Product Announcements

Dragon Keeps its Turret, er, Head in the Game

To my knowledge, Dragon still has no official distribution arm in North America after they closed up their self-titled shop back in 2021. Candidly, its hard to imagine that a large model maker such as Dragon, who was once the undisputed king of the 1:72 scale pre-assembled market, has pulled out of what has to be their most lucrative market but there you have it folks. Stranger things have happened. Its entirely possible they could be looking to re-establish themselves by forming a partnership with another modelmaking entity but until that time, retailers such as ourselves, are being asked to order direct from their Chinese factory, which, I might add, is too costly and time consuming to undertake.

Happily, they do seem intent to keep their toe in the diecast water by churning out several new vehicles under their Neo Armor banner. While it remains to be seen if these vehicles will ever make it to our shores within a reasonable time frame, we’re holding out hope that someone will eventually step forward and pick up the gauntlet, making these and anything else they plan to produce once again available to the Noth American collector. Anyway, here’s a quick pictorial update as to what’s purportedly being made for 2022.

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Panzerkampf Tosses its Modelmaking Prowess into the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict

While war continues to rage in Ukraine, modelmakers have seized the day, so-to-speak, by replicating – in scale form – many of the combat systems continuously being shown to them on late night TV. We’ve already discussed the litany of aircraft expected by such stalwarts as Hobby Master and JC Wings, but now comes word that Panzerkampf plans to throw its hat into the ring with several interesting ground vehicles. The first vehicle expected to see the light of day is the Russian-built Pantsir (“Carapace”) air defense system, a state-of-the-art family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems that has seen limited use in Ukraine largely because of the relative size of the Ukrainian Air Force vis a vis the Russian Air Force. The Pantsir-S1 was designed to provide point air defense of military, industrial and administrative installations against aircraft, helicopters, precision munitions, cruise missiles and UAVs; and to provide additional protection to air defense units against enemy air attacks employing precision munitions, especially at low to extremely low altitudes.

After seeing the size of this model on Facebook, we’ve temporarily taken it down for pre-order purposes until we get a more realistic idea as to its final cost. We hope to re-list it, along with photos for each of the six iterations planned, in the weeks ahead.

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JC Wings Jumps on the Ukrainian Band Wagon

JC Wings 1:72 scale Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker” – 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, 2016

In a move that comes as no surprise to anyone, be it wily collectors or the eager trade, JC Wings has decided to offer yet another model based upon an aircraft that has taken part in the current Russo-Ukrainian Conflict. Previously they had offered a MiG 29 in a digitized winter camouflage scheme, which was released just prior to the start of the invasion. Naturally, these sold out almost immediately and we’re certain another version will soon make its way onto their release schedule. In the mean time, they have just unveiled a Su-27 in a scintillating horizon blue paint scheme, which will no doubt become another heavily sought after model upon release. The balance of their latest military hardware has now been posted to our site.

JC Wings 1:72 scale German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 Fighter – Major Siegfried Schnell, Jagdgeschwader 2, France, 194
JC Wings 1:72 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Fighter – Warrant Officer Tetsuzo Iwamoto, 253rd Kokutai, 1944
JC Wings 1:72 scale USMC Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler Electronic Warfare Aircraft – Electronic Attack Squadron 2 (VMAQ-2) “Death Jesters”, Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, North Carolina, 2019
JC Wings 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 182nd Fighter Squadron, 149th Fighter Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, “70th Anniversary”, 2017 [Anniversary Scheme]
JC Wings 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet Strike Fighter – VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers,” USS Eisenhower (CVN-69), 2016
JC Wings 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14B Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – VF-11 “Red Rippers”, USS George Washington (CVN-73), 2005
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Panzerkampf Strikes it Big on Facebook

  • Factory fresh…
  • …or a weathered appearance? You may have the option to get both.

Ordinarily, Panzerkampf plays it cool on social media, occasionally talking up some of their latest projects one at a time and oftentimes days if not weeks apart. That strategy changed completely this past weekend when they announced a bevy of new products, many of which were well along in the build process based upon photos shown. They began their dog-and-pony show with a couple of Russian-built MiG 19s fighters, both of which were clad in operational schemes that got many a fan jealous with envy. Also unveiled were some of their upcoming M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, this time around sporting the TUSK II Survival Kit. Interestingly, there’s a good chance that Panzerkampf, for the first time, will be offering their military vehicles in both factory fresh as well as weathered, battle hardened paint schemes, meaning lots more to choose from depending upon how you plan to display them.

Lastly, two new military vehicles were added to their recently unveiled Legion line of budget-inspired vehicles – a German Marder Ausf. H anti-tank gun and a Hetzer tank destroyer. Both looked sharp and it appears as if even more vehicles will be announced in the not-too-distant future.

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Hobby Master Continues to Fire Up the Kiln

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale French Dassault Rafale C Multirole Aircraft – 118 EF, “Arctic Tiger”, NATO Tiger Meet 2012

Showing no signs of abating, Hobby Master churned out yet another flock of warbirds all scheduled to take off this December. Among the new releases is their first ever french-built Dassault Rafale fighter, clad in a wintry white scheme indicative of taking part in a NATO led Tiger Meet competition conducted in the far north. Here now, the rest of the aircraft you can expect to see under the Christmas tree barring any logistical issues.

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Convair F-106A Delta Dart Interceptor – 90053, 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron “Red Bulls”, Sawyer AFB, Michigan, 1970s
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAF Panavia GR. Mk. 1A Tornado IDS All-Weather Bomber – ZA592, No.13 Squadron, RAF Marham, England, 1995
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 86-0333, 119th Fighter Squadron, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 2016 [Low Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16CG Block 40 Viper Fighter – 89-2035, Commander of the 555th Fighter Squadron, 2003-2004 [Low Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN Boeing F/A-18C Hornet Strike Fighter – VFA-81 “Sunliners,” USS Saratoga (CV-60), January 1991 [Low Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – 159390, CAG VS-30 “Diamondcutters”, USS George Washington (CVN-73), 2005
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – “VS-21 “Fighting Redtails”, USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), January 2005 [Decommissioning Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback” Strike Fighter – “Red 24”, Ukraine, March 2022
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF North American Mustang Mk. III Fighter – Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, No.315 “City of Deblin” Squadron, Southwest England, 1944
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USAAF North American P-51B Mustang Fighter – Lt. Bill Overstreet, “Berlin Express”, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Leiston, England, 1944
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More Warbirds Take Wing this November from Hobby Master

Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 “Gustav” Fighter – Heinrich Bartels, 11./Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, Greece, November 1943

Looking to beef up their holiday presence while simultaneously paying homage to some of the platforms taking part in the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict, Hobby Master, late last week, announced a wide array of new combat aircraft for the month of November. The list is quite impressive, adding a number of heavily requested items to what is already a daunting product portfolio. Here’s what you can expect to sit along side the turkey this coming Thanksgiving:

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC McDonnell F-4J Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – VMFA-232 “The Red Devils,” MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, 1977
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18C Hornet Strike Fighter – CAG Bird, “Chippy Ho,” VFA-195 “Dambusters,” 2010
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 495th Fighter Squadron “The Valkyries”, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England, December 2021 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RCAF Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Canada, 2010 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – 75th Fighter Squadron “Tiger Sharks,” 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia, 2017
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-25M1 “Frogfoot” Ground Attack Aircraft – “Blue 08”, 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Nikolaev, Ukraine, 2022
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29C ‘Fulcrum-C’ Fighter – “Yellow 57,” “The Ghost of Kyiv”, Ukraine, 2022
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale German Panavia GR. Mk. 1 Tornado IDS All-Weather Bomber – Jagdbombergeschwader 32, Piacenza-San Damiano, Italy, 1999
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker-B” Multirole Fighter – “Blue 58”, 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, Mirgorod, Ukraine, 2022
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Navy Sukhoi Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter – “Red 84”, 2nd Aviation Squadron, 2016
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – VF-84 “Jolly Rogers,” USS Nimitz, (CVN-68) July 1978
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Hobby Master Bolsters its Air Force

Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 Fighter – Rudolf Eisele, 8/Jagdgeschwader 2 “Richthofen”, Brest-Guipavas, France, January 1943

Looking to add more firepower across the entire spectrum of military conflicts, Hobby Master announced four more warbirds to its growing list of scale combat aircraft, all due out at varying intervals throughout 2022. By clicking on each line art image, you can then determine its price and estimated arrival date.

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAF Harrier GR7A Jump Jet – ZD437, “Michelle”, 1 Squadron, Afghanistan, 2007
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Soviet Air Defense Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25PD “Foxbat-E” Interceptor – “Blue 56”, 8th Air Defense Army, 1980s
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye AEW Aircraft – 165648, VAW-113 “Black Eagles”, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), June 2006
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The Forces of Valor Update: Break Out the Tweezers

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Kursk, Russia, July 1943 [Model Kit]

Let’s face it. Some of us like to purchase a pre-assembled replica straight out of the box while others prefer to make ’em. Personally, I gave up on modelling in my teens when I realized I didn’t have the expertise, tools or time to build what was clearly being advertised. Nearly fifty years later, poor eye sight, lack of patience and other demands on my time means I’d prefer to ogle the finished product by tearing open the shrink wrap rather than trying to cobble one together.

Fortunately, Waltersons, the new caretakers of the Forces of Valor brand, sees things from both sides of the ledger, offering their customers both finished products as well as build ups, all designed to cater to a wider audience than their predecessors ever envisaged. In fact, earlier today, the manufacturer finally posted images of their first ever 1:32 scale tank: an early production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E heavy tank. The pictures clearly show how much metal content is included in the kit, as well as the detail that goes into each and every tank they make, be they finished vehicles or model kits. Presently, no price has been announced for their first kit nor has a definitive release date been provided.

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Hobby Master Promises Loads of Treats for October

Hobby Master’s 1:72 USN Grumman TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo-Bomber – 8-T-1, VT-8, NAS Norfolk, Virginia, May 1942

Hobby Master is one of those companies that seems to enjoy soldiering on despite facing many of the same vexing issues that have plagued other model makers over the past year or so. Case in point. October 2022. While other manufacturers haven’t begun to look that far out yet, Hobby Master already has its ducks in a row with a bevy of new introductions ready to grace the harvest table. Of particular note are a pair of Dauntless dive-bombers commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Midway, as well as a 1:72 scale reproduction of an Avenger torpedo plane. Here now what you can expect to lay out along side the pumpkin pie and apple cider later this year:

Hobby Master’s 1:72 USMC Douglas AD-3 Skyraider Attack Aircraft – 122743, VMA-121 “Green Knights”, K-6 Airfield, Pyongtaek, Republic of Korea, 1951
Hobby Master’s 1:72 Czechoslovak Air Force Sukhoi Su-25K “Frogfoot” Ground Attack Aircraft – 9013, 30th Combat Air Regiment, Zatec, Czechoslovakia, 1992
Soviet Sukhoi Su-25K “Frogfoot” Ground Attack Aircraft – “Red 03”, Lt. Colonel Alexander Rutskoy, 40th Army, Afghanistan, August 4th, 1988
Hobby Master’s 1:72 RAAF Boeing F-18B Hornet Strike Fighter – No.75 Squadron “Final Flight,” December 2021
Hobby Master’s 1:72 USMC Boeing F/A-18D ATARS Hornet Strike Fighter – VMFA(AW)-224 “Bengals,” MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, 2009
Hobby Master’s 1:72 USN Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 168843, NAWDC, July 2020 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 Polish Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29A ‘Fulcrum’ Fighter – “Grey 56”, 1 Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Minsk Mazowiecki AB, Poland, 2016
Hobby Master’s 1:72 Polish Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29A ‘Fulcrum’ Fighter – “Red 4103”, 41st Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Malbork, Poland, 2012
Hobby Master’s 1:32 USN Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless Dive-Bomber – Richard Fleming and Eugene Card, “White 2” VMSB-241, June 4th, 1942
Hobby Master’s 1:32 USN Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless Dive-Bomber – LCDR Howard Young, Commander Enterprise Group, USS Enterprise (CV-6), December 7th, 1941
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Corgi Changes Up its Release Strategy with Mixed Results

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Short Stirling Mk. III Heavy Bomber – “The Gremlin Teaser”, No.199 Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England, 1943

In an effort to become more nimble in the face of stiffening competition, Corgi unveiled the first of three 2022 product roll outs on its parent web site, Hornby UK. In the past, the Company had shown off their entire annual catalog with one throw of the dice in January, roughly timed to coincide with the London Toy Fair, which oftentimes meant collectors would have to wait an entire year or more to actually lay claim to their prized possession. The new strategy means Corgi can now adjust their release schedule with relative ease, moving some items up and others back in the production pipeline should logistical issues, collector taste and other factors change over the course of a typical year.

Unfortunately, this strategy may have back fired some what as collectors, particularly those in the aviation ranks, were expecting a heavier dose of new introductions for the January-April time frame. Instead of twenty or more new aircraft they were accustomed to seeing, only three new warbirds were shown, none of which were new toolings many a collector had been longing for. As you might expect, this left “many a collector” in the proverbial lurch, feeling as if their requests continue to fall on deaf ears. On the other hand, motorcycle buffs will be happy to learn that Corgi is branching out into bikes with a 1:12 2020 Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition as seen in the feature film, “No Time to Die.”

Armor aficionados were greeted with a pair of new 1:50 scale tanks: another Tiger I heavy tank based upon a previous late 2021 release and its feared nemesis, a Churchill tank. Together with a robust price hike, we can only conclude that Corgi and its parent company, Hornby, are content to retrench for the beginning part of the year in an effort to deal with rising material costs, logjams in the supply chain, and the outlays associated with the recent acquisition of Oxford Diecast. Moreover, it would appear as if they are content to hold their key projects for later on when they can put their best foot forward with new toolings, important ranges, and other licensed properties that can better justify their new marketing strategy.

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