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.
