September 25, 2018

In Memoriam

Anyone that has perused our About Us page over the years probably took note of the fact that it took two people to initially run this operation. Well, we are now down to one. Early on Sunday morning, after a long bout with dementia and suffering the prolonged effects of Type II Diabetes, my father-in-law and partner, Marvin Binder, succumbed to his combined illnesses. What follows is his obituary written collaboratively by several members of his immediate family.

Marvin Binder passed peacefully in his sleep on Sunday morning, September 23rd. Over his 88-year lifetime, he was happily married to his wife, Beatrice, and together they saw their daughter, Robin, marry Marc, her high school sweetheart. Robin and Marc gave Marvin two granddaughters, Linda and April, who were lucky enough to have Marvin in their lives for so many years.  Both received college educations and married their respective sweethearts, Samir and Jason. Through them, Marvin was fortunate enough to see three great granddaughters enter this world, Isabelle, Mia and Eliana.

Professionally, Marvin was perhaps best known as “Mr. Matchbox.” He worked to create display cases, sales programs and other important initiatives that made Matchbox a world renowned brand and respected toy company, the likes of which few companies have been able to replicate.

Most importantly, Marvin was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off of his back, even if it meant digging into his personal savings or face hardships of his own to provide comfort and aid. He touched so many lives through his unwavering compassion toward others.  He was a kind, loving person that will be sorely missed by not only his family, but many friends, acquaintances and colleagues that knew him for what he truly was: a Mensch.

Marvin’s funeral is scheduled for Thursday, September 27th at 1PM at Schwartz Brothers Funeral Home. Even if you cannot attend, we know you join us in wishing him well in the afterlife where he will finally be reunited with his one true love, Beatrice.

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Hobby Master Closes Out September With a Big Bang


Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Air Force Douglas B-26K Counter Invader Attack Aircraft – 609th Special Operations Squadron “Nimrods”, 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhom Phanom, Thailand, 1969

We’ve learned that the September cache of Hobby Master products has arrived at our distributor and is now headed our way, slated to arrive the first week of October. The September diecast payload is critical from a number of standpoints, since it includes several heavily requested items that cut across the entire spectrum of Hobby Master releases. Certainly, one of the more notable issues is this 1:72 scale US Air Force Douglas B-25K Counter Invader Attack Aircraft (HA3225). A similar plane, released earlier this year, sold out the moment it arrived, which makes this second iteration just as likely to sell out the moment it lands.


Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Tropical Fighter – Black Chevron, Gruppen-Adjutant I/Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, December 1941

Another coveted aircraft is this 1:48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 tropical fighter, which was attached to Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, then flying in support of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (HA8704). All of the previous 1:48 scale Messerschmitts have sold out, so this version, slathered in a desert sand motif, will certainly go quick once word spreads that its in stock.


Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-25M1 “Frogfoot” Ground Attack Aircraft – 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Nikolaev, Ukraine, 2014

Also up for your consideration is this sleek-looking Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 Frogfoot attack aircraft, clad in a digitally enhanced scheme (HA6102) that takes the art of camouflage to an entirely new level. Inspiring to look and deadly in the hands of an experienced pilot, this undeniably handsome aircraft makes a welcome addition to anyone’s collection, even if it does fly for a foreign power.


Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero” Fighter – V-173, Saburo Sakai, Tainan Air Group, Rabaul, June-July 1942

And last, but certainly not least, is this 1:48 scale rendition of famed Japanese ace Saburo Sakai’s Mitsubishi Zero, as it was painted and marked up during his stint at the island fortress of Rabaul (HA8805). Perhaps not as eye-popping as some of the other aircraft we profiled previously, collectors are all too familiar with its historical significance rather than its somewhat monotone scheme. Its a war winner if ever we’ve seen one, and we already have lots of pre-orders in-house to prove it!

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