Corgi’s 1:50 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank – B Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 9th Armored Division, Clervaux Castle, Luxembourg, 1944
Originally expected last fall, the balance of Corgi’s Military Legends line of 1:50 scale military vehicles are finally en route to us. Interestingly, Corgi quietly updated two of the product photos – one for the US M3A1 half-track and the other for the Sherman tank. The revised half-track now features bed rolls attached to the front fenders of the vehicle, a gear rack affixed to the rear of the vehicle, and a dustier paint job, giving it a more grizzled, well-worn appearance better suited to a hard-fought WWII battlefield than its predecessor. The Sherman tank, on the other hand, has been completely overhauled. We were expecting a standard M4A3 Sherman tank but it now appears as if we are getting a M4A3(76)W which featured a 76mm main gun and a more bulbous turret. Its not clear why the images were updated so late in the production cycle, but both will certainly sell well despite the mix up.
Other vehicles en route to us include their Tiger I heavy tank, German Sd. Kfz. 7/1 prime mover and Bedford QL supply truck. We should have them in stock during the first week of February and will be completing all of our outbound shipments as soon as they arrive.
Waltersons has been exploring ways to better market its Forces of Valor 1:32 scale military vehicle category and has decided to change things up a bit to better reflect its revised strategy. Essentially, they’ve come up with three separate categories for their military line, all based upon each item’s features, extras and lineage. Here’s how everything will be categorized going forward:
The Legacy and Engine Plus series are actually two series rolled into one. To begin with, the Legacy series represents those vehicles produced by Unimax, the original manufacturer of the line. The Engine Plus series, which is the creation of Waltersons, the new owners of the line, encompasses those vehicles that have been upgraded with a removable engine and fully detailed engine compartment. Other enhancements may have been made, such as updated suspension systems, better weathering and painting, and additional metal components to give each vehicle more heft.
The Inside Out series, as its name implies, emphasizes the intricacy, ingenuity and complexity of the crew compartment found in many of the world’s armored fighting vehicles. As such, these replicas feature fully modeled three-dimensional interiors that are designed to show off some of the incredible detail found within each all-new combat vehicle. Where applicable, each crew station has been accurately modeled, along with ammunition stowage racks, ordnance, weapons and other important gear typically found within a vehicle that heretofore haven’t been correctly replicated by any of the major modelmakers. Presently, its not clear if this sub category will feature removable engines like the Engine Plus series although we’re willing to bet it will.
Like their larger brethren, the new 1:32 scale Extreme Metal series will feature metal tracks, added crewmen, accessories, a simulated wooden crate for stowage and added collectibility, replica munitions, as well as other familiar hallmarks that have made the 1:16 scale series so near and dear to the hearts of collectors worldwide.
To this end, we’ve temporarily taken down many of the new product listings until we have a better sense as to how they will be marketed and priced. It is possible, for instance, that a particular product could fall into multiple categories so we will wait a bit longer until this new marketing strategy has been fully fleshed out since there could still be some changes made to this plan. A similar plan could and will likely be created for their soon-to-debut military aircraft line so we will wait and see how they plan to approach this category in the days ahead.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero” Fighter – 3-116, Saburo Sakai, Tainan Kokutai, Formosa, China, 1940-1941
Several months ago, we wrote how Corgi completely blew it with their soon-to-be-released 1:50 scale Tiger I heavy tank, which is supposed to portray an initial production vehicle that saw action in the Leningrad sector of the Russian Front during late 1942. Instead, they used a late model Tiger I and claimed it was historically accurate. And, lest we forget about the engine cowlings on the Air Force 1 B-17 Flying Fortresses, which are peeled back and exaggerated beyond all explanation. Well, it now appears as if Hobby Master will be facing much the same back lash with their soon to take wing 1:48 scale Mitsubishi Zero that was piloted by the famed IJN naval ace, Saburo Sakai.
While we don’t as yet have the aircraft in our possession, it appears as if the grey exterior paint scheme commonly associated with an IJN Zero has morphed into a sky blue overcoat, thereby giving the model a strange and somewhat eerie appearance that isn’t ugly but ahistorical nonetheless. During the war, its commonly believed that there was no single grey color used by the IJN to paint their aircraft. In fact, after Midway, when the IJN lost four front-line aircraft carriers, many aircraft were forced to deploy to land bases and were therefore repainted with a green top coat to help them blend in with their new surroundings. That said, it appears as if Sakai’s Zero, which was based at Formosa well before the disaster at Midway, falls somewhere in the middle, a failed attempt at getting his model to look like the real thing. A pity really.
We recognize that sometimes its a struggle to get a model painted in the correct colors and to date, Hobby Master usually posts pre-production photos on various forums so that collectors can give the products the once over before giving their nod of approval. In this case, it appears as if this never happened, and the model went into mass production well before anyone could critique it. Frankly, its not a bad model, and some collectors may decide to give it a Code 3 make over, meaning they’ll redress the model to make it more acceptable. Still, it would have been nice if Hobby Master had stuck to their tried-and-true process of letting collectors say yay or nay to the model before it was turned over to the production line thereby avoiding these types of mishaps.
Corgi’s 1:50 scale German Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. D Medium Tank – Panzer Abteilung 2, Panzer Brigade 107, Bamberg, Northern Bavaria, April 1945
At last we’re seeing some movement on the Corgi front. Their long awaited 1:50 scale Panther medium tank (#CC60215) is now on its way to us along with their 1:72 scale Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber (#AA32518), both of which we originally expected towards the end of 2019. The remaining items in their 2019 range for both their Military Legends and Aviation Archives series are tentatively expected towards the end of January, again barring any unforeseen issues. We expect to take delivery of the Panther and Stuka on or around the 21st, so please do not contact us ahead of that date asking about your order or when you can expect to receive it.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale German Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stuka Dive-Bomber – J9+BL, 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1, St. Pol, France, November 1940
We will process all of our outstanding orders for both items the moment they arrive and provide everyone with tracking information once the orders are ready to be handed off to our carrier. In the meantime, we thank you for your patience and hope you can wait just a little while longer for these goodies to arrive.
One of our principal goals is to make the implements of war sexy. Its a somewhat strange conundrum we find ourselves in trying to talk up weapons of war that have contributed to the death of millions and the wholesale destruction of entire nations over countless generations, yet here we find ourselves in now undertaking our twentieth year of operation delivering scale military models to the masses. I’ve often wondered what makes the study of war so intoxicating to the average onlooker when they could just as easily set about pursuing other more peaceful pursuits and learn about the creation of civilizations instead of their obliteration. I’m not sure I’ll never know the answer to that vexing question, which has dogged us and others despite the Bible telling us that we should beat our swords into plowshares and study war no more.
That said, we have a tough road ahead of us for the next few months, as we attempt to discuss many of the newest scale models headed everyone’s way. Presently, we’re also laying out our strategic vision for year 21 and moving into our new digs at Shopify all in the next few weeks. Our dance card is certainly full even though we’ve done our best to accept new partners here and there when the music abruptly stops and we’ve had a quick run at the punch bowl. So sit back and relax as we take it to the next level and hopefully continue to provide the very best service we can muster. Panzers vorwarts.
In years past, the American International Toy Fair was the preeminent means of showcasing new releases for the calendar year. Over time, the Nuremberg Toy Fair supplanted the American venue, typically opening to the trade and public a few weeks earlier and oftentimes boasting a larger exhibitor list. Now it seems as if the Hong Kong Toy Fair is beginning to take center stage, not only because it comes even earlier than either the Nuremberg or American shows, but because more and more companies are based in China.
On Monday, January 6th, the Hong Kong show opens its doors to a worldwide audience eager to see what’s in store for the 2020 calendar year. While we won’t be in attendance, the power of the Internet and email enables us to learn about the new releases almost as quickly as if we were standing on line ogling the new products. And, with the power of online computing, we can post this new information within moments of receiving the news, thereby keeping our clientele informed and up-to-date like never before.
Two brands, Corgi (which is one of the flagship brands of Hornby) and Forces of Valor (now managed by Waltersons) will be showcasing some of their latest wares, providing information and imagery for their newest products and hopefully guidance as to when we can expect them. So, get to bed early on the night of the 5th, because we’re sure we have lots to share with you early the next morning.
Altaya 1:43 scale German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. G Medium Tank – 13. Panzer Kompanie Mielke, Netherlands, September 1944
It appears as though we’re still a way’s off from receiving any of the Altaya 1:43 scale armored fighting vehicles. Apparently, the manufacturer is starting to re-use some of their existing molds to produce an array of follow-on vehicles, thereby amortizing the molds and giving the series fresh legs. The line now encompasses some 107 releases with no signs of abating. Some vehicles, such as their Panther tank, has been reincarnated three times so we’re going to assume that each vehicle that has already been made will be resurrected in one form or another.
We’re still hoping to get the ball rolling some time in 2020 once Altaya has completed the series and moved on to other projects. Its an important range that fills in a niche market at a very affordable price.
Even as we are just a scant two days away from Christmas, there is a large Eaglemoss shipment en route to us and likely arriving this week. Apparently, there is a lot of new items in the shipment, spanning everything from Star Trek-related goods to Battlestar Galactica. The list is too large to post here, so we will update our New Arrivals section once everything has been checked in and ready for outbound delivery. I don’t believe there is anything else expected before the New Year. Even if there was, the carriers are usually so busy trying to wind down for the holidays that we probably wouldn’t receive it until the beginning of the New Year.
News Update: So we’ve received the Eaglemoss shipment and updated our web site accordingly, indicating which back ordered items have now returned to stock along with all of the new items we were awaiting. We’re going to take a breather then upload all of these items to both Amazon and eBay, and resume shipments later this week. If you’ve been waiting for any of these items we’d appreciate it if you could hang on a bit longer and enjoy the holidays as we get back up to speed later this week.
Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has updated their Facebook page with more information regarding their 2020 range. According to their representative, any vehicle that was originally produced by Unimax and has undergone an upgrade that includes a removable engine will be part of their newly branded “Engine Plus” series. So, tanks such as the T-34/85, M4 Sherman, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger and Tiger I fall under this heading. Newly tooled vehicles, such as the upcoming Sturmtiger, M10 tank destroyer and KV-2, will be part of their “Extreme Metal” series. These vehicles will feature fully detailed crew compartments and other interior detailing, as well as metal tracks, much like their larger 1:16 scale brethren. We haven’t decided yet if we will segregate all of the existing Forces of Valor vehicles into one category and the newly tooled vehicles into another since this may create some confusion for the collector. We’ll likely revisit this scenario once our web site has completed its migration to the Shopify e-commerce platform scheduled for January.
Interior detail of the Sturmtiger. The manufacturer claims that the rear panel of the vehicle can be removed so collectors can simulate the loading of the ammunition
In other news, eight different Sherman variants are currently being worked on by Waltersons, the first one likely being an M4 mounting a 105mm howitzer. The manufacturer claims that the entrenching tools typically attached to a vehicle’s exterior can be detached while other accessories, such as sand bags and logs, are being developed for added realism.
Lastly, the Company claims to be getting set to announce their aviation line up and will likely be showing some of their models at the upcoming Hong Kong Toy Fair which is scheduled to open on January 6th. We haven’t seen any images yet so it remains to be seen how they plan to re-work the aircraft to bring them up to today’s standards. Rumor has it that the engines can be removed much like the vehicles, although we haven’t seen any evidence to support this assertion.
We’re in the final run up to Christmas with just a week left in the hectic holiday season. We still have ample inventory of lots of items and are continuing to receive loads of restocks as well as new items including product from Hobby Master, Atlas Editions and Corgi, to name but a few. Of course, the sooner you place your order the better, and make sure to choose expedited delivery if you want your parcel to arrive before Christmas. Typically, the last two weeks of December are the most clogged in the logistical chain, with most carriers struggling to keep up with shipping demands and any post-holiday returns back-filling the first weeks of January.
