August 2024

Hobby Master Resumes Service

Late last week we heard from the new distributor of the Hobby Master line who indicated that they have received the long-delayed June shipment of Hobby Master products. They expect to begin sending out product to their distributor network early this week. Fortuitously, several previously sold out models were also included in the cache, such as HA9304, a USAF McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo Reconnaissance Aircraft that was piloted by Captain Robert M. Sweet, who was attached to the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, and conducting “Operation Sun Run”, on November 27th, 1957, as well as HA2214, a US Navy Curtiss SB2C Helldiver ASW Aircraft that was attached to VB-83, then embarked upon the USS Essex (CV-9) during April 1945. We’ve updated our web site accordingly and welcome the news that certain sold out items will again become available. They also indicated that the July shipment of Hobby Master products, which was originally scheduled to arrive along with the June shipment, is now pegged for a September arrival. In turn, the August shipment will most probably land in October until both the manufacturer and distributor have caught up with all of the previously announced releases.

Besides several back ordered items, the June shipment has some notable aircraft included, among them Colonel Robin Olds’ F-101C Voodoo when he was deployed to Europe as part of the USAF’s 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron “Skulls”, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, then deployed to RAF Bentwaters, England, during 1964. Olds was certainly a colorful airman, earning ace status in both World War II and again in the Vietnam War, and was instrumental in retraining our air force squadrons deployed to Vietnam to better deal with the North Vietnamese Air Force.

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New Product Line: Armor Collection

Sometimes you need a score card to tell the players apart from one another. In the case of the newly launched Armor Collection (which happens to have no connection with the former Franklin Mint line of military aircraft), their pedigree first points to the Wings of the Great War line of resin WWI-era military aircraft, and then, with a wink and a nod, to its off shoot, the Wings of the Great War Armor Collection. Got it?

In any event, this new line of resin 1:72 scale military vehicles is designed to cover many of the armored vehicles that appeared on the battlefield post World War I. The first three armored fighting vehicles includes a Vietnam-era Ontos rocket-propelled tank destroyer as well as a pair of legendary WWII-era tanks — the first, Creighton Abrams’ Sherman tank known as “Thunderbolt VII” and the other Michael Wittmann’s final Tiger I mount, “007”. All three vehicles features historically accurate markings and insignia, rotating turrets and, where applicable, an elevating gun or set of rocket launchers. Each also comes with a decorative display base and a handsome outer box, just like their WWI-era cousins. Look for all three vehicles to roll out this October.

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TSR-2 = Too Strong at Retail Twice!

Apparently, collectors don’t mind adding a few notional or “what-if” aircraft to their aviation collection. We’ve known for several months now that Hobby Master’s recently released take on a Ukrainian F-16 was selling extremely well at retail even if they are just now entering the real world fray. Now, Corgi’s newest TSR-2 strike aircraft is following suit, selling out over this past weekend at a price point well in excess of their original cost.

No doubt part of the huge surge in demand has to do with the fact that Corgi’s TSR-2 has been unavailable for several years running so any new introduction, even a fictitious one, was bound to do well. But I think the real reason for the popularity of these models is the fact that collectors don’t mind dabbling in conjecture every once in awhile, more than willing to nab a new model that may never come to fruition in the real world so long as there’s some sort of emotional or intellectual connection with current or past events. No matter the reason, its encouraging to see such strong demand for notional models, which may end up ushering in other models that may have never seen the light of day.

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