Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Constitution Class Starship – USS Enterprise NCC-1701 [With Collector Magazine]
While it looks as if their standard ships line has slowed down to impulse power, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Eaglemoss Star Trek Discovery range. Three new ships were announced in recent days, bringing the total to fifteen entrants. Shown above is a Star Trek Federation Worker Bee (EMSTDISC13), which was a small utility craft in use by the Federation in the mid-23rd century. Both the USS Shenzhou and her contemporary starship the USS Discovery carried a complement of worker bees.
Eaglemoss Star Trek Klingon Cleave Starship [With Collector Magazine]
Number fourteen is a rather strange looking Klingon Cleave Starship (EMSTDISC14), a 23rd century Klingon warship in service to the House of T’Kuvma.
Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Hoover Class Starship – USS Edison NCC-1683 [With Collector Magazine]
Finally, we have the fifteenth offering, the USS Edison (NCC-1683), which was an Hoover-class Federation starship operated by Starfleet during the mid-23rd century (EMSTDISC15). All three are expected this Spring and more, no doubt, are waiting in the wings as the series continues to pick up steam.
Atlas Editions’ 1:144 scale Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Mitsubishi Ki-21 “Sally” Heavy Bomber (1:144 Scale)
As Spring approaches, so does Atlas Editions’ ever-widening range of 1:144 scale bombers of World War II. Although they are designed for the budget-minded collector, these models don’t skimp on detail nor do they miss the sweet spot of the average aviation enthusiast by offering tons of detail at an extraordinary price.
The usual suspects are included in the mix, as are some rare warbirds, such as an Imperial Japanese Navy Sally heavy bomber or an early war Lockheed Hudson. Best of all, each is priced at just $24.99, making them a great way to introduce collectors to the wonderful world of diecast collecting.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale German Heinkel He-111H-16 Medium Bomber with Fi 103 (Doodlebug) – A1+HK, 2./Kampfgeschwader 53, Air Launch V-1 Flying Bomb Unit, Late 1944
Year after year, the Heinkel He-111 medium bomber is one of the most popular aircraft in the Corgi Aviation Archive stable. Its sleek lines, handsomely applied paint schemes and wonderful attention to detail helps to explain way we sell out of this model almost as soon as we get them in stock.
This June, the latest entrant in the Heinkel line up is this He-111H-16, which is armed with a Fi 103 (Doodlebug), better known as a V-1 Flying Bomb (AA33716). A similar model was released way back in 2005 and instantly became one of the most sought after Heinkels ever to take wing, and now garners exceptionally high prices in many of the the after markets.
The newest Heinkel (AA33716) was operated by Legion Condor and wrought vengeance upon the Allied Armies following the invasion of Europe. Just one week after the D-Day landings and the successful Allied invasion of enemy occupied Europe, the Germans were determined to show that the war was far from over and launched the first of their V-1 Flying Bombs against Southern England. Described as their first “Vengeance Weapon”, these pulse jet powered unmanned flying bombs emitted a distinctive sound from the intermittently firing engine and quickly became known as “Doodlebugs”, with the indiscriminate nature of their targeting spreading panic amongst the British population. At its peak, more than 100 V-1s were hurled against England from their launch sites on the French and Dutch coasts, however, although they spread panic amongst the population, the range of these attacks was restricted to southern English counties.
In an attempt to extend the range of these attacks, a specialist bombing unit was formed and equipped with modified versions of Heinkel He-111H bombers, which could carry a Doodlebug slung beneath the starboard wing, between the wing root and the engine. With an electric connection running from the bomber to the V-1s engine, the optimum delivery method was for the Heinkel to reach a height of approximately 2,000 feet, before entering a shallow dive to reach a launch speed of 150mph. This was the speed needed for the V-1 to fly and once reached, the pulse jet engine was remotely fired, allowed to run for a few seconds, then released, with the parent aircraft diving away for a low level return to base. Many factors would then come into play and dictate where the V-1 fell, such as heading, wind direction and performance of the rather basic jet engine.
Look for Corgi’s rendition of its newest Heinkel He-111 to land some time in June.
Earlier today, I read, with great interest, an email sent out by one of our competitors to their clientele regarding the collection of online sales tax. In it, the owner expressed his dismay regarding the onerous task of collecting sales tax for states outside his immediate purview. While I can understand his frustration and cause for alarm, I just wanted to point out something he and the rest of the collecting community may not be aware of after doing some due diligence of my own.
The following text was excerpted from the SalesTaxInstitute.com web site and may help to explain why some sellers are collecting sales tax and others are not: “On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., addressing South Dakota’s economic nexus law. This decision overruled the physical presence rule for sales tax nexus for sales made over the internet. States now have right to require tax collection from online retailers and other remote sellers that do not have physical presence in their states. Looking strictly at the South Dakota economic nexus legislation addressed in the case, South Dakota’s law minimizes the burden on online and out-of-state sellers. The legislation provides a safe harbor for small sellers: a remote seller must make in-state sales exceeding $100,000 or makes 200 or more separate sales transactions in the previous or current calendar year for the nexus provision to apply. The legislation also ensures that the nexus provision does not apply retroactively.”
So, in effect, unless the seller is doing a truly bang up job in a particular state, they are exempted from this Supreme Court ruling by this so-called safe harbor. Online sellers such as Amazon and eBay are clearly exceeding these thresholds, which is why they are currently tacking on sales tax to online transactions made in states mandating the collection of sales tax. Now, should things change from a legislative standpoint or we start doing incredibly well such that we are meeting or exceeding these thresholds, then I doubt a retailer of our size and stature will have to collect and remit sales tax for states other than New York, our nexus, which is where we are currently located.
As states seek to raise revenue in the wake of store closings and online sales continue to increase vis. a vis. brick-and-mortar businesses, this ruling will likely be reviewed again and possibly amended to reflect the state-of-affairs. Until such time, however, we will continue to collect sales tax from customers located in New York but will certainly notify everyone if it appears as if we must follow suit and start collecting sales tax from and for other states.
Originally launched under the Imaginarium moniker, Calibre Wings has decided to rebrand its fantasy-based category by calling the new selection “Dream Cats”. The idea here is to tweak an existing model without going through the added expense of actually retooling the mold – a makeover of sorts by applying ahistorical “what if” liveries and schemes to operational aircraft. In the case of their F-14 Tomcat, the Company has elected to apply a familiar Japanese scheme typically seen on their F-1 and F-2 jets and calling the new aircraft a “Mona Cat”, then finishing by assigning it to the JASDF’s 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron. It’ll be interesting to see if collectors warm to the idea of adding models to their collection that never saw service with the nationality or squadron depicted. Its certainly a novel concept, and helps to defray the cost of producing the mold, so we hope it “takes off” with aviation enthusiasts world over.
Waltersons updated 1:72 scale Tiger I heavy tank model kit
Just like its predecessor, Unimax, Waltersons will apparently test out the model kit market with its soon-to-be-released Model Kit 999 Series. Twelve 1:72 scale kits are set to hit the streets, most based on World War II era machines of war. At first blush, these look to be the same 12 kits that Unimax produced roughly ten years ago. Interestingly, the Forces of Valor logo does not appear on the updated packaging. Its not clear, at present, if our distributor will stock the series or remain focused on the pre-assembled range of vehicles and aircraft that make up the Forces of Valor line up.
Unimax’ 1:72 scale Tiger I heavy tank model kit bearing the Forces of Valor logo
Speaking of Forces of Valor, the manufacturer intends to use the upcoming Shizuoka Hobby Show held in Japan this April to display much of their wares and hopefully provide everyone with a production schedule for the balance of the year. Despite falling behind schedule we are still hoping for some good things to appear in 2019 that will rekindle our passion for the line.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “Genesis II”, “Task Force Ripper”, C Company, 3rd Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Operation Desert Storm, 1991
Its been awhile since we’ve received a military vehicle of particular note, one with a fair bit of history behind it instead of some generic, unidentified unit no one cares about. Which is one reason why we’ve had our eye on Hobby’ Master’s recently released M60A1 Patton tank with explosive reactive armor (HG5606), a sharp-looking vehicle that served with “Task Force Ripper” during Operation Desert Storm.
Task Force Ripper, under the command of Colonel Carlton W. Fulford Jr., led the 1st Marine Division straight into Kuwait City during Operation Desert Storm, smashing through enemy armor and enemy delaying actions. As the Marine 1st Division edged nearer the city, commanders heard reports of two developing counterattacks by Iraqi forces. “We fired on the two gathering points and it wasn’t 30 minutes before we scattered them like rabbits out of the bush,” said Myatt, the division commander. “The Cobras {helicopter gunships} and the LAVs {light armored vehicles} had a field day” as a “hunter-killer package” to search out and destroy Iraqi equipment. On the way to their objective, the Kuwait International Airport, Task Force Ripper M-60A1 Patton tanks destroyed about 100 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers, including about 50 top-of-the-line Soviet T-72 tanks. 1st Marine division commander Maj. Gen. J.M. Myatt said, “During the first day of combat operations 1st Platoon, D Company, 3rd Tank Battalion destroyed 15 Iraqi tanks”. The Marines also destroyed 25 APCs and took 300 POWs. The 1st Marine Division’s Task Force Shepherd lost 14 killed in action during combat operations en route to Kuwait International Airport. Task Force Taro was also a participant in the 1st Marine Division’s combat operations. Task Force Papa Bear, C and D Co, 1st Marine Division, who as the division reserve repelled a huge enemy counter-attack while defending the minefield breach. The 1st Marine Division also destroyed around 60 Iraqi tanks near the Burgan oil field without suffering any losses.
An Iraqi counterattack was broken up by fire from five Marine artillery battalions. An assault by the 22nd Brigade of the Iraqi 5th Mechanized Division was broken at the point of attack by Marine Infantry. Company I of the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines hit the Iraqi 22nd Brigade with close range fire from their Dragon ATGMs and handheld antitank weapons. Company C, 1st Tank Battalion would destroy 18 Iraqi vehicles during this particular engagement. The 1st Marine Division lost 1 M60A1 tank clearing a path through a minefield. The 1st Marine Division encountered more Iraqi opposition as it proceeded to move north. Elements of the 1st Marine Division came into contact with the Iraqi 15th Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Armored Division. During this engagement the Marines destroyed an additional 46 enemy vehicles and took approximately 929 POWs. Three Marines were wounded in the process. As the 1st Marine Division continued its advance it destroyed an additional 29 Iraqi combat vehicles and captured 320 POWs. During these engagements the most effective Iraqi unit appeared to be the Iraqi 449th Artillery Brigade. Its accurate fire killed a Marine and wounded 12 others. Marine Company C, 3rd Tank Battalion would have a tank damaged by Iraqi artillery fire. In return 1st Marine Division artillery would also prove its worth eliminating numerous enemy targets or driving off other Iraqi forces. The 1st Marine Division would encounter more Iraqi opposition along the way to the Kuwait International Airport destroying dozens of more Iraqi tanks and APCs while taking hundreds of additional POWs.
Once the 1st Marine Division reached Kuwait International Airport they found what remained of the Iraqi 12th Armored Brigade, 3rd Armored Division defending it. The Marines destroyed 30 to 40 Iraqi T-72 tanks which had taken up defensive positions around the airport. The Marines also encountered T-62 tanks in dispersed and under strength platoon and company units. They were knocked out by TOWs at long range. By the end of the day the Iraqi 3rd Armored Division was totally destroyed. The Iraqi 3rd Armored Division losses included more than 250 T-55/62s and 70 T-72 tanks.
A week after Boeing and the RAAF unveiled their “Loyal Wingman” UCAV, designed as a strike package force multiplier, the USAF did them one better by introducing their own autonomous UCAV, dubbed the XQ-58A Valkyrie Experimental Combat Drone. According to a USAF press release, “The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. The Air Force Research Laboratory partnered with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems to develop the XQ-58A.
This joint
effort falls within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Low Cost
Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, which has the
objective to break the escalating cost trajectory of tactically relevant
aircraft. The objectives of the LCAAT initiative include designing and
building UAS faster by developing better design tools, and maturing and
leveraging commercial manufacturing processes to reduce build time and
cost.
Developed
for runway independence, the aircraft behaved as expected and completed
76 minutes of flight time. The time to first flight took a little over
2.5 years from contract award. The XQ-58A has a total of five planned
test flights in two phases with objectives that include evaluating
system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and launch and recovery
systems.
“XQ-58A is the first example of a class of UAV that is defined by low procurement and operating costs while providing game changing combat capability,” said Doug Szczublewski, AFRL’s XQ-58A Program Manager.
For more information on the Valkyrie, we recommend you pay a visit to The Drive.
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale German E-50 Super Heavy 38cm Assault Mortar
After several false starts and a snow storm to boot, we received confirmation today that our Modelcollect shipment is now en route to us and should arrive by the weekend, Monday the latest. Lots of goodies are included in this month’s covered chuck wagon, spanning everything from rail cars to missile launchers. Its going to take us a couple of days to review our outstanding orders and ship out everything already allocated so please bear with us during this time frame. If you haven’t already checked out the cache, we recommend you do so and submit any orders to us before stocks run out.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “Genesis II”, “Task Force Ripper”, C Company, 3rd Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Operation Desert Storm, 1991
If there was ever any doubt behind the saying “March roars in like a lion,” all you need do is look to Hobby Master and their latest batch of releases currently en route. Some items, such as this M60 Patton tank (HG5606), weren’t even expected until the end of the month, so all we have is this line art drawing bravely acting as a stand-in until pix are provided. Other key items are their first ever 1:72 scale F-35C Joint Strike Fighter (HA6201) as well as a handsome 1:72 scale F-22 Raptor bearing the markings of the 95th Fighter Squadron (HA2819).
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – VFA-101 “Grim Reapers”, CAG Bird, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 2013 [Low-Vis Scheme]
We’ve updated our Hobby Master sections accordingly and hope to have all of the in transit items shown on our site ready for shipment by the start of this weekend, or early next week at the latest, depending upon when they arrive from our distributor.
