Just one week into the new year, Corgi has announced their entire 2019 lineup. Previously, the Company had unveiled their annual releases in six-month increments so it looks as if 2019 marks a departure of sorts for this longstanding model maker.
While a number of new aircraft were announced, what really struck us was the return of their 1:50 scale military vehicles series, a line that had performed very well over a decade ago when it was first offered but has since languished on the back burner without so much as a feeble attempt to dust it off and bring it back from the dead. No new toolings make up this re-purposed range, however, we feel confident that its return will do quite well, particularly since 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, advance across northwest Europe and, of course, the Battle for the Ardennes.
PMA’s 1:72 German Karl-Gerat Super Heavy Self-Propelled 60cm Mortar – “Adam”
A wee bit pricier than the average 1:72 scale military vehicle, PMA has, nonetheless, carved out a respectable niche in the hobby by offering an ever-widening array of WWII era subjects. Late yesterday we learned that they plan on going one step further by building a replica of a German Karl Gerat super heavy self-propelled mortar — a beast if ever there was one — that was used principally to lay siege to heavily fortified fixed positions. Several years ago, Dragon did much the same by releasing a collection of four Karl Gerats although they were created for the 1:144 scale market along with several larger 1:35 scale versions. PMA’s rendition bounces off of the middle of the diecast racket at 1:72 scale and will even come with an optional set of figures designed to crew the gun.
A set of five figures will come separately, all posed in differing positions.
Since several guns were built for the German Heer during WWII we’re willing to bet that PMA will do likewise, some sporting a narrower 54cm gun while others mount the larger 60cm cannon. Our distributor doesn’t have official pricing just yet so we’re going to hold off on accepting pre-orders until we lock down this and some other preliminary information. So, in the meantime, we suggest clearing away some space in your 1:72 scale collection for this brute and keep in mind that others will likely follow.
Its been years since Hobby Master, the most prolific maker of diecast aircraft models, offered up a rendition of a french-built Dassault Mirage aircraft. As it turns out, it wasn’t because of poor sales figures that resulted in the Company putting the sleek Mirage on the back burner. Rather, it was, as some have long speculated, a result of a licensing dispute with the aircraft maker, which prevented them from making any more models without the expressed written approval of Dassault Aviation. Happily, it would appear as if the dispute has been settled because earlier today we learned that Hobby Master is bringing back the Mirage 2000 for an encore appearance. According to Hobbymastercollector,com, the first model slated to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes is based upon a Mirage 2000-5F jet fighter that was flown by France’s Armée de l’Air and deployed to Dijon, France in 2010.
Now that they have the go-ahead from Dassault, its entirely possible that Hobby Master will be replicating some of the other aircraft Dassault has made famous over the years, including the Super Étendard, Rafale, and Mystere, to name but a few. Interestingly, the Mirage 2000-5F is expected this Spring, meaning Hobby Master must have put their spat with Dassault to bed earlier this year to be this far along in the production process.
Ordinarily we try to post important product announcements to our blog the day we receive the information. During the hectic holiday season, however, this routine often gets sidetracked, as we do our best to get orders out the door in a timely manner then post preliminary product information once the dust has settled and we get a chance to catch our breath.
That said, Hobby Master provided information yesterday concerning their May releases, which includes some notable introductions. Besides the George Bush Avenger we discussed in an earlier blog post, there are some intriguing new offerings in the hopper that should delight ground pounders and air warriors alike.
On the ground, Hobby Master plans to offer the first pairing of M60A3 Patton medium tanks, both clad in a MERD-C camouflage pattern (HG5608 and HG5609) suited for summer time warfare. While they have offered several versions of its precursor, the A1, this marks the first time Hobby Master will be examining the much more robust A3 version, which is still in service with several units and nations around the globe.
In the air, the Company has decided to extend its family of Boeing F/A-18s Hornet with the relatively new E/A-18G Growler (HA5150). The Growler is an Electronic Warfare platform intended to disrupt enemy tracking systems so that other aircraft in the “package” can perform their mission. As such, the Growler replica likely won’t carry any significant ordnance and instead will be loaded down with sensor pods, fuel tanks and other equipment intended to support the other aircraft it must shepherd into battle.
There are several other warbirds that caught our eye, among them a second rendition of the Navy’s F-35C Joint Strike Fighter (HA6102) and Albert Ulrich Houle’s Supermarine Spitfire (HA7851), but what really stood out was a Soviet MiG-21MT, clad in a sumptuous brownish-green camouflage pattern (HA0194). Any way, all of the new introductions have been posted to our web site and, if that weren’t enough, we’re happy to report that the Hobby Master December shipment is winging its way to us as we speak.
Last week, our nation paid homage to President George H. W. Bush, who passed away at the ripe old age of 94. While he will no doubt be remembered for his many accomplishments, he may, perhaps, be best thought of for his role as a pilot of an Avenger low-level bomber, who, in September 1944, accomplished his daunting mission despite suffering grievous damage to his aircraft and the loss of his fellow crew mates.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 USN Grumman Avenger TBM-1C Torpedo-Bomber – “Barbara III”, Lt. George H. W. Bush, VT-51, USS San Jacinto (CVL-30), September 1944
As we had hoped, Hobby Master will be paying tribute to the man and his machine by offering a new replica of his Grumman Avenger, this time around bearing the words, “Barbara III”, the third aircraft of his to bear the name of his future wife, Barbara Pearce (HA1221). According to our sales literature, this all-new warbird is expected in May and will come in a specially designed commemorative packaging and come bundled with a handsome display stand complete with a metal name plate. We anticipate this aircraft will sell briskly once news of its impending release spreads, so we strongly suggest placing a pre-order for it if you are indeed interested in obtaining one of these incredible replicas.
As we close out the month of November, we’ve finally received an update from our distributor regarding Forces of Valor. After months of waiting and little to show for it, the Company acknowledged today that Walterson’s re-engineered 1:32 scale 88mm FLaK gun, which is clad in a desert scheme, is now pegged for a February release. Originally, we were told that two 88mm guns were to be expected at the same time — the second in the familiar, early war, dark grey scheme that was previously included in the original FOV line up. Now, the dark grey version is being delayed further and its not clear when it is to be expected.
So, that’s the good news, if you don’t mind viewing the FOV glass as being half full. The bad is that the range will now be MAP enforced, meaning that we and other retailers must sell the line at a specific retail price point and cannot deviate from that pricing for a fixed period of time. The MAP, or minimum advertised price as it is known in the industry, has been set at $79.99, $10 more than what we thought was a marketable price given the length of time FOV has been out of the diecast game. To be fair, the manufacturer has re-engineered the vehicles so that they now come with a removable engine and opening engine compartment, more metal content, reworked superstructures and smoother rolling tracks. As a result, its not as if they are simply re-releasing older product but asking for a king’s ransom to boot.
Because of the price hike for the 88mm gun, we are assuming that all of the other 1:32 scale military vehicles that had been previously announced will likely carry the same price tag, although at this date, we still do not have hard-and-fast release dates for either the re-engineered vehicles or any of the new products announced way back in 2016.
Keep in mind that several international Toy Fairs are right around the corner, so we will likely get a better understanding of what to expect for the coming year once the shows have drawn back their curtains and solid product information has been passed along. So, while we hate to be the bearer of bad news as we head into the holiday season, keep in mind that at least some progress is being made and that the long drought will soon be over now that the pumps have been primed.
Wings of the Great War’s 1:72 scale French Saint Chamond Heavy Tank – “Chantecoq,” As31, Laffaux, France, 1917
Apparently, last week’s 100-year commemoration marking the end of World War I has had a profound impact on both marketing strategies and sales for several manufacturers. Take, for instance, the 1:72 scale Saint Chamond tank (WW10207) from Wings of the Great War, which is currently en route to us just in time for the holiday season. According to our distributor, it is already sold out at both the factory and distributor level, meaning we will only have a handful of pieces available for general sale once we have filled all of our existing pre-orders. Frankly, once people read this blog post, we may not even have any pieces available for general sale either.
Corgi’s 1:48 scale German Fokker D VII Fighter – 4649/18 “Seven Swabians” Wilhelm Scheutzel, Jasta 65, September 1918
In the air, Corgi has launched a new sub brand dubbed World War I 1914-1918 Centenary Series, which includes several of their soon-to-be-released 1:48 scale WWI-era fliers. We’ve grouped the recently released cherry-red Dridecker flown by Manfred von Richtofen in with these aircraft for obvious reasons but the first true Centenary warbird is called “Seven Swabians”, another Dridecker piloted by Wilhelm Scheutzel, who was attached to Jasta 65 during September 1918 (AA38906). While his mount laid claim to only two enemy aircraft in its brief tenure over the Western Front, the “Seven Swabians” is perhaps better remembered for its intricate artwork adorning both sides of its fuselage. For the uninitiated, “Seven Swabians” draws its title from a famous Brothers Grimm German Fairy Tale. Brandishing an oversized spear, which required all seven of the Swabians to carry, the story tells the farcical tale of this hapless group and their futile attempts to achieve greatness through performing great deeds. Look for the “Seven Swabians” to rise high over the diecast trenches some time before the end of the holiday season.
Corgi’s 1:48 scale RNAS Sopwith Camel Fighter – Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner, No.3 Squadron, Bray Dunes Aerodrome, France, 1918
Likely expected in league with the Dridecker is a Royal Naval Air Service Sopwith Camel fighter, which was flown by Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner (AA38109)
Canadian ace Lloyd Samuel Breadner can
surely claim to have flown one of the most distinctive Sopwith Camels
on the Western Front. Featuring two large circles on the top wing, his
aircraft also included King of Diamonds playing cards on the top of the
lower wings, the badge of the Canadian Expeditionary Force carried
behind the cockpit and a striking red and white ‘rising sun’ on the tail
and elevators – there can be no doubting that Flight Lieutenant
Breadner wanted his German opponents to see him coming.
Corgi’s all-new WWI 1914-1918 Centenary Series banner
Joining No.3 Squadron RNAS in 1917, Breadner initially flew the Sopwith
Pup scout, in which he managed to score seven aerial victories, one of
which was a mighty German Gotha bomber on April 23rd, 1917, the first
time a British fighter had brought down one of these behemoth’s over the
Western Front.
When his unit converted to the new Sopwith Camel, he went on to score a
further three victories during September 1917, all of which were against
Luftstreitkrafte Albatros D.V fighters. Surviving the war, Breadner
became Air Officer Commanding-in Chief RCAF Overseas during WWII and on
his retirement, was promoted to Air Chief Marshal – the first Canadian
to hold this rank.
Prototype image of the Hobby Master 1:72 scale Suhkoi Su-33 Air Superiority Fighter
It didn’t take a course in predictive analysis to guess that Hobby Master would eventually get around to replicating the mighty Russian Sukhoi Su-33 air superiority fighter. They’ve already covered just about every other aircraft in Sukhoi’s family of modern aircraft, so adding the Flanker-D was, as they famously say, “a no-brainer” from a model maker’s stand point.
For now, only prototype images are being shown on the Hobby Master Collector web site, although its a safe bet that the first model will be announced shortly, no doubt ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year in February, a time when most companies go on hiatus for a couple of weeks. We’re willing to bet that once the Su-33 starts to see the light of day that Hobby Master will begin eyeing the MiG 29 as its next adversarial subject.
Atlas Editions 1:43 scale German BMW R75 Motorcycle with Sidecar – Deutsches Afrika Korps
Atlas Editions is one of those manufacturers that has quietly established itself as a respectable maker of scale military replicas. While they aren’t always available in depth and breadth of line like several of the other lines we carry, there are occasions when their on-hand availability rises to a level where both new and older releases are in stock at the same time.
Atlas Editions 1:43 scale German LIV (SO) Special Ops Light Armored Utility Vehicle
November seems to be one of those months when many of their older, more popular releases have been sufficiently replenished to a level where we can order in quantity and some of their newer products are also available for general sale. Late yesterday, we learned that their best-selling US T-19 Howitzer Motor Carriage (ATL7123110) is back in stock, as are a number of other items that have been hobbled by inconsistent stocking for several months running. Simultaneously, two new 1:43 scale products were announced – a German BMW R75 motorcycles with sidecar (ATL7895001) and a modern era LIV (SO) Special Ops Light Armored Utility Vehicle (ATL7121001), the German equivalent of our Humvee tactical utility vehicle. Interestingly, both items are expected shortly, meaning they made the voyage over to the New World at the same time as some of the restocks, thus making them execellent gifts for the holidays.
Eaglemoss’ Special Edition No. 15: Star Trek Earth Spacedock [With Collector Magazine]
Michael Curran, a member of the Facebook Eaglemoss Star Trek Fan Group, reported on the following product announcements direct from Ben Robinson of Eaglemoss:
Next XL ships:
XL11: Discoprise XL12: Akira Class XL13: Klingon BOP XL14: Runabout XL15: Excelsior Class
Insurrection ships. Ben said, “They are committed to rebuilding them, and hope to have them out in the next 18 months and hopefully sooner.”
We’ve already listed regular issue ships 141-144 on our web site, and hope to have the other new products up on our web site next week once preliminary images have been provided.
