Shout Outs

Celebrating 100 Years of the Tank

Tank 100 Vignette

To commemorate the first tank engagement, which occurred at the Battle of Flers, in northwestern France, The Tank Museum is holding a special event on September 17th, 2016, called TANK 100. According to the web site, “TANK 100 is being held in conjunction with The Royal Tank Regiment and will feature living history, commemorative tank displays, talks and more.

Visitors can expect to see a display of modern British Army vehicles as well as a variety of historic vehicles from The Tank Museum collection, to exemplify the legacy of those first tanks and the men who fought in them.

There will also be a First World War mock battle, including pyrotechnics, living history reenactors and an aircraft display from the Great War Display Team. The arena displays will end with a short commemorative service, led by the Royal Tank Regiment.”

You can find more information on the event at http://www.tankmuseum.org/whats-on/events/bovevt53512.

Share This:

Eaglemoss Rings the Ship-to-Shore Bell

EMGC73

Our distributor for the Eaglemoss Warships of the World line has confirmed that a massive fleet of models has weighed anchor from Asia and should be arriving in port sometime towards the end of July. Oddly, at this late date, we still don’t know which ships are expected, both new and old, so we are unable to update our web site accordingly and possibly assign new anticipated release dates for any late comers. On the other hand, its entirely possible all of the new ships could be headed our way, which would obviously require some work on our part to get all of our old orders ready for processing and shipment. So, if you’re thinking about placing an order for some of the ships currently unavailable, we would strongly recommend you do so quickly, because it its entirely possible all of the new ships will be spoken for as soon as they do arrive. We hate to disappoint, but don’t say we didn’t warn you, if the fleet heads back out to see as soon as they land.

Update: The Eaglemoss navy has made landfall. In addition to all of our back ordered warships, the following new ships are expected to head into port by the end of this week:

EMGC42: IJN heavy cruiser Kako, 1942. The second vessel in the two-ship Furutaka class.
EMGC44: IJN aircraft carrier Hosho, 1944. The world’s first commissioned ship designed and built as an aircraft carrier.
EMGC45: IJN battleship Satsuma, 1910. A semi-dreadnought design, Satsuma was the first battleship built in Japan.
EMGC46: HMS Prince of Wales, 1941. Prince of Wales fought in the Battle of the Denmark Strait (the sinking of the Bismarck) before being sunk herself in the Pacific in 1941.

Better take a look at them soon, cause they will likely get gobbled up quickly.

Share This:

Anyone Still Looking for an Arrow to Add to Their Quiver?

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, which is nestled in Mount Hope, Ontario, recently announced their intent to come out with a third look at the Avro Arrow interceptor. This go around, however, the Museum has elected to sell and distribute the model themselves, citing higher production costs as a central contributing factor in keeping the model close to home. We respect their decision, so if you’re still looking to pick up one of these sleek warbirds, we recommend you visit their web site http://www.warplane.com/gift-shop/vintage-aircraft-diecast-models/avro-cf-105-arrow-25204-diecast-model.aspx and place your pre-order with them sooner rather than later since the model will likely sell out for the holidays.

Share This:

Hobby Master: I think We Were Supposed to Make a Left Turn at Albuquerque

HA5001e

Every time I make a driving mistake, I think back to the Bugs Bunny cartoon from the 60s, where he gets lost boring a tunnel searching for Pismo Beach and instead finds Aladdin’s treasure. Apparently the shipment containing the May cache of Hobby Master products must’ve followed suit, since it is now expected to reach our distributor next week. After they get it unloaded, we are now probably looking at taking delivery of our order sometime in mid-June. Sorry, but some times these things are beyond our control and appreciate your patience in the matter.

HA5202

On the plus side, we should be awash in Hobby Master releases throughout the month, since the June Hobby Master releases are slated to arrive at said distributor the third week of June. That is, barring any further driving mistakes, sun flares, comets passing through the solar system, etc. Often times it pays to make light of these types of mishaps. Getting worked up over it does no one any good and the anticipation caused by the delay tends to make their last mile delivery all the more worthwhile.

Share This:

A Higher Caliber F-14?

F-14B

In a bid to become the preeminent maker of 1:72 scale F-14 Tomcats, Calibre Wings took the wraps off of its inaugural Fleet Defender at the Shizuoka Hobby Show in Tokyo, Japan, which is aimed at depicting the last flight of the F-14B. Unpainted and not yet fully assembled, the image, nevertheless, shows the warbird with two seated crewmen, a large array of ordnance, and several bits and pieces yet to be attached including the exhaust nozzles. With so many manufacturers now building their own version of the venerable F-14 (Century Wings, Hobby Master and True Scale Models), it will be interesting to see how market share shakes out going forward and if so many choices will eventually lead to lowered retail prices to clear out inventory.

Share This:

Anyone Up for a Bit ‘o Lace?

AF1 B17a

The first image has surfaced of Air Force 1’s upcoming 1:72 scale B-17G Flying Fortress bomber. Based upon a four-engine heavy bomber that flew with the 709th Bombardment Squadron, 447th Bombardment Group, then deployed to Rattlesden, Norfolk, England in early 1945, the upgunned G version features the insidious chin turret which was designed to help ward off enemy fighters from making a head-on attack.

AF10110a

Likewise, the replica boasts all of the other armament that helped give the plane its dubious moniker, from its top- and ball turret battlements to its twin waist and rear defensive guns. And not a Chinese crewman in sight! Look for this beauty to begin its bomb run some time in June.

AF10110f

Share This:

Master Fighter Comes

MF48575HI

A couple of months ago, we listed many of the french-built Master Fighter vehicles and accessories on our site to gauge interest in the line and assess its strengths in relationship to other ranges now on the market. We’re proud to say that reaction to the line has been strong; in many instances far outstripping our initial forecasts. Unlike the original Gaso.Line range stocked several years ago, the Master Fighter series come in their own handsome acrylic cases which resemble many of the other comparable lines available on the global market today. Moreover, the vehicles are not based upon a Solido, Verem or Corgi chassis, making them look more uniform and ideal for wargaming aficionados as well as collectors interested in showcasing a premium line.

We’ve placed an initial order with the manufacturer, which will hopefully arrive in the next couple of weeks after clearing customs. We’ve deliberately kept our order conservative, largely because the line is both broad and deep and we do not want to tie up funds unnecessarily in some items that may not sell as well as others. So, we strongly recommend pre-ordering those items you may wish to purchase now, before the shipment comes in and gets doled out to early adopters. Its entirely possible that some items may not be listed as available for general sale, at least until a follow-on shipment is released to us at a later date.

Share This:

DeAgostini Slips a Round Peg into a Square Hole

DARA21

When we received the DeAgostini multi-scale Russian military aircraft range last year, there were a few notable absentees who failed to stand muster before our police line up. Of these, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 23 Flogger fighter (DARA21) was one of the most suspicious, a mainstay of the Russian air force for several decades boasting exceptionable qualities and characteristics. Fortunately, a remedy seems to be at hand, with stock expected of this 1:150 scale replica set to arrive some time in April. Priced at just $15.98, its a great way to fill in one of those ignominious holes in your collection, at least until the much larger Hobby Master rendition comes out this year.

Share This:

Did Someone Request a Low-Vis F-14D Tomcat?

HA5202

In a year where there will likely be a deluge of F-14 Tomcats, its important we compare apples to apples and Tomcats to Tomcats. Hobby Master’s first release was based upon an “A” version, and was decked out in a standard naval scheme with squadron logos and insignia (HA5201). Their second release represents a completely different look at the venerable Fleet Defense Fighter, this time portraying a “D” variant in a low-vis naval grey aimed at making it blend in with the sky (HA5202).

HA5202c

Like its predecessor, the Hobby Master replica features swing wing variable geometry wings, so you can display your warplane in a swept back or forward positioned takeoff mode. Combined with the legendary “Felix the Cat” logo of VF-31 “Tomcatters”, a full load of ordnance, and the usual attention to detail, it looks like we have another winner on our hands.

Share This:

Awash in Star Trek: Romulans to the Left of Us, The Borg to the Right

I guess you could say we’re in Star Trek heaven. After going a couple of months without any new Eaglemoss Star Trek starships to ogle, we will soon be inundated with an avalanche of new releases. On their way to us are #56 through #63 in the standard-sized starship series, which covers everything from a retro-looking 23rd Century Romulan Bird-of-Prey to the infamous Botany Bay, which was used by the steroid-laden Khan to wrest control of the USS Enterprise away from Captain Kirk and his crew.

Also expected are the over-sized USS Kelvin and Shuttlecraft 4-piece multi-pack, two key pieces in the Star Trek special edition puzzle that are must-have’s for any serious Star Trek collector. Lay claim to your favorite ships today before they are all gone!

Share This: