Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USAAF North American P-51B Mustang Fighter – Lieutenant Steve Pisanos, 334th Fighter Squadron “Fighting Eagles”, 4th Fighter Group, Essex, England, May 1944
Per Hobby Master’s MAP guidelines, we will be removing any price restrictions on all of the August 2023 Hobby Master arrivals. The price for each item has been reduced to their regular selling price and you may now apply any discounts we offer towards the purchase of these items. This process will recur on the first of every month in compliance with their updated MAP pricing program. You can tell if an item is no longer MAP protected if the blue MAP seal that appears alongside its image and just below its price has been removed. In effect, a retailer is no longer bound by the 6-month introductory MAP restriction policy and can sell the item for whatever price they deem appropriate.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy McDonnell F-4B Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – VF-143 “Pukin Dogs”, USS Constellation (CV-64), 1967
USS Constellation was launched on October 8th, 1960, and she was delivered to the Navy a year later on October 1st, 1961. She was commissioned on October 27th, 1961, with Captain T. J. Walker in command. Another fire occurred aboard Constellation on November 7th, 1961, while she was being tested at sea, killing four and injuring nine others.
Following fitting out and acceptance trials, Constellation departed her home port of Norfolk, Virginia, on February 7th, 1962, for initial air operations off the Virginia Capes. She conducted her first catapult launch and arrested landing the same day with Commander George C. Watkins, air group (CVG) 13 commander, at the controls of an A4D-2 Skyhawk of Attack Squadron 34. After a month of operating locally, Connie (as the carrier became known) conducted a two-month shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea.
In the summer of 1962, Constellation was transferred to the U.S. Pacific Fleet and CVG-13 was disestablished. For the two-month trip around Cape Horn to her new home port of San Diego, California, Constellation embarked elements of CVG-5 and departed Mayport, Florida, on July 25th. In November Constellation, with CVG-14 on board, commenced workup exercises for her upcoming maiden deployment to the western Pacific as a component of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. The uneventful cruise took place from February to September 1963.
Constellation‘s second deployment began on May 5th, 1964. She relieved Kitty Hawk on station in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam on June 8th, embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 (air groups had been redesignated air wings on December 20th, 1963) and flew armed photo reconnaissance missions over Laos until July 13th. Following an upkeep period at Subic Bay, Philippines, Constellation reached Hong Kong for a port visit on July 27th, but within a few days was called back into action.
As a result of orders received during the first day of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 2nd, 1964), Constellation got underway and headed toward the Gulf of Tonkin. On August 4th, Constellation launched F-4B Phantom IIs to join aircraft from Ticonderoga in providing air cover over the destroyers which were alleged by the Johnson administration to have been attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats. On August 5th, both carriers launched Operation Pierce Arrow, a series of air strikes on a North Vietnamese oil facility and naval vessels. CVW-14 lost two aircraft, an A-1 Skyraider, piloted by Lieutenant (junior grade) Richard C. Sather, who was killed in action (KIA), and an A-4 Skyhawk flown by Lieutenant (junior grade) Everett Alvarez Jr., who became one of the United States’ first prisoners of war (POW) of the Vietnam War. Operations returned to a more normal cycle for the remainder of the deployment, and Constellation returned to San Diego on February 1st, 1965, ending a nearly nine-month cruise. Connie and CVW-14 were awarded a Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) for the early August operations. During the deployment, Constellation appears to have been under the direction of Commander Carrier Division 9.
A first shipyard period for Constellation followed, lasting eight months; then workups commenced for her first full-blown war cruise. The carrier, with CVW-15 on board, was underway for operations off Vietnam in May 1966. During 111 days on station, aircraft from Constellation pounded roads, bridges and other targets, attempting to impede the flow of men and war materials south. The F-4B aircrew of pilot Lieutenant William M. McGunigan and radar intercept officer Lieutenant (junior grade) Robert M. Fowler from Fighter Squadron 161 (VF-161) shot down a MiG-17 fighter jet on July 13th, marking the ship’s first MiG kill of the war. Constellation returned to San Diego in December after her seven-month combat cruise, having lost 16 aircrewmen and 15 aircraft. Subsequently, both Constellation and CVW-15 were awarded a NUC for this deployment.
After a short workup cycle, Constellation‘s third combat deployment commenced in April 1967. With CVW-14 embarked, the carrier operated first on Dixie Station (a patrol area about 60 miles (97 km) off South Vietnam) with strikes in the Iron Triangle region, and then moved north to Yankee Station (a patrol area about 50 miles (80 km) off North Vietnam) for a total of 121 days on the line. Reflecting the intensive nature of air operations, F-4Bs of VF-142 and VF-143 accounted for four MiG kills. The eight-month deployment ended in December, having totaled losses of 16 aircraft and 20 personnel, including seven KIAs and eight POWs. Both the carrier and CVW-14 received a NUC.
Constellation began her fourth deployment to the western Pacific and Vietnam on May 29th, 1968. During this deployment, the Constellation/CVW-14 team was restricted to strikes below the 20th parallel of North Vietnam as a result of a March Presidential order. On November 1st, as directed by President Johnson, all bombing of North Vietnam was halted at 21:00 Saigon time. The last Navy mission over the restricted area was flown earlier in the day by Cmdr. Kenneth E. Enney in an A-7 Corsair II. Constellation returned to home port to on January 31st, 1969, after flying more than 11,000 combat and support missions and dropping almost 20,000 tons of ordnance. Fifteen aircraft were destroyed, nine due to enemy action. Six aircrew members perished, five were listed as KIAs and three were taken as POW.
By August, it was time for Constellation to return to Vietnam for a fifth combat deployment, again with CVW-14. Following an initial 20-day period of supporting strikes in South Vietnam as well as Laos, Constellation sailed to Defender Station in the Sea of Japan, which had been created as a result of increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On October 2nd, 1969, there was an accident caused when the tail rotor came off of a helicopter just before landing on the flight deck. Nine men went down with the chopper and were never recovered. A return to Yankee Station on November 1st also produced a major milestone in the carrier’s life when the F-4J aircrew of air wing skipper Commander R. K. Billings and Lieutenant (junior grade) Jeff Taylor of VF-143 conducted Connie‘s 100,000th arrested landing. During a mission on March 28th, 1970, the VF-142 F-4 crew of Lieutenant Jerome E. Beaulier and Lieutenant Steven J. Barkley downed a North Vietnamese MiG-21 jet fighter. Following a total of 128 days on the line, Constellation‘s nine-month deployment ended in May, with CVW-14 suffering the loss of seven total aircraft, five to enemy action. One member of the aircrew was taken as a POW, but there were no fatalities.
The Mayaguez incident took place between Kampuchea (now Cambodia) and the United States from May 12th to 15th, 1975, less than a month after the Khmer Rouge took control of the capital Phnom Penh ousting the U.S.-backed Khmer Republic. After the Khmer Rouge seized the U.S. merchant vessel SS Mayaguez in a disputed maritime area, the U.S. mounted a hastily-prepared rescue operation. U.S. Marines recaptured the ship and attacked the island of Koh Tang where it was believed that the crew were being held as hostages.
Encountering stronger than expected defenses on Koh Tang, three United States Air Force helicopters were destroyed during the initial assault and the Marines fought a desperate day-long battle with the Khmer Rouge before being evacuated. The Mayaguez’s crew were released unharmed by the Khmer Rouge shortly after the attack on Koh Tang began. The names of the Americans killed, including three Marines left behind on Koh Tang after the battle and subsequently executed by the Khmer Rouge, are the last names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Following Secretary of Defense James R. Schlesinger’s instructions, P-3 Orion aircraft stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Cubi Point in the Philippines and at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand took off to locate Mayaguez. The aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea, then en route to Australia, was ordered into the area. The destroyer escort USS Harold E. Holt and the guided missile destroyer USS Henry B. Wilson were both ordered to proceed at high speed from the Philippine Sea towards Mayaguez’s last known location.
An alert order was sent to 1st Battalion 4th Marines (1/4 Marines) at Subic Bay and to the 9th Marine Regiment on Okinawa. A reinforced company from 1/4 Marines was ordered to assemble at NAS Cubi Point for airlift to Thailand, while a 1,100-man Battalion Landing Team (BLT) assembled in Okinawa.
On the early morning of May 13th, the P-3 Orions identified large radar returns near Poulo Wai and dropped flares on the suspected location of Mayaguez provoking Khmer Rouge gunfire. Low on fuel, the two Orions returned to base and were replaced with another Orion from Patrol Squadron 17. At 08:16 local time the Orion made a low pass over Poulo Wai positively identifying Mayaguez and again drawing Khmer Rouge gunfire.
Shortly afterwards the Khmer Rouge leader, Sa Mean, ordered Captain Miller to get Mayaguez underway. At 08:45 Mayaguez set off towards the northeast following one of the Swift Boats. The Orion continued to track Mayaguez as it left Poulo Wai. Once the location of Mayaguez was identified, Admiral Gayler ordered the commander of the Seventh Air Force, Lieutenant General John J. Burns, at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, to move combat aircraft to the area.
At 13:00 two unarmed United States Air Force (USAF) F-111 fighter-bombers diverted from a training mission began making low-level high-speed passes by Mayaguez. Once the F-111s had left, Sa Mean ordered Captain Miller to follow the Swift Boats around Koh Tang and drop anchor approximately 1.5 km north of the island. Two F-4 Phantoms soon arrived over Mayaguez and began firing their 20 mm cannon into the water in front of the ship. The F-4s were followed by A-7D Corsairs and more F-111s which continued to fire into the sea in front of and behind the ship indicating that no further movement should be attempted.
At 16:15, the Khmer Rouge ordered Mayaguez’s crew onto two fishing boats which then took them closer to the shore of Koh Tang.
Look for Hobby Master’s latest F-111 to swoop in towards the end of February.
Neo Dragon Armor’s 1:72 scale German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. N Infantry Support Tank with Extra Jerry Cans Atop the Turret and Rear – “Red 07”, schwere Panzerabteilung 501, Panzerarmee Afrika, Tunisia, 1942-’43
Schwere Panzerabteilung 501 was sent to North Africa following the Allied landings in Northwest Africa. The first tanks arrived in Tunisia in November 1942 while the second kompanie, was used for the occupation of Vichy France. It surrendered in Tunisia in May 1943 but was reformed later in September 1943 from the cadre of troops that had been withheld from Africa.
Following the Allied landing in French North Africa the battalion, with its 16 Panzer IIIs, arrived in Tunisia between November 1942 and January 1943.
Initially only three Tiger Is of the 501st landed at Tunis on November 23rd, 1942. These first elements of the battalion, along with four Panzer IIIs, were organized with other units into Kampfgruppe Lueder. They were involved in fighting just over a week later during the Axis counterattack on 1 December, destroying nine US and two British tanks on the first day while relieving German forces. On December 2nd, KG Lueder, with one Tiger and five Panzer IIIs, attacked Tebourba, stopping an Allied advance and knocking out six tanks and four anti-tank guns for the loss of three Panzer IIIs. On 3 December, the single operational Tiger I was reinforced by three newly arrived Tigers, which, with infantry support, surrounded Tebourba. The next day, with Junkers Ju 87 Stuka aircraft support, Kampfgruppe Lueder took Tebourba but was then disbanded, all of its Tigers being out of action. Of 182 tanks present, the Allies lost 134.
Neo Dragon Armor’s 1:72 scale German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. N Infantry Support Tank with Extra Jerry Cans – “White 124”, schwere Panzerabteilung 501, Panzerarmee Afrika, Tunisia, 1942-’43
Reinforcements of one Tiger and one Panzer III arrived on December 9th, which along with repairs of battle damage, gave an inventory of seven Tiger Is and five Panzer IIIs. The next day, they moved together with elements of 10th Panzer Division on the road to Massicault, attacking towards Majaz al Bab, gaining 13 km (8.1 mi) and destroying 14 M3 Stuart tanks. The next day, they covered the southern flank of the main attack and acted as a reserve element, 7 km (4.3 mi) east of Djedeida.
By the end of December 1942, strength was up to 11 out of 12 Tigers operational, plus 16 Panzer IIIs. On 15 January 1943, eight Tigers and eight Panzer IIIs were assigned to work with 756th Mountain Infantry Regiment, KG Lueder was re-established with five Tigers and 10 Panzer IIIs plus the 1st battalion of the 69th Mechanized Infantry Regiment. On January 18th, as part of Operation Eilbote I, the mountain infantry broke through enemy positions which were protected by anti-tank mines, and captured a crossing south west of Lake Kebir; one Tiger was scrapped due to a shortage of spare road wheels after hitting a mine. On January 19th, KG Lueder attacked along the road towards Robaa, then turned and took the crossing at Hir Moussa, capturing US personnel carriers which were turned over to their infantry. Skirmishes on January 20th resulted in the loss of a Tiger to a British 6 pdr anti-tank gun, and another blown up by British engineers. Over the next two days, British counterattacks were repelled; three enemy tanks destroyed for the loss of two Panzer III and one Tiger. On January 24th, more British attacks were repelled with heavy German losses.
14 Panzer IIIs plus 11 out of 16 available Tigers were operational on January 31st, 1943. They were split between the 756th and 69th again; under KG Weber they began Operation Eilbote II, but it was stopped by strong anti-tank defenses and minefields, then withdrew. Tiger armor was penetrated for the first time, two were knocked out; one burnt and was unrecoverable.
Neo Dragon Armor’s 1:72 scale German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. N Infantry Support Tank with Extra Jerry Cans Atop the Turret and Wooden Box and Oil Drum on its Rear – “Black 832”, schwere Panzerabteilung 501, Panzerarmee Afrika, Tunisia, 1942-’43
The six Tigers and nine Panzer IIIs of the 1st Company of the 501st were attached to 10 Panzer Division on 8 February for Operation Fruhlingswind. After night marches, they joined KG Reimann near Bou Thadi on 13 February. The next day, they broke through the Faïd Pass and joined the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid. Tigers knocked out 20 M4 Sherman tanks of the US 1st Armored Division. On February 26th, the 501st was re-designated III./Panzer-Regiment 7 of 10 Panzer-Division at the end of the Battle of the Kasserine Pass. Each company received 15 Panzer IVs as reinforcement.
The battalion that took part in the Axis offensive of Operation Ochsenkopf on February 27th. However it was stalled by numerous artillery bombardments, air attacks and mud. One Tiger also hit a mine. Continuing the attack overnight, seven more Tigers were immobilized by mines and Major Lueder was wounded. The next day, March 1st, all of the immobilized tanks were blown up, leaving one operational Tiger. The offensive failed with huge tank losses so much so that 501st had ceased to be an effective fighting force.
Over the next few days, more tanks were made operational, reaching six Tigers, 12 Panzer IIIs and seven Panzer IVs by March 10th. On March 17th, the remnants (11 Tigers) of the 501st were attached to the 504th, which had just arrived. On May 12th, 1943, the 501st were among over 230,000 Axis soldiers who surrendered at the end of the Tunisia Campaign following the Allied capture of Tunis.
To borrow a catchphrase from the medical community, we have decided to resume our print advertising campaign for the duration of 2024. Many of you first learned about us and the products we sell through previous print advertisements and have stuck with us ever since. For 2023, we decided to temporarily suspend our print advertisement campaign largely due to the inability of certain manufacturers to get their product to market on time and with enough product to support each ad. That said, we felt it important to re-evaluate this stance and see if we could resurrect our marketing plans going forward. So, beginning with the Summer issue of WWII History, we have decided to start things up again and hope to continue this program through the balance of the 2024 calendar year. A similar ad will run in the upcoming issue of Military Heritage magazine, and, depending upon what comes to market over the course of the year, may expand to include other worthy consumer-oriented publications.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale Royal Navy Invincible Class Light Aircraft Carrier – HMS Invincible (R05), Falkland Islands, 1982 [Full Hull Version]
We’re happy to report that our latest shipment from Forces of Valor went off without a hitch. This shipment, as you likely know by now, included all of the newest products that had been originally earmarked for a late 2023 arrival but, for various reasons, was delayed until early February. Their newest M4 Sherman tank — Julia — has already sold out and we are currently awaiting a second delivery so that it can be re-stocked. Unfortunately, the advent of Chinese New Year will likely delay this follow-on shipment until the end of the month, perhaps longer if it takes Waltersons a few days to get back in the saddle after returning from “the Year of the Dragon.” We still have a few pieces left of the other items comprising this shipment but expect them to sell out too if the next shipment has to be delayed until early March.
Thus far we haven’t heard much about several of the newest projects that were hinted at by Waltersons a year or two ago and have now seemingly gone AWOL. I’m speaking about the 1:32 scale Elefant tank destroyer that was purportedly going to be the newest entrant in their Inside Out series. Likewise, the manufacturer briefly indicated that a King Tiger heavy was tank was in the works but little else was mentioned. A 1:32 scale Opel Blitz ambulance decked out in the Afrika Korps motif was supposed to come to fruition this year but seems to have been shunted to the back burner. Instead, the next cache of products — likely slated to arrive in April — looks to include the on-again off-again HMS Invincible aircraft carrier, a 1:72 scale AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter, two F/A-18 Hornets, a pair of F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers and some assorted accessories. Its a good bet that the acquisition of Greenlight Collectibles last year has affected Watersons’ release schedule for its Forces of Valor lines and, quite possibly, resulted in a reapportionment of resources as they grapple with both the FOV line and Greenlight’s own proprietary product lines. We thought that some new products would be shown at the 2024 Nuremberg Toy Fair but our hopes were dashed when we viewed a video of their booth which didn’t show anything new or unexpected.
We know this isn’t what you want to hear in light of all of the recent delays and issues that have cropped up in the wake of the Greenlight Collectibles acquisition and hope that our next installment of the Forces of Valor update will have more exciting news to share with you. Peace out.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale German Mid Production Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. H Medium Tank with Schurzen Side Skirts – “Red 624”, 3.Panzer Division, Ukraine, Summer 1943
No longer content to rest on their laurels, Dragon announced that they were expanding their line of Neo Dragon Armor subjects by adding several new armored fighting vehicles that haven’t been covered prior. Two vehicles were based upon the ubiquitous British M4 Sherman Firefly medium tank while a second pairing took up the late war German PzKpfw IV Ausf. H medium tanks. No firm release dates were listed on the Dragon web site, so we are presuming they’ll hit the streets in late spring or early summer.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale British Sherman Firefly Mk. VC Medium Tank – “Red 71”, 13th/18th Royal Hussars, 27th Armoured Brigade, Normandy, 1944
As is common with Dragon, there’s a good bet that additional vehicles in both ranges will eventually be unveiled, giving the modelmaker the opportunity to extend the viability of the molds so they can make them even more profitable.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Norwegian Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank with Detachable Snorkel – Winter Camouflage
Panzerkampf has witnessed great success in the 1:72 scale military vehicle market so it was just a matter of time before they took up an older yet somewhat potent armored fighting vehicle — the Leopard 2A4 main battle tank. The Leopard 2 is a third generation German main battle tank (MBT) that was developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s. It entered service in 1979 and replaced the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the West German Army. Various iterations of the Leopard 2 continue to be operated by the armed forces of Germany, as well as 13 other European countries, and several non-European countries, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia and Singapore. Some operating countries have licensed the Leopard 2 design for local production and domestic development.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank with Detachable Snorkel – Tri-Color Camouflage
The most widespread version of the Leopard 2 family, the 2A4 models included more substantial changes, including an automated fire and explosion suppression system, an all-digital fire control system able to handle new ammunition types, and an improved turret with flat titanium/tungsten armor. The Leopard 2s were manufactured in eight batches between 1985 and 1992. All the older models were upgraded to 2A4 standard. Until 1994, Germany operated a total of 2,125 2A4s (695 newly built and the rest modified older versions), while the Netherlands had an additional 445 tanks. The 2A4 was licensed and manufactured in Switzerland as the Panzer 87 “Leopard” or Pz 87. This version included Swiss-built 7.5 mm MG 87 machine guns and communications equipment and featured an improved NBC protection system. Switzerland operated 380 Pz 87 tanks.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale German Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank with Detachable Snorkel – Winter Camouflage
After 2000, Germany and the Netherlands found themselves with large stocks of tanks that they had no need for after the Cold War. These tanks were sold to NATO or friendly armies around the world. Among these buyers of the surplus tanks were Turkey (purchasing 354 vehicles), Greece (183), Sweden (160), Chile (140), Finland (139), Poland (128), Austria (114), Spain (108), Canada (107), Indonesia (103), Singapore (96), Norway (52), Denmark (51), and Portugal (37).
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale German Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank with Detachable Snorkel – Tri-Color Camouflage
A successful design by any measure, the Leopard 2A4 has become the latest subject of Panzerkampf’s well-heeled diecast army. Not only will the latest replica faithfully replicate every feature of the 2A4, but it will also include a detachable snorkel, which was used to let the vehicle ford streams and some minor rivers.. Four versions will make the cut, including one based upon a vehicle handed over to the Ukrainian Army to defend its sovereign territory against the Federal Republic of Russia. Look for their latest combat vehicle to storm the battlefield later this Spring.
