Product Announcements

Eaglemoss Boldly Goes into 2017

Federation Springfield Class Starship USS Chekov (NCC-57302), which is scheduled to boldly go later in 2017

At long last, Eaglemoss Collections has shed light on some of their upcoming standard starships destined for release in 2017. The following ships have now been added to the range and scheduled to arrive in staggered shipments over the course of the year:

101. Bajoran Antares Class Freighter

102. Klingon D5 Battle Cruiser

103. Vidian Warship

104. Federation Galaxy Class Starship – USS Jenolan (NCC-2010)

105. Smuggler’s Ship

106. Kazon Warship

107. Klingon Attack Bird-of-Prey (Wings Down)

108. Federation Cheyenne Class Starships – USS Ahwahnee (NCC-71620)

109. Borg Queen’s Vessel

110. Federation Springfield Class Starship – USS Chekhov (NCC-57302)

111. Captain Proton’s Rocket Ship

112. Federation Nebula Class Starship – USS Phoenix NCC65420

113. Lokirrim Fighter

114. Federation Challenger Class Starship – USS Buran (NCC-57580)

115. Tellarite Cruiser

As usual, the lineup is skewed towards Federation starships, which have thus far proven to be the most popular choices among collectors. A smattering of new races have been added, including the Tellarites and Vidians, along with some rather obscure ships, such as an unnamed smuggler’s skiff and Captain Proton’s rocket ship, which resembles something from a Buck Rogers saga. Of note is the USS Chekov, no doubt paying homage to Anton Yelchin, the actor portraying Pavel Chekov in the NuTrek series of feature films, who lost his life in a freak accident in 2016. We anticipate news concerning the rest of the Star Trek Starships series shortly.

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Luft-X Turns Dreams Into Reality

Luft-X all-new 1:72 scale Haunebu 1 “flying saucer” takes to the skies this May.

We’ve all seen the documentaries and read the books concerning some of the incredible Wunderwaffe projects the German military planners were working on towards the end of the war. Some projects were nothing more than conjecture in nature, while others pointed to the usage of advanced technology that was still in its infancy yet seemed to hold promise as war-winning weapons.

One such project was the attempt to create a “flying saucer”, employing non-traditional propulsion and radical shapes to overcome some of the hurdles designers faced when building new platforms. The Haunebu 1, as it was known, was the first example of this, which attempted to demonstrate the supposed advantages of utilizing a circular, bell-shaped model over the more commonly excepted cigar-shaped designs using wings for lift and control surfaces for maneuver.

Haunebu 1 with its landing gear retracted

Luft-X is paying deference to this radical approach to flying with its upcoming 1:72 scale Haunebu 1 flying saucer, tentatively scheduled for a May liftoff (LUFT010). Composed of resin, this highly-secretive replica boasts three ball-shaped turrets embedded in the base of the aircraft, accurate markings and insignia and all the hallmark features and detail we’ve come to expect from this exciting series. Astute collectors will note that neither LUFT008 nor LUFT009 have thus far been announced by the manufacturer, meaning two more additions to the Luft-X series aren’t far behind.

Top down view of the upcoming Haunebu 1 flying saucer. The underside features three ball turret gun emplacements
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Classic Bikes Return to the Minichamps Fold

Minichamps’ 1939 Triumph Speed Twin, possibly their best selling classic bike of all time, makes an encore appearance in 2017

Several years ago, Minichamps was forced to shutter a couple of factories in the Far East which were largely responsible for their scale motorcycle production. Fast forward to 2017, and the Company seems to be back on track, announcing several classic bikes that are expected to hit the road within the near future. As part of their Nuremberg showing, Minichamps indicated that they are bringing back their highly coveted 1:12 scale 1939 Triumph Speed Twin, possibly their best selling bike of all time. They also plan to offer several new rides, among them a 1966 Munch 4 TTS in blue, 1986 Yamaha XT500 street bike finished in dark blue and white, and a 1988 Yamaha XT500 Street two-wheeler clad in black. A trio of Honda Goldwing GL 100 K3 touring bikes were also included in the mix, but its not clear if these will be brought to the American shores or available solely in Europe. We’ve opened the pre-order window for the Triumph and Yamaha bikes and are awaiting word on the Hondas before accepting any advance orders. As always, it can take several months before Minichamps actually releases these cycles, so patience is the name of the game if you want any of these high-end replicas.

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New Line: Atlas Editions Silver Classics

As a retailer, one of our principal roles is to regularly curate our product portfolio, weighing the pros and cons of carrying every range offered to us. At the end of the day, its easy to list everything produced in the diecast space, however, its quite another thing to turn a profit, move product at an acceptable rate (“turn”) and justify why it is taking up room and precious dollars in our inventory. That said, I was hesitant, at first, about carrying a new line of silver plated aircraft produced by Atlas Editions, wondering how they might be viewed by traditional collectors and military enthusiaists. After taking a closer look at the line and scrutinizing some of the online photos, we decided to take the plunge and stock this sleek commemorative series, which are expected in early February. Each of these beautifully cast aircraft are heavy in the hand and come silver plated, attached to handsome wooden display bases and even silver plated risers, making them highly attractive desktop souvenirs and wonderful conversation pieces for anyone even mildly interested in the history of aviation. Priced at just $29.99 apiece, you can even collect the entire series without busting the budget and potentially hand them out to other curiosity seekers looking to gain a foothold in our hobby.

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Waltersons Calls Out Their 2017 Cadence

We’re just a few days into 2017 and several weeks away from the opening of the all-important Nuremberg Toy Fair, yet already several companies are looking to get the ball rolling early and announce their 2017 line ups ahead of their competition. Earlier today, Waltersons posted a Forces of Valor brochure to their Facebook page which showcases their first and second quarter 1:32 scale diecast military vehicles as well as their 1:700 warships series. Currently, we are in the midst of adding all of the new introductions to our product portfolio, and will address pricing for several of the new warships once they are made official. For now though, you can ogle some of their soon-to-be-released products, and place pre-orders, where appropriate for items that show a retail price. We hope to add any new imagery, where applicable, once they are unveiled by the manufacturer.

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Modelcollect Takes Up the Defense of Germany with Their E-100 Series

 

While the German E-100 series has been modelled before in 1:72 scale (think the now defunct Panzerstahl), Modecollect is putting its own spin on the range by offering three takes on the “paper panzers”. To usher in the New Year, the Company posted three different images of the forthcoming vehicles, one showing an E-100 with 128mm main gun, a second depicting a “Krokodil” heavy tank destroyer and the third showcasing a FLaK gun.

No information has been disseminated concerning their price, although due to their size, they are likely going to be much more expensive than their previous efforts. Likewise, no delivery dates were posted, meaning they could still be several months off.

In other news, the manufacturer posted a picture of a second E-50 tank slated for 2017 and, more importantly, indicated they plan on tackling a Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte Super Heavy Tank, certainly one of the most ambitious projects facing both the German war planners as well as the modelmaker. Its possible a prototype could be ready in time for the upcoming Toy Fairs.

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Another Quartet of Vessels Joins the Eaglemoss Fleet

Four more 1:1100 scale warships have set sail from our distributor and are expected to make port the second week of January. The four new ships include:

EMGC55 – Imperial Japanese Navy Yubari Class Light Cruiser – Yubari [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)

EMGC56 – French Marine Nationale Bearn Class Aircraft Carrier – Bearn [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)

EMGC57 – Imperial Japanese Navy Tone Class Heavy Cruiser – Chikuma [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)

EMGC65 – Imperial Japanese Navy Kagero Class Destroyer – Isokaze [With Collector Magazine] (1:1100 Scale)

A battleship would have made this grouping a royal flush, but that’s the way it works in the scale warship business.

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Atlas Hoists Up the Wehrmacht on its Brawny Shoulders

In the, “their loss is your gain” department, Atlas Editions is closing out a very handsome range of 1:32 scale German soldiers from WWII that covers everything from the Deutches Afrika Korps to the Luftwaffe. Molded in metal, each pairing of German soldiers comes pre-painted and pre-posed with a decorative base, and even comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity and cushioned packaging. Best of all, each of the fifteen sets retails for only $12.99, making them an absolute bargain. no matter how you look at it. All of the sets are expected in March, and the distributor importing the line is claiming that they will be available in limited quantities, so its entirely possible we may not have them available for general sale once they do arrive. Enjoy!

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Corgi Takes a Bold Step for 2017

 

These days, it isn’t often when Corgi decides to take a gamble and invest in new tooling, particularly when they seem more comfortable taking a safer route with their older molds. However, with the debut of the 2017 catalog, it would appear as if they are doing just that by upscaling their English Electric Lightning jet fighter that’s been a hit with collectors for several years running. According to their web site, a 1:48 scale F.6 Lightning fighter is currently under development, although details concerning its feature list are still rather sketchy (AA28401). Since no image was posted on their web site or in their catalog, we are led to believe its still a ways off, likely expected towards the end of 2017. In any event, this could be a watershed moment in Corgi’s history, as they look to explore the feasibility of offering larger versions of previously released warbirds.

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Wings of the Great War Grows a Tail

When they rolled out their Mark IV Male and Female tanks, everyone knew it was just a matter of time before some of the variants were introduced to the collecting community. Earlier today, Wings of the Great War confirmed those suspicions when they unveiled their newest land warship: a Mark IV Male Tadpole heavy tank (WW10203).

During the War, a large number of Mark IV tanks were also used for development work. In an attempt to improve trench-crossing capability, the tadpole tail, an extension to the rear track horns, was introduced. However, it proved insufficiently rigid and does not appear to have been used in combat. Other experimental versions tested radios, mortars placed between the rear horns, and recovery cranes. Some of these devices were later used on operational tanks. Mark IVs were also the first tanks fitted with unditching beams by field workshops. A large wooden beam, reinforced with sheet metal, was stored across the top of the tank on a set of parallel rails. If the tank became stuck, the beam was attached to the tracks (often under fire) and then dragged beneath the vehicle, providing grip.

Look for the first Tadpoles to slither across the battlefield sometime in February.

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