The February shipment of Forces of Valor products are expected to leave our distributor’s facility on the 20th. Several key introductions are slated for release, including their first 1:72 scale look at the F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter (UNI85064), as well as the initial gaggle of Smithsonian Wings-2-Wheels 1:72 scale aircraft.
Sometimes we receive product ahead of schedule, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in this industry when we sometimes sit on our hands for the better part of several years waiting for the model to materialize. In the case of Minichamps 1:12 scale 1990 Yamaha YZR500 (OW45) GP Motorcycle driven by world champion, Wayne Rainey, this bike wasn’t expected until March and even the manufacturer has yet to post images of his replica bike on their web site. Nevertheless, the bike arrived just as we’re ready to head out of town, so we may have to post images of the scale model after our return from Africa. Pre-ordered bikes have been handed over to our friendly couriers for immediate dispatch.
Produced in cooperation with the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, Minichamps’ inaugural 1:18 scale replica is based upon a 1938 Dubonnet Hispano-Suiza H6C Saoutchik Xenia Coupe (#MIN107091020). This stunning recreation features all of the attendant detail you come to expect from this modelmaker, complete right down to the exotic lines and rakish appearance of this timeless classic. Constructed from heavy resin with only 1,002 pieces produced for worldwide consumption, this stunning reproduction is a sight to behold and does the original Dubonnet justice in every possible respect.
Many people have asked us about the fate of Heinrich Bauer’s 1:12 scale 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K Roadster (#BAUMB500K). In today’s uncertain times, it wasn’t clear if this sumptuous car was on an indefinite delay or simply cancelled, since no word was being passed along regarding its’ disposition. Well, according to our distributor, the car is still in the works, although it is now expected in August. Just as importantly, the car now carries a sticker price of $1,995, up $400 since it was first announced. We’ve revised the pre-order price to $1,895 and need to confirm our pre-orders with the distributor by tomorrow, February 1st. So, if you were on the fence about this item, now is the time to jump in and get your feet week. We will likely not be able to obtain any more of the cars once it does come out, so we may have to close the pre-order window this week after confirming our order with the distributor. Remember, if you like your cars big, hyper-detailed, luxurious, and available in extremely limited numbers, now is the time to plunk your money down.
At long last, Dragon has finally hauled its 88mm gun into position to take aim at the collector market. Their first FLaK gun (#DRA60630) comes in a simple, early war grey finish and represents a gun that saw action in Stalingrad, Russia, during late 1942. According to Dragon, their first gun is being allocated to its dealers, which means they hope to fill our order in two installments over the coming weeks. This, in turn, means we will be filling our earliest orders first, until our first allocation has been exhausted.
Minichamps North America has finally received its share of the Marco Simoncelli shipment of tribute bikes and our coveted rides are on their way to us. Barring a truck hijacking, blizzard, or meteorite shower, we should have our cache of bikes this coming Tuesday, and will be working feverishly to get them all out the door within 24 hours. If you have a new credit card and have this bike on pre-order, now would be a good time to update your records with us so there is no delay in getting out the bike to you.
Ebay has finally rolled out its eagerly awaited Global Shipping Program to qualified sellers and we’re happy to report that we’ve enrolled in it. Purportedly, this will enable customers living outside the US to be able to reduce their shipping costs dramatically, since Ebay will now handle all of the leg work after we’ve shipped them the package.
Frankly, this is all new to us so it may take us a few transactions to get the hang of this and work out any bugs that invariably crop up. We also do not know how this will impact the speed of delivery, since the packages will first be shipped to a clearing house and then on to its final destination. A limited test program was conducted by Ebay this past holiday season and we assume that everything went well.
If the system works as touted, we can upload any item we sell on our web site to Ebay, which will permit customers to shave their shipping costs and be able to track their packages from beginning to end. Keep your fingers crossed because this could be a boon for everyone involved. Note: The Global Shipping Program currently includes the following countries:
Australia
Bulgaria
Canada
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Greece
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
United Kingdom
Even though we haven’t received our allotment yet, that doesn’t mean we cannot share images of Minichamps latest diecast classic motorcycle, their 1958 Triumph TR6 Thunderbird Motorcycle (#MIN122133550). Finished in silver and red, and bearing all the hallmark detail we’ve come to expect from their 1:12 scale bike series, their newest introduction is expected shortly, perhaps as early as mid-January. Close-up photographs were also provided for their Hoda Bol D’Or, which is already in stock and doing well at retail (#MIN122161900).
While we’re on the subject of two-wheeled riding, it appears as if Minichamps has just received their shipment of Marco Simoncelli 2011 Honda RC212V Team San Carlo Honda Gresini MotoGP Test Bikes, which means we should be receiving our share of the winning entry very soon. No doubt, the 2011 racing bike isn’t far behind…
According to Dragon, their first ever Flakpanzer 341 anti-aircraft vehicle is now being distributed to its dealers. Painted in a two-t0ne summer camouflage pattern and reportedly attached to an unidentified unit, then deployed to Nuremberg, Germany, during 1945 (#DRR60594) this is the latest 1:72 scale addition to their Ultimate Armor range, which will no doubt be featured prominently at the upcoming Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany later this month.
According to the BBC, a pair of British civilians are restoring a World War II-era Avro Lancaster to flying condition. Paying homage to their elder brother who piloted and was subsequently killed in a Lanc during the War, the rebuilt Lancaster is based in Lincolnshire and can already ferry passengers around the taxiway. Their hope is to get the Lancaster into flying condition later this year. For further information, check out this web page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20886684
