Films in Focus

The First Wave of Forces of Valor Gets Set to Hit the Beach

Earlier this year, when Waltersons announced they had purchased the entire product portfolio comprising the Forces of Valor brand, it was unclear which items would be offered first and when. Well, we now have an answer. The first four vehicles in their 1:24 scale radio controlled military vehicle range have been shipped out to their distributor network and, barring any unforeseen issues, could conceivably make it under the Christmas tree this holiday season.

The quarter includes a Tiger I heavy tank, PzKpfw IV Ausf. H medium tank, US M4A3 Sherman medium tank and even a Soviet T-34/85 medium tank. The remaining vehicles in the original range have been given the green light for a 2017 release, although that could occur further down the road.

Since no information was disseminated concerning their static model range, and pictures have yet to be shown, we are assuming that the first wave won’t arrive until early 2017, at the earliest. New items will likely be discussed at the upcoming Nuremberg Toy Fair, held in German in early February, although the manufacturer has already hinted at quite a few new vehicles for release next year.

Share This:

Films in Focus: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

There seems to be no shortage of war films coming to market, the vast majority of which seemed to be based upon real-life events in WWII. This week, a new military-themed movie hits theaters, this time around examining the fictional exploits of a US Army squad caught up in the War to liberate Iraq in 2003. Directed by Ang Lee, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is a novel written by Ben Fountain, which was published in early May 2012 by Ecco Press, a publishing imprint of HaperCollins. The novel chronicles the experience of a group of Iraq War Veterans who are hailed as heroes and sent on a victory tour following their engagement in an intense firefight that happened to be caught on camera. Set during a single day, the story primarily focuses on Specialist Billy Lynn’s perspective as he struggles to reconnect with his family and come to grips with the huge disconnect between the realities of the war at home and the war overseas as Bravo Squad is sent to participate in the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving halftime show. The novel’s primary themes include brotherhood, the commercialization of war, and what it really means to support the war when the real costs are barely felt by the majority of U.S. citizens at home.

A sharp satire, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is Fountain’s first novel and received highly positive reviews from critics and won several year-end awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. Fountain also won the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize and was a finalist for the 2012 National Book Awards. The novel was especially praised for its dialogue and “pitch-perfect ear for American talk.” A film adaptation of the novel directed by Ang Lee is scheduled for release in November 2016.

Share This:

Messerschmitt Down?

dunkirk-evacuation

Film director, Christopher Nolan, is no stranger to demanding authenticity in his films. Responsible for Inception, Batman The Dark Knight and Interstellar, Nolan demands that his films look as genuine as possible, making use of actual artifacts where ever and when ever possible instead of relying upon CGI graphics. For his upcoming film, Dunkirk, which covers the Allies’ evacuation from the french port in May 1940, reports are circulating that he may even destroy a precious WWII artifact valued at up to $5 million to make his point as believable as possible.

According to War History Online, “Online commentators have expressed the disapproval they feel for the reported actions of Christopher Nolan. It was released that he was the Interstellar director planning to use a priceless World War II plane valued at $5 million in his latest movie, Dunkirk. The report claims that the plane is scheduled to crash and ultimately be destroyed. However, there has been no official confirmation that this story is true. It was originally reported by IndieRevolver’s Jay Carlson, and has been attributed to an anonymous source.

This war plane is said to be a former Luftwaffe aircraft that was bought for $5 million by the Warner Brothers production company. The IndieRevolver story reported that Nolan would be linking the IMAX cameras to the actual plane. This technique is intended to facilitate and create some impressive in- flight action for the movie.”

Frankly, we are of the opinion that he wouldn’t dare damage or outright destroy such a valuable piece of military history and would look at using alternate techniques to fill in the blanks yet communicate his intent. If he does decide to wreck a WWII fighter, he would likely face a tremendous backlash from the military history community, who would likely boycott his film in protest.

For more information on the story, you can visit this website: http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/rumor-says-nazi-plane-will-destroyed-dunkirk-movie-christopher-nolan.html

Share This:

The Motor Pool’s “Gobble Up the Savings” 15% Off Sale!

The turkeys may be running for the hills in anticipation of Thanksgiving but that doesn’t mean you should! In fact, you can load up on all of the “fixins” and main course at our annual “Gobble up the Savings” 15% Off Sale! This discount can be applied to any item listed on our web site. Please enter discount code ” TMP159” in the coupon box just prior to final checkout. Sale ends Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016. May not be combined with any other sales discount.

Share This:

Films in Focus: My Honor was Loyalty, 28 Men

Co-opting the slogan of the Waffen SS, My Honor was Loyalty (German: Meine Ehre heisst Treue) is a new independent film directed by Alessandro Pepe that follows the paths of three soldiers who enlisted in the 1.SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler. Spoken in German with English subtitles, the film attempts to portray what it was like to serve in one of the most feared yet despised units in the German Army during the latter stages of the War, as seen through the eyes of the Deutsches soldaten.

Meanwhile, if you like your war films with subtitles, then you won’t want to miss the Russian-made film, 28 Men. If you believe the tale, The Panfilov Division’s Twenty-Eight Guardsmen (Russian: Двадцать восемь гвардейцев дивизии Панфилова), commonly referred to simply as Panfilov’s Men (Russian: Панфиловцы, Panfilovtsy), were a group of soldiers from the Red Army’s 316th Rifle Division who took part in the defense of Moscow during World War II. According to official Soviet history, they were all killed in action on November 16th, 1941, after destroying 18 German tanks. The Twenty-Eight were collectively endowed with the title Hero of the Soviet Union. An investigation by Soviet authorities in 1948, since declassified, revealed that the description of the events was exaggerated. Six of the soldiers were still alive, including one who was arrested in 1947 on charges of high treason and confessed to having “voluntarily” surrendered to German troops and later joined a German police force. The findings were kept secret, and the Twenty-Eight Guardsmen were considered national heroes until the collapse of the USSR.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: Going Down with his Flagship

“Searches by my carrier planes revealed the presence of the Northern carrier force on the afternoon of 24 October, which completed the picture of all enemy naval forces. As it seemed childish to me to guard statically San Bernardino Strait, I concentrated TF 38 during the night and steamed north to attack the Northern Force at dawn. I believed that the Center Force had been so heavily damaged in the Sibuyan Sea that it could no longer be considered a serious menace to Seventh Fleet.”

– Admiral William “Bull” Halsey in his dispatch after the battle of Leyte Gulf to CINCPAC, October 24th, 1944

One of the Eaglemoss warships that we just received and has been selling unexpectedly well is the IJN battleship, Yamashiro (EMGC54), the flagship of Admiral Shoji Nishimura at the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944.

Near the end of the war in the Pacific, Nishimura was named the commander of the “Southern Force” in “Operation Sho-Go”, which was aimed at a final and decisive naval battle against the United States Navy in the Philippines. Nishimura′s Force “C” consisted of battleships Fuso and Yamashiro, heavy crusier Mogami, and destroyers Shigure, Michishio, Asagumo, and Yamagumo.

Launched in 1915, Yamashiro was an aging warship, although she was modernized between 1930 and 1935, with improvements to her armor and machinery and a rebuilt superstructure in the pagoda mast style. Nevertheless, with only 14-inch guns, she was outclassed by other Japanese battleships at the beginning of World War II, and played auxiliary roles for most of the war.

By 1944, with the prospects of defeat for the Imperial Japanese Empire looming, Yamashiro was forced into front line duty despite its shortcomings. In the Surigao Strait between Leyte and Dinagat Islands on the evening of October 24th, 1944, Nishimura’s force came into contact with the US 7th Fleet under Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf, which consisted of six battleships, eight cruisers, 29 destroyers, and 39 motor torpedo boats. Nishimura′s force was crushed when the Americans crossed the Japanese “T”, thereby enabling the US forces to deliver crushing salvos against the Japanese fleet while minimizing their own exposure to enemy action. Nishimura was killed during the battle when his flagship, the Yamashiro, was sunk after being hit multiple times from the U.S. battleships by torpedoes and naval gunfire.

Share This:

PMA Sets the Scene This Winter

Recently, we wrote how Precision Model Art (PMA) is releasing several new 1:72 scale 88mm FLaK guns, the first expected in early November, with two more liveries following in December. At the time, we were reluctant to reveal that the manufacturer is also coming out with several pre-built vignettes, largely because of their price and issues that can arise from not being able to modify these dioramas. As we see it, our job is to curate each range, and determine its feasibility within our overall product portfolio.

Anyway, for a limited time, our distributor has offered these same dioramas at somewhat reduced prices if ordered before November 15th. So, we’ve decided to list each of the five dioramas on our site to gauge consumer reaction, particularly during the holiday season. Keep in mind that these sets do not come with any of the vehicles or figures shown in the images, so customers have some latitude with how they want to populate these sets with any item they see fit.

Moreover, the Malinava Counter Attack Set E comes with street lamps that actually work, so you can display it as a night action. Its not clear if the set is battery operated or requires a plug-in outlet.

So, we will offer these sets at reduced prices until November 15th, then raise them up a bit should orders come in after that date. Enjoy! Note: As a special bonus, we are including a free Fabbri 1:72 scale diecast tank with each diorama ordered at no extra cost.

Share This:

High Seas, High Tech: The Gallant Above the Hunted Below

uss-detroit

Perhaps its a case of the yin meeting the yang, but two new warships are entering service this month, one for the US Navy and the other serving with the Russian Navy. For the US, the Navy formally commissioned the nation’s seventh Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) – USS Detroit (LCS 7) – on the Detroit River, officially placing the ship designed and constructed by a Lockheed Martin-led industry team into active service. More information on the ship and its capabilities can be found here: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2016/october/161022-rms-us-navy-commissions-newest-littoral-combat-ship.html?__prclt=1Ex7kode

On the other side of the ledger, and loitering beneath the waves is the Podmoskovie, which was commissioned way back in 1986 as a Project 667BDRM Delfin-class (NATO: Delta IV) SSBN designated K-64, colloquially known as a “boomer”. Over the course of nearly two decades, the massive submarine was modified to conduct special missions. But exactly what those missions might be remains somewhat of a mystery. According to The National Interest, “Podmoskovie and her sister BS-136 Orenburg—a former Delta III SSBN—are roughly analogous to the U.S. Navy’s secretive USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23)—which is a highly modified Seawolf-class boat. Carter is roughly 100ft longer that her two Seawolf-class sisters with the addition of a Multi-Mission Platform (MMP), which allows the submarine to launch and recovery of various unmanned vehicles and support special operations forces. Podmoskovie is thought to be similar in concept—but the Russians are not exactly keen on sharing those details for obvious reasons.”

More information on the Podmoskovie can be found here: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russias-super-secret-spy-submarine-returns-sea-18171?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Early%20Bird%20Brief%2010.26.2016&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

Share This:

Holiday Shipping Deadlines

united_states_postal_service_logo-svg As we approach the hectic holiday period, we thought it made sense to lay out all of our shipping deadlines ahead of time so our customers, both here and abroad, can determine when they need to get their deliveries in the mail to receive them before the holidays. So here goes:

December 10th – Last Day For Priority Mail International Shipments Outside the US for Christmas Delivery

December 12th – Last Day for Express Mail International Shipments Outside The US for Christmas Delivery

December 15th – Last Day for First Class Mail Shipments Within the US for Christmas Delivery

December 17th – Last Day for Priority Mail Shipments Within the US for Christmas Delivery

December 21st – Last Day for Express Mail Shipments Within the US for Christmas Delivery

Hanukkah comes later this year on December 24th, which can be challenging for the postal system since it means more packages are being shipped concurrently with Christmas deliveries. Needless to say, the sooner you get your orders into the system the better, particularly if weather- or work-related issues and/or delays pop up across the nation. Keep in mind that once we hand off the parcels to the USPS, we have no control over their delivery, routing or location, so we strongly recommend not waiting until the bitter end to place or inquire about your orders. The aforementioned deadlines can also be viewed on our Calendar page.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: The Hornet Gets Super

ha5102

“Victory”

– VF-103 radio callsign

Announced several months ago, Hobby Master’s first ever F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter has slowly edged its way from the drawing board to the production line in an effort to get the first bird out the door by year’s end. Their inaugural offering is based upon a US Navy Boeing F/A-18F that served with VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers,” then embarked upon the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) in 2012 (HA5102).

ha5102a

By all accounts, collectors are quite happy with the way the first model looks, particularly since it bears the insignia of the illustrious “Jolly Rogers”, one of the most sought after squadrons among aviation enthusiasts. Hobby Master has pegged this model with a tentative release date of December, so we are hoping, perhaps against all hope, that it may still make it in time to be nestled under the Christmas tree, if Santa busts a move. We will post further information as soon as it reaches us.

ha5102e

Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (VFA-103), nicknamed the Jolly Rogers is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia (USA). The squadron’s radio callsign is Victory and it is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven.

The original VF-103 squadron insignia was a cloverleaf, and the aircraft tailfins had a horizontal yellow arrow outlined in black. Later a stylized aircraft darting through the leaf was added, along with a baseball bat. The baseball stemmed from an early skipper who often carried one with him. In 1991, VF-103’s aircraft used the squadron insignia for tail-art, in place of the bold arrow. When the Sluggers became the Jolly Rogers they adopted the famous white skull-and-crossbones.

The Jolly Rogers have always displayed some of the most recognizable squadron markings in the world: sinister white skull-and-crossbones on all-black tails, with gold bands wrapped around the tip of the tail fins, and black bands with gold chevrons (known as vagabonds strips from the Crusader days of VF-84 (1955-95)) run down the sides of the forward fuselage.

Share This: