Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale German E-100 Waffentrager Auf. V-4 Short Range Tactical Ballistic Missile
Its been a few months since we’ve received a Modelcollect shipment, so needless to say quite a few new numbers shown on the manufacturer’s web site are slated to trundle down the February runway. The February cache is large and rather extensive, covering everything from standard WWII-era vehicles to deluxe two-piece sets from the Cold War. As such, we invite you to take a look at our Upcoming Release section for February then zero in on the Modelcollect group. Also expected are several out-of-stock items plus we’ve updated the Modelcollect section to reflect those items that are sold out and no longer available.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 US Navy McDonnell F-4J Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – VF-84 “Fighting 84”, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42), Vietnam, 1972
We’re a scant day into the new year and we’re already behind the eight ball. Three major shipments – Dragon, Corgi and Hobby Master – are upon us, each requiring a fair bit of attention to review, break down and ship out to everyone that had placed pre-orders for them way back in 2018. So, we’re going to ask that everyone remain patient while we get these orders processed and out into the shipping channel as quickly as possible. Please do not contact us asking about when you will receive your shipment since it takes us away from the order fulfillment process.
Dragon’s 1:72 German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank – “313”, schwere Panzer Abteilung 501, Ardennes, 1944
As we hinted at earlier this month, there seems to be no shortage of new arrivals looking to pry open the 2018 door in an effort to still make it under the tree this holiday season. This weekend, Dragon announced that both of their long delayed 1:72 scale King Tigers are finally in the US and are now making their way to us as we speak (DRR60399 and DRR60400). With the holidays looming and shipping issues likely to kick in, look for both vehicles to become available the first week of January.
Corgi’s 1:72 German Dornier Do17Z-10 Kauz Light Bomber – Erich Jung, R4+AK, I/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, Gilze-Rijen Airfield, Holland, October 1940
Corgi also announced that a flock of latecomers made port and are winging their way to us tout de suite. The haul includes:
AA38109 – RNAS Sopwith Camel Fighter – Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner, No.3 Squadron, Bray Dunes Aerodrome, France, 1918
AA38906 – German Fokker D VII Fighter – 4649/18 “Seven Swabians” Wilhelm Scheutzel, Jasta 65, September 1918 (1:48 Scale)
AA32820 – RAF De Havilland Mosquito Mk. VI Night Fighter – Flt. Lt. D A G “George” Parry, No. 105 Squadron [100 Years of the RAF] (1:72 Scale)
AA38808 – German Dornier Do17Z-10 Kauz Light Bomber – Erich Jung, R4+AK, I/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, Gilze-Rijen Airfield, Holland, October 1940 (1:72 Scale)
AA36111 – RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA Flying Boat – JV928 ‘Y’ Flight Officer Alexander Cruickshank, VC 210 Squadron, July 1944 [100 Years of the RAF] (1:72 Scale)
The December Hobby Master shipment is reportedly on the high seas and could likely hit the streets in early January. While not exactly containing any stocking stuffers, the December shipment nevertheless includes a number of notable releases so don’t spend all of your gift card money just yet if you’re looking to nab some of these favorites.
So, we’re back from our week long trip to Dallas to see our children as well as their children (I guess that makes them our grandchildren barring any DNA tests). For the second year running, we got to take two of our grand daughters trick-or-treating through Highland Park and enjoy some well-deserved rest after an up-and-down year that saw the passing of my father-in-law and partner. Now, its back to work and quickly get ready for the all-important fourth quarter rush before contemplating any other down time.
AF-X 1:72 scale US North American X-15A Hypersonic Rocket-Powered Aircraft
Needless to say, we were deluged with orders and messages during our trip, along with lots of new product information that needs to get posted as quickly as humanly possible. Perhaps the most significant update is the launch of a new line of military aircraft from a company called AF-X. Designed along similar lines to both Luft-X and Wings of the Great War, AF-X is looking to fill a gap in the aviation sector by offering loads of experimental aircraft that might not see the light of day by other manufacturers. Constructed of resin and designed to sit atop a multi-poseable base, their first effort looks at the North American X-15A hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft, an iconic experimental plane which took wing in the 1960s and set all sorts of speed and altitude records ahead of the blossoming of the US-led space program.
Interestingly, the X-15A is expected to arrive in November, which shaves quite a bit of time off of the typical pre-order window. On the plus side, the X-15A will run you only $32.99, making it an affordable yet important entry-level aircraft that can also double as a wonderful gift for the holidays.
Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Kerala Class Starship – USS Kerala NCC-1255 [With Collector Magazine]
We’ve got quite a bit of other information to post, just as soon as we knock out all of the in-house orders and take receipt of a rather large Hobby Master shipment currently en route to us. Most importantly, we expect a large array of Eaglemoss made Star-Trek products prior to Thanksgiving, which is certainly welcome news given that we haven’t received anything new from them in several months. We’ll leave the details regarding the delay for another time, although I do want to point out that several items have witnessed a price increase, particularly in the Star Trek Discovery range. We’re still not sure how the resumption of Eaglemoss shipments will shake out and whether there could be a temporary hole in the receipt schedule meaning we could receive them in non-sequential order. We recommend everyone keep a careful eye on our release schedule to better gauge when they can expect to see each new item arrive and take steps accordingly.
That’s it for now. We will post further updates once all of the new products have been added to our site.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy McDonnell F-4J Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – VF-102 “Diamondbacks”, USS Independence (CV-64), 1976 (1:72 Scale)
Late yesterday, we learned that Hobby Master planned to offer a 1:72 scale replica of a F-14 that was flown by VF-102 “Diamondbacks” (HA19006). Rather curiously, we discovered today that flight simulation maker DCS is coming out with a brand new flight sim that, you guessed it, is based upon an F-14B Tomcat operated by the very same squadron. What follows is a 10-minute long teaser aimed at showing off some of the hi-fidelity components of the game, along with some of its bullet points covering the game’s features, dynamics and fit within the DCS game world. Enjoy!
Several years ago, we were asked by one manufacturer if the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings held any significance to the collecting community as a potential marketing opportunity. Frankly, I didn’t think it mattered all that much since one could claim that it was just as important as all of the previous five-year marks that occurred prior, save, perhaps, the 25th or 50th anniversary celebrations in 1969 and 1994. However, 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Western Europe by the Allies, certainly an epic event for those that took part in the campaign since many of these individuals are now entering their nineties and likely won’t be around that much longer to witness the next major milestone. It is also significant for historians, military enthusiasts and collectors alike, as the war to rid Europe of Nazi tyranny slowly starts to fade from memory and gets replaced by more contemporary conflicts.
Likewise, 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of both the Market-Garden and Battle of the Bulge campaigns, two pivotal battles that were designed to wreak havoc on the enemy and possibly shorten the war entirely, depending upon your standpoint.
Having said that, we have asked a number of important manufacturers within the diecast ranks to examine their plans for the coming year and, where appropriate, denote the anniversaries on their packaging or even come out with exclusive limited edition collections that reflect the importance of the events. We hope that by promoting the importance of these campaigns, collectors will have a better sense of how they fit within the timeline of events of WWII and their critical importance on the path to victory.
Modelcollect’s 1:72 NATO M1014 MAN Tractor and BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile (1:72 Scale)
Earlier today we received the October list of pre-assembled replicas from Modelcollect. The cache is both broad and deep, covering a number of categories, markets and military era. So, without further ado, here’s what we expect to arrive around the middle of the month:
AS72084 – Russian T-72B3 Main Battle Tank – Moscow Victory Day Parade, 2017 (1:72 Scale)
AS72108 – Soviet T-64 Model 1972 Main Battle Tank – 1970s (1:72 Scale)
AS72098 – Soviet T-64A Main Battle Tank – 1980s (1:72 Scale)
AS72109 – German E-75 Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer with 128/L55 Gun – Tri-Color Camouflage, 1946 (1:72 Scale)
AS72095 – Russian T-80UD Main Battle Tank – Leningrad Military District, 1998 (1:72 Scale)
AS72113 – German Schwerer Plattformwagen Type SSYMS 80 Flatcar – 1943 (1:72 Scale)
AS72114 – German Schwerer Plattformwagen Type SSYMS Flatcar – 1943 (1:72 Scale)
AS72107 – NATO M1014 MAN Tractor and BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile (1:72 Scale)
AS72110 – US M983 HEMTT Tractor and Pershing II Tactical Missile (1:72 Scale)
Dragon Armor 1:72 German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) Medium Tank – 13.Panzer Division, Northern Caucasus, Russia, 1942
Its not clear why Dragon seems to have slowed production of late of their Dragon Armor range or why they have opted to build replicas they have offered in the past while other manufacturers have taken a more riskier approach. Suffice it to say that another pair of 1:72 PzKpfw IV medium tanks are in the offing, both scheduled for a mid-October release. The first is a German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) Medium Tank – 13.Panzer Division, Northern Caucasus, Russia, 1942 (DRR60697) while the second is a German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) Medium Tank – Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1943 (DRR60698).
Dragon Armor 1:72 German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) Medium Tank – Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1943
We’re hoping that their long awaited pair of King Tiger heavy tanks and Sturmgeschutz assault guns aren’t too far behind, and that they are not giving up in the small scale sector.
Lets face it, if you’re a fan of Forces of Valor, and who isn’t, then
you should be delighted to learn that the Company has started to pick up
speed, both in terms of production as well as over the air waves.
Earlier this week, they embarked upon a series of Facebook posts that
explains some of the delays they have faced for 2018 along with some of
the projects currently in development and nearing completion. While
finished product images are still being held at bay, they have uploaded
several shots showing some of the vehicles and accessories currently
being created and discussed their philosophy regarding how they plan to
take the line to new heights. For more information, click on the image
above, which will take you to their Facebook page. You can even ask them
questions if you so desire.
Barrel droop. This short video demonstrates some of the issues with the original Sherman Firefly tank. Note how the gun barrel has trouble remaining in a fixed position.
Utilizing a newly machined gun barrel and tighter tooling specifications, the updated Sherman Firefly has no trouble keeping its gun in either a firing or elevated position.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Air Force Douglas B-26K Counter Invader Attack Aircraft – 609th Special Operations Squadron “Nimrods”, 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhom Phanom, Thailand, 1969
We’ve learned that the September cache of Hobby Master products has arrived at our distributor and is now headed our way, slated to arrive the first week of October. The September diecast payload is critical from a number of standpoints, since it includes several heavily requested items that cut across the entire spectrum of Hobby Master releases. Certainly, one of the more notable issues is this 1:72 scale US Air Force Douglas B-25K Counter Invader Attack Aircraft (HA3225). A similar plane, released earlier this year, sold out the moment it arrived, which makes this second iteration just as likely to sell out the moment it lands.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Tropical Fighter – Black Chevron, Gruppen-Adjutant I/Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, December 1941
Another coveted aircraft is this 1:48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 tropical fighter, which was attached to Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, then flying in support of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (HA8704). All of the previous 1:48 scale Messerschmitts have sold out, so this version, slathered in a desert sand motif, will certainly go quick once word spreads that its in stock.
Also up for your consideration is this sleek-looking Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 Frogfoot attack aircraft, clad in a digitally enhanced scheme (HA6102) that takes the art of camouflage to an entirely new level. Inspiring to look and deadly in the hands of an experienced pilot, this undeniably handsome aircraft makes a welcome addition to anyone’s collection, even if it does fly for a foreign power.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero” Fighter – V-173, Saburo Sakai, Tainan Air Group, Rabaul, June-July 1942
And last, but certainly not least, is this 1:48 scale rendition of famed Japanese ace Saburo Sakai’s Mitsubishi Zero, as it was painted and marked up during his stint at the island fortress of Rabaul (HA8805). Perhaps not as eye-popping as some of the other aircraft we profiled previously, collectors are all too familiar with its historical significance rather than its somewhat monotone scheme. Its a war winner if ever we’ve seen one, and we already have lots of pre-orders in-house to prove it!
