As promised, Corgi unveiled the balance of their 2024 Aviation Archives aircraft over the Labor Day weekend. While no new toolings were debuted nor was anything hinted at for the coming year, several existing models received important updates, which helps to round out their yearly roster and clear the way for their eventual 2025 line up.
Two models were included in the roll out that we haven’t as yet included on our web site largely because we aren’t sure about their relative worth to the average aircraft collector. These include a rather eclectic Heinkel He-111 medium bomber that was designed for the rock band Motorhead, and features their logo emblazoned on the underside of the model as well as adorning its nose art. Similarly, there’s a Spitfire dubbed “Aces High” that was created for the group Iron Maiden. Interestingly, the Spitfire could easily fit into anyone’s aircraft collection since it features a more traditional scheme than say “Motorhead” with its more risque exterior graphics. For those of you unfamiliar with the group, “Aces High” is Iron Maiden’s eleventh single release and one of their most famous tracks. So, for now we’ll take a pass on both new models to see if diehards are willing to integrate either or both of these models within their Aviation Archive collection.
“Motorhead”“Aces High”
We invite you to watch the September-December 2024 video Corgi uploaded to YouTube that more ably discusses what you can expect to see for the final three months of 2024.
Note: Hornby, the parent company of Corgi, has indicated that as of September 1st, they are increasing prices across-the-board for all of their products in an effort to offset recent increases in costs associated with the production and transport of their models. For now, we have not changed our prices for the entire line although as soon as Corgi passes along their September-December product line up we will be revising prices for both older and newer releases. So, if you’re interested in pre-ordering anything posted to our web site, we suggest doing so now before the changes are put into effect.
Earlier today, we woke up to check out the various manufacturer web sites we do business with to see if anything new had been posted. Lo and behold, Dragon added six more 1:72 scale Sturmgeschutz III assault guns to its growing lineup of Neo Dragon Armor vehicles. If you’re counting, that makes a total of 16 vehicles now on their ready-for-battle assembly line, including two Cyber Hobby releases that come complete with artificial branches. Any way you look at it, that’s a lot of StuG firepower ready to be unleashed, some looking awfully similar to one another. Keep in mind that there are other StuG III variants likely taking shape on the Dragon drawing board before we even get to the StuG IV assault guns they are sure to produce.
So, we’ll start up our engine and add these six new introductions to our web site later today, holding our breath that Dragon doesn’t have any more planned in the pipeline. Admittedly, we may not stock all of these different versions, since it represents a lot of money having to be tied up in inventory that could be better deployed elsewhere. In any event, its refreshing to see so many versions coming out, we just wish they weren’t all on the starting line at the same time and were released in a more staggered fashion.
Looking to complete its pairings of full draught and waterline models, Forces of Valor debuted a single picture of its upcoming waterline version of the US Navy Aircraft Carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN-65), to one of their web sites. While additional images are likely forthcoming, it isn’t clear when the warship will actually sail out of Walterson’s home port and into the diecast sea. So, while we will begin accepting pre-orders for it and the full draught version, don’t expect to see either of the two models until 2025. Please understand that we play no role as to when these items will either be produced or made available through their dealer network, so if you have your heart set on either of these releases, make sure you have lots of blood pressure medication on hand until this model joins their diecast fleet.
In other news, our August shipment of mixed Forces of Valor products showed up this morning, unannounced and without any advance notification. Great way to start off the week. Frankly, it is since we have been out-of-stock of many of these items for months on end. So, we’re in the process of going through the shipment, re-listing items as being back in stock on both our web site and our marketplace sites. We expect to begin shipping out these items on Tuesday.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ll know that last week Ukraine invaded Russia near the historically significant town of Kursk, scene of the largest tank battle in history that pitted the forces of Nazi Germany against those of the Red Army. This comes at a time when Russia’s land forces are continuing to apply pressure further south, in a bid to expand their foothold along the eastern flank of Ukraine.
Perhaps because of this, Panzerkampf seized upon this headline and announced the addition of two new Mi-24V Hind attack helicopters to their growing stable of mid-sized rotor craft. Both of the new Hinds bear Russian insignia although its not clear if either of these new choppers were meant to replicate Hinds used to turn back the Ukrainian attacks.
No definite time frame was announced for either of these new helicopters, so we are going to presume they will out be out for the holidays.
Sometimes you need a score card to tell the players apart from one another. In the case of the newly launched Armor Collection (which happens to have no connection with the former Franklin Mint line of military aircraft), their pedigree first points to the Wings of the Great War line of resin WWI-era military aircraft, and then, with a wink and a nod, to its off shoot, the Wings of the Great War Armor Collection. Got it?
In any event, this new line of resin 1:72 scale military vehicles is designed to cover many of the armored vehicles that appeared on the battlefield post World War I. The first three armored fighting vehicles includes a Vietnam-era Ontos rocket-propelled tank destroyer as well as a pair of legendary WWII-era tanks — the first, Creighton Abrams’ Sherman tank known as “Thunderbolt VII” and the other Michael Wittmann’s final Tiger I mount, “007”. All three vehicles features historically accurate markings and insignia, rotating turrets and, where applicable, an elevating gun or set of rocket launchers. Each also comes with a decorative display base and a handsome outer box, just like their WWI-era cousins. Look for all three vehicles to roll out this October.
Each month Hobby Master trots out the latest flock of models collectors can expect to lay their mitts on later that year. As part of their March 2025 launch calendar, two warbirds caught our eye: one based upon the F-14 Tomcat portrayed in the feature film Top Gun Maverick as well as a F/A-18E Super Hornet meant to depict one of the four US Navy aircraft used to attack a heavily-protected uranium enrichment facility buried deep inside a supposed enemy country. Needless to say, the model maker took precautions to depict both aircraft in a somewhat nebulous form, never actually showing either aircraft as they appeared in the film to avoid any legal entanglements with Paramount, the producer of the film. So, its up to the collector to either display the model straight out-of-the-box as is or, if they so choose, perform what is known in the hobby as a “Code 3”, meaning they can obtain and apply decals from other sources to finalize the look of each model.
Lots of other models were shown in the monthly leaflet, including a U-2S spyplane and an all-new experimental F-35C donned in a black chrome reflective coating. We invite you to take a look at the latest models likely headed to showcases around the world this coming March.
Not to be outdone by some of the other recent product announcements hitting the air waves, Hobby Master indicated they had plans to pursue a brand new category that, quite frankly, caught many by surprise – 1:8 scale polyresin figures. Two figures were shown off for the first time earlier today: one a statue of a U-2 “Dragon Lady” spyplane pilot while the second pays tribute to none other than Neil Armstrong, the Commander of the Apollo 11 mission, who subsequently became the first man to set foot on the surface of the moon back on July 20th, 1969. Currently, its not clear if either figure will come with separate points of articulation or are simply designed to maintain a simple pose.
The Armstrong figure comes bundled with a replica of the US flag that was planted atop the surface of the moon and what we assume is a soil sampler. The U-2 pilot comes with a portable air conditioning unit and looks to be posed atop a section of runway. Both figures stand atop attractively designed display bases that feature the name of the figure etched along its lower edge. Each figurine carries a price tag of $149.99 and both are expected some time in March.
With two figures announced right out of the box, so-to-speak, its clear Hobby Master has “high hopes” for the category and will no doubt have other figures waiting in the “wings.” Okay, I’ll stop now…
No stranger to Russian armament, Panzerkampf recently announced plans to offer an additional three VPK-7829 Bumerang K17 Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicles to their growing arsenal of 1:72 scale military vehicles. Intriguingly, all three feature dust-covered road wheels thereby giving them a more weathered appearance. Its not clear if this will become a trend for this prolific manufacturer or simply a test to see if collectors prefer the look to the more traditional factory fresh motif. No release dates were listed so we are assuming they’ll be out-and-about for the holiday shopping season.
Previously the Company had released a standard fare woodlands scheme K17 earlier this year and we were awaiting word on the release of their Moscow Victory Day parade version that we thought would roll off the assembly line at the same time. So, in effect, we are now awaiting four K17s to hit the market, bringing the combined K16/K17 total to seven. That’s pretty impressive even though we doubt the vehicle has actually been embroiled in a conflict as yet.
Earlier today at the Royal International Air Tattoo held in England, Corgi announced plans to both bring back an old favorite and, by doing so, enter an all-new regime that may not be familiar to them or their collectors. Long sold out for several years, the TSR-2 is a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The TSR-2 was designed around both conventional and nuclear weapons delivery: it was to penetrate well-defended front line areas at low altitudes and very high speeds, and then attack high-value targets in rear areas. Another intended combat role was to provide high-altitude, high-speed stand-off, side-looking radar and photographic imagery and signals intelligence aerial reconnaissance. Only one air frame flew and test flights and weight-rise during design indicated that the aircraft would be unable to meet its original stringent design specifications. The design specifications were reduced as the result of flight testing.
The original test aircraft was painted in an all-while scheme indicative of its undergoing evaluation testing and was neither deployed nor given the go-ahead to enter mass production. Interestingly, this new Corgi release is painted in an operational scheme, meaning Corgi is making a departure of sorts by offering up its first “notional” or “what-if” model had the TSR-2 been given the green light and actually produced for front line service with the RAF.
Judging by the pictures provided, the model and accompanying artwork seem to be fairly far along so we are assuming it will be available for purchase and delivery during the second half of 2024. As a guess, other versions will likely get made should this particular model do well at retail. Moreover, Corgi will be looking at sales figures quite closely and perhaps offer “notional” schemes for other aircraft and military vehicles further down-the-road, much like Hobby Master’s recently released look at a Ukrainian F-16 Viper or Egyptian Su-35. Frankly, we think its an excellent way to bring back an old favorite that may be languishing on the back burner for whatever reason and generate new interest in subjects that may have run their course given the lack of new historical information available to them. For instance, could a colorful Manfred von Richthofen Fokker D. VII or D. VIII be in the cards? Maybe…
No sooner than we post information concerning their latest product announcements comes an important addendum – the roll out of the YF-23. Built by the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas consortium in the 1980s and flown in a run off against the YF-22 in 1990, the YF-23 is an American single-seat, twin-engine, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The design team was a finalist in the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) demonstration/validation competition, battling the YF-22 team for full-scale development and production. Two YF-23 prototypes were built.
While we applaud the decision to tackle the YF-23, it does come with a measure of moribund curiosity given Hobby Master’s penchant for choosing subjects that has “legs” — meaning several liveries or operators are available to justify the exorbitant cost of producing the mold. With only two demonstrators ever being built, and the aircraft never seeing service with either the USAF or any other user nation, we wonder what spurred them to give the YF-23 the green light.
Frankly, given the number of collectors who would give their right arm for a fully built-up replica of the YF-23, we think it’s a good choice, and hope this signals that Hobby Master is willing to bet on other short-run aircraft that haven’t been addressed by other model makers. While no price point has been established as yet, the YF-23 will likely fetch somewhere on the order of $150 US; possibly more as they await the initial reaction to the announcement. Production forecasts could be “up-in-the-air” too, perhaps numbering several thousand examples in an effort to earn back the costs of making and researching the mold. So, while we will list the model on our web site and continue to follow-up on the announcement, we’ll hold off on listing a price for now, at least until we hear back from either the manufacturer or distributor.
Update: After speaking privately with William Liu at Hobby Master he indicated that no one museum, distributor or entity commissioned a YF-23 replica and that it was undertaken purely at the behest of Hobby Master. Some collectors have speculated that it must have been an outsider, such as either the National Museum of the United States Air Force or the Western Museum of Flight — where the YF-23s are on display — who saw an opportunity in promoting and selling a replica of the YF-23. While a joint venture would surely have made sense given the economies of scale and risk spreading a collaborative undertaking would have created, Hobby Master saw an opportunity, likely based upon collector interest, and went for it. No doubt these models will likely be shown and offered to both Museum’s gift shops but for now, the YF-23 venture is being funded and hawked solely by Hobby Master.
No price point was discussed so we are awaiting word from our distributor to determine its ultimate cost. The “Black Widow”, or all-black version of the prototype YF-23 will almost certainly follow up on the “Gray Ghost” although no details were discussed. We also brought to their attention that a naval version of the YF-23 was considered at the time so its conceivable that a notional take on a navalized version of the YF=23 could one day see the light of day.
Interestingly, there is a possibility that Hobby Master will produce a Japanese version of the YF-23. According to sources, the Japanese have long sought to build an advanced next generation aircraft that can compete against several adversarial aircraft, particularly the PRC’s fifth generation Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon” fighter. Several options have been looked at over the years including an upgraded version of the YF-23. As the National Interest points out, the Japanese have had a continued interest in resurrecting the YF-23, perhaps adding thrust vectoring to the aircraft to make it a more agile dogfighter. While this would make the aircraft heavier and likely less speedy, newer and more capable engines could offset the weight increase.
In other news, Hobby Master indicated that other new toolings were in the works although we are not at liberty to discuss them as yet. This marks a departure for the company, who had relied upon some older toolings to see them through in recent years. So expect some other product announcements shortly, many of which will come as welcome news to collectors.
