To borrow a catchphrase from the medical community, we have decided to resume our print advertising campaign for the duration of 2024. Many of you first learned about us and the products we sell through previous print advertisements and have stuck with us ever since. For 2023, we decided to temporarily suspend our print advertisement campaign largely due to the inability of certain manufacturers to get their product to market on time and with enough product to support each ad. That said, we felt it important to re-evaluate this stance and see if we could resurrect our marketing plans going forward. So, beginning with the Summer issue of WWII History, we have decided to start things up again and hope to continue this program through the balance of the 2024 calendar year. A similar ad will run in the upcoming issue of Military Heritage magazine, and, depending upon what comes to market over the course of the year, may expand to include other worthy consumer-oriented publications.
According to ComicBook.com, plans are underway at Paramount to create a third installment in the highly-acclaimed Top Gun franchise. The site goes on to say that the three central actors from Top Gun 2 – Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Glen Powell – will be reprising their respective roles although no word as yet concerning the third flick’s plot, aircraft depicted or adversaries the trio will face off against. For more information, feel free to peruse the following article: https://comicbook.com/movies/news/top-gun-3-development-tom-cruise-returning/?fbclid=IwAR2d6GVtzt43GjuAgYlv5xHxvxeh84vppRr0zQ-Yf_jr71z6bittqSQEI5M
Ever since we opened in 2000, we believe in being as transparent as possible, sharing as much information with our customers as is possible. Sometimes said information is too sensitive to share publicly so we have to remain mum and keep in mind the considerations of both our clientele as well as our vendors if we are to remain an effective retailer.
In the case of Forces of Valor, its been a mixed bag of late, as we attempt to figure out why product hasn’t been made available here in North America despite our best prodding and pushing to get accurate information direct from the source. Essentially, when Waltersons acquired Greenlight Collectibles back in May, they realized that Greenlight’s facilities were too small to hold both company’s inventory. So, they went out and found a nearby public warehouse to hold the Forces of Valor inventory, at least until they could sort things out in the new year. Unfortunately, they have run into a litany of problems using a public warehouse, which has prevented them from being able to serve their vendors, and, in turn, their customers.
We’ve been told that sometime in February they plan to move both the Greenlight and Waltersons inventory to a new warehouse, although we have no assurances that this plan isn’t fraught with its own perils and pitfalls. Right now, we are still awaiting news concerning a re-stock shipment that will supposedly hit the road shortly. Communication with Waltersons isn’t exactly their strong suit, so getting up-to-date information has become a hit-or-miss proposition. As for their new product that was supposed to become available in October and then December, we’ve been told that the shipment has arrived at the public warehouse, although nothing further has been discussed. At this point, it is entirely possible that their new product may not ship out until February, once they have consolidated their inventory and addressed any issues that the new warehouse may pose. For now, we are listing them in our January upcoming releases section, although its a fair bet that this could slip by yet another month. Mind you we have no hand in the process and no way of getting moved up to the front of the line to receive product as quick as it comes in.
In summation, please be patient and understand that as it currently stands we are working to get and share news with you as it hits the wire. Remember, patience is a virtue, and right now looking at ways to purchase more patience with an Amazon gift card we received this holiday season. In the mean tine, peace out.
Update: As of January 3rd, here’s where we stand with the Forces of Valor series. Our point of contact has indicated that our re-stock order will ship out to us this week, which means it should arrive sometime during the second week of January. They are also claiming that the new merchandise is in stock and ready to be shipped out, however, we have elected to hold off receiving this merchandise until they can demonstrate that they are capable of shipping out an order on time and correctly. Our last shipment, which arrived way back in October, was totally FUBAR and led to all sorts of issues that took weeks to address to our satisfaction. So, we want to see how the re-stock shipment goes before committing our resources, time and energy towards another potential fiasco. I know this isn’t what a great many of you want to hear but when we face a problem of this magnitude we insist that the supplier go back to the drawing board and get things right. Walk before you learn how to run, so-to-speak.
If the re-stock shipment goes as planned and without any hitches, then we will have Forces of Valor release their new product shipment to us, perhaps as early as the second week of January. This means that the new merchandise should reach us before the close of the month. As always, we ask for your patience in this matter and hope you can understand that we need to ensure that Forces of Valor can ship out product in both an expeditious manner and without any additional problems.
Neo Dragon Armor’s 1:72 scale German Late Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – SS-Oberscharfuhrer Heinrich Ernst, “Green 112”, 1./schwere SS Panzerabteilung 101, Normandy, France, Summer 1944
The tracking information for our Dragon shipment shows it arriving this Sunday, the 24th. Of course, the shipment could get parked at our doorstep at 9PM or get hijacked by a bunch of punch-drunk elves, which means we won’t address it until the 26th, at the earliest. So, we’ve moved all of the Neo Dragon Armor subjects to our New Arrivals section in preparation for their arrival, which means you can apply the current sales discount to any orders since they’re technically “in-stock”.
As always, Forces of Valor seems to a be a different beast, no pun intended. We’ve paid for the merchandise but our illustrious distributor handling the line is still sitting on the merchandise with no explanation as to why it hasn’t gone out yet. If they hustle, it will likely show up right after Christmas — provided, of course, they get religion and decide to act in an expeditious manner and remember who the customer is. More about that at a later date. So, to sum up, Dragon yay, Forces of Valor maybe, all by the tail end of 2023.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M24 Chaffee Light Tank – Company D, 36th Tank Battalion, 8th Armored Division, Rheinberg, Germany, March 1945
Our long-delayed Forces of Valor shipment is reportedly on its way to us and will likely arrive in a few days, most likely after Labor Day weekend. Bear in mind we still do not have a manifest for the shipment nor tracking information so this is passed along to us by word-of-mouth without supporting documentation. Nevertheless, I have a good vibe that the items marked as being en route to us will indeed show up next week. Sigh…
With that out-of-the-way, we should also be hearing news regarding all of the products marked as coming in for September. These items are supposedly in-house or expected to arrive around the Labor Day weekend, when last we heard about their disposition several weeks ago. So, we could be doing the back stroke in Forces of Valor merchandise in the not-too-distant future. Of course, should further news come in that affects this second shipment then we will pass it along to our clientele. Product listings are locked-and-loaded for our web site and eBay, and should be ready to go on Amazon once we have some additional information pertinent for their site.
As an aside, and I rarely like to do this, its been like pulling teeth trying to get information about the latest happenings with Forces of Valor. Their Facebook account hasn’t been updated since December and what little information we do know trickles in after we ring the alarm bells. They have a new web site undergoing overhaul that is written in Chinese and their standard web site, intended for the US and European markets, hasn’t been updated for what seems like an eternity. Granted they went through an acquisition and warehouse relocation, but it would’ve been nice to have been kept in the loop regarding progress instead of having to repeatedly ask. I’ve been doing this in one capacity or another for a very long time (since the early 80s mind you) and there really is no reason for this woeful lack of communication. If they hope to succeed, they need to do a better job. Period.
Update: We’ve been informed that the products slated to arrive in September are now expected in October. Waltersons has a history of repeatedly missing their original forecast release dates so this news comes as no surprised to us. Based upon this information, we can only presume that this date will remain in effect unless anything else crops up that further delays this shipment. Nothing else in the way of new merchandise has been announced although the manufacturer claims that the teething issues associated with re-locating their warehouse to their Midwest facility has now been put to bed.
In an effort to juice sales, eBay announced that they are offering a 20% discount on eligible items being sold on their platform through the Labor Day weekend. We are assuming that diecast models are amongst the list of qualifying items eligible for the discount although we haven’t put this theory to the test. Here’s the marketing blurb straight from eBay:
How to redeem your Coupon:
1. Shop for eligible items from the specific event(s) as listed below.
2. Enter the Coupon code in the redemption code field: LABORDAYTWENTY
3. Pay for your item by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on September 4, 2023.
Terms & Conditions:
This Coupon is a 20% discount on purchases of eligible items in the specific event(s) listed below, valid from 5 AM Pacific Time on August 28, 2023, through 11:59 PM Pacific Time on September 4, 2023. No minimum purchase required. The Coupon discount is capped at a maximum value of $500. Discount applies to the purchase price (excluding shipping, handling, and taxes) of eligible items purchased on eBay.com.
Eligible items exclude warranties and protection plans, as well as items from the Coins & Paper Money, Gift Cards & Coupons, Vehicles in eBay Motors, and Real Estate categories. Coupon must be used within a single transaction (and can include multiple eligible items), while supplies last.
Max two redemptions per user. Only eBay users registered on ebay.com, ebay.ca, cafr.ebay.ca with an address located in the United States and Canada are eligible for the Coupon. Any unused difference between the discount amount, as shown on the Coupon, and the purchase price of an item(s) in a single transaction (or cart) will be forfeited.
eBay may cancel, amend, or revoke the Coupon at any time including in response to fraudulent activity. Use of automated devices or programs for Coupon redemption prohibited.
For Canadian eBay users: Coupon is subject to Canadian laws, void where prohibited, not redeemable for cash, has no face or cash value, and cannot be combined with any other Coupon.
For US eBay users: Coupon is subject to U.S laws, void where prohibited, not redeemable for cash, has no face value, and cannot be combined with any other Coupon, or when paying with PayPal Credit Easy Payments, escrow, or gift cards.
Our web hosting solution has finally integrated the USPS Ground Advantage shipping option within our overall set of shipping choices. You may remember that back in July, the USPS did away with both First Class Mail and Parcel Post in favor of this new shipping option within CONUS in an effort to streamline their system and provide better service. For some, Ground Avantage will lower the price of shipping, particularly if you are located on far from us, while in other instances you probably won’t notice much of a difference. Together with some other minor changes, we believe that we are ready for the upcoming holiday shopping season and are able to provide some of the best shipping rates around, both locally and across this vast nation of ours, small parcels or large. We invite you to try out this new shipping method and see if it helps reduce your cost of shipping.
We aren’t expecting anything else to arrive for the month of August, however, quite a number of new items are slated to come in after Labor Day weekend and well into the month of September. A shipment of Dragon and Panzerkampf are on the water and expected around mid month. Forces of Valor should be back on track shortly, once they iron out some additional logistical issues they’ve run into after moving their warehouse from California to Indiana. A new shipment of Legion, Corgi, Air Force 1 and Luft-X are set for a September release, as is our monthly shipment of Hobby Master products.
We’ve been integrating YouTube videos here and there within our product listings, although not every item we stock will feature them. We will be curating those videos that are available through YouTube, although some will be dispensed with for lack of information. Plugging in a video with music and nothing more is rather pointless as far as we are concerned. If nothing of substance can be found, then we will add a video of this nature too but replace it with something a bit more informative down-the-road. Admittedly, we’ve been doing this for some time with manufacturer-supplied videos from Forces of Valor, however, we’ve decided to expand this feature to other pertinent products to give our customers added background behind the development and usage of each weapons platform.
That’s it for now and we’ll share any additional insight with you as it becomes apparent.
Update: It’s come to our attention that Panzerkampf makes their tanks/vehicles in 500 piece lots and then they are officially retired. So, we’ve updated our web site accordingly, marking those vehicles that are no longer available for re-stock. Up until now, it was never clear how many of each vehicle was being produced so we were working under the impression that more could be obtained. This rather low production number should come as welcome news to collectors, who will likely see their purchases appreciate in value faster than what we originally believed to be the case.
While Waltersons has completed the physical portion of its move from Los Angeles to Indiana, they are apparently still working on setting up everything in their computer system, hence the delay in getting new product into the hands of everyone. Reading between the lines, if you will, they will likely get everything synced up sometime in August barring any additional hiccups or cause for concern. The product marked as en route in our Release Schedule is what we currently expect once the Company gets their act together and is ready — from an operational standpoint — to resume business. Any new items listed in the August Upcoming Releases section will likely arrive a couple of weeks later unless, of course, they run into additional issues. So, hang in there and rest assured everyone in the supply chain is doing their utmost to get product out the door in the most efficient manner possible.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale 1942 Production US Army GMC CCKW 353 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Truck – No Tarp
Update: We’ve learned that a second version of the soon-to-be-released US GMC 2-1/2-ton truck will be arriving some time in August along with the Company’s latest introductions. This new version will come with four figures but, to differentiate it from the first version, has no “tarp” strewn across the rear-mounted bows. As an aside, it would appear as if Walterson’s strategy to offer up two versions of each new introduction simultaneously (see their pair of Chaffees, Opel Blitz trucks amd Apache gunships as examples). A “split-run”, if you will, their goal is to get more product out-the-door, doing so, it would appear, at reduced production costs by releasing similarly conceived items in one batch.
We’ve been told that the shipment containing many of their newest items is on the water and should be arriving by the end of August. We have, however, moved said items into our September Releases section, erring on the side of caution based upon previous experience. The manufacturer is aware that the holiday shopping season is fast approaching and they are working feverishly to announce their next set of new releases so that everyone can weigh their options for their end-of-year purchases.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Northrop P-61A Black Widow Interceptor – “Midnight Belle,” 6th Night Fighter Squadron, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, 1945
Lo and behold a new shipment of Air Force 1 aircraft has landed, flying in well below the radar to make an unexpected arrival. Several key models are amongst the passenger list, including this Northrop P-61A Black Widow dubbed Midnight Belle and a long lost B-25 Mitchell bomber that took part in the historic raid over Tokyo in early 1942. We don’t expect these models to last long so if you’re interested we strongly suggest you kick the tires and give them a once over before they head off for parts unknown.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale German Kriegsmarine Bismarck Class Battleship – DKM Bismarck, Operation Rheinubung, Gotenhafen, Poland, May 1941 [Waterline Version]
Now that Waltersons has completed its move to its new Indiana warehouse as a result of the Greenlight Collectibles acquisition, we have been informed that our latest order is being prepared for shipment. Barring any unforeseen issues, we are likely looking to receive it the first week of August. This shipment is mostly composed of re-stocks, but it also contains the long out-of-stock 88mm FLaK gun and some of their newest warships.
Beyond that, it appears as if several new vehicles are slated to arrive later in August, fingers crossed. This follow-on shipment will contain the M24 Chaffee tanks, the GMC cargo truck and two Opel ambulances. Also expected are a pair of 1:72 scale Apache gunships.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale US Navy Iowa Class Battleship – USS Missouri (BB-63), Measure 32, Design 22D Camouflage, Pacific Theatre of Operations, 1944 [Waterline Version]
Frankly, we’ve found that patience is a virtue with this manufacturer particularly since they have taken over their own distribution in an effort to get more product into the sales channel. Its not a knock per se because I can tell you first hand its not easy setting up a brand new warehouse and everything that goes with it. Still, communications could be better, both online and via email, particularly since the holiday season is right around the corner and customers will be seeking out their product as gift-giving ideas. A number of projects have been hinted at yet we see no signs of movement, either through pictures or product information, although we do know they are working diligently to move them along. We recognize that there are a great many fans of the line and wanted to ensure everyone that we are doing our best to pass along information as soon as it is generated. In the meantime, enjoy what you own and know that the manufacturer is burning the midnight oil to get even more product into the pipeline.
