Air Force 1 seems to be back with a vengeance in 2023, claiming five more warbirds are in store for the latter half of the year. While no new toolings were announced, several fan favorites are making an encore appearance, all attractively packaged and just as attractively priced as they were when they originally flew in. Here now the newest warbirds waiting in the wings for a Harvest Moon release:
A couple of months back, Hornby let slip that they were looking to get into the sci-fi universe by offering a range of Star Trek-related products. Today, they confirmed the rumors on Facebook with the following post:
“Happy First Contact Day! We’re delighted to confirm that Corgi will be returning to The Final Frontier later this year as we begin to release a new range of officially licensed models from the Star Trek Universe!”
Its a sort of cryptic message with little substance behind it, since it still isn’t clear if they plan to resurrect the Eaglemoss line of Star Trek starships or launch their own fleet from the Trek yards. Either way, its welcome news for both Trekkies and diecast collectors, all of whom are eager to live out their next five year mission with the help of Corgi warping into space in the captain’s chair alongside them.
Earlier this year, Waltersons debuted their first pairing of new 1:700 warships when they released their Imperial Japanese Navy battleship, Yamato. While the Yamato had been a part of the original Unimax fleet as well as the reinvigorated Watersons navy unleashed several years ago, the updated Japanese battleship is now available in two distinct versions – one with a full hull and a second as a waterline variant that can satisfy wargamers. Both have done well at retail since leaving port, which has encouraged Waltersons to delve deeper into their line, this time around taking their US battleship, USS Missouri, out of proverbial mothballs and back out to sea.
Expected in early June, the updated warship features new gun turret tooling that enables them to sport individualized gun movement. Additionally, the full hull version comes with an all-new display base, updated packaging, and a slicker tri-color camouflaged paint scheme that better reflects the warship’s appearance during the middle part of the Pacific campaign.
Down the road, or, as the case may be out to sea, its a good bet that Waltersons will offer the same treatment to other previously released warships such as the German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, not to mention the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, along with newer builds that have been hinted at for some time – the USS Kitty Hawk, HMS Invincible and others, to name but a few. Its a good and viable strategy provided they can lay the keels and christen these nautical behemoths in a more timely manner.
