Product Announcements

Panzerkampf Strikes Out for the Green Fields Beyond

Panzerkampf’s 1:100 scale British Mark IV Male Heavy Tank

Thus far, Panzerkampf has been perfectly fine catering to the needs of the 1:72 scale military collector, disgorging a wide array of vehicles, aircraft and helicopters that has earned them a special place among the pantheon of military modelmakers. It therefore comes as a bit of a surprise that they would dabble in the smaller 1:100 scale military market, perhaps scratching an itch no one knew existed.

According to a recent press release, the manufacturer is about to roll out seven different WWI-era military vehicles, spanning everything from the ubiquitous British Mark IV to the somewhat brutish German A7V tank. Interestingly, all seven vehicles are expected to roll out in time for the holidays, late November to be specific, if you’re a calendar watcher. Priced at just $14.99 apiece, these tanks make ideal stocking stuffers and a great way to start beginners off on the diecast battlefield.

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PMA’s Roll Call of Honor: Tigers

PMA’s 1:72 scale German Mid Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “233”, schwere Panzerabteilung 507, Eastern Front, 1944 [Bonus Maybach HL 230 TRM P45 Engine]

You can’t fault Precision Model Art (PMA) for having a love affair with the iconic Tiger I heavy tank. After all, it was feared by all of the Allied nations arrayed against Germany, a powerful if ponderous tank that seemed to symbolize German resistance in the face of still opposition. Slow and ungainly, it nevertheless took on swarms of enemy armor and, in the hands of competent crews, denied the enemy the upper hand at a time when they could have easily steamrollered past tanks of a lesser caliber.

It therefore comes as no surprise that PMA has decided to release the fourth version of the Tiger, this time around bearing the markings and insignia of schwere Panzerabteilung 507. Painted in a summer camouflage scheme and bearing all of the hallmark details you’ve come to expect from this vaunted diecast modelmaker, we expect it to hit the streets sometime in early 2021.

In the meantime, if you need to get your fix on for a Tiger tank, PMA is re-releasing the Otto Carius version, which sold out quite quickly earlier this year. Its a magnificent model, and one with lots of history behind it. Expect it to return to stock in time for Thanksgiving.

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Corgi Passes out the “Swiss Miss”

Corgi’s 1:72 scale Swiss Junkers Ju 52/3m Tri-Motor Transport – Tarnmuster A-702

In a surprise announcement, Corgi unveiled and released two new 1:72 scale Junkers Ju 52 transports, both bearing Swiss markings and insignia. One comes in the standard Corgi packaging while the other is nested in a European style box likely created for a special client.

Corgi’s 1:72 scale Swiss Junkers Ju 52/3m Tri-Motor Transport – IWC HB-HOS

In other news, several eagerly awaited aircraft models were also released, all of which are now winging their way to us. All of the October releases are expected to safely land at our aerodrome by the end of this month.

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DeAgostini Fires Up Five More Warbirds for an October Fly-In

The DeAgostini fleet of WWII-era aircraft keeps growing by leaps and bounds with the addition of five more aircraft to the warbirds roster. Like the other aircraft in the series, each comes bundled with a full-color magazine written in Japanese and a handsome bookcase style package. Here’s what you can expect to nab by the end of October:

#DAWF19 – Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2A “Zero” Fighter – 3-112, 1941 [With Collector Magazine] (1:72 Scale)

#DAWF23 – Imperial Japanese Navy Kyushu J7W1 Shinden Fighter [With Collector Magazine] (1:72 Scale)

#DAWF28 – Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Kawasaki Ki-100 Fighter – 5th Sentai, 1945 [With Collector Magazine] (1:72 Scale)

#DAWF24 – RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk. I Fighter – Flt. Lt. Arthur Clowes, 1940 [With Collector Magazine] (1:72 Scale)

#DAWF32 – Soviet Yakovlev Yak-3 Fighter – Georgiy Zakharov, 1944 [With Collector Magazine] (1:72 Scale)

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Product Announcement: Warbirds of World War II

We’ve been given the go ahead to move forward with the launch of the Warbirds of World War II line of 1:72 scale military aircraft. Like the Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II range expected to hit the streets later this year, the Warbirds line will encompass aircraft previously released under the Altaya banner several years ago but unavailable in great quantity here in North America and elsewhere. This time around, they will be packaged within an upscale 5-panel box that will help to explain the aircraft in question much like a Corgi or Hobby Master release. Like the AFV line, each aircraft will come with a numbered limited edition collector card. As a bit of a departure from the norm, we will be releasing them in a different sequential order than when they were first released, meaning the entire assortment and order of release has not been set just yet and could be shuffled around based upon certain criteria. The first six warbirds will likely come out in early 2021, and plans call for six new warbirds to be produced each month thereafter. Unless things change, each release will carry a $34.99 price point.

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Hobby Master Hits Them Out of the Park in Early 2021

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” Stealth Fighter – “Bort 053”, MAKS 2019 Aviasalon Air Show

Even though their shipments have fallen behind schedule, that doesn’t mean Hobby Master hasn’t set its eyes on the coming year. Several new warplanes were announced recently, perhaps the most notable being their first 1:72 scale Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” stealth fighter, which is clad in a scintillating digital camouflage scheme. Here now the list of what you can look forward to nabbing in early 2021:

#HA8751 – German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 “Gustav” Fighter – “Green 1”, Hermann Graf, Jagdgeschwader 50, Neubiberg, Germany, September 1943 (1:48 Scale)

#HA3882 – USAF General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon Fighter – 88-0454, 8th Fighter Squadron “Black Sheep”, Holloman AFB, New Mexico, 2017 (1:72 Scale)

#HA3880 – USAF General Dynamics F-16C Block 40 Fighting Falcon Fighter – 88-0428, South Dakota Air National Guard “70th Anniversary”, 2016 [Anniversary Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#HA3897 – USAF General Dynamics F-16CM Fighting Falcon Fighter – 92-3894, PACAF Viper Demo Team “Primo”, Komaki Base, Japan, 2019 [Low Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#HA1330 – USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – 81-0976, 354th Fighter Squadron “Bulldogs”, Incirlik AFB, Turkey, April 2017 (1:72 Scale)

#HA2811B – USAF Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor Air Dominance Fighter – Raptor 01, “Spirit of America” [Low-Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#HA4522 – USAF Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle Multi-Role Fighter – 01-2004, “‘Mi Amigo'” 75th Anniversary Fly Pass”, 494th Fighter Squadron, Lakenheath, England, February 22nd, 2019 [Low-Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#HA4910 – US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – Bu.No. 160581, VX-30 “Bloodhounds”, “100 Years of Naval Aviation”, Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, 2011 (1:72 Scale)

#HA4911 – US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – Bu.No. 160147, VX-30 “Bloodhounds”, Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, 2016 (1:72 Scale)

#HA6609 – German Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon Multi-Role Fighter – 30+09 “Bronze Tiger”, TktLwG 74, Neuburg Air Base, “Tiger Meet 2014” [Tiger Meet Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#HA6801 – Russian Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” Stealth Fighter – “Bort 053”, MAKS 2019 Aviasalon Air Show (1:72 Scale)

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Another Six Warships Join the Ever-Growing DeAgostini Armada

We’ve learned that another six warships in DeAgostini’s Kriegsschiffe warships line are slated for a September arrival, perhaps the most notable being the German battleship Bismarck. Unless we hear otherwise, each comes bundled with a German written full-color magazine chock full of photos and information regarding each warship. Here now the latest additions to DeAgostini’s growing range of naval vessels:

#DAKS01 – German Kriegsmarine Bismarck Class Battleship – DKM Bismarck (1:1250 Scale)

#DAKS39 – German Kaiserliche Marine Derfflinger Class Battlecruiser – SMS Lutzow (1:1250 Scale)

#DAKS41 – German Kaiserliche Marine Kaiser Class Battleship – SMS Friedrich der Grosse (1:1250 Scale)

#DAKS47 – German Bundesmarine Training Cruiser – Deutschland (1:1250 Scale)

#DAKS57 – German Kriegsmarine Auxiliary Cruiser – Orion (1:1250 Scale)

#DAKS67 – British Royal Navy Nelson Class Battleship – HMS Nelson (1:1250 Scale)

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Despite Taking a Few Hits, Dragon Soldiers On

We were a bit confused several years ago, when Dragon decided to pull up stakes in the 1:6 scale action figure market and stopped producing one of their bread-and-butter lines. Admittedly, prices were starting to rise exponentially from where they started out in the early 2000s, and, when combined with rising competition, likely spelled the end for a series once hailed as the gold standard among action figure collectors.

Apparently, we gave then a standing 10-count well before they were ready to leave the arena. Earlier today, Dragon posted a teaser image on their Facebook page indicating they plan on making a return to the 1:6 scale action figure market, although no further details were provided. So, we’ll follow this lead where ever it takes us, and post news of any new offerings the minute they raise their head and expose themselves to return, and quite possibly, friendly fire.

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Calibre Wings Pulls Back the Curtains on the Stalwart F-16

Barely a day after we first announced plans to resume carrying the Calibre Wings line of military comes in-depth news concerning their upcoming F-16 Fighting Falcon. First hinted at a few years back, and occasionally discussed online in conjunction with different hobby expos, Calibre Wings recently put together a 21-minute video montage explaining the model in detail, which includes the amount of metal being used in its construction, salient features, how the aircraft can be taken apart, and multiple display configurations. While I’d love to go into greater detail and gush over its accuracy, we thought it best to whet your appetite by embedding the manufacturer’s video here. Bear in mind that the model shown is a Block 52 version of the F-16. Follow-on models will be based upon newer builds of the Fighting Falcon, which now come with conformal wing tanks attached to the upper surfaces of the aircraft giving them extended flying time. Enjoy!

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Calibre Wings Returns to Action

Calibre Wings’ 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter

We’ve had a difficult time getting Calibre Wings’ line of military aircraft with any regularity from a reliable seller so we’ve decided what better way to bring them back into the fold than to buy direct. Beginning in October, we plan on carrying the core line of Calibre Wings models which covers their F-14 Tomcats and Su-24 Fencers, along with several of their newer models, among them the Lockheed U-2 spy plane, General Dynamics’ F-16 Fighting Falcon and Convair B-58 Hustler strategic bomber. Based upon fan reaction, all of these models are doing fabulously well at retail, so we expect much the same results when they return to stock. The pre-order window is now open and the first batch of aircraft are expected to arrive some time next month.

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