Shout Outs

Hobby Master Flies Even Higher into the Stratosphere

On Monday, our distributor released product information pertaining to Hobby Master’s latest spate of aircraft models. What piqued our interest wasn’t so much the new models slated for a mid 2023 release. Rather, what caught our eye was this single sentence that appeared in the body of the announcement’s cover letter. “In the coming days, we will announce an assortment of fully licensed US Navy replicas.” As part of the announcement, they also indicated that one of their upcoming F/A-18 Hornets, one clad in a US Navy Blue Angels aerobatics squadron scheme, was being upped in price, meaning that any additional aircraft models paying homage to the Blue Angels would likely carry a “licensed by the US Navy” logo emblazoned on its packaging. Or the sentence could mean something else entirely.

With Top Gun: Maverick continuing to do exceptionally well at the box office its plausible to presume that Hobby Master has or is about to lock up the coveted Top Gun license, otherwise why claim an assortment of aircraft will be announced instead of a lone Blue Angels model. If true, collectors can likely expect to see a wide range of aircraft models based on not only the 2022 film but quite likely the original flick. Done right, and with a wide range of accessories to support them, running the gamut from aircraft revetments to action figures, its quite possible that Hobby Master may have pulled off quite the coup, ponying up the big bucks for what many believe is an evergreen license that will continue to sell well for years to come. We don’t want to jump the gun and claim that all manner of Top Gun merchandise is in the works even if we’d love to shout it out from the mountaintop depicted in the film. What I will do, however, is watch for further announcements in the days and weeks ahead and update our blog post with any further developments just as soon as they’re passed along.

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The Forces of Valor Update: “Updating the Updates”

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Training Vehicle, C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, New York, 1943 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]. Something is amiss but only a trained eye will spot it

Recently I had a short but poignant discussion with the owner of Waltersons, who produces the wildly popular Forces of Valor range of military products. While we pointed out a number of glaring errors in two of their recent releases, they took the observations in stride, perhaps acknowledging that they are oftentimes their biggest critic when they get things wrong. Its refreshing to see that they are at least willing to hear about any errors they may have caused, given the price tag many of their newest efforts are commanding.

What we did learn, however, is that they are amending their strategy slightly for 2023, perhaps in an effort to get more product into the hands of collectors who have regularly been asking for new items since taking over the line in 2016. While the Company will continue to overhaul existing molds to bring them up to today’s standards, they have finally recognized that they have a tremendous amount of exisiting tooling sitting on the sidelines that doesn’t need to be changed all that much. Although no vehicles were mentioned specifically by Waltersons, the upcoming “20th Anniversary of Forces of Valor” range will likely encompass perennial favorites such as their Sturmgeschutz assault gun and Panther medium tank, two stalwarts that never seemed to get criticized all that much by military buffs despite being released ad infinitum year after year. Its not clear if this new strategy will see the employment of additional metal parts to give them more heft or the proposed price tag for these off-the-shelf armored reinforcements. What is known is that new figures and accessories are almost certain to be included along with new paint schemes so that they aren’t confused with previous releases.

In other news, sold out items such as their Jagdpanther and best-selling MH-47 helicopter will almost certainly make a comeback at some point, perhaps three years down the road, once space has been made in their tight production schedule. The manufacturer has never categorically stated that these are limited edition collectibles, so keeping the door open by reintroducing certain fan favorites has always been a part of their overall strategy even if they have never gone on record to say so.

From a marketing perspective, we will likely not distinguish these re-released products from other products already produced and simply place them in our Forces of Valor Legacy products section. Frankly, I think its getting far too confusing at present with all of the marketing hype used to date. Monikers such as “Metal Proud”, “Engine Plus” and “Inside Out” are already bewildering to veteran and newcomers to the hobby, all of whom are simply looking to acquire a vehicle first without all of the bells and whistles marketing gurus can needlessly bolt on. Adding yet another new category will only help to keep the customer guessing, wondering which item is which when contemplating a purchase. Sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel even if others are telling you it needs to be updated.

And the error? On the left hand portion of the transmission housing, the symbols indicate this vehicle is from the 3rd Armored Division, 10th Tank Battalion, when the manufacturer advertised it as a vehicle from the 5th Armored Division. Que sera, sera.

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One Abrams Doesn’t Make the Cut

Death by a thousand cuts. One Abrams that landed on the cutting room floor

We received some unexpected and disappointing news from Panzerkampf late Friday. Apparently, the model maker has decided not to produce one of the M1 Abrams tanks they had advertised for some time, #PZK12209PA, which was a US M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank with TUSK I Survival Kit in a tri-color camouflage pattern with side-mounted desert sand colored ERA. No explanation was offered for nixing this item so as of now only one tri-color camo version of the Abrams is still being made – the US M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with TUSK I Survival Kit that served with the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division (PZK12208PA). The decision seems odds given the number of desert sand versions produced to date but one we have to live with nonetheless. If you pre-ordered and pre-paid for this item we will automatically switch the order to the latter vehicle, which is still expected later this summer.

The manufacturer also indicated that they have no plans to produce their hot-selling M1070 heavy equipment transporter in arctic winter white although the solid green version is still on the table. So, if you see one in the marketplace, we suggest you grab it while you can.

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The Hobby Master Traffic Jam

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN Douglas A-1H Skyraider Attack Aircraft – VA-176 “Thunderbolts”, USS Intrepid (CV-11), 1966

If you thought there was congestion at the nation’s airports this summer then you haven’t paid attention to the arrivals board at the Hobby Master terminal. As it stands right now, it appears as if both the May and June shipments are expected late next week, possibly one container right behind the other. That means lots of new warbirds all showing up at the same time. But the conga line doesn’t end there because there’s a strong chance that the July shipment won’t be too far behind thereby adding to the mayhem. Don’t get me wrong, its always nice to see new product arriving — its just when they all arrive at once, for one reason or another, then it creates a bit of a logjam for retailers such as ourselves. Needless to say we will update this blog post just as soon as we receive more concrete information from our distributor. In the mean time, we will start making room in our warehouse for all of the new goodies set to show up and begin listing them on our marketplace sites once they’re ready to get turned around.

Update: According to our distributor, both the May and June shipments are now expected to arrive the week of August 2nd-8th, and the July shipment won’t be too far behind them. So, strap in, cause August will be another heavy outbound shipping month for us, with lots of new Hobby Master aircraft models to choose from. At this point, there really is no point in trying to distinguish which models in our August 2022 Hobby Master releases are coming in and when (fifty models of all sorts and sizes is a lot to choose from) so we’ve lumped them all together and await word from our distributor as to which models are arriving and in what order. I know that’s a tall order for everyone concerned but one we are forced to accept given the inelastic nature of the shipping troubles still plaguing our nation. In the mean time, tally ho!

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Eaglemoss May No Longer Boldly Go

Eaglemoss, the maker of the Star Trek Starships line of Star Trek model replicas, seems to be on the brink of collapse according to Trek Central, a fan site that delves deeply into the Star Trek franchise. According to their recent posting, the British manufacturer has reportedly filed a Notice of Intention to appoint an administrator back on July 12th, and English way of saying they are filing for bankruptcy protection from their creditors. Its not clear what led to the decision to file or how the Company ended up in such a disastrous state-of-affairs when things seemed to be on the upswing and new lines and agreements were being forged as late as last year. At this juncture, its not clear if another entity will look to take over the flagging model maker or if the Company will simply sell off its assets at fire sale prices to raise funding before permanently closing its doors. We’re hoping for the former but recognize that in today’s economic climate anything is possible. For more information on the story, visit Trek Central.

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The Forces of Valor Update: When Shermans Roll

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4(105) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension and Deep Wading Gear – 713th Tank Battalion, Okinawa, April-June 1945 [Bonus Continental (Wright) R-975, Radial 9 Engine]

Its no secret that Waltersons, the new caretakers of the Forces of Valor brand, changed course a couple of years ago, announcing a bevy of M4 Sherman and Tiger I tanks in lieu of other vehicle types they had hinted at when they first took over the brand. Highly requested vehicles such as the Su-85 and M10 tank destroyer have taken a back seat to a litany of Shermans and Tigers the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. Its great if you love both vehicle types — not so awesome if you’ve been patiently awaiting other vehicles to add to your diecast arsenal for several years running.

Be that as it many, the Company showed off the next pairing of Sherman tanks expected later this year – an M4(105) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension and Deep Wading Gear as well as a US M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Assault Tank with VVSS Suspension. Like the previous pairing of Shermans, these two vehicles feature lots of moving parts, a removable engine and a mostly heavy metal exterior, making them excellent testaments to the weaponry that helped to defeat the Axis powers during the Second World War. The problem, as I already touched upon, is where are all of the other vehicles Unimax once produced that are crying out to be re-purposed for the modern age — vehicles such as the M26 Pershing, Panther, Sturmgeschutz and M1 Abrams, along with perennial stalwarts such as the diminutive Zundapp motorcycle. Instead, we get more of the same thing year after year while other vehicle types languish on the back burner, to say nothing of the vehicles collectors have been demanding they make for years on end. I get the fact that it costs quite a bit of money to produce a new tooling hence the abundance of Tigers and Shermans rolling off the Waltersons assembly line, however, when you keep returning to the wishing well expecting to drain it for all its worth, the law of diminishing returns eventually comes into play, as diehard collectors begin to poo-poo the newest releases and wonder when their dreams will finally be fulfilled.

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Assault Tank with VVSS Suspension – “Cobra King”, C Company, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Bastogne, Belgium, December 26th, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]

Don’t get me wrong — these new vehicles will sell well largely because collectors don’t have much to choose from and competitors such as 21st Century Toys have folded up years ago. But after awhile you begin to ask what was the point of taking over the line if you’re going to confine your production to just a handful of new items while doing your best to tamp down anxieties that seem to gather momentum as the years tick by?

In any event, now that we know what they actually look like, their respective price tags and an approximate release date, we’ve opened up the pre-order window for both of these models. They’ll no doubt get snapped up due to their quality and uniqueness. We just wish that the manufacturer would jump off of the Tiger and Sherman bandwagon and hop on another.

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Father’s Day is Fast Approaching

Even though we haven’t as yet actually received our latest Panzerkampf and AFV shipment, we are going to mark them as received so that we can begin processing these orders ahead of their imminent receipt. As always, we would appreciate it if you do not contact us regarding any pre-orders you may have placed with us since responding tends to slow us down and prevents us from addressing each order with proper care. We will do our due diligence and process each order as expeditiously as possible but bear in mind that issues such as invalid credit card authorizations or splitting up orders periodically pops up and leads to added delays. We will do our best to get out all of the orders before Father’s Day but we are making no assurances that said orders will actually be received prior to June 19th.

Incidentally, there was a change to one of the AFVs that are in the latest batch of arrivals. AFV009 is actually a US built and operated M18 Hellcat and not the supposed French M10 we had originally listed as being inbound. Frankly, the US vehicle is a better fit for many of our customers who may prefer to collect US built and operated vehicles as opposed to those tanks that were operated by some of our allies during the Second World War. We can only assume that the M10 will come out at a later date.

Update: We were informed this morning, June 13th, that our shipment is leaving Nevada today. Originally, it was scheduled to leave last Friday, which would have meant it would reach us here in New York by mid week. So, it would appear as if this shipment will likely arrive at our facility by the end of this week, which means that any orders intended as Father’s Day gifts will not make it for the holiday. That said, we also know a great many of you placed orders for these items without concern for the holiday, so a few more days of waiting may not be crucial. If it is, please contact us and we will cancel your order. Because of the delay, we have decided to hold off processing these orders until later this week. Furthermore, this year, most of the major carriers are closed for Juneteenth, so the soonest we can start shipping out orders is Tuesday is the 21st. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but things often change on a daily basis despite our best efforts to make them go as smoothly as possible.

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June Swoon

Back when I followed the Chicago Cubs in the 60s and 70s, the team would be perennially plagued by what’s been called a “June Swoon”, whereby they simply fell out of the top standings in their division by losing an inordinate number of ball games. Needless to say its disheartening to watch your ball club lose out year after year, particularly while our home team was doing just the opposite. I gave up on the Cubbies decades ago, even though I still root for them when they make the post season. Happily, I’ve since switched my allegiance to the New York Yankees for obvious reasons and intend to take in a pre-season game or two when we get down to southwest Florida. Hopefully, that June Swoon won’t carry over to the Yankees, who currently enjoy a first place ranking in their division. But ya never know.

Speaking of June swoons, our new home construction recently passed its pre-dry wall inspection and is currently slated to be completed around the end of August – early September if things some how slow down or the hurricane season picks up. As a result, we will likely run an inventory clearance sale through much of August in an effort to reduce our overall inventory footprint thereby lessening the amount of product we have to transport down to the Sunshine State. I’m not sure how much of a discount we will be offering since we are still monitoring how much “stuff” is expected over the course of the next couple of months as well as how much product we currently have in our warehouse. While the discount will be enticing, remember that we sell limited edition collectibles, so there’s still a good chance that newly arriving product may not be available for the sale. Please keep that in mind if you’re hoping to snag a new item at a fantastic bargain by waiting a couple of months before placing your order.

I think that we will also cut off any new shipments on July 31st and resume the receipt of new product around the end of September; earlier if we are able to get up-and-running in Florida quicker than we anticipate. We learned today that a number of new Forces of Valor products are expected this summer, so there’s a good chance that we will be able to offer the July shipment prior to our relocation although the balance of the summer deliveries will likely be made available in September. The same holds true for Hobby Master, Corgi and any of the other major modelmakers we deal with.

The next six vehicles in the 1:43 scale Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II series are expected to make landfall in early June. Likewise, Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale M1070 heavy equipment transporter in desert sand is also scheduled to arrive in a couple of weeks along with a couple of M1A2 Abrams tanks, one featuring the TUSK II Survival Kit. As a result, we have created a special bundle for Father’s Day whereby you can purchase both vehicles together and by doing so save $10 as opposed to purchasing them separately. You can view the item and/or pre-order the set by checking out our June 2022 Upcoming Release section.

That’s about it for now. If anything else occurs to me over the next couple of days, I’ll edit this blog post. In the mean time, have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and don’t forget about dear old dad in a few weeks! Me? I’m off to see Top Gun Maverick this weekend…

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This Year, Make Father’s Day Unforgettable

With the imminent arrival of Panzerkampf’s sand-colored M1070 heavy equipment transporter along with their M1A2 Abrams tank clad in a TUSK II Survival Kit, we thought it made sense to give our esteemed customers a fantastic bargain for Father’s Day. That said, we’re offering this three piece set as a limited edition bundle and, best of all, slashing the selling price to just $170. Mind you, if you purchased them separately, these two distinct yet ultimately inter-operable replicas would sell for $180, so by purchasing them together you save $10, about what it would cost to serve dear old dad a heaping helping of cheese cake come Sunday, June 19th. So, why not put a broad smile on the face of that special guy in your life who will truly remember this Father’s Day above all others.

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Maverick Supersonic

With just a week to go before the debut of Top Gun: Maverick in North American theaters, reports are surfacing from a variety of sources that the film is set to wow moviegoers this summer. Many are already claiming it will break box office records now and well into the foreseeable future an amazing feat considering the first film hit the silver screen way back in 1986. In fact, several days ago, GQ Magazine claimed “Top Gun: Maverick is the greatest blockbuster of the decade,” and, at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, the movie supposedly received a five minute standing ovation from the select devotees granted an early viewing.

That said, its still difficult to understand why none of the major diecast modelmakers have taken steps to offer replicas of those aircraft portrayed in the film. Granted, Paramount Pictures, who owns the rights to the film, is asking a hefty licensing fee to produce a collector quality set of replicas, and Tom Cruise, the star of the film, is likely standing in the way of permitting his likenesses from being overlaid onto any pilot figure. Nevertheless, I would have thought that a workaround could have been devised by now whereby collectors could have their cake and eat it too even if they have to pay a premium for a model based on the latest Top Gun feature film. While a day and date release would have no doubt sold into the tens of thousands, we know from firsthand experience gleaned from Top Gun that replicas for the original film were still selling extremely well over thirty years after it was first shown. Time will tell if a diecast modelmaker will reevaluate their stance, pony up the necessary cash, and eventually churn out what can only be described as the best selling model of the decade, if the GQ boast can be applied here as well.

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