Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II French Char 2C Super Heavy Tank – “Alsace”, 51e Bataillon de Chars de Combat, France, 1939
In 1937, Erwin Rommel wrote and published his seminal military treatise Infanterie Greift An (Infantry Attacks), which caught the attention of both the German General staff as well as the Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. Rommel intended to publish a companion piece entitled Panzer Greift An (Armor Attacks), but was both caught up in his exploits during the second world war as well as his supposed complicity in the plot to kill Hitler.
Fortunately, we are in a different position. After a strong start with the first six vehicles released in 2021, the publisher of the highly successful Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II series has asked us to pick out no less than 16 new introductions, all of which will be out at varying intervals in 2022. The next batch will include several soft-skinned military vehicles, transports and, as the name implies, a bevy of tanks from all the world’s armies that fought in World War II, both in the ETO as well as the PTO. A number of highly requested vehicles made the cut, including the massive French Char 2C super heavy tank seen here. We will post updates to our web site as soon as we have more solid information to work from. If you previously placed a pre-order for the Char 2C, then we will apply your order to this vehicle and honor the price quoted. Otherwise, each vehicle in this series has been priced at $39.99 apiece.
Corgi’s 1:50 scale German Late Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. H Heavy Tank – “300”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Eastern Front, Summer 1944
It appears as if Corgi has just about caught up with its 2021 release schedule even if some of their competitors are still lagging behind. News from the “pooch” is that both of their 1:50 scale Tiger I heavy tanks have arrived and are now riding the rails to our facility here in New York City. With New Years looming, however, it will likely be the first week of January before they’re ready for battle and able to take up assault positions along side some of their brethren Military Legends vehicles.
Corgi’s 1:50 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. H Heavy Tank – “131”, schwere Panzerabteilung 504, Deutsches Afrika Korps, Point 174, Gueriat el Atach, Tunisia, April 24th, 1943
Looking back, their initial production Tiger I tank, which was decked out in field grey and unleashed two years ago, was easily their best selling vehicle in the line even though it was a tad inaccurate. Perhaps hastily released before it could be properly scrutinized, it failed to properly replicate the actual tank in a number of important respects, most notably in the shape of the turret and type of road wheels chosen. After examining their newly uploaded images for their early production Tiger I tank, it would appear as if they made a concerted effort to get this one right since it now comes with the correct turret and rubber-rimmed road wheels. In any event, based upon pre-orders submitted for these two heavies, these should do exceptionally well too. Enjoy!
Tiger 131 was repaired with parts from other destroyed Tigers and inspected to judge its performance. It was displayed in Tunis and formally inspected there by King George VI and Winston Churchill. The tank was sent to England in October 1943 where it was displayed as a trophy at various locations to raise wartime morale before it was subjected to extensive testing and evaluation by the School of Tank Technology who produced detailed reports on its construction. The captured tank was transferred to The Tank Museum by the British Ministry of Supply on 25 September 1951 where it was given the accession number 2351 (later E1951.23).
In 1990, the tank was removed from display at the museum for restoration by the museum and the Army Base Repair Organisation. The restoration involved an almost complete disassembly of the tank. The Maybach HL230 engine from the museum’s Tiger II was installed as the Tiger’s original Maybach HL210 had been cut into cross sections for display. A modern fire-suppressant system was added to the engine compartment, the only other significant alteration. The wear and performance of the refitted Tiger engine was studied by metallurgists to explore the alloys and performance of WWII German manufacturing.
In December 2003, Tiger 131 returned to the museum with a working engine, making it the only working Tiger tank in the world and the most popular exhibit at the museum. Further work and repainting in period colours completed the restoration in 2012, for a total cost quoted at £80,000.
Several years after it was first announced, Waltersons, the current owner of the Forces of Valor brand, is now advertising that their 4-inch Flight Deck series is entering the production phase and will likely be released some time in the first quarter of 2022. Each of the thirteen interlocking puzzle pieces, which, when joined together, forms the top deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. End-to-end, the complete deck measures approximately 5-1/2 feet in length, meaning collectors will need quite a bit of shelf space to display this set in its entirety. Each individual section also comes with a 1:200 scale aircraft, making them ideal gifts for collectors looking to get into the hobby on a budget and at their own pace.
Thus far, only F-14s seem to have made the cut, among them an Iranian Tomcat, although the manufacturer claims that other aircraft types are in the works thereby representing a truer complement of embarked aircraft. Its not clear if other flattops will be replicated at some point or when the other aircraft types will be introduced to the series. We hope to have additional information in the weeks ahead.
Legendary Warships of WWII 1:1250 US Navy Iowa Class Battleship – USS Missouri (BB-63)
First there was the Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II. Then came the Warbirds of World War II. Next, as you might imagine, are the Legendary Warships of World War II. Scaled at 1:1250, this all new diecast range examines some of the most iconic warships of the second world war, from the earliest aircraft carriers to the huge Iowa class battleships. Portrayed with their full draught and sitting atop a handsome decorative base, each battleship features rotating main gun turrets and a highly detailed superstructure. Meanwhile the aircraft carriers come with an equally detailed island as well as a complement of aircraft lining the flight deck. The first five warships are posted to our web site and we anticipate taking delivery in early 2022 with more surface ships to follow. Go Navy!
Legendary Warships of WWII US Navy Yorktown Class Aircraft Carrier – USS Hornet (CV-8)
Panzerkampf 1:72 US M1083 Medium Tactical Vehicle with Gun – Desert Camouflage
We’ve been impressed with the manner in which newcomer Panzerkampf has addressed the military diecast market, both listening to advice given and product unleashed. While other manufacturers seem to have fallen off the radar, Panzerkampf has, to date, released a wide array of ground vehicles, aircraft and helicopters that have both been well received and, just as importantly, sold very well.
We’re in possession of their 2022 catalog, which contains a number of new product introductions both on the ground and in the air, along with their first ever foray on the high seas. Unfortunately, at this time of year, we’re still inundated in orders that have to get out over the next few days in order to make the holiday deadline. And, with 2022 looming, other manufacturers are starting to spill the beans on what’s ahead as they look towards the 2022 toy fairs to hawk their latest wares.
Thus far, we’ve been able to list several of Panzerkampf’s newest introductions, including a Pantsir S-1 antiaircraft weapons system, US M1083 medium tactical vehicle and even a Sea King H6 medium lift helicopter. Over the coming days we hope to have the remaining list of new introductions up on our site and available for pre-order. Naturally, we’ll have actual product imagery up on our site in lieu of these line art drawings once they get posted by the manufacturer. So, don’t be alarmed by how few new items have been added just yet since there’s lots more in the pipeline from this prolific manufacturer.
So, we’ve finally received a bit of good news from our distributor regarding Hobby Master. Turns out the November and December shipments are expected to hit their warehouse early next week. Its also quite likely the September and October shipments will arrive shortly thereafter, perhaps the first week of January. Essentially, this means four months worth of product are scheduled to reach us on or around the same time — we’re guessing the first week of January since there are a couple of holidays in between and the carriers typically take off for a breather based upon their own workload.
Frankly, we’re not sure when everything is going to reach us and in what order, so we’ve lumped together all four months worth of product into our January 2022 release category. Its possible some items might reach us before the end of the year but with all the struggles everyone has had to endure this year, we’re placing our bets on the first week of January. Obviously its going to take us a bit of time to go through everything before we can start shipping out product, updating our web site and our attendant marketplace sites. As a result, we’re asking everyone to please bear with us as we attempt to ascertain when and which products reach us in the next few weeks.
Update: Our distributor informs us that all four months worth of product, which encompasses their September through December shipments, have been received at their Georgia facility. Currently, they are working diligently to sort through everything and will begin shipping out said items to their retail network on December 24th and into the following week. With the holidays upon us, we will likely start to see the fruits of their labors just before New Years. We doubt everything will arrive all at once, so its possible the balance of the shipments will arrive at our New York facility the first week of January. In the meantime, please do not call or send us any messages at this time asking about your pre-orders. They will be filled as product comes in and may be mailed out in multiple shipments. Thank you for your patience.
Corgi 1:72 German Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stuka Dive-Bomber – 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 “Immelmann”, Battle of Moscow, December 1941
Without doubt one of the most instantly recognizable aircraft of the Second World War, the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka may not have been the most effective strike aircraft to see combat during the conflict, but it was certainly one of the most feared. Capable of providing strategic, precision bombing support for advancing Wehrmacht ground units, the Stuka heralded the coming of war and as such, had been designed specifically to instill fear and confusion into enemy troops and the terrified population at large. Attaching a wailing siren, known as the ‘Jericho Trumpet’, to one of the undercarriage spats on the Stuka’s airframe, only served to enhance the reputation of this aircraft, with its distinctive gull wings coming to represent the fearsome manifestation of Blitzkrieg! Although the Stuka had been found to be vulnerable against the modern fighters of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain, it would go on to play a significant role during Operation Barbarossa, where its precision strikes were used to clear a path for advancing ground units along the vast front line.
This 3./StG.2 Stuka wears the standard camouflage of Black/green and Dark green over light blue, but has a roughly applied winter distemper to give it additional protection whilst operating during winter conditions. It also features a representation of gaping mouth artwork over the air cooler and above, which is described as ‘Ghost Bones’, making this one of the most distinctive Stukas to serve on the Eastern Front.
Corgi 1:72 German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 “Gustav” Fighter – Black Double Chevron ‘Mickey Mouse’, Hptm. Horst Carganico, CO II./Jagdgeschwader 5 “Eismeer”, Pskow South Airfield, Soviet Union, Early 1944
Born in Silesia in October 1917, Horst Carganico was already a pilot with Jagdgeschwader 1 at the outbreak of WWII and would see his first combat action against the RAF whilst flying from Luftwaffe bases in Norway. Despite this, it would be on the Eastern Front where Carganico would have his greatest success as a fighter pilot, taking an active part in Operation Barbarossa and claiming at least 20 aerial victories by the end of September 1941. In the six weeks from the beginning of April 1942, he would go on a scoring run which would see him claiming a further 23 victories, but as Soviet fighter effectiveness began to improve steadily during the year, he would not have everything his own way. On two separate occasions, he would be brought down over Soviet territory following combat with the VVS (Soviet Air Force), luckily managing to evade capture and return to his unit both times.
Carganico was known for adding his personal “Mickey Mouse’ emblem to the majority of the Messerschmitt fighters he flew, including the rather elaborate example which adorned this II./Jagdgeschwader.5 machine, which surely made this one of the most distinctive fighters on the Eastern Front. He would survive the savage fighting in the East only to be killed in May 1944 whilst engaged in combat with USAAF fighters over Saint-Dizier – attempting a forced landing in his damaged aircraft, the fighter struck high tension cables and crashed. Carganico posted an impressive combat record of 60 confirmed victories from a total mission count of around 600 sorties, mainly on the Eastern Front.
Corgi 1:72 German Junkers Ju 88A-5 Medium-Bomber – F1+AS, 8./Kampfgeschwader 76, Orscha, Russia, December 1941
As arguably the most versatile German aircraft of the Second World War, Luftwaffe Junkers Ju-88 units were probably the most capable strike assets they had available at the start of Operation Barbarossa and they would be used extensively throughout the campaign. During the opening attack in the early hours of June 22nd, 1941, hand-picked, experienced Ju-88 crews were sent as pathfinders to ‘light up’ the Soviet airfields closest to the western edge of the invasion, illuminating targets for the main attack force which followed just minutes later. Immediately returning to their bases, they were refuelled and loaded with standard bombs, so they could head back to the target airfields and participate in the rout of the Soviet Air Force. In other sectors, the Ju-88s of KGs 76 and 77 reported the inexplicable loss of several experienced crews, losses which have since been attributed to friendly fire incidents during the melee of the initial attacks.
As the German invasion gathered momentum, Ju-88 units would be constantly employed in attacking Soviet airfields ahead of ground units, but would also become extremely proficient at targeting Soviet troop and armor concentrations which were threatening the flanks of advancing German columns. This attractive 8./KG.76 Ju-88 came down behind German lines during the early winter of 1941, probably due to engine trouble, as it was later recovered and returned to operational condition. Looking resplendent in its winter whitewash, it also features the distinctive wasp emblem of the unit on its front fuselage.
All three Corgi 1:72 scale Vorrucken nach Norden (Advance to the North) aircraft are now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
Corgi 1:48 Royal Flying Corps Bristol F2B Fighter – D8084/S, “Charlie Chaplin”, Capt. Sydney Dalrymple and 2/Lt. G. Beagle, RAF No.139 Squadron, Villaverla Aerodrome, Italy, August 1918
Great War Australian ace pilot, Captain Sydney Dalrymple, transferred to the newly formed No.139 Squadron at Villaverla in Italy during the summer of 1918, where he would be flying the Bristol fighter in an armed reconnaissance role. At this stage of the war, Dalrymple only had a single aerial victory to his name, however, this was gained while flying the Martinsyde G100 ‘Elephant’, an aircraft which gained its nickname due to its size and ungainly flying characteristics. Early operations with the Bristol fighter in Italy proved disappointing, as the aircraft were initially flown in a similar manner to the much maligned BE2c, flying straight and level to allow the observer to take his pictures.
Indeed, the squadron had lost three crews in action during this period and only switched to flying the aircraft much more aggressively following the arrival of famous ace, William Barker, as their new Commanding Officer, who understood the fighting qualities of this effective multi-role aircraft. On August 8th, 1918, Dalrymple and his gunner, 2/Lt. G Beagle, used Bristol F2B Fighter D-8084 to shoot down two Aviatik D.1 Berg fighters near Caldonazzo during the same mission and would dispatch two Albatros D.IIIs on September 13th flying a different Bristol. Now officially an ‘Ace’ pilot, Dalrymple was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on November 1st, 1918. Bristol F2B Fighter D-8084 was unusual in that it carried the “Charlie Chaplin” artwork on the port side engine cowling.
Corgi AA28802 is now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
AFV British Valentine Mk. III Infantry Tank – 8th Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Armoured Brigade, Libya, November 1941
The Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II line is back on track, now that the holiday season is fast coming to an end and production has resumed in Asia. We’ve done some shuffling around and the next six vehicles in the range are currently up on our site and available for pre-order. Currently, the next batch of vehicles are slated to arrive in the May/June time frame, although this could slip if issues related to the global supply chain have not been remedied. Moreover, there has been a slight bump up in the price to $39.99. Still, considering their weight, size, features and overall appearance, the line represents great value. When compared with Corgi’s smaller 1:72 scale vehicles now selling for $74.99 or Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale series pegged at $89.99-$129.99, the AFV series speaks for itself and offers many vehicles that are simply not available elsewhere from any manufacturer.
One final note. If you pre-ordered any of these items at $34.99 we will still honor this price once your order is ready to be shipped. Any future orders will, however, be set at the revised price of $39.99. Our original goal was to release six vehicles every sixty days. Obviously both the pandemic and disruption in the world wide logistical network has altered things somewhat.
In a related announcement, we will soon be unveiling an all-new series dubbed Warships of World War II. Imagination notwithstanding, this new series offers up a wide assortment of diecast preassembled battleships and aircraft carriers that sailed the seven seas during the second world war. Each is scaled at 1:1250 and five warships have made the initial cut with more due to put into port in the coming year. Enjoy!
So, as some of you may know, we purchased a new home in Florida back in April, with construction beginning in a week or two. Barring any issues with the build, we hope to move in sometime this summer, likely in July, if everything goes according to plan and all of the materials arrive as advertised instead of sitting in the belly of some cargo ship. As a result, we will likely have to start packing up our belongings as well as our inventory in June and postpone any new inbound shipments until such time as we can accept their delivery in Florida. That said, we will likely run an inventory reduction sale beginning in May which will run for the entire month, possibly increasing any discount by an added percentage each week in an effort to reduce our physical footprint both here and in Florida, thereby lessening the amount of merchandise we have to transport 1,500 miles. We will discuss this in greater detail as we get a better idea if the move is going according to plan. One final thought. By moving to Florida, I guess it means I’ll have to start taking up pickleball, dining at 4PM and driving by staring through the steering wheel instead of over it. Ah, the price we pay not to have to shovel snow anymore…
In other news, we have begun introducing “pricing uniformity” across all of our categories. In keeping with our philosophy of leaving sold out items up on our web site purely as a means of reference, we also realized that this created a bit of confusion in terms of pricing. For instance, we sold some of the earliest Hobby Master A-10 Warthogs for around $50 back in the late 2000s but the latest versions are commanding prices of around $115. So, we’ve raised the prices on the earliest releases to conform with today’s prices all in an effort to demonstrate how their value has likely appreciated over the years. In point of fact, many of the early releases are fetching even higher prices than current market prices so please take these new prices with a grain of salt. Again, it does not mean we have them in stock, but if we did, we would be selling them at today’s prices since they are, after all, limited edition collectibles that are highly sought after world wide.
