USAF Northrop F-5N Tiger II Fighter – “Red 117”, VFC-111 “Sundowners”, Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, 2014 [Aggressor Scheme] (1:72 Scale)
Earlier this week, Hobby Master indicated that a slew of new aircraft were in the works for an April release. While the list was indeed long, there weren’t that many new models that caught our eye, the bulk having to do with foreign air force’s that typically don’t sell all that well in the North American marketplace. For instance, while a Royal Thai F-16 looks promising, three are in the offing, meaning we have to tie up big bucks watching them sit for months on the shelf until we have a buyer. While it would be nice to stock everything under consideration, the fact remains that we have to be judicious in deciding which models fit our overall product portfolio. That said, only six new warbirds will be added, all of which have now been listed on our web site under the April 2026 release section. So, without further ado, here now the military muscle we’ll be offering to our esteemed audience this spring:
RCAF Northrop CF-116D Freedom Fighter – 116807, 419 Squadron, CFB Cold Lake, Canada, 1979 (1:72 Scale)
Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Boeing F-15J Eagle Multirole Fighter – 52-8858, Nyutabaru Air Base, Japan, 2025 (1:72 Scale)
USAF Boeing F-15A Eagle Multirole Fighter – 53rd Fighter Squadron “Tigers”, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Bittburg, Germany, 1981 (1:72 Scale)
USAF Lockheed YF-117 Nighthawk Stealth Attack Aircraft – 79-10782, 410th Flight Test Squadron “Baja Scorpions”, Edwards AFB, California, 2005 (1:72 Scale)
Chinese PLAAF Shenyang J-11A “Flanker-B” Multirole Fighter – 11230, “Falcon Strike”, Korat Thai AFB, Thailand, 2015 (1:72 Scale)
It’s always a balancing act when it comes to stocking niche models, especially when dealing with international releases. It’ll be interesting to see how these new models perform in the North American market.
It’s interesting to see how selective you have to be with the April lineup, especially when international schemes don’t always move as quickly in the North American market. The six models you chose feel like a tight, well-focused mix that should appeal to collectors who appreciate both historical depth and variety. It’ll be great to see how the balance between fan favorites and more niche releases plays out this spring.