Earlier today, we learned that another dozen 1:72 scale Russian military vehicles are being released into the North American marketplace by Fabbri. There’s loads to choose from in this tidal wave, including armored cars, half-tracks, tanks, self-propelled guns, and anti-tank guns.
Priced at just $11.99 apiece, you simply cannot go wrong with any or all of these little gems.
In a departure, of sorts, from their heavily slanted look at the warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Eaglemoss announced plans to raise the USS West Virginia from the dead this fall (EMGC73) and add it to the ranks of the Warships of the World Collection. The West Virgina has a storied past, sunk at the Battle of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, raised, drained and refitted by the US Navy over the following months, so it could eventually rejoin the fleet in several important actions at the end of the war. A Colorado-class battleship, the West Virginia was first laid down after WWI in April 1920, and eventually struck from the US Navy’s roster some 27 years later after making three trips to Asia to return thousands of US servicemen to friendly soil.
First hinted at several years ago in their print catalog, Dragon is finally idling its engines no more and ordering its newest family of panzers forward. Expected some time before the year is out, two new PzKpfw IV Ausf. J medium tanks are in the offing (DRR60656 and DRR60657), both featuring schurzen side armor skirts and turret girdles. We don’t see any unit insignia on either of these vehicles and their descriptions are rather vague, indicating they are from unidentified units serving on the Western Front in the latter half of 1944.
We’re hoping that Dragon is back at producing scale, pre-assembled vehicles, which seems to have become an on-again, off-again passion of theirs over the past few years.
If rumors are true, and why wouldn’t they be in this industry, Hobby Master intends to pursue several Mikoyan-Gurevich subjects in 2016. According to sources, the Company is already hard-at-work developing the MiG 23 Flogger, a third generation jet fighter likely boasting a variable geometry swing-wing like its soon-to-be-released counterpart, the F-14 Tomcat. It therefore wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that a MiG 27 Flogger ground attack aircraft is also on the drawing board, since it was based, in large part, upon the Russian designed MiG 23. What’s nice here is that there was a slew of client nations that operated both the MiG 23 and MiG 27 during the height of the Cold War period, meaning lots of liveries to choose from and loads of potential theaters of war to portray.
If you like ’em fast, like ’em high, and even like ’em signed then you better sit up and take notice because Air Force 1 may have the goods for you. Earlier today, we learned that they plan on coming out with a new take on the SR-71 Blackbird, this time around available in both an unsigned (“clean”) and signed (“dirty”) configuration (AF10088A and B). Their newest surveillance plane is based upon a mount flown by Major Terry Pappas and Captain John Manzi, which was operated over the Persian Gulf in 1987. The “dirty” version features Major Terry Pappas signature on the display base and is a paltry $10 more than the unsigned version. Look for both fliers some time in December.
Two new Star Wars: The Force Awakens ships were announced today as part of Mattel’s Hot Wheels Elite series, as well as details concerning the mystery ship first announced several months back but never fully discussed. Expected some time in March 2016, the undisclosed 1:18 scale ship is actually Poe Dameron’s X-Wing fighter (HWDAG08), a central protagonist in the upcoming film and likely an important figure in the Sequel trilogy.
Slated for September, look forward to nabbing an X-Wing Resistance Fighter (MTDMK63) as well as a First Order TIE Fighter (MTDMT90).
Thus far, Eaglemoss 1:43 scale Military Vehicles of the Second World War series has been confined to those subjects we typically see on the battlefield. However, their seventieth introduction changes things up a bit, by offering a field grey version of the Mercedes-Benz W31 Type 4 parade limousine (EM070). For those of you still searching for the long sold out grey and white Francisco Franco version by Minichamps, this entry should serve as an excellent stop gap measure, perhaps better representing the ignominious “Grey Column” that toured the streets of Germany during the run up to WWII. While the Eaglemoss version is bereft of the side-mounted pennants and swastikas, it does comes complete with rolled up bullet proof windows. Priced at just $21.99 as compared with the Minichamps version, which is fetching four times that amount, you simply cannot go wrong with this vehicle.
It’s starting to get awful crowded in the Grumman hangar. We learned today of a newcomer to the model making space, TSM Model Wings, which is a brand new division of TSM Models that plans to test the diecast aviation space in a big way. To mark the occasion, they plan to kick things off with a pair of 1:72 scale F-14 Tomcats that were employed in the smash hit feature film, “Top Gun.” Amazingly, its been 30 years since the film was released to its adoring public, and comes at an especially important time, since a sequel is already in the works and expected to make its theatrical release in 2017.
Two of the central aircraft depicted in the film are being replicated – the first flown by “Maverick” and “Goose” while the other was piloted by “Iceman” and “Slider”. Additionally, several combat accessories are also in the works, including a flight deck, tow tractors, fire fighting equipment and even several flight deck crewmen. Currently, we anticipate the aircraft to buzz the tower some time in January, while the accessories are earmarked for a December release.
Some time in November we are expecting a large shipment of Atlas Editions’ 1:144 scale aircraft from their Military Giants of the Sky Series. These are closeouts, hence the lower retail pricing of $19.99 apiece as compared with their original cost of over $25. Thirteen aircraft comprise the shipment, including several that have never been made available before, such as a Martin Model 167 light bomber and Mitsubishi Ki-21 “Sally” heavy bomber.
We’ve been told that this is a one-off shipment, so once these beauties are gone, we won’t be able to obtain more. We’ve moved a few of our remaining DeAgostini aircraft into the Atlas section, since they are one and the same not to mention are packaged in the same styrofoam and acetate covering.
As it presently stands, it appears as if we are in for a bumper harvest this November. Today, we learned that five more War Master 1:72 scale military vehicles are being laid out with the Thanksgiving bird, all of which should tantalize the senses and heighten the mood, if a little dry to the taste. Look for side dishes that include a Libyan 2K12 Kub Mobile Surface-to-Air Missile System (WMTK061), Russian BM-30 “Smerch” Multiple Rocket Launcher (WMTK062), German Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. A Medium Tank (WMTK063), Russian 203mm heavy howitzer (WMTK064), and a second look at the Russian JS-2 Stalin Heavy Tank (WMTK065).
