Product Announcements

Air Force 1 Chooses the Lightning as Its Next Foray

Air Force 1 starts out the New Year with a 1:48 scale replica of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning interceptor.

Air Force 1 has been relatively mum of late, releasing only a handful of new aircraft types to keep them in the diecast aviation game. Part of the problem are the number of gaffs they seem to make with each new release, either including pilots with blue helmets for every aircraft, era and nation, sloppy typos on their packaging, wrong scales, etc. So, with that in mind, they took the bold step of announcing plans to make a 1:48 scale version of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Currently slated for a May release, their inaugural replica looks to bring to life the mount of famed ace Tommy McGuire, when he was with the 475th Fighter Group then doing battle with the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre of Operations during 1943 (AF10150).

AF1’s replica features optional position landing gear, so it can be displayed in flight or on the ground.

Some pundits have already speculated that the AF1 version looks eerily similar to one once offered by The Franklin Mint, but according to the promotional literature, the AF1 version will feature optional position landing gear, something the Franklin Mint version lacked. Lets keep our finger crossed that the pilots are correctly characterized.

Share This:

Hobby Master Hits the Ground Running as the New Year Ends

 

Hobby Master’s latest incarnation of the A-10 Warthog due to arrive in a few days.

With Chinese New Year having now concluded, Hobby Master has bolted out of the gates, unleashing a torrent of new product as well as announcing a bevy of new items for a mid year release. According to one source, those items expected to arrive in both the February and March timeframes have arrived at our distributor and should be shipping out to the dealer network over the next few days.

Add another “Jolly Rogers” F-14 Tomcat to the long list of fleet defense fighters showing up from a number of manufacturers.

Additionally, a number of new items were announced today, covering everything from 1:72 scale jets and prop-driven fighters to several 1:48 scale WWII-era aircraft. We are in the midst of listing all of these new items and hope to have the task completed in the next couple of days.

Share This:

For the Love of Tigers

Waltersons Extreme Metal 1:16 scale mid production Tiger I heavy tank, likely to be one of the most sought after military collectibles this holiday season.

“We will attack in staggered formation. First, Lion on the assault, second Panther.”

– Actor Robert Shaw portraying the fictional Colonel Martin Hessler, “Battle of the Bulge”

We waited until today, Valentine’s Day, to throw open the pre-order doors for Walterson’s newest 1:16 scale entrant to its wildly successful Extreme Metal series. Due out later this year, their first introduction picks up where the series left off with Unimax, by offering a mid production Tiger I heavy tank. The mid production version features a revamped cupola with side-swinging hatch as shown in this picture. The mid-production version also boasts the early model road wheels, which proved to be insufficient in dealing with mud during the rainy season. The vehicle does not come with the rear-mounted Feifel air filters that became standard with the release of the late-production Tiger series.

Waltersons has indicated that the retooled tank will come with sprockets and road wheels that are made of diecast metal instead of plastic, thereby enabling smoother operation on flat surfaces. Thus far, it’s not clear which commander and unit will be portrayed, although they have indicated the vehicle will include a fully detailed interior compartment as well as all of the attendant accessories and paraphernalia that have made previous releases such a success in the marketplace. With several of their previous releases commanding in excess of $1,000 or more in the secondary marketplace, this is one introduction you may not want to pass by.

Here are some recent eBay listings showing similar, previously released 1:16 scale Tiger I tanks and their asking prices:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Forces-of-Valor-85504-1-16-German-Tiger-I-Michael-Wittmanns-Final-Battle-/291963215261?hash=item43fa5d1d9d:g:sVYAAOSwHsRYDL71

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-16-FORCES-OF-VALOR-WWII-GERMAN-TIGER-I-MICHAEL-WITTMANN-85204-JUNE-13-1944-222-/142276684103?hash=item212059e947:g:o9oAAOSwj85YM4y3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Forces-of-Valor-1-16-German-King-Tiger-Sd-Kfz-182-501st-SS-Diecast-Tank-/222404015325?hash=item33c84ff4dd:g:9tEAAOSwTuJYnFwK

And, there’s even one listing for the Maybach engine by itself that came with previously released Tiger I tanks:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-16-Forces-of-Valor-German-Tiger-1-Tank-die-cast-metal-Maybach-HL230-engine-/152431158059?hash=item237d9ae32b:g:6GAAAOSwx6pYnOnq

 

Share This:

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.

Share This:

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
Share This:

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.

Share This:

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.

Share This:

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.

Share This:

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.

Share This:

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.

Share This: