Product Spotlight

Product Spotlight: Drawing Back the Curtains on the “MiG-28”


TSM’s 1:200 scale US Navy Northrop F-5E Tiger II Fighter – “MiG-28” [Aggressor Scheme]

Let’s get one thing straight right from the get go: there is no such thing as a MiG-28. Popularized in the feature film, Top Gun, the MiG-28 was, nonetheless, the subject of much speculation by Western analysts and served as the focal point for Kelly McGuiness “Charlie” character who sought more information about the plane from Pete “Maverick” Mitchel, (played by none other than box office favorite, Tom Cruise) who had a face-to-face, or rather cockpit-to-cockpit encounter with the plane from an unnatural viewpoint.

Despite its notional status, Top Gun posited that the MiG-28 was a twin-engine, single or two-seat fighter jet operated by Soviet bloc air forces. As seen in Top Gun, it used wingtip-mounted Vympel K-13 (NATO reporting name “AA-2 Atoll”) missiles as its primary air to air weapon (the Atoll is a reverse-engineered version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder). The MiG was highly maneuverable, but somewhat slower than the F-14 Tomcat, its chief adversary.

In the Opening scenes of Top Gun, Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and his wingman Cougar squared off against MiG-28s with no NATO reporting name and of unspecified nationality. These were nothing more than actually American Northrop F-5s, painted black for better visibility when filming and to show their ominous status. The nation that flew the MiG-28s was not specified whatsoever in the film but assumed to be the Soviet Union or another Communist state. In the script, American pilots were warned that the MiG-28 was armed with the AM 39 Exocet, a French-made Anti-ship Missile not found in the inventory of Soviet forces. In video games licensed from the films, the enemy planes are replaced with real Soviet aircraft, the MiG-29 “Fulcrum”.

Interestingly, TSM Model Wings has finally moved forward and produced a 1:200 scale replica of the MiG-28. Due out this February, the MiG-28 is one of the last replicas in the Top Gun collection, as the manufacturer now gets ready for the film’s sequel, Top Gun 2. Its a bit like getting around to finally offering a TIE fighter from Star Wars as the second film gets set to debut but be that as it may, it will certainly prove to be a natural addition for anyone’s Top Gun line up.

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Product Spotlight: Phabulous Phantoms


Corgi’s 1:48 scale Royal Navy McDonnell F-4 FG.1 Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – No. 892 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal (R07), November 1978

The McDonnell F-4 Phantom fighter-bomber is certainly one of the most iconic aircraft of the Cold War, and is perhaps most closely associated with the prosecution of the air war over Vietnam by the US military. Used by all three major services — the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps — the Phantom helped to wrest control of the skies over Vietnam from the infamous MiG, even if it took higher than anticipated losses doing so. Yet, despite its claim to fame, there were other operators of the Phantom that many aviation enthusiasts seem to overlook or just plain forget.

The United Kingdom operated the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal combat aircraft from the 1960s to the early 1990s. The UK was the first export customer for the Phantom, which was ordered in the context of political and economic difficulties around British designs for the roles that it eventually undertook. The Phantom was procured to serve in both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force in several roles including air defence, close air support, low-level strike and tactical reconnaissance.

Although assembled in the United States, the UK’s Phantoms were a special batch built separately and containing a significant amount of British technology as a means of easing the pressure on the domestic aerospace industry in the wake of major project cancellations.[ Two variants were initially built for the UK: the F-4K variant was designed from the outset as an air defence interceptor to be operated by the Fleet Air Arm from the Royal Navy‘s aircraft carriers; the F-4M version was procured for the RAF to serve in the tactical strike and reconnaissance roles. In the mid-1980s, a third Phantom variant was obtained when a quantity of second-hand F-4J aircraft were purchased to augment the UK’s air defences following the Falklands War.

The Phantom entered service with both the Fleet Air Arm and the RAF in 1969. In the Royal Navy it had a secondary strike role in addition to its primary use for fleet air defence, while in the RAF it was soon replaced in the strike role by other aircraft designed specifically for strike and close air support. By the mid-1970s it had become the UK’s principal interceptor, a role in which it continued until the late 1980s.

In a bold move in the diecast community and follow-up to the release of their English Electric Lightning, Corgi plans to offer a 1:48 scale tooling of the Lockheed Phantom and, best of all, we have the pictures to prove it. Slated for a July touch down, plans initially call for a Royal Navy McDonnell F-4 FG.1 Phantom II fighter-bomber that was attached to No. 892 Naval Air Squadron, then embarked upon the HMS Ark Royal (R07) during November 1978 (AA27901). Impressive? You be the judge.

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Product Spotlight: On the Wings of Icarus


AF-X 1:72 scale US North American X-15A Hypersonic Rocket-Powered Aircraft – X-15 Flight 191, Michael J. Adams, Delamar Dry Lake, NV, November 15th, 1967

Earlier this month we discussed how newcomer AF-X intended to kick off its new line of high-flying aircraft with a 1:72 scale rendition of the X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft (AFXP001). Due out shortly, we decided to delve a little deeper into this project by shedding some light on the history of this particular aircraft.

X-15 Flight 3-65-97, also known as X-15 Flight 191, was a test flight of the North American X-15 experimental aircraft. It took place on November 15th, 1967, and was piloted by Michael J. Adams. It ended in tragedy when the aircraft broke apart minutes after launch due to technical difficulties, killing the pilot and destroying the plane.

Adams’ seventh X-15 flight took place on November 15, 1967, in the number three aircraft. At 10:30 in the morning on November 15, the X-15-3 dropped away from underneath the wing of NB-52B mothership at 45,000 ft (14,000 m) over Delamar Dry Lake.

While in powered flight, an electrical disturbance distracted Adams and slightly degraded the control of the aircraft; having adequate backup controls, Adams continued. At 10:33 he reached a peak altitude of 266,000 ft (81,000 m). In the NASA 1 control room, mission controller Pete Knight monitored the mission with a team of engineers.

As the X-15 climbed, Adams began a planned wing-rocking (rolling) maneuver so an on-board camera could scan the horizon. At the conclusion of the wing-rocking portion of the climb, the X-15 had begun a slow drift in heading; 40 seconds later, when the aircraft had reached its maximum altitude, it was off heading by 15 degrees to the left. As Adams came over the top, the drift briefly halted as the aircraft’s nose yawed 15 degrees back to the correct attitude. Then the drift to the left began again; within 30 seconds, Adams’ descending flight path was at right angles to the attitude of the aircraft. At 230,000 ft (70,000 m), while descending into the rapidly increasing density of the atmosphere, the X-15 entered a Mach 5 spin.

In the NASA 1 control room, there was no way to monitor the heading of the aircraft, so the situation was unknown to the engineers monitoring the flight. Normal conversation continued between Knight and Adams, with Knight advising Adams that he was “a little bit high,” but in “real good shape.” Adams radioed that the aircraft “[seemed] squirrelly,” and moments later repeatedly told Knight that he had entered a spin. The ground controllers sought to get the X-15 straightened out, but there was no recommended spin recovery technique for the X-15, and engineers knew nothing about the aircraft’s supersonic spin tendencies. The chase pilots, realizing that the X-15 would never make Rogers Dry Lake, headed for the emergency lakes, Ballarat and Cuddeback, in case Adams attempted an emergency landing.

Adams held the X-15’s controls against the spin, using both the flight controls and the reaction control jets in the nose and wings. He managed to recover from the spin at 118,000 feet and went into an inverted Mach 4.7 dive at an angle between 40 and 45 degrees. In theory, Adams was in a good position to roll upright, pull out of the dive and set up a landing. However, due to high gain in the adaptive control system, the X-15 went into a limit-cycle with rapid pitching motion of increasing severity, still in a dive at 160,000 feet per minute. As the X-15 neared 65,000 ft (20,000 m), it was diving at Mach 3.93 and experiencing more than 15 g vertically, and 8g laterally.

The aircraft broke up northeast of the town of Johannesburg 10 minutes and 35 seconds after launch. An Air Force pilot, who was filling in for another chase pilot, spotted the main wreckage northwest of Cuddeback Lake. The aircraft was destroyed, and Adams was killed.

 

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Product Spotlight: Off to the Wild Blue Yonder


Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback” Strike Fighter – “Red 03”, Khmeimim Air Base, Latakia, Syria, January 2015

The Russian Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback” is one of those aircraft that truly has to be seen to be believed. Designed to replace the aging Su-24, the Su-34 is actually a variant of the Sukhoi Su-27, with side-by-side seating that was developed in the late 1980s, and making its first flight on April 13th, 1990. It has a complex development history, being first developed as a carrier-based trainer, but by the time it was first publicly revealed in the mid-1990s it was as the Su-27IB (IB standing for Istrebitel Bomardirvoschik / Fighter Bomber), an advanced strike aircraft. Sukhoi, seeking export customers for the aircraft, has shown it as both the Su-32FN (FN for “Fighter, Naval”) and the Su-34. Its proposed export designation may be Su-32MF (MnogoFunktsionalniy, multi-function). At present its official designation appears to be Su-34. Its oddly shaped nose, said to be semi-stealthy, is reminiscent of that of the SR-71 Blackbird, and has earned it the nickname “Platypus,” although its NATO reporting name is Fullback.

Interstingly its flight deck is larger than the one built for the much larger Tu-160 “Blackjack”, a supersonic, variable sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed for long endurance, intercontinental flights. The Fullback’s flight deck even has space for a  galley, a latrine, and a bunk bed, all the comforts of home for bombing enemy positions within reach of its base of operations.


The Su-34 has 12 stores pylons for up to 8,000 kilograms (17,635 pounds) of ordnance, intended to include the latest Russian precision-guided weapons. It retains the Su-27/Su-30’s 30mm cannon. A Leninets V004 phased-array radar is fitted, mated to a Platan electro-optical / laser targeting unit and an advanced nav-attack system. It shares the Su-35’s “stinger” tail with Leninets V005 rear-facing radar.

Hobby Master’s first look at the Fullback portrays a bomber that was recently deployed to Khmeimim Air Base, Latakia, Syria, in support of the Assad regime (HA6301). Look for it to lay waste to the opposition some time in January.


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Product Spotlight: Corgi Hunts U-Boats this Holiday Season

Corgi’s 1:72 RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA Flying Boat – JV928 ‘Y’ Flight Officer Alexander Cruickshank, VC 210 Squadron, July 1944

Admittedly, its not a US Navy PBY Catalina they decided to portray this go round but sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. If you don’t mind RAF roundels in place of Stars and Stripes, and can shift vistas from the vast Pacific to the grey Atlantic, then boy do we have a head turner for you.

Expected some time this holiday season is this handsome RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA flying boat (AA36111), which operated along Britain’s extensive coast line in search of enemy naval activity, both on and below the surface.


Although the Battle of Britain is regarded by most people to be the RAF’s most decisive victory of WWII, the constant struggle to protect Britain’s vital sea lanes against German U-boats and surface raiders proved arguably more decisive. It is difficult to imagine the mental and physical strain placed on the crews of Coastal Command aircraft, who were forced to endure arduous patrols, often lasting many hours and having to constantly scan vast expanses of ocean for even the smallest sign of enemy activity. Should a target present itself, they would potentially have to launch an effective attack at short notice, aware that the enemy would be frantically attempting to disappear below the waves or were preparing to defend themselves with every gun at their disposal. Add to this the knowledge that they were still many miles and several hours flying time from the safety of their home base and completely exposed should the engagement leave them with damage to their aircraft, or injuries to crew members and you understand why these men are viewed with such admiration to this day. As if to underline the perilous nature of these missions, four brave Coastal Command airmen were awarded Britain’s highest award for gallantry in the presence of the enemy, the Victoria Cross during the Second World War, but only one survived to receive the honor in person – Flying Officer John Alexander Cruickshank, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, RAF No.210 Squadron.

This particular warbird is part of Corgi’s 100 Years of the RAF Collection, a fitting testament to the men and machines that have helped to guard and defend the British Empire through times of peril and turmoil.

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Hobby Master Remembers a Legend


Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN McDonnell Douglas A-4E Skyhawk Attack Aircraft – John McCain, VA-163 “Saints”, USS Oriskany (CV-34), Vietnam War, 1967

If you missed out on Hobby Master’s first look at Senator John McCain’s A-4 Skyhawk released way back in 2007, then you’ll no doubt want to listen up regarding this newest offering. As part of their October announcements, the Company plans on producing yet another version, this one based upon a warbird he flew off of the carrier USS Oriskany when he was attached to VFA-163 “Saints” HA1429). Priced at just $79.99 per copy, we believe this is one of those rare opportunities where you can pay tribute to both the man and his machine, well before it sky rockets in value once they all sell out.

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Product Spotlight: Operation Vittles

Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAF Douglas C-47A Skytrain Troop Transport – 315208 ‘Fassberg Flyer’, Berlin Airlift, 1948

Typically, war planners like to give military operations names that help to convey the spirit and intent of the exercise in question. Overlord for the Allies’ invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe in the summer of 1944, Barbarossa, for the German invasion of Russia in 1941, and Market-Garden, the supposed breakthrough to the Rhine and beyond by Allied forces struggling to bypass the morass of northwest Europe in the autumn of 1944, all come to mind.

In the summer  of 1948, three years after the conclusion of war in Europe, Soviet forces decided to close the major supply corridor into Berlin and bring it into the Soviet sphere. The Berlin Blockade, as it came to be known, (June 24th, 1948 – May 12th, 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies’ railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. The Soviets offered to drop the blockade if the Western Allies withdrew the newly introduced Deutsche mark from West Berlin.

The Western Allies, under the guise of Operation Vittles, organized the Berlin airlift (June 26th, 1948 – September 30th, 1949) to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin, a difficult feat given the size of the city’s population. Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the Royal Air Force, the French Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force:338 flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing to the West Berliners up to 8,893 tons of necessities each day, such as fuel and food. The Soviets did not disrupt the airlift for fear this might lead to open conflict.

By the spring of 1949, the airlift was clearly succeeding, and by April it was delivering more cargo than had previously been transported into the city by rail. On May 12th, 1949, the USSR lifted the blockade of West Berlin. The Berlin Blockade served to highlight the competing ideological and economic visions for postwar Europe.

Corgi’s 1:72 scale take on a C-47A Skytrain is special for several reasons. Firstly, its big and beefy, a far cry from a 1:144 scale version of the same aircraft released way back in 1998. Secondly, its the inaugural product in their all-new 20th Anniversary Aviation Archive series, which commemorates many of the aircraft models they first offered to the public some twenty years ago. Now in stock, the “Fassberg Flyer”, as it came to be known, is an important piece of civil and military history, and a worthy addition to anyone’s diecast aviation collection.

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Product Spotlight: The Star of France?

Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 Fighter – Hans-Joachim Marseille, I.Jagd/Lehrgeschwader 2, Calais-Marck, France, September 1940

Before he became forever known as “the Star of Africa”, Luftwaffe ace, Hans-Joachim Marseille, took wing against Britain’s RAF during the Battle of Britain in September 1940. Curiously, his exploits were viewed as lackluster, largely a result of poor discipline by his superiors after it was discovered he enjoyed partying into the wee hours of the morning. Therefore, at the conclusion of the British campaign, he was immediately transferred to another unit, Jagdgeschwader 27, which relocated to North Africa in April 1941 in support of Rommel’s Deutsches Afrika Korps.

Under the guidance of his new commander, Marseille quickly developed his abilities as a fighter pilot. He reached the zenith of his career on September 1st, 1942, when, during the course of three combat sorties, he claimed 17 Allied aircraft. For this he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. A month later, Marseille was killed in a flying accident after his aircraft suffered engine failure. Forced to abandon his fighter, Marseille struck its vertical stabilizer and was either killed instantly or incapacitated and unable to open his parachute.

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 W,Nr.3579 ‘White 14’ is thought to have been the aircraft in which Marseille scored his first aerial victory – an RAF Spitfire.Although he was able to shoot down the British fighter, ‘White 14’ sustained damage during the dogfight – Marseille was able to nurse the fighter back to Calais-Marck airfield, where he made a successful crash landing. Initially thought to be beyond repair, the Messerschmitt was later sent back to Germany for rebuild and upgrade, before going on to serve for a further two years with a number of Luftwaffe pilots on the Eastern Front. In August 1942, the aircraft was shot down by a pair of Soviet Air Force Hurricanes, crashing on marshland in the vast, unforgiving landscape of rural Russia.

Remarkably, the wreckage of the aircraft was discovered in the early 1990s and salvaged for a US Warbird collector. Following an extensive period of restoration in the UK, this genuine combat veteran Bf 109 made its first post restoration flight in California in September 1999, in the hands of experienced Warbird pilot Charlie Brown. Finished in the famous ‘White 14’ scheme worn by the aircraft as flown by Hans Joachim Marseille during the Battle of Britain, this historic fighter is one of only two genuine Daimler-Benz powered airworthy Bf 109Es in the world. After spending many years on the North American Airshow circuit, ‘White 14’ currently resides with the aircraft collection at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar – UK enthusiasts will definitely be hoping to see this rare and historic aircraft flying in 2017.

While we have no doubt that Hobby Master will eventually recreate the aircraft he piloted during the North African campaign, collectors will unquestionably take an interest in the aircraft he first cut his teeth on (HA8706). It is therefore with great pride that we announce Marseille’s first mount will take wing this coming January, and, according to our distributor, has already sold out at the factory level. With just 400 units being produced for a worldwide market, we believe this model will not only become the pride and joy of your early war WWII collection but will almost certainly rise in value as word of the aircraft’s availability spreads.

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Product Spotlight: Die Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen

Oxford’s 1:72 scale German Henschel Hs 123A-1 Dive-Bomber – Lt. Kurt Hamann, 3./Schlachtfliegergruppe 50, 1938

One of the most fascinating models ever to grace the Oxford Diecast aviation collection is this German Henschel Hs 123A-1 dive-bomber, which was piloted by Lt. Kurt Hamann, then attached to 3./Schlachtfliegergruppe 50 in 1938 (AC083), just a year prior to the outbreak of war in Europe.The Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support attack aircraft flown by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War and the early to midpoint of World War II. Although an obsolete design, it continued to see front-line service until 1944, and was only withdrawn due to a lack of serviceable airframes and spare parts.

At the start of Operation Barbarossa, the single Gruppe of the Luftwaffe that was dedicated to ground support was II.(Schl)/LG 2, operating 22 Hs 123s (along 38 Bf 109Es). In service use on the Eastern Front, the remaining aircraft had been field-modified with the main wheel spats removed, additional armor and extra equipment fitted as well as mounting extra machine guns and even cannons in under-wing housings.

Some volunteers of Escuadrilla Azul (15 Spanische Staffel/VIII. Fliegerkorps) of JG-27 detached in Luftflotte 2 managed Hs 123s in collaboration of II.(Schl.)/LG 2 units for ground strikes along Bf 109E-7/B fighter-bombers during 1941-42 period.

During the initial drive, the unit participated in action along the central and northern parts of the front, including a brief time in support of the fighting around Leningrad, and participating in the battles for Bryansk and Vyazma. The first weeks revealed problems associated with using the Bf 109E which was plagued by undercarriage and engine problems in the fighter-bomber role. Its liquid-cooled inline engine was also more vulnerable to small arms fire than the Hs 123’s radial.

The word “Vorsicht” or Caution, has been painted along the aircraft’s fuselage

The winter brought hardship to all German forces in Russia, and the pilots in the open cockpits of the Henschels suffered accordingly. Despite this, they took part in the Battle of Moscow. In January, the unit was re-designated as the first dedicated ground attack wing (in German Schlachtgeschwader 1, SchlG 1). The Hs 123 became a part of 7./SchlG 1.

This “new” unit participated in operations in Crimea in May 1942, after which it operated on the southern sector for some time, participating in the Second Battle of Kharkov and going on to take part in the Battle of Stalingrad. In the meantime, the small number of operational Hs 123 continued to slowly dwindle. Aircraft had been salvaged from training schools and even derelict dumps all over Germany to replace losses. The aircraft that had supposedly replaced the Hs 123, the Ju 87, also started to be assigned to ground support units, leaving tactical bombing to newer aircraft.

Look for this aircraft to pounce on enemy ground formations some time in September.

 

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Forces of Valor Revs Up its Engines

Now that we’re getting close to the roll out of Walterson’s revamped Forces of Valor brand, we thought we’d approach things a bit differently. As pictures and information surface, we’re going to be covering them as if they were subjects of their wartime national publications: Signal for the Germans, Pravda for the Russians, and of course, Stars and Stripes for the US arsenal. So, without further ado, here’s our opening installment for our Forces of Valor profile.

Forces of Valor’s 1:72 scale US Army Boeing-Vertol CH-47D Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopter – A Company, 7th Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, Afghanistan, 2003

‘The Chinook is an awesome aviation airframe. It is able to lift single heavy-duty pieces of equipment and light vehicles and is one of the most reliable airframes in service in the entire United States Military. It can lift up to 50,000 pounds and nearly 26,000 can be slung below the helicopter from the center hook. It has redundancy built in that many people did not realize, which makes it a very safe airframe. Each of the huge rotor blades on the Chinook CH-47 weighs 350 pounds, and the engines work together to turn the rotors. Each of the engines work about 50 percent capacity. If one engine fails the other simply goes into high gear, and functions at 100 percent allowing the helicopter to fly just as well as it does with two engines.”

– Military.com 

If you follow their Facebook page, Waltersons has indicated that they are investing heavily in retooling many of the former Unimax Forces of Valor products. Their ultimate goal is to bring each model up to today’s standards, by adding engines and engine compartments, improving the paint wash, and, in the case of the CH-47 Chinook, redoing the front of the helicopter to make it look a bit more realistic when compared with an actual Chinook. This is one of the principal reasons why it has taken the Company so long to bring product to market, as they look to cater to diehard FOV fans and build up a new fan base all of their own.

 

The correct color palette is used for the exterior paint scheme with weathering applied to give it a battle hardened appearance.

The Chinook, which will come in several variations, nationalities and versions, will feature a detailed crew compartment, lowering rear ramp, free spinning rotors and heavy diecast metal throughout.

Lowering rear ramp and a fully detailed interior crew compartment brings this chopper to life!

Likewise, the Company has updated the product packaging, all in an effort to appeal to the many different types of collectors eager to add a Chinook to their aviation collection. The first 1:72 scale Chinooks are expected to land in September, and, best of all, a larger 1:48 scale version, with even greater detail, is already in-the-works, and will hopefully touch down before the year is out.

New packaging discusses each feature and includes information for other products in the series.

 

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