October 2025

Product Spotlight: Could Nippon Join NATO?

Ever since Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, several neutral nations have petitioned to join NATO, seeing the alliance as a bulwark against Russian aggression. Sweden and Finland joined the alliance in 2023 and 2024 respectively, leaving little doubt that they could better fend off a Russian invasion by being backed up by the rest of Europe and the US.

Over in the Pacific, Japan has witnessed the PRC become ever more aggressive in recent years while North Korea has repeatedly fired intercontinental missiles over parts of the island chain. While they are a member of a Pacific-based alliance with Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and the US, they recognize that additional allies are always welcome should a shooting war erupt over Taiwan or the North Koreans decide to invade South Korea for a second time. Despite being hampered by its own constitution regarding military endeavors outside of its own borders, Japan recently conducted and concluded its first ever exercise with several European nations, embarking on what they have termed Operation Atlantic Eagles.


According to the Japan Times, “Japan completed its first-ever fighter jet deployment to Canada and Europe on Wednesday in an unprecedented display of support for NATO partner countries as well as a demonstration of the Air Self-Defense Force’s long-distance operational capabilities amid growing concerns over the international security situation.

Named “Atlantic Eagles,” the mission involved four F-15Js from Chitose Air Base, accompanied by two refueling and two transport aircraft from various bases across Japan. The contingent, which also included 180 personnel, first landed at the U.S. Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. From there, they proceeded to Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay in Canada, RAF Coningsby and RAF Brize Norton in England, and Laage Air Base in Germany.

The ASDF said the Sept. 14th to Oct. 1st deployment was meant to deepen cooperation and exchanges with fighter squadrons from partner countries in North America and Europe. But experts such as Sebastian Maslow, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo, go further, arguing that the move also highlights the growing momentum of Japan’s security cooperation with NATO partners as Tokyo appears increasingly willing to take on a more proactive role in international security affairs.

Atlantic Eagles comes as several NATO member states have increased their own deployments of military assets to Asia, including Japan, particularly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani highlighted this when talking to reporters ahead of the mission. “In recent years, European countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany have been steadily strengthening their engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, regularly dispatching fighter jets and naval vessels to areas surrounding Japan,” he said on Sept. 12th.

In this context, the ASDF deployment was meant to embody the “shared recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions is inseparable and interrelated,” Nakatani added, as the ASDF gradually expands the scope of its overseas activities.

Japan, which earlier this year launched its first dedicated mission to NATO, already has one of the closest relationships with the Western military alliance among nonmember partner states.

But Japan has been aiming to take things a step further by boosting joint activities and increasing defense-industrial cooperation, with the latest development seen as symbolizing Tokyo’s commitment to strengthening ties with NATO.

The geostrategic rationale behind these steps is to “reinforce deterrence” against China and Russia while offsetting uncertainties over NATO cohesion and U.S.-led security alliances in Asia through the development of new security partnerships, Maslow said.

Another objective, he said, is to signal readiness and resolve as the scope of military cooperation continues to expand and a new security architecture emerges that increasingly connects the European and Indo-Pacific theaters.

The ASDF deployment took place after elements of the U.K. Carrier Strike Group 25, led by the Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, docked in Japan between Aug. 12th and Sept. 2nd.

The warships’ arrival in Japan had been preceded by naval exercises with the Maritime Self-Defense Force, some of which included the first landing and takeoff of a British F-35B fighter aircraft from a Japanese carrier — a move designed to enhance interoperability, flexibility and operational capacity between the partner navies.”

Look for this JASDF Boeing F-15DJ Eagle multirole fighter to land this December.

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Tales of Transparency: What’s Old is New Again

As we discussed in several previous blog posts, there’s a strong chance that we may not receive many of the 4th quarter releases we had expected, due in large part to the current trade war occurring between the US and China. Furthermore, even if we do receive some of the products listed in our November and December Upcoming Release sections, there’s a better than average chance that the prices will have escalated exponentially, well above the asking prices we had expected to sell them for prior to the current trade imbalance and ensuing tariffs.

So, to augment our current inventory we have decided to enter the market and look for deals on previously released lines that we once sold but are no longer available to us through our normal channels. Bear in mind that we intend to purchase items on a piece meal basis and in limited quantities based upon what is available for sale and their asking price. Over the weekend, we came across several of the older Minichamps 1:35 scale armor being sold on eBay and decided to snap them up and make them available for sale to devotees of the range that may not have access to the ‘Bay. Needless to say, all of these items will be sold at premium prices well above their original selling price and will be sold on a first come first served basis. If we see additional deals pop up, we’ll explore what’s available to us and go from there.

All of the items that are returning to stock are listed as new by the seller although we will inspect them closely to ensure they are as advertised. So, even though they were once part of someone else’s collection, they can still be considered new, much like a proof Morgan silver dollar may have languished for years on end in multiple collections since they were first introduced well over a hundred years ago. Please bear this in mind should you question their condition or where the stock came from. Anyway, we should have the first batch of vehicles in stock by the end of this week.

Takeaway: To augment our inventory for the holiday season, we’ve resorted to purchasing some stock in after market sales venues such as eBay. These items are being listed as new by the sellers and are being carefully inspected for defects before being listed on our web site.

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Tales of Transparency: 4th Quarter Pre-orders

Please note that due to the ongoing trade war between the US and China, items expected from November 1st onwards may be subject to increased tariffs above and beyond what was originally indicated. Therefore we will not guarantee the pricing of these items until we know — with certainty — what our costs will be based upon what our distributor/manufacturer charges us at the time the item is ready for shipment to us. If the price of an item increases, we will contact each customer and ask if they still want the item at the revised price. If they do not want the item, we will cancel their order and refund any pre-payment they may have sent us.

We are sorry to have to take this extraordinary step, but we are not here to sell products at a loss based upon a trade war between the US and China and the resultant whims of our executive branch. We hope you understand but no retailer can survive this situation which seems to change on an almost daily basis.

Naturally, we’re not sure where all of these tit-for-tat measures will lead now or in the future. Take this video, for instance. The host discusses a number of issues that are coming to the fore for both the US and the PRC, not to mention the rest of the world. If China is attempting to clamp down on the export of refined rare earth metals then a number of countries are affected, not just the US. In response, the Trump Administration is supposedly considering a 500% tariff against the PRC. If true, then all bets are off concerning any present and future shipments from China to the US, both in terms of rare earth metals as well as a wide assortment of finished goods that China manufactures. Short of a kinetic war, which many believe is coming in 2027 over Taiwan, then this pre-emptive economic strike clearly indicates that at least a trade war is brewing between the US and the PRC, much like the stance the US took against Imperial Japan in the lead up to war in the Pacific.

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Tales of Transparency: Tariffs ‘R Us

Well, the week ended with a big bang. Early Friday, President Trump announced on social media that the latest tariff talks with the PRC had broken down for various reasons and that he would be taking punitive action against China for failing to live up to their end of the bargain. According to his post, Trump would impose a further 100% tariff increase on China, purportedly to take effect on November 1st or perhaps sooner if he decides to play hard ball with the Chinese delegation. Needless to say, Trump was supposed to meet with President Xi of China in South Korea later this month, to discuss matters and hopefully bring a resolution to this trade war. In a separate matter, the US Supreme Court isn’t set to take up the matter of tariffs until November, which is far too late for most manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to take action for the upcoming holiday season.

There was a number of Chinese-made products expected to arrive in early November, which are obviously now affected by the recent rash decision by the Trump Administration to increase the tariffs to unassailable levels. Right now, we are in a quandary as to what to do, and waiting to hear back from our suppliers to see if further adjustments are warranted regarding both dates of availability and pricing. Its entirely possibly that these goods won’t even make it to our shores for the holiday season and could be placed on indefinite hiatus until something is worked out between the world’s two largest economies. Obviously, we can no longer guarantee pricing or release dates for said items and its entirely possible that these products will never materialize now or ever.

As the holidays approach, we strongly recommend that you place your orders for only those items marked as already being in-stock rather than pin your hopes on products slated for arrival in either November or December. To reiterate, the manufacturers that are affected by these increased tariffs include Air Force 1, Calibre Wings, Corgi, Dragon, Forces of Valor (Waltersons), Legion and Panzerkampf. Many of the remaining manufacturers we deal with are still affected by the original tariffs, so there is no guarantee that they are free-and-clear of these added tariffs either, particularly if the Trump Administration feels the need to impose across-the-board changes to their “Liberation Day” plans. We certainly don’t want to disappoint, but hope you understand that these circumstances are completely out-of-our-control.

In response to his threats, China, on Sunday, has vowed countermeasures against Washington if US President Donald Trump makes good on his threat to impose new 100% tariffs on Chinese imports.

Trump’s latest threat came after China unleashed a raft of export restrictions on rare earth minerals last week. The escalating tensions threaten to derail months of progress in trade talks.

“Resorting to threats of high tariffs is not the right way to engage with China,” a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said Sunday, in Beijing’s first comments on the threat.

“If the US persists in acting unilaterally, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” the spokesperson added. “Our position on a tariff war remains consistent – we do not want one, but we are not afraid of one.”

From a business standpoint, we are entering the holiday season with the leanest inventory level we’ve ever seen in our twenty five years of existence. While our balance sheet is pristine and our credit rating has never been higher, we’ve had to raise the prices on many newly-received items in compliance with the MAP policies our distributors have had to implement and enforce due to the Trump tariffs. Additionally, many of the items we had expected to take possession of in the fourth quarter have either been delayed, cancelled or pushed back indefinitely, making it increasingly difficult to replace out-of-stock merchandise with fresh inventory. Consider too that we pared back our purchases largely because we weren’t sure what effect the Trump tariffs would have on end-user demands. Lastly, many customers are keenly aware of these collective issues and have shopped early for the holidays, recognizing that many items they had hoped to purchase won’t be available or may be negatively price-adjusted to take into account these escalating tariffs. All of this has accelerated sales, making it harder to keep product in-stock while the eye wall of the holiday shopping season approaches. Once again, food for thought if you plan on ordering something this holiday season that may or may not arrive.

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The Art of War: The Nantianmen Project

There seems to be no shortage of curious items appearing on e-commerce platforms, fantastical models that are supposedly in the works based on prototype aircraft under development by several nations. In the case of the PRC, I noticed several new diecast models showing up on “the Bay”, and was wondering what the commotion was all about surrounding these strange new items.

One such oddity is the Nantianmen Project. “Nantianmen” means “Southern Heavenly Gate” in Mandarin and refers to different things: a real mountain gate in China, a fictional location in the video game Genshin Impact, and a speculative Chinese military project for a space battleship, according to Quora and China-Arms. 

The Nantianmen Project, therefore, is a Chinese concept by AVIC Universal Culture for a future global defense system, featuring science-fiction-inspired, technologically advanced aerospace assets like a massive space carrier, space fighters, and tactical mechs. Unveiled through immersive experiences and conceptual models, the project is a vision for China’s aerospace and multi-domain warfare capabilities, with names for its fictional equipment drawing from Chinese mythology, such as the “Luanniao” carrier and “Xuannv” or “Baidi” space fighters.  

Here’s a brief synopsis regarding the purpose of this state-run initiative:

Key Components and Concepts

Space Fighters:The project includes advanced, fictional unmanned space fighters such as the “Xuannv” (named after a mythical bird) and the “Baidi” (named after a mythological Chinese deity). 

Tactical Mechs:

Tactical mechanized vehicles are also part of the proposed defense system. 

Defense System:

The overall goal is to develop a comprehensive global strategic defense system integrating air, space, and near-space operations. 

Purpose and Visibility

Public Awareness:

AVIC Universal Culture developed the Nantianmen Project as a science-fiction IP, creating live-action immersive experiences and exhibitions, such as at air shows, to showcase these futuristic concepts to the public. 

Conceptual vs. Real:

While the models and concepts are highly futuristic, the project is described as a conceptual framework and an immersive science fiction IP, rather than a fully realized military program under development. 

The accompanying YouTube videos do a better job of explaining the concept, which will no doubt be followed by additional behind-the-scenes exposes designed to both shock the world and demonstrate why the PRC is serious about their aims, goals and ambitions in the 21st Century. It remains to be seen if this project has real-world legs or ends up on the cutting room floor of some upcoming sci-fi series.

From a collecting standpoint, we’re not certain how much interest aviation enthusiasts world over will place on models based upon futuristic aircraft tacked to the computerized drawing board. It could end up that models ensconced in the so-called Nantianmen Project may be the next best thing in the diecast aviation community or it could end up as a pie-in-the-sky concept that will garner, at best, a passing interest. So, we’ve asked one of our distributors to look into the matter and see what they can do about bringing in some of the models we’ve spotted online. Time will tell if they will be successful from a financial and collecting standpoint or end up in the bargain heap of notional fliers.

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Hobby Master Steps on the Gas this March

US Navy Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless Dive Bomber – 41-S-13, Lieutenant John M. DeVane, Jr., VS-41, USS Ranger (CV-4), November 1942 (1:32 Scale)

Another month passes by and even more models make it into the mix of Hobby Master military aircraft. For March, several scintillating models were tapped for production, including this 1:32 scale Douglas SBD-3 dive bomber shown here. We’ve culled the list of additions so as not to bring in some of their slower moving models and concentrate solely on the more popular models and liveries. The remainder tend to take up shelf space and oftentimes need to be price-adjusted to help get them airborne and into the collector jet stream.

Of note are several aircraft display bases that had been sold out for some time even though demand for them remained strong throughout the years.

Here now the list of models we plan to add to our ever-growing list of Hobby Master products.

USMC Lockheed-Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 170533, VMFA-533 “Hawks”, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, 2025 [Low-Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 49-8759, 8th Squadron, Tsuiki Air Base, Japan [Notional Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

USMC Boeing F/A-18D Hornet Strike Fighter – 164874, VMFA-112 “Cowboys”, NASJRB Fort Worth, Texas, 2025 (1:72 Scale)

USAF Lockheed U-2S “Dragon Lady” Reconnaissance Aircraft – 80-1094, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Fairford AFB, England, 2025 (1:72 Scale)

Russian Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-31BM “Foxhound-D” Interceptor – “Red 12”, 2017 (1:72 Scale)

US Navy Modern Aircraft Carrier Deck (1:72 Scale)

US Navy Assault Carrier Deck (1:72 Scale)

Airfield Base (1:72 Scale)

With the re-introduction of their aircraft base series, we plan to offer special bundles that combine a popular military aircraft with one of these highly sought after decks. The end goal is to create a separate value-added series that will help bring these aircraft to life and save you some money. Bear in mind that Forces of Valor will soon be offering a pair of 1:72 scale aircraft carrier deck handlers, that can be added to these bundles to both heighten the experience and give these models added realism.

USAF Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Air Dominance Fighter and Airfield Base Bundles (1:72 Scale)

Forces of Valor US Navy Aircraft Carrier Deck Crew [A] and [B} Figure Sets (1:72 Scale)

In a separate matter, our Hobby Master distributor has provided us with an updated list that shows the arrival dates for the balance of the year and into early 2026. Several models have been pushed back due to an Asian holiday as well as the adverse effects the tariffs have had on the production schedule for many of these models. We’ve updated our Hobby Master sections to reflect these changes. Our distributor also claims that after Chinese New Year — which typically plays out in early February — they should be back on track with monthly imports as opposed to combining shipments to best offset the effects of the recently introduced tariffs.

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