Product Announcements

Panzerkampf Keeps the Home Fires Burning

Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Russian (Object 695) Kurgenats-25 infantry fighting vehicle with four Kornet-EM guided missiles

While other modelmakers still seem to be recovering from the effects brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Panzerkampf seems to be stoking the diecast fires, announcing an ever widening array of diecast products for the months ahead. This week, for instance, the Company announced plans to replicate the Russian Kurgenats-25 infantry fighting vehicle in 1:72 scale, thereby adding yet another new vehicle to the pantheon of Russian armor first debuted a few years ago at the Moscow Victory Day Parade. The Kurgenats-25 is a tracked, 25-ton modular infantry fighting vehicle and armored personnel carrier being developed for the Russian Army. The Kurganets-25 will evolve into various models, gradually replacing BMP, BMD, MT-LB and other types of tracked Soviet armored platforms. The Kurganets-25 will have modular armor that can be upgraded for specific threats. Two variants of the Kurgenats-25 are initially being offered: the Object 693 is the armored personnel version and bears the insignia used during the Moscow Victory Day Parade while the Object 695 comes equipped with four Kornet-EM guided missiles and is painted in a camouflage scheme.

Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Red Army KV-220-2 Heavy Tank – Multi-Colored Winter Camouflage

Additionally, the Company intends to bring out two versions of the WWII-era KV-220-2 heavy tank, a vehicle that never entered into mass production but was seen as one potential antidote to the growing array of German armor massed along Russia’s European borders prior to the run-up to Operation Barbarossa. Previously, the Company showcased their KV-3 heavy tank, which should be rolling in shortly, so the impending release of the KV-220 tank made sense from a design standpoint. Other combat vehicles are expected to be announced shortly, along with a dizzying array of additional aircraft, helicopters and who knows what else they have in the pipeline. Keep an eye on Panzerkampf as they continue to gain traction in the diecast military space.

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The Forces of Valor Update: On a Wing and a Prayer

Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has finally revealed details concerning their eagerly awaited aircraft line. While no mention has been made concerning their over-sized 1:32 scale aircraft, the manufacturer decided to pull back the curtains on several different 1:72 scale military aircraft now being developed. Thus far, only line art drawings are being used to show off those fighter planes purportedly in the pipeline, all of which will carry a $49.99 MAP. We’re not sure how they will differ from previous Forces of Valor aircraft, seeing as how the manufacturer likes to revamp each existing mold and incorporate added features, particularly removable engines, as evinced in their 1:32 scale military vehicle range. The Company has taken down information concerning a couple of twin-engine bombers that were also expected, so its unclear if or when they will turn up.

We’ve listed many of the upcoming fighter planes in our Forces of Valor military aircraft category but please keep in mind that we do not know when they will actually hit the market. It could be late 2020 or they could slip into the next year’s lineup.

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Hobby Master Heads Down the Street with No Name

Just days after Calibre Wings announced their intent to model the famous Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft comes word that Hobby Master plans to bring the spy plane to market ahead of its wily competition. While we are still awaiting word concerning pricing, the street date for the initial release has been set for February. This announcement certainly serves as a clear shot across the bow of the Calibre Wings warship, and perhaps signals their designs for the diecast military aircraft space, stealing thunder away from other modelmakers to prevent them from gaining further traction in the widening marketplace.

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Atlas Fires Up their Armored Assault

Atlas Editions’ 1:72 scale USMC LVTA-1 Amtank with 37mm Howitzer

While June has turned out to be an extremely dry month for new arrivals, Atlas saw it as an opportunity to announce six more tanks to its growing arsenal. Priced to perfection at just $19.99 apiece, these introductory level 1:72 scale military vehicles represent an ideal way to build out a battlefield on an affordable budget. Here’s what you can expect from the folks at Atlas Editions later this month:

#ATL4660114 – British Crusader Mk. VIA Medium Tank (1:72 Scale)

#ATL4660115 – German Sd. Kfz. 138/2 Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer Light Tank Destroyer (1:72 Scale)

#ATL4660116 – US M26 Pershing Main Battle Tank (1:72 Scale)

#ATL4660117 – German Sd. Kfz. 184 Elefant Heavy Tank Destroyer with Zimmerit (1:72 Scale)

#ATL4660118 – Finnish Kliment Voroshilov KV-1 Heavy Tank (1:72 Scale)

#ATL4660120 – USMC LVTA-1 Amtank with 37mm Howitzer (1:72 Scale)

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Panzerkampf Believes What’s Old is New Again

Several years back, TWH, which makes a wide range of 1:50 scale construction models, offered up a subset of military vehicles under their Sword Models moniker. One of the most popular vehicles they developed was a US Army Oshkosh M10 tank transporter, which, when coupled with a 1:43 scale M1 Abrams tank sitting atop a M1000 flat bed, made for an excellent display set that made many collectors “green” with envy. We sold loads of these sets, both in the traditional tri-color camouflage pattern and a sun-baked desert motif, until our supplies quickly ran out and collectors had to seek them out in the after market venues.

Yesterday, we learned that Panzerkampf will soon be releasing a 1:72 scale version of the M1070 tank transporter, which can obviously be used with a wide range of 1:72 scale modern era military vehicles. As is customary with Panzerkampf, they will likely create several schemes besides the one shown here, and quite possibly offer them in the liveries of other user nations. We don’t as yet have a price for this item nor do we know for sure when they will be motoring on down the highway. So, for now, these pictures will have to do until everything gets firmed up and we can begin to open up the pre-order window. Pretty sharp, huh?

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Panzerkampf Super-Sizes its Rotary Collection

When Amercom release its line of diecast military helicopters several years ago, certainly one of the most popular if incredibly large items was the Sikorsky MH-53 Sea Dragon. Big and beefy, it sold incredibly well and was one of only a handful of choppers that proudly bore the US Navy logo.

Well, chopper aficionados will be glad to learn that as part of the burgeoning Panzerkampf line up, three different versions of the Sea Dragon will soon make its way onto diecast shelves this summer. Earlier this morning, three liveries were posted to the Panzerkampf web site — one based upon the JGSDF and two connected to the US Navy — although no price was set. With the COVID pandemic still fresh in everyone’s minds, its conceivable that all three items are still several months off and likely signals Panzerkampf’s intent to enter the helicopter market in a “big” way.

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Solido Hops Back in the Saddle Again

According to a recent post by a member of the Model Hangar III forum, Solido plans on re-entering the military market, this time around with a range of 1:48 scale diecast military vehicles. Certainly welcome news, the scale, nevertheless, seems a bit odd for them since they started out years ago in the 1:43/1:50 scale regime and, in recent years, switched over to the more lucrative 1:72 scale category. If the accompanying illustration is correct, six modern era vehicles are expected, although dates of availability, like everything else these days, are still up in the air. As a guess, these will likely show up for the all-important fourth quarter although its not certain if our present Solido distributor will actually stock these vehicles or defer to another entity.

In related news, Solido plans on offering these vehicles as a bundle with a flat-bed rail car, thus catering to the model railroad enthusiast. Its not clear if these vehicles are produced in conjunction with War Master, who had previously supplied Solido with a wide range of 1:72 scale military vehicles, aircraft and helicopters. Its conceivable that War Master has now entered the larger scale military market since there hasn’t been any further indication that they are remaining a player in the 1:72 scale market. Time will tell when we get official word from whomever plans on offering these products in the North American market.

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Panzerkampf Dabbles in the Arcane

Panzerkamp’s 1:72 scale Soviet Kliment Voroshilov KV-3 Heavy Tank – Winter Camouflage

With most of the major combat vehicles having been spoken for as scale replicas, it made sense for Panzerkampf to dabble in the more obscure subjects to gain greater traction in the diecast ranks. Earlier today, we noticed plans to come out with a pair of Soviet KV-3 heavy tanks, a vehicle that never made it onto the battlefield due to the surprise German invasion of Russia in June 1941. Although two prototypes were developed, the factory building the vehicles had to be quickly packed up and relocated east of the Urals otherwise it would have fallen into the hands of advancing Wehrmacht forces.

Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Soviet Kliment Voroshilov KV-3 Heavy Tank – Summer Camouflage

While poking around the web, we also noticed that Panzerkampf has another KV tank up its sleeve, one which is likely due out after the KV-3: the ubiquitous KV-220 heavy tank. The KV-220 (otherwise known as KV-220-2, T-220, Object 220, or just 220 in factory documents) was proposed in 1940 as a replacement for the KV-1 that was already considered inadequate by the Red Army. Another vehicle, the T-150, was meant to have a 700 hp engine while the KV-220 was to be served with an 850 hp engine, but problems were encountered in building such powerful engines. As a result, both the KV-220 and T-150 didn’t meet the Red Army’s expectations, and bets were hedged on the KV-3, 4 or 5 as the Red Army’s heavy tank for the years to come. The Nazi invasion changed all that, so plans were overhauled in a hurry to meet the threat.

We’re going to assume that the KV-3 tanks will become available some time this summer, with the elongated KV-220 showing up in the fall.

Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Dassault Rafale B Multirole Aircraft

In other news, the manufacturer is looking to become a serious player in the military aircraft space with its announcement that it plans to offer two versions of the Dassault Rafale B fighter jet. The Dassault Rafale (literally meaning “gust of wind”, and “burst of fire” in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air superiority, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is referred to as an “omnirole” aircraft by Dassault. Like the Rafale, dates of availability are still up in the air.

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The Return of Corgi’s Showcase Series

Corgi’s “Fit-to-Box” Top Gun Maverick 2020 – Maverick’s F/A-18 Hornet and P-51D Mustang

When we first started out twenty years ago, Corgi offered a line of affordable “fit-to-box” replicas which, for all intents and purposes, were aimed at first-time collectors, young adults and history buffs with a passing interest in diecast collectibles. While they weren’t built to any set scale, hence the “fit-to-box” moniker, they were, nevertheless, quite successful at retail and went a long way towards bringing new blood into the hobby that might not otherwise give it a second thought.

Earlier this week, we decided to bring back the series thanks, in part, to the upcoming feature film Top Gun Maverick of which two sets are based. Priced at just $19.99 per set and due out this autumn, each of these two-ship packs are ideal stocking stuffers that both rekindle a passion for the hobby as well as helping to renew interest in historic aviation. Five sets are being offered and the pre-order window for each is now open.

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DeAgostini Sorties Six More Warships to Join Their Growing Fleet

DeAgostini’s 1:1250 scale German Kriegsmarine Bismarck Class Battleship – DKM Tirpitz

Yesterday we learned that six more 1:1250 scale warships will join DeAgostini’s ever-expanding Kriegssschiffe warships series. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, it’s primary focus are the German warships that saw service throughout the twentieth century, from King Wilhlem II’s Kaiserlichte Marine up to the present day Bundesmarine. A handful of warships from other nations are also included in the mix although the series is heavily skewed towards German surface ships. Most of the warships come bundled with a German language magazine chock full of full-color photos and other pertinent data aimed at describing each ship in greater detail.

So, without further ado, here are the six warships expected to make port some time in May:

DAKS12 – German Kriegsmarine Bismarck Class Battleship – DKM Tirpitz (1:1250 Scale)

DAKS31 – German Kaiserliche Marine Moltke Class Batttlecruiser – SMS Moltke (1:1250 Scale)

DAKS37 – German Kaiserliche Marine Konig Class Batttleship – SMS Markgraf (1:1250 Scale)

DAKS46 – German Kaiserliche Marine Helgoland Class Batttleship – SMS Helgoland (1:1250 Scale)

DAKS56 – German Kriegsmarine Type 1934A Destroyer – Z5 Paul Jacobi (1:1250 Scale)

DAKS59 – German Bundesmarine Lutjens Class Destroyer – Lutjens (1:1250 Scale)

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