Product Announcements

Forces of Valor Plots its Next Moves

A release schedule has surfaced on one of the forums purportedly showing the build dates for many of the upcoming Forces of Valor products. Presently, this schedule hasn’t been confirmed by the manufacturer nor has our North American supplier any knowledge of its authenticity. Still, it looks somewhat official, so we are tentatively going to use it to map out the anticipated arrival dates for their 1:32 scale military vehicles as well as their 1:700 scale warships. We will hold off on some of the aircraft and helicopters for now. We’ve added sixty days to the supposed “ready” dates shown on the schedule to arrive at our tentative release dates. In all likelihood, that’s a bit optimistic based upon previous experience, so please don’t hold us to these dates since they could very well change as the year unfolds. You can view the schedule here: FOV Release Schedule

Incidentally, no word as yet concerning any of the newly tooled 1:32 scale vehicles so we are assuming they have all been pushed back into 2020.

Note: I’ve been told that the link we provided will not work if you aren’t a member of the forum in question. So, rather than ask you to join the site, we’ve updated our web site to reflect the “anticipated” dates of release for each item in the FOV military vehicle, warship, helicopter and aircraft lines. There are still several items up-in-the-air, if you will, and as the schedule moves further out, expect these dates to require some revision.

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Eaglemoss Sticks Out Its Neck With its Latest Starship


Eaglemoss’ Star Trek Excelsior Class Starship – USS Excelsior Prototype MK1 [With Collector Magazine]

We were under the impression that only ships-of-the-line and other noteworthy vessels that appeared in Star Trek films or televised series were to be included in the standard starships line and that experimental craft would make up their separate exclusives range. Apparently the lines are being blurred somewhat as Eaglemoss continues to dig ever deeper into the Star Trek universe to come up with even more out-of-this-world additions.

That said, their 152nd entrant in the series represents the USS Excelsior Prototype MK1, an Excelsior class starship in service from the late 23rd to (at least the last quarter of) the 24th century. Originally dubbed the “Great Experiment”, Excelsior was the first Starfleet ship fitted with transwarp drive (EMST0152). Though the “experiment” apparently failed, the vessel played a role in the historic Khitomer Accords and became the prototype for Excelsior-class heavy cruisers, serving the front lines of Federation exploration and defense efforts until the end of the 24th century.

Look for the Excelsior to put its neck on the line later this year.

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Hobby Master Lives Up to the March Saying


Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Douglas A-1H Skyraider Attack Aircraft – 22nd Special Operations Squadron “Green Hornets”, 56th Special Operations Wing, South Vietnam (1:72 Scale)

Its been said that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Apparently, the same could very well hold true for Hobby Master, who ushered in the month with a bevy of eagerly anticipated models and looks to go out in much the same fashion although with a bang instead of a whimper.

According to our distributor, the March shipment of Hobby Master releases are expected to hit their loading dock late next week, meaning they’ve received two shipments of new products in a single month instead of the usual one. If that wasn’t enough, we’ve also learned about their August shipment, which includes several models having been pushed back by a month along with ten or so new items not previously announced. We’re currently in the middle of listing all the new vehicles and aircraft and hope to have everything, including some eye-catching line art, uploaded by the close of business.

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DeAgostini Helps to Put Words in Our Mouth

Occasionally, we have precious little to report, as difficult as that might sound to the untrained ear. Its not that we’re at a loss for words – Lord knows that will likely never happen in our lifetime. Its just that news concerning our hobby is some times few and far between, usually occurring just after Chinese New Year when the factories are getting back up to speed and still counting heads to see which of their workers have returned from vacation.

So, we thought we’d look at a line that we’d like to stock but haven’t been able to nab largely because its another partworks line that has eluded us. We have nothing against partworks ranges, which typically wed a vehicle with a full-color magazine designed to explain the vehicle in question and its use on the battlefield. Rather, these lines are usually available in Europe first and must run their course before becoming available to other international suppliers.

In the case of DeAgostini, they are now up to their 20th 1:43 scale tank, and show no signs of abating, which, of course, is a good thing. Their first 13 tank replicas were based upon Russian-made designs that saw service with the Red Army during and after WWII. Interestingly they have diverged a bit since formulating that initial strategy, and are now starting to offer vehicles built by other nations, such as this US made M4 Sherman and British constructed Churchill. Other notable vehicles, such as a French made Char 2C super heavy tank and Valentine have also been released, making this one of the more sought after lines of mid-sized diecast military vehicles released in recent memory. The problem, as I alluded to earlier, is that we still can’t lay our grubby little hands on them until the series has concluded. Drats!

We’ll keep our fingers crossed that this series will eventually make it to our shores and keep you apprised of any changes as the line bulks up. In the meantime, keep one eye on the line and the other on our site for the latest news concerning the series.

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Eaglemoss Kicks its Star Trek Discovery Line into High Gear


Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Constitution Class Starship – USS Enterprise NCC-1701 [With Collector Magazine]

While it looks as if their standard ships line has slowed down to impulse power, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Eaglemoss Star Trek Discovery range. Three new ships were announced in recent days, bringing the total to fifteen entrants. Shown above is a Star Trek Federation Worker Bee (EMSTDISC13), which was a small utility craft in use by the Federation in the mid-23rd century. Both the USS Shenzhou and her contemporary starship the USS Discovery carried a complement of worker bees.


Eaglemoss Star Trek Klingon Cleave Starship [With Collector Magazine]

Number fourteen is a rather strange looking Klingon Cleave Starship (EMSTDISC14), a 23rd century Klingon warship in service to the House of T’Kuvma.


Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Hoover Class Starship – USS Edison NCC-1683 [With Collector Magazine]

Finally, we have the fifteenth offering, the USS Edison (NCC-1683), which was an Hoover-class Federation starship operated by Starfleet during the mid-23rd century (EMSTDISC15). All three are expected this Spring and more, no doubt, are waiting in the wings as the series continues to pick up steam.

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Atlas Hoists Its Bomber Force on its Brawny Shoulders


Atlas Editions’ 1:144 scale Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Mitsubishi Ki-21 “Sally” Heavy Bomber (1:144 Scale)

As Spring approaches, so does Atlas Editions’ ever-widening range of 1:144 scale bombers of World War II. Although they are designed for the budget-minded collector, these models don’t skimp on detail nor do they miss the sweet spot of the average aviation enthusiast by offering tons of detail at an extraordinary price.

The usual suspects are included in the mix, as are some rare warbirds, such as an Imperial Japanese Navy Sally heavy bomber or an early war Lockheed Hudson. Best of all, each is priced at just $24.99, making them a great way to introduce collectors to the wonderful world of diecast collecting.

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Calibre Wings Recalibrates

Calibre Wings’ 1:72 scale JASDF Grumman F-14J “Mona Cat” Fleet Defense Fighter – 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron

Originally launched under the Imaginarium moniker, Calibre Wings has decided to rebrand its fantasy-based category by calling the new selection “Dream Cats”. The idea here is to tweak an existing model without going through the added expense of actually retooling the mold – a makeover of sorts by applying ahistorical “what if” liveries and schemes to operational aircraft. In the case of their F-14 Tomcat, the Company has elected to apply a familiar Japanese scheme typically seen on their F-1 and F-2 jets and calling the new aircraft a “Mona Cat”, then finishing by assigning it to the JASDF’s 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron. It’ll be interesting to see if collectors warm to the idea of adding models to their collection that never saw service with the nationality or squadron depicted. Its certainly a novel concept, and helps to defray the cost of producing the mold, so we hope it “takes off” with aviation enthusiasts world over.

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Exasperated, Eaglemoss Exhorts, “Well, then Go Build Your Own ‘D’amned Enterprise”

Its a wonderful thing to own the license to one of the most successful sci-fi brands of all times. So much so, that Eaglemoss, the maker of the Star Trek Starships range and other sub brands within the Star Trek universe, now plans on releasing a build-it-yourself version of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D. Released bi-weekly, each installment will include a separate section of the Enterprise, which will have to be fitted together to previous installments if you hope to get it right. Composed of diecast metal with some plastic parts, the finished ship will light up and measure some 70 centimeters in length and represents an amalgam of different studio-inspired ships rather than one particular version of the NCC-1701-D. Thus far, the line will be exclusive to the UK, but you can bet that if it takes off, the build-it-yourself line will be made available elsewhere around the world and likely encompass other starships. For more information on the newest sub brand in the Eaglemoss stable, head on over to Memory Alpha.

Rumor has it that there will be 100 installments priced at around $15.00 apiece bringing the total to around $1500. That’s a lot of Latinum so if you plan on headed down this road, its important you consider the cost before taking the plunge.

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Air Commander Adds Another Phantom to the Pattern

Air Commander’s 1:72 scale USAF McDonnell F-4D Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ubon RTAB, Thailand, 1967

While not necessarily big on offering a multitude of different aircraft types to choose from, Air Commander has certainly made it up by having built a huge following of F-4 Phantom II devotees. That said, news out of the Air Commander camp has it that another Phantom is waiting in the wings, likely due out this Spring and already making a name for itself.

Clad in a tri-color southeast Asian camouflage scheme, their latest fighter-bomber is based on an aircraft that served with the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, then engaged in the Vietnam War during 1967 (AC1010). Looking back, a detachment of the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron operated under the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was deployed to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, from June 5th until July 2nd, 1966. It conducted air defense in Southeast Asia from October 12th to December 20th, 1965, and combat sorties from July 1966 to August 15th, 1973.

Typically, Air Commander F-4s sell out very quickly, largely because they offer the best detail and one of the greatest returns on the dollar if you approach it purely from a speculative investment. Of course, no one likes to think about parting with their models, but its always nice to know they tend to increase in value as collectors search for them in vain.

Thus far, all we have is this line art drawing to go by but a word-for-the-wise, if you wait until actual photos are posted it may be too late to pre-order this beauty.

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Panzerkampf 2.0


Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Air Defense System with M901 Launching Station – Desert Camouflage

I’ve been told by one informed source that we never gave newcomer Panzerkampf a fair shake when it came to adding their products to our online catalog. Frankly, I wasn’t all that impressed when the range first appeared since many of the 1:72 scale vehicles looked to be rehashes of already available product. We’re not in business to offer redundant lines that gather dust on the shelves and leave us wondering why we stocked them in the first place.


Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Soviet Object 279 Special Purpose Tank

But, with 2019 already in full swing, and several existing lines withering on the vine, we thought we’d give them a second chance and add a few products to our site. Moreover, we noticed several interesting new items due out later this year that are already appearing on some European retail sites. So, rather than shunt them to the side a second time, we’re looking to give them another chance and hopefully see some stellar results. New blood is always welcome to our site, however, there has to be a reason to carry more plasma, not simply because they are the latest flavor in the candy store with nothing else to show for it.

Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Ground Self-Defense Forces M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) (1:72 Scale)
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