Product Announcements – Page 54 – The Motor Pool

Century Wings Carols, “Its Beginning to Look alot Like February”

With their recently released “Santa Cat” being checked off from every aircraft collectors holiday wish list, Century Wings is turning the clock forward by a couple of months with their latest release – an operational scheme F-14B that saw action over Afghanistan in 2001. Based upon a bird that flew with VF-102 “Diamondbacks”, their latest deployment of the Tomcat will be strengthened to a release run of 1,500 pieces, up several hundred pieces from their most recent Fleet Defender replicas, and perhaps a sign that demand is once again outstripping present supply levels.

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Air Force 1 Continues its Aerial Assault

With collectors still pondering their holiday gifts, Air Force 1 announced plans to offer several new weapons platforms for a February release. In the air, look for another take on the General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon fighter (AF10007B).

While the fixed wing replicas have become an industry staple, their passion for modelmaking has extended into the rotary wing arena, with three new modern era helos on the brink of attack. Look for two different versions of the AH-64D Longbow Apache helicopter (AF10100 and AF10100A), and, just as importantly, a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter (AF10099). All of the above mentioned introductions are being created in 1:72 scale.

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Air Force 1 Remains in the Dark

Ordinarily that tag line might be a tad offensive but in the case of Air Force 1, it hits the nail right on the head since they just announced their latest take on the P-61B Black Widow night fighter (AF10090B). Crewed by Lt. Stan Logan and Radio Operator Lt. George Kamajian, this all new look at the coveted Black Widow will come unsigned, and therefore retail for only $89.99.

One of the eight squadrons flying over the islands of the South Pacific, the 418th Night Fighter Squadron also has the distinction of being the top scoring unit against the Japanese and also had the only nightfighter ace in the Pacific/CBI theater. Logan’s plane “Black Panther” didn’t achieve any kills but it is a nice example of a P-61B flown by the 418th. The name and the panther outline are yellow, with white and red details on the panther. Due in January, this likely won’t be the last time we see the P-61 piercing the night.

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Eaglemoss Orders More Ships to Get Underway

According to High Seas Command, five more 1:100 scale Eaglemoss warships are expected to get underway and arrive in our port towards the end of this month. The latest squadron includes a German Type VII U-Boat (EMGC01C), an IJN Battleship, Kongo (EMGC05), an IJN Heavy Cruiser, Myoko (ENGC17), IJN Light Cruiser, Agano (EMGC26) and a US Navy Essex Class aircraft carrier, USS Intrepid (CV-11) (EMGC38).

As was the case prior, all of the ships come packaged in attractive Japanese outer cases that are accompanied by multi-page magazines written in Japanese.

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Air Force 1 Embarks Upon a Bombing Campaign

Late word from our distributor concerning Air Force 1 is quite positive – about a dozen or so new aircraft are expected to take wing in early 2015, including their first forays into the 1:144 and 1:48 scale markets. Pictured above is a 1:144 scale replica of a Xian H-6 strategic bomber (AF100039), a licensed copy of the Russian Tupolev Tu-16 twin engine bomber. Price at only $52.99, this aircraft is simply a steal and we hope that they produce a Russian version some time soon.

All of their other new aircraft introductions are now up on our site. Enjoy!

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Hobby Master Relives the Battle of Britain

Hobby Master is continuing to announce new tooling for early 2015, beefing up its aerial armada with a pair of 1:48 scale Hawker Hurricane Mk. I fighters that saw action in the waning days of 1940 (HA8601 and HA8602).

A number of 1:72 scale jets were also added to the March order of battle, including an all-new A-10 Thunderbolt (HA1321), F-106 Delta Dart (HA3607), F-4 Phantom II (HA1944), F-16 Fighting Falcon (HA3828), and CF-18 Hornet (HA3522).

We have added all of the new introductions to our web site and they are now available for pre-order.

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Italeri Claims Its Time for an Air Show

Italian-based, Italeri, has plans to release 14 new 1:100 scale helicopters and aircraft this coming February. Many are based upon aircraft that fly with leading aerobatic teams, while others conjure up vivid scenes in recently-released movies, such as the AgustaWestland AW101 helicopter used in the James Bond feature-film, Skyfall. Happily, the new batch of aircraft will come packaged in more secure outer boxes, which, naturally enough, means you’ll have to cough up another $2 apiece to get a more appealing finished look. Still, at $14 a model, these models can’t be beat, in many cases offering subject matter no one else has offered.

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Air Force 1 Evades Radar

While most diecast manufacturers do their utmost to keep their products in the spotlight, Air Force 1 is trying a different approach. Their latest entrant in the 1:72 scale diecast military space is based upon a Sukhoi PAK FA T-50 stealth fighter, the long anticipated Russian response to the US F-22 and F-35 fifth-generation air superiority fighters that are now seeing service. Still undergoing rigorous testing before full scale deployment, the current T-50 looks very much like the F-22 design, featuring planoform wings, internal weapons bays and likely radar absorbent material to defeat radar signals. What’s different, however, are the exposed engine nacelles at the rear of the aircraft, which is a dead giveaway to most search and tracking equipment. Supposedly, Sukhoi is working on a masking technique to dissipate the hot engine exhaust, particularly if it is capable of supercruise flight, although why it hasn’t been incorporated on the initial run of testbed fighters is a bit of a mystery to many western analysts.

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Hobby Master: Ever Vigilant for the Vigilante

A couple of weeks ago, we reported that speculation was running wild concerning rumors that Hobby Master was planning on building and deploying a fleet of North American A-5 Vigilante strike bombers. Well, we can put those rumors to rest because earlier today our distributor confirmed that the first 1:72 scale look at the Vigilante is slated for a June release (#HA4701). Based upon a RA-5C that served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, their first look at this short-tenured, Cold War-era strike bomber is being met with eager anticipation, and will no doubt be followed up with other variants and liveries in the months ahead.

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Eaglemoss to Weigh Anchor in November

News out of the Eaglemoss diecast shipyard is that five new 1:100 scale warships are expected to make port in November. The five new WWII-era warships include a Japanese I-400 aircraft carrying submarine, IJN battleship Nagato, IJN aircraft carrier Kaga, IJN heavy cruiser Aoba, and the Italian battleship Littorio.

Granted the packaging comes in Japanese, which may not be ideal for the North American marketplace, but these are nevertheless fine scale reproductions that deserve a place in anyone’s replica fleet.

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