January 2019

Product Spotlight: Drawing Back the Curtains on the “MiG-28”


TSM’s 1:200 scale US Navy Northrop F-5E Tiger II Fighter – “MiG-28” [Aggressor Scheme]

Let’s get one thing straight right from the get go: there is no such thing as a MiG-28. Popularized in the feature film, Top Gun, the MiG-28 was, nonetheless, the subject of much speculation by Western analysts and served as the focal point for Kelly McGuiness “Charlie” character who sought more information about the plane from Pete “Maverick” Mitchel, (played by none other than box office favorite, Tom Cruise) who had a face-to-face, or rather cockpit-to-cockpit encounter with the plane from an unnatural viewpoint.

Despite its notional status, Top Gun posited that the MiG-28 was a twin-engine, single or two-seat fighter jet operated by Soviet bloc air forces. As seen in Top Gun, it used wingtip-mounted Vympel K-13 (NATO reporting name “AA-2 Atoll”) missiles as its primary air to air weapon (the Atoll is a reverse-engineered version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder). The MiG was highly maneuverable, but somewhat slower than the F-14 Tomcat, its chief adversary.

In the Opening scenes of Top Gun, Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and his wingman Cougar squared off against MiG-28s with no NATO reporting name and of unspecified nationality. These were nothing more than actually American Northrop F-5s, painted black for better visibility when filming and to show their ominous status. The nation that flew the MiG-28s was not specified whatsoever in the film but assumed to be the Soviet Union or another Communist state. In the script, American pilots were warned that the MiG-28 was armed with the AM 39 Exocet, a French-made Anti-ship Missile not found in the inventory of Soviet forces. In video games licensed from the films, the enemy planes are replaced with real Soviet aircraft, the MiG-29 “Fulcrum”.

Interestingly, TSM Model Wings has finally moved forward and produced a 1:200 scale replica of the MiG-28. Due out this February, the MiG-28 is one of the last replicas in the Top Gun collection, as the manufacturer now gets ready for the film’s sequel, Top Gun 2. Its a bit like getting around to finally offering a TIE fighter from Star Wars as the second film gets set to debut but be that as it may, it will certainly prove to be a natural addition for anyone’s Top Gun line up.

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Dissecting Diecast: Surviving The Information Game

Having worn several hats in my illustrious career, I can tell you first hand that operating and maintaining a web site devoted to the sale of diecast collectibles is both rewarding and frustrating in the extreme. Its particularly gratifying when we can promote and deliver goods to our customers on even a semi-routine basis, all aimed at putting a smile on your face until the next piece of memorabilia rumbles into view.

On the downside, some people seem to regularly hold our feet to the fire when an item doesn’t get released on time. “I’ve followed your web site daily and you claimed such-and-such was coming out in February!”, said one recent online missive, when the customer learned the item in question that he ordered a year ago was again being delayed. Folks, we rely upon the manufacturers and distributors for information which we then pass along to our customers as quickly as possible. The problem is that this is still a relatively small industry not governed by any set of guidelines or hard-and-fast rules that seem to make any sense, so information that may be accurate on Monday could very well be inaccurate by Friday. Companies routinely provide us with an estimated date of release for a product not knowing that they may run into all sorts of production issues at their end that they didn’t see coming. And, once the product does get finished, amazing as that might seem, Companies seek to ship out their product in the most expeditions manner possible to reduce their operating expenses as best they could. That oftentimes means they hold items until other items are ready to go out at the same time in order to fill a container that is then bound for the US or parts unknown.

Of course once the ship does hit the high seas, there are still a myriad of obstacles it must overcome, covering everything from unexpected customs inspections to weather-related delays, all just to get the product to market in a somewhat timely fashion.

So, once again we are asking for your patience and, dare I say, forgiveness whenever a product doesn’t make it to market as originally advertised. There are all sorts of reasons why an item doesn’t see the light-of-day as originally forecast, so holding our feet to the fire and demanding immediate answers from everyone in the supply chain doesn’t help or provide any respite in times of turmoil. Its a wonderful hobby but one still racked by issues no one has been able to address with any regularity.

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Highway to the Danger Zone Takes a Temporary Detour


TSM Model Wings’ 1:200 US Navy Northrop F-5E Tiger II Fighter – “MiG-28” [Aggressor Scheme]

From time-to-time we get a little edgy, particularly when a manufacturer shows product at one show then fails to display it a year later at the very same venue. Such is the case with Sunrich Hobby, who, we have found out, owns Taiwan-based TSM Models, a prolific maker of diecast collectibles. At last year’s Nuremberg Toy Fair, TSM had on display several new aircraft toolings that immediately caught the hobby by storm and helped whet the appetite of many a collector. Oddly, at this year’s show, no such aircraft were anywhere to be seen, leaving this pundit in a lurch and immediately speculating that something had gone wrong.

Turns out all is well in Fightertown USA according to our source at Sunrich, with work proceeding smoothly on the models shown at last year’s show as well some they cannot openly discuss for obvious reasons. If you read between the lines, that means they have locked up the Top Gun 2 license, and pretty much cornered the market on Top Gun 2 collectibles well ahead of the film’s 2020 release. We’ve already learned that the now retired F-14 Tomcat will make an encore performance in Top Gun 2, and its a well known topic of conversation that Tom Cruise, reprising his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, has been seen “puttering around” in the F/A-18 Super Hornet, meaning a new aircraft will join the ranks. What hasn’t been confirmed are some of the other aircraft and drones that will likely be featured in the sequel, meaning lots more subjects to be replicated once the film hits the silver screen.


TSM Model Wings” 1:72 Scale Aircraft Carrier Deck Base with Catapult Operator Figure [Base 1]

For now, the Company has confirmed the imminent release of a 1:200 scale MiG-28, a mythical adversarial aircraft featured in the original film, Top Gun. Also in the works is a remake of their popular 1:72 scale flight deck, which will likely see the light of day this summer. So, while Sunrich and TSM Model Wings aren’t actually showing anything in their aircraft line up at Nuremberg this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean the pump hasn’t already been primed and product, scrutinized and approved by Paramount Films, isn’t already in the pipeline.

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Eaglemoss Splits the Enterprise into Two

Eaglemoss’ Star Trek Federation Odyssey Class Starship – USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F [Version 1] [With Collector Magazine]

Looking to get the most mileage out of one of their latest toolings and take a page out of King Solomon’s play book, Eaglemoss intends to offer two different versions of the upcoming USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F starship. The first, which we have had up on our site for several months running, is an all-grey variant that seems to meld well with the existing fleet of Eaglemoss starships. The second, recently unveiled, is a bit more colorful, and drawn from the massively multiplayer online game, Star Trek Online. We have created a separate listing for the new addition and have begun accepting pre-orders, referring to them as EMSTCON09A andEMSTCON09B respectively.

Eaglemoss” Star Trek Federation Odyssey Class Starship – USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F, Star Trek Online [Version 2] [With Collector Magazine]

Please note that any orders already received for the NCC-1701-F will be applied to the all-grey variant, so if you would like to switch your order to the more colorful version or perhaps look to collect both ships, please advise as soon as possible before they start to roll in.

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Product Spotlight: Phabulous Phantoms


Corgi’s 1:48 scale Royal Navy McDonnell F-4 FG.1 Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – No. 892 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal (R07), November 1978

The McDonnell F-4 Phantom fighter-bomber is certainly one of the most iconic aircraft of the Cold War, and is perhaps most closely associated with the prosecution of the air war over Vietnam by the US military. Used by all three major services — the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps — the Phantom helped to wrest control of the skies over Vietnam from the infamous MiG, even if it took higher than anticipated losses doing so. Yet, despite its claim to fame, there were other operators of the Phantom that many aviation enthusiasts seem to overlook or just plain forget.

The United Kingdom operated the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal combat aircraft from the 1960s to the early 1990s. The UK was the first export customer for the Phantom, which was ordered in the context of political and economic difficulties around British designs for the roles that it eventually undertook. The Phantom was procured to serve in both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force in several roles including air defence, close air support, low-level strike and tactical reconnaissance.

Although assembled in the United States, the UK’s Phantoms were a special batch built separately and containing a significant amount of British technology as a means of easing the pressure on the domestic aerospace industry in the wake of major project cancellations.[ Two variants were initially built for the UK: the F-4K variant was designed from the outset as an air defence interceptor to be operated by the Fleet Air Arm from the Royal Navy‘s aircraft carriers; the F-4M version was procured for the RAF to serve in the tactical strike and reconnaissance roles. In the mid-1980s, a third Phantom variant was obtained when a quantity of second-hand F-4J aircraft were purchased to augment the UK’s air defences following the Falklands War.

The Phantom entered service with both the Fleet Air Arm and the RAF in 1969. In the Royal Navy it had a secondary strike role in addition to its primary use for fleet air defence, while in the RAF it was soon replaced in the strike role by other aircraft designed specifically for strike and close air support. By the mid-1970s it had become the UK’s principal interceptor, a role in which it continued until the late 1980s.

In a bold move in the diecast community and follow-up to the release of their English Electric Lightning, Corgi plans to offer a 1:48 scale tooling of the Lockheed Phantom and, best of all, we have the pictures to prove it. Slated for a July touch down, plans initially call for a Royal Navy McDonnell F-4 FG.1 Phantom II fighter-bomber that was attached to No. 892 Naval Air Squadron, then embarked upon the HMS Ark Royal (R07) during November 1978 (AA27901). Impressive? You be the judge.

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Oxford Strafes the Competition

Oxford’s 1:72 scale Soviet Ilyushin IL-10 Ground Attack Aircraft

If you don’t mind waiting, you’ll eventually be able to add a Soviet Ilysuhin IL-10 ground attack aircraft to your aircraft collection (OXFAC093). Discussed at the recently concluded London Toy Fair and now posted to their web site, the IL-10 is an iconic WWII-era aircraft that laid waste to many German tanks, AFVs and soft-skinned vehicles then fighting against the Red Army on the Eastern Front during the latter stages of WWII. Its not clear exactly when the IL-10 — or the recently announced Boulton Paul Defiant fighter (OXFAC094) — will become available, but Oxford typically takes a year or more to actually release a new warbird after announcing it to aviation enthusiasts. Its not the best scenario if you’re looking to lay claim to either new aircraft in the not-too-distant future, but for $25 you cannot argue with either the price or its importance, given the state of things in the diecast hobby.



Oxford’s 1:72 scale RAF Boulton Paul Defiant Mk. I Night Fighter
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Anatomy of War: Is this the Newest Member in the International Stealth Club?

For years, the Russian military claimed that their Sukhoi Su-57 aircraft was a fifth generation stealth fighter, capable of meeting and possibly exceeding the attributes of the F-22 and F-35 in the air superiority role. Yet, even with that lofty billing, it was never made clear how Sukhoi planned to mask the heat signature put out by the aircraft’s two huge NPO Saturn engines slung behind the aircraft and whether or not they had mastered the art of making, maintaining and repairing the radar absorbent material needed to coat the aircraft’s exterior surfaces.

Be that as it may, Sukhoi seems to be making another stab at the stealth aircraft market by rolling out preliminary images of its Okhotnik-B – an unmanned strike aircraft that purportedly seems to have mastered the art of operating within the demanding conditions of low observable flight. At this point, little is known about the aircraft, although the Russians like to show off their military wares under development well ahead of their actual deployment as a means of keeping the West on their toes. The aircraft looks very similar to Northrop Grumman’s X-47B and Boeing’s X-45C Phantom Ray, sporting a beefy undercarriage, hidden internal weapons bay, and forward mounted sensor suite that likely mounts both an active and passive radar array to detect enemy threats. Its entirely possible that Russia may integrate the aircraft into its upcoming Victory Day Parade, held annually on May 9th, which oftentimes serves as their principal venue for unveiling new hardware. As a guess, the Okhotnik-B will likely carry the Russian hypersonic missile as its principal armament, which, because of its Mach 7+ speed is designed to out run any missiles fielded by the west aimed at intercepting its flight.

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Panzers Rollen in Afrika Vor!

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 German 88mm Flak 36/37 Anti-Aircraft Gun with Trailer – Deutsches Afrika Korps, El Alamein, North Africa, 1942 [Comes with Seven Crewmen and Rommel]

Well, almost. While its not quite a burly Mark IV medium tank clad in Afrika Korps markings pressing home Rommel’s attack, Forces of Valor’s opening entry in their 1:32 scale military vehicle category is an upgraded 88 FLaK gun, complete with eight accompanying figures. Painted in a desert sand motif and featuring a weathered exterior to give it a battle hardened appearance, the 88mm gun was one of the most feared weapons in the German inventory, able to take on advancing enemy armor well before they could come into range and bring their own guns to bear.

According to the manufacturer, their first shipment is now expected to ship out after Chinese New Year and should be hitting the dusty trail to our advanced encampment some time in March. Frankly, we may not have enough product available for general sale once all of our pre-orders have been addressed, so open stock may not be available for purchase until a second follow-on shipment reaches us in March. Don’t say we didn’t warn you if you wait until the first shipment arrives to place your order.

As an aside, FOV is showing their 2019 wares at next week’s Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany, so we hope to have images of some of their other forays direct from the Show. Stay tuned!

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USPS Shipping Costs Rise Dramatically for 2019

All three of the major shippers operating within the US are passing along pricing increases for the 2019 calendar year even though the price of oil has fallen over the past year. The USPS, which is the only service we currently use, are making two important changes which will have a major impact on the way we ship out products across North America. The first, which goes into effect on January 27th, is as follows:

USPS First Class packages are increasing an average of 11.9%. Note that USPS First Class Package Service pricing will change from a flat rate per ounce to zone-based pricing per ounce

USPS Priority Mail increases an average of 5.9%

Moreover, changes in weight distribution of packages will affect pricing on USPS packages starting in June.

Effective June 23, the USPS is planning to change the way they calculate dimension weight on Parcel Select Ground, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express. They currently apply dimensional weight (DIM Weight) pricing on medium to large packages with lower weights to take into consideration the amount of space taken up on a truck rather than a package’s physical weight.  As pricing changes take effect, the rate charged will be the higher cost of either Dim Weight or physical weight of a package.

As a result, shipping larger items, such as the upcoming 1:32 scale Forces of Valor vehicles and several of the larger 1:72 scale aircraft offered by a variety of manufacturers, will cost us dearly to ship out, particularly if the item(s) must be mailed to the West Coast, northwest and even the midwest. As a result, we will likely have to dispense with our flat rate shipping model on January 27th and determine shipping costs based upon what the USPS will assess us for each shipment. We regret having to make this decision but hope you recognize that we simply cannot afford to sell at a loss in order to make a sale.

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Hobby Master Claims, “Its All in the Family”

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Navy Sukhoi Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter – Bort 67, 1st Aviation Squadron, 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment, Feb 2014

Never one to disappoint, Hobby Master announced this week that they plan to complete their Sukhoi family of modern era aircraft with the addition of a bouncing baby Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter (HA6401). Scheduled for a June landing, the Sukhoi Su-33 is, essentially, (NATO reporting name: Flanker-D) an all-weather, carrier-based, twin engine, air superiority fighter designed by Sukhoi and manufactured by Komosomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, derived from the Su-27 and initially known as the Su-27K. Complete with canards for better maneuverability under high stress maneuvering, it was first used in operations in 1995 aboard theaircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the fighter officially entered service in August 1998, by which time the designation “Su-33” was used. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union and the subsequent downsizing of the Russian Navy, only 24 aircraft were produced. Attempted sales to China and India fell through. With plans to retire the Su-33 once they reach the end of their service life, the Russian Navy ordered the MiG-29K as a replacement in 2009.

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