Eaglemoss’ Battlestar Galactica Space Battleship – 1978 Series [With Collector Magazine]
Images have popped up for two of the latest models in Eaglemoss’ Battlestar Galactica range. Issue seven, which is due out some time this Spring, plays host to the original space battleship, Battlestar Galactica, featured in the 1978 televised series.
Eaglmoss’ Battlestar Pegasus Space Battleship – 2004 Series [With Collector Magazine]
Issue eight, likely not too far behind the Galactica release, looks at the space battleship, Battleship Pegasus, as portrayed in the updated 2004 televised series. For the uninitiated, Pegasus was a Mercury-class Battlestar and one of the most advanced military ships in the Colonial Fleet. Along with the Battlestar Galactica, the Pegasus was one of two Colonial military vessels to survive the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, serving under the command of Admiral Helena Cain.
Both ships are now available for pre-order and make excellent additions to any Battlestar Galactica war chest.
Minichamps 1:35 scale German Late Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1944
People often ask us why we keep an item up on our web site long after it has sold out. Our standard answer is that we keep it posted online should the customer want to try and obtain it from an another source and not possess any background information to go by. Secretly, however, we’re hoping that the manufacturer reconsiders its position and re-releases the item before the vehicle fades into memory.
Minichamps 1:35 scale German Late Version Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. G Medium Tank – Unidentified Unit, Berlin, 1945
In the case of Minichamps, it looks as though that wishful thinking may have paid off, if our eyes aren’t deceiving us and April Fool’s hasn’t slipped into the schedule two months ahead of time. According to their 2019 product list, four 1:35 scale tanks are back on their schedule although no firm dates of release were shown. Interestingly, three of the four vehicles are re-releases of past favorites – a Tiger I heavy tank in factory fresh dark yellow (MIN35011000), a Panther V medium tank donning a dark green camouflage pattern (MIN350190001), and a Jagdpanther tank destroyer in a splotched green and tan summer pattern (MIN35019020). The fourth vehicle breaks from the pack: its a modern era Leopard 2A4 main battle tank (MIN35011007) that never saw the light of day since it was cancelled outright before production started.
Minichamps 1:35 scale German Late Version Sd. Kfz. 173 Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer – “Black 113”, Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 654, Normandy, 1944
It appears as if each vehicle will be retailing for around $179.99, a healthy bump up from its former asking price of $99.99, but well within the realm of reason given the number of years that have elapsed since one came out and the diecast content throughout. We’re hoping to get firm information on all four vehicles over the next few days now that the Nuremberg Toy Fair has ended and sketchy info turns into hard-and-fast details.
Minichamps 1:35 scale German Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank – Panzerbataillon 33, Luttmersen, Germany, 2007
As an aside, 2019 is shaping up to be a truly wondrous year for diecast military enthusiasts with several long dormant lines (Forces of Valor, Corgi and now Minichamps) being resurrected from the dust bin, all no doubt with the help of some diehard fans who simply wouldn’t take no for an answer.
TSM Model Wings’ 1:200 US Navy Northrop F-5E Tiger II Fighter – “MiG-28” [Aggressor Scheme]
From time-to-time we get a little edgy, particularly when a manufacturer shows product at one show then fails to display it a year later at the very same venue. Such is the case with Sunrich Hobby, who, we have found out, owns Taiwan-based TSM Models, a prolific maker of diecast collectibles. At last year’s Nuremberg Toy Fair, TSM had on display several new aircraft toolings that immediately caught the hobby by storm and helped whet the appetite of many a collector. Oddly, at this year’s show, no such aircraft were anywhere to be seen, leaving this pundit in a lurch and immediately speculating that something had gone wrong.
Turns out all is well in Fightertown USA according to our source at Sunrich, with work proceeding smoothly on the models shown at last year’s show as well some they cannot openly discuss for obvious reasons. If you read between the lines, that means they have locked up the Top Gun 2 license, and pretty much cornered the market on Top Gun 2 collectibles well ahead of the film’s 2020 release. We’ve already learned that the now retired F-14 Tomcat will make an encore performance in Top Gun 2, and its a well known topic of conversation that Tom Cruise, reprising his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, has been seen “puttering around” in the F/A-18 Super Hornet, meaning a new aircraft will join the ranks. What hasn’t been confirmed are some of the other aircraft and drones that will likely be featured in the sequel, meaning lots more subjects to be replicated once the film hits the silver screen.
TSM Model Wings” 1:72 Scale Aircraft Carrier Deck Base with Catapult Operator Figure [Base 1]
For now, the Company has confirmed the imminent release of a 1:200 scale MiG-28, a mythical adversarial aircraft featured in the original film, Top Gun. Also in the works is a remake of their popular 1:72 scale flight deck, which will likely see the light of day this summer. So, while Sunrich and TSM Model Wings aren’t actually showing anything in their aircraft line up at Nuremberg this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean the pump hasn’t already been primed and product, scrutinized and approved by Paramount Films, isn’t already in the pipeline.
Eaglemoss’ Star Trek Federation Odyssey Class Starship – USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F [Version 1] [With Collector Magazine]
Looking to get the most mileage out of one of their latest toolings and take a page out of King Solomon’s play book, Eaglemoss intends to offer two different versions of the upcoming USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F starship. The first, which we have had up on our site for several months running, is an all-grey variant that seems to meld well with the existing fleet of Eaglemoss starships. The second, recently unveiled, is a bit more colorful, and drawn from the massively multiplayer online game, Star Trek Online. We have created a separate listing for the new addition and have begun accepting pre-orders, referring to them as EMSTCON09A andEMSTCON09B respectively.
Eaglemoss” Star Trek Federation Odyssey Class Starship – USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F, Star Trek Online [Version 2] [With Collector Magazine]
Please note that any orders already received for the NCC-1701-F will be applied to the all-grey variant, so if you would like to switch your order to the more colorful version or perhaps look to collect both ships, please advise as soon as possible before they start to roll in.
If you don’t mind waiting, you’ll eventually be able to add a Soviet Ilysuhin IL-10 ground attack aircraft to your aircraft collection (OXFAC093). Discussed at the recently concluded London Toy Fair and now posted to their web site, the IL-10 is an iconic WWII-era aircraft that laid waste to many German tanks, AFVs and soft-skinned vehicles then fighting against the Red Army on the Eastern Front during the latter stages of WWII. Its not clear exactly when the IL-10 — or the recently announced Boulton Paul Defiant fighter (OXFAC094) — will become available, but Oxford typically takes a year or more to actually release a new warbird after announcing it to aviation enthusiasts. Its not the best scenario if you’re looking to lay claim to either new aircraft in the not-too-distant future, but for $25 you cannot argue with either the price or its importance, given the state of things in the diecast hobby.
Oxford’s 1:72 scale RAF Boulton Paul Defiant Mk. I Night Fighter
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Navy Sukhoi Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter – Bort 67, 1st Aviation Squadron, 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment, Feb 2014
Never one to disappoint, Hobby Master announced this week that they plan to complete their Sukhoi family of modern era aircraft with the addition of a bouncing baby Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter (HA6401). Scheduled for a June landing, the Sukhoi Su-33 is, essentially, (NATO reporting name: Flanker-D) an all-weather, carrier-based, twin engine, air superiority fighter designed by Sukhoi and manufactured by Komosomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, derived from the Su-27 and initially known as the Su-27K. Complete with canards for better maneuverability under high stress maneuvering, it was first used in operations in 1995 aboard theaircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the fighter officially entered service in August 1998, by which time the designation “Su-33” was used. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union and the subsequent downsizing of the Russian Navy, only 24 aircraft were produced. Attempted sales to China and India fell through. With plans to retire the Su-33 once they reach the end of their service life, the Russian Navy ordered the MiG-29K as a replacement in 2009.
Corgi’s 1:50 scale Captured German Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. A Medium Tank – 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards “Cuckoo”, Netherlands, 1944-45
I’ve been sick as a dog since Saturday although I feel confident that all of the in-house orders for Dragon, Corgi and Hobby Master have now been handed off to the USPS. Of course, we are still receiving other in-bound shipments as we speak, including a new cache of Eaglemoss Star Trek starships, along with a bunch of back ordered products that we ran out of during the hectic holiday season. Have no fear — we will soldier on despite looking like death incarnate just to keep the wheels of progress greased and churning ever onward. Words of encouragement from you gents would be welcome right about now.
Earlier this week, we stumbled upon all of the new products Corgi plans on releasing throughout 2019. Thus far, we’ve listed all of the new/old 1:50 scale military vehicles and will start uploading the aircraft range over the next few days. To be honest, we have mixed feelings about the re-introduction of the military vehicles now dubbed the Military Legends. While collectors have been lamenting the series’ demise for years on end, this rehashed ranged is a bit pricier than before and truthfully doesn’t break any new ground as far as we can see. Most of the vehicles are just re-releases of previous efforts that first saw the light of day some ten or more years ago. Priced at $65 apiece, however, you can quite literally purchase several Altaya, Atlas or Eaglemoss vehicles in their stead, making their relative worth quite questionable given the state of the hobby and the influx of new model makers entering the hobby.
Anyway, we’re not going to pass final judgement on the line, since that doesn’t pay the bills or keep the gophers going (too much Dayquil I guess). So, keep your eyes peeled for the new aircraft listings and rest assured we’ll be burning the midnight oil to get everything up on our site in the most expeditious manner possible.
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.
