flight checklist, and not expected to power up until the third quarter of 2019

Seems as if there are a number of diecast model makers trying their luck at the helicopter market. Earlier today, we learned that Oxford plans on testing the “choppy” waters with its first ever helicopter – a Royal Navy Westland Dragonfly HR.5 Utility Helicopter (WD001). Based upon the US Army’s Sikorsky S-51, the Dragonfly entered service with the Royal Navy in 1950, immediately employed in an air-sea rescue role. A number were also used by the Royal Air Force for casualty evacuation. It was replaced in British service by the Westland Whirlwind, another derivative of a Sikorsky design, in the late 1950s. Fifty-one civilian WS-51s were produced. Examples were used by Pest Control Ltd for crop spraying and others were flown as executive transports by Silver City Airways, Evening Standard Newspapers and Fairey Aviation. Exported aircraft operated in Japan, Belgian Congo, Mexico and Norway.

Interestingly, the Oxford model is not expected until the 3rd quarter of 2019, so if you intend on pre-ordering this item, understand that you may have to sit on your hands for at least a year before it materializes.

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Tom Cruise, Eat Your Heart Out

With Top Gun 2 still a year off, you may want to bone up on the flight characteristics of the legendary F/A-18 Hornet Strike aircraft now before you sign up for the Top Gun academy. Eagle Dynamics, long a player in the flight simulation world, has just released an incredible module for their award-winning massively multiplayer online simulation, DCS World Steam Edition, entitled F/A-18C. DCS, which stands for Digital Combat Simulator, has been around for quite a number of years, enabling gamers to get their feet wet, free-of-charge, in the online air combat simulation world. However, if you want to get the full experience, and gain access to several aircraft modules and specific scenery packs, then you have to pony up some cash and purchase an ever growing array of add-ons. F/A-18C, which was released earlier this month, offers a near photo-realistic experience of the Hornet aircraft from the inside out, showcasing its many strengths, capabilities and characteristics as a naval aircraft. You can take off and land on a carrier, embark upon real-world missions, take wing with the US Navy’s Blue Angels and much more. Check out the video below.

 

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Where For Art Thou Dragon Armor?

Dragon Models recently updated their web site and it now appears as if several 1:72 scale Dragon Armor pieces — that had been pushed back for several months running — are no longer any where to be found. It’s not clear if they have been cancelled, postponed or delayed due to poor sales performance of several previous Dragon Armor releases, but the fact remains that it certainly doesn’t bode well for the category in general or the items in particular.

The pieces in question include:

DRR60697 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) Medium Tank – 13.Panzer Division, Northern Caucasus, Russia, 1942 (1:72 Scale)

DRR60698 – German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) Medium Tank – Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1943 (1:72 Scale)

DRR60399 – German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank – “313”, schwere Panzer Abteilung 501, Ardennes, 1944 (1:72 Scale)

DRR60400 – German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank – schwere Panzer Abteilung 509, Hungary, 1945 (1:72 Scale)

We asked Dragon about their removal from their sites several days ago and thus far have not gotten a definitive response. So, we will leave them up on our web site for a few more days until we receive a final answer. If history serves as any indication, then Dragon has posted a number of Dragon Armor pieces in the past that never came to fruition.

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Films in Focus: Top Gun 2 Gets Topped Off

Val Kilmer is back as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, Pete Mitchell’s chief competitor at the Top Gun academy. Still dangerous after all these years.

According to the Aviation Geek Club, Val Kilmer has signed on to lend his talents to Top Gun 2, thereby reprising his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky alongside Tom Cruise. Like Cruise’s character, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Iceman will likely portray a fellow naval instructor at the Top Gun academy. The site also claims that Kenny Loggins will re-record Highway to the Danger Zone, the song that helped catapult the film into cinematic stardom. Presently, its not clear if any of the other former actors and actresses that appeared in the original film will be asked to rejoin the cast should the script permit and who will be added to the role call to portray a new class of naval aviators.

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Job Posting: We’re Looking for a Lumberjack

As far as new product goes, there seems to be a logjam of sorts, delaying the arrival of a number of important lines and products well past their initial due dates. While Hobby Master has hit the mark time and time again, other manufacturers have seemingly succumbed to a June Swoon, continually getting pushed back on the release schedule month after month. We’re still awaiting word on when the following manufacturers are expected to get their product to market:

Modelcollect

PMA

JC Wings

Eaglemoss 

Walterson’s Force of Valor

Wings of the Great War

Corgi

Solido

Dragon

Come on guys, time to make the donuts and get your product in the pipeline in a timely fashion…

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Modelcollect Continues to Put its Best Foot Forwards

A US M26 Pershing tank turret set atop a quadraped chassis

Never one to shy away from a challenging project which some are saying has led to long-promised projects being left on the back burner, ModelCollect seems to be devoting more and more of its energy and resources into its sci-fi series, Fist of War.

Say hello to Helblar and Kaiserkafer, two 1:35 scale fighting mechs that seem to draw inspiration from the Battletech Universe

In fact, the Company announced recently that they plan to dabble in the 1:35 scale market, meaning some of the monstrosities they are dreaming up are going to be rather large and some what incredible when everything is said and done. Its not clear if the 1:35 scale projects will be offered as pre-assembled models given their size and no doubt higher price tag, so the jury is out for now to determine their fit within our product portfolio. Still, its always nice to think outside the box and applaud their efforts at taking things to new heights, depths and fields of battle.

And lest we forget Wotan, an ungainly 1:72 scale six-legged warrior ready to do the Nazi’s bidding, whatever that might be
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Tales of Transparency – The Importance of Getting it Right

We’re sticklers for getting things right. While we’re the first to admit that some times we goof up from a historical stand point, we also make every effort to get the facts correct as best as we see them, going so far as to research each model from every conceivable angle.

Recently, we noticed that Hobby Master announced two new F-16 Fighting Falcons, both done up in an Iraqi livery (HA3863 and HA3864). Although we knew that the Iraqi Air Force never flew the F-16 prior to the Coalition-led 2003 invasion (Operation Iraqi Freedom), we initially didn’t put two and two together and listed them with the incorrect air force roundel and without fore knowledge as to which unit they are attached to or where they are based. What troubled us most was that, over the years, the Iraqi Air Force has employed a number of different roundels on their aircraft, making it rather confusing to showcase them in the proper light.

The Iraqi Air Force roundel employed from 1931 to 2004

Since the 2003 invasion, for example, the IAF has been using a completely different rounded to denote its aircraft, circular like most other air forces, a red semi-circle on top and black on the bottom. There are three green stars strung out across the center of the roundel with an Arabic inscription interspersed between them.

The Iraqis, looking to distance themselves from the Hussein regime, adopted a new air force roundel in 2004 which continues to be used to this day

Anyway, we think we got it right now, but just wanted to point out that sometimes we go to great lengths to ensure the accuracy of each listing, even if the average layperson may not care about minutia like this or wonder if we’re suffering from an advanced case of OCD.

 

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Calibre Wings Shows Off More in the way of Suhkoi

Some manufacturers we don’t hear from for months on end while others seem loathe to dropping the mic anytime soon. Such is the case with Calibre Wings, who today posted pictures of yet another Suhkoi aircraft – the Su-17 “Fitter” fighter-bomber. The Su-17 is an ideal aircraft for model makers, one that can be modified, upgraded and retrofitted into both the Su-20 and Su-22. Since it was exported to seven countries around the world — from the Eastern bloc nations to a handful of Middle Eastern states — a wide array of liveries are also possible, some a bit more eclectic than others..A Yemeni Su-22, for example, may not be at the top of everyone’s wish list.

As a Cold War aircraft, the variable-wing Su-17 entered service way back in 1970 and, because of its endurance and numerous revisions, saw yeoman service in the near decade long war between Iran and Iraq, as well as the Russian incursion into Afghanistan. No fewer than 14 different Su-17 variants were fielded, from trainers to dedicated attack aircraft. While CAD drawings are making their way around the publicity circuit, its likely the first Su-17 won’t see service with the Calibre Wings’ air force until early 2019.

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