Whispers

Its Beginning to [Not] Look Like Christmas

As we alluded to in an earlier post, this could be one of the worst holiday seasons in recent memory. While much of the United States appears to be recovering from the pandemic, other parts of the world aren’t faring as well, which will have a dire impact on the upcoming holiday season. We’ve already discussed the current port congestion all along the western United States, which has delayed the receipt of countless goods bound for US distributors. It has also had a dramatic effect on the cost of shipping, oftentimes tripling in price as compared with shipping fees in 2020.

Now comes word that Bangladesh is extending their lockdown to more regions within the country in an effort to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is an important development because over the last several years, more and more manufacturers have been moving their manufacturing resources out of China and into several southern Asian countries, most notably Banglasdesh, largely in response to rising labor costs in the PRC. Unfortunately, this strategy seems to have backfired at least in the short term as much of southern Asia is beset by the virus with no clear avenue towards recovery in site.

Diecast manufacturers such as Hobby Master, Solido, Panzerkampf and others are affected by this expanding lockdown, which is playing havoc with their production schedules. As a result, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to predict when product will come to market and equally vexing to determine when new product will be announced. Please bear this in mind when you contemplate placing new orders with us.

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“The Sky is Falling”

Let’s face it, no one wants to be seen as a Foxy Loxy, running around like a chicken without its head screaming, “the sky is falling!” Nevertheless, things in the supply chain aren’t looking particularly good, with dozens of containers ships still sitting offshore all along the US west coast awaiting their turn for offloading. Just to give you an ideas as to how bad things are, our May shipment of Hobby Master products, which was originally scheduled to show up in early May, will now likely show up the first week of July (keeping our fingers crossed) and the subsequent shipments will no doubt get pushed back even further as they fall victim to the same port congestion issues.

But that’s just the start of the problem. As August and September draws nigh, mass merchants such as Walmart, Target et al., typically start receiving their holiday ware, meaning lots more containers arriving and sitting idle until its their turn for berthing and unloading. On top of that, COVID seems to be once again raising its ugly head in South China, forcing containers and ships, already in tight supply, to pile up as those workers who haven’t contracted the virus do their utmost to keep things rolling along.

So what does this all mean for the average consumer? While we don’t sell Tonka trucks, Barbie dolls or Mr. Potato Heads, the same issues affecting the toy industry at large are playing havoc with the collectible diecast market. For starters, there won’t be nearly as much product available this holiday season as in year’s past, which, in turn, forces up the price of those items that are in stock and ready for immediate shipment. It also means retailers won’t have to do quite as much promoting to sell what they do have in stock, and instead will likely push product out the door at full price instead of having to slash prices.

We’ve already seen a number of newly arriving products sell for more than their original asking price and others, such as the soon-to-be-arriving Hobby Master U-2 spyplane, pre-sell out, and already fetching prices in the aftermarket venues well above their sticker price.

So, as always, we urge everyone to place their pre-orders sooner rather than later, even if it means having to wait an eternity for your prized possession to show up. While its not the optimal situation for collectors with fist fulls of cash, its probably the wisest recourse, particularly if you are looking to lay your mitts on some of the more coveted introductions expected this year.

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June Swoon: This and That for the Summer Doldrums

You may have noticed that there are very few new products coming in and that loads of items promised for months now keep getting delayed. The reason for this can be summed up in two words: port congestion. With the world trying to get back to normal in the wake of the pandemic, and consumers looking to spend their hard-earned money on the latest wares, ports located along the western US have been inundated with cargo ships, which, in many instances, have had to drop anchor for several weeks awaiting their turn to be unloaded. This has meant that many new items keep getting delayed, sometimes by as much as several months. So, while certain items such as Hobby Master’s U-2 spy plane may be available for purchased elsewhere in the world, that same item is still sitting in the bowels of a container ship moored off Los Angeles. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do about the present situation which could, theoretically, get worse in the not-too-distant future, as mass merchants such as Walmart, Target et al. start receiving their key shipments in preparation for the upcoming holiday season. Bloomberg claims that the port congestion will be cleared by August but we continue to have our doubts as distributors look for alternate means of bringing in product from east and southern Asia. That said, we ask for your patience during these trying times as we and other retailers wait to take delivery of several long overdue shipments.

Many of you have asked what the situation is with Forces of Valor, who keeps announcing lots of new items but seems to routinely have problems delivering on their promises. The short answer is we don’t know. For five years now, they have intimated that their VS Tanks radio controlled series is in the offing yet here we are, with nothing to show for it. The same holds true for their 1:24 scale tanks released under their Forces of Valor moniker. The M1 Abrams and M26 Pershing tanks were originally slated to roll in last November, yet here it is June 2022 and we still have no further word on when to expect them. Back in May 2021, they even posted that “the wait is over” for their 1:16 scale T-72 tank, yet here we are over a year later with nothing to show for it. I’m not sure why they are okay with this tact, and have indicated our displeasure on more than one occasion.

The same holds true for all of their static 1:32 scale models, which are regularly hinted at online and are still posted as “coming soon” on the manufacturers web site, but show no signs of further progress. Like you, we aren’t happy about the situation and seem to get conflicting information when we ask about their likelihood of release. We don’t want to pull down these listings from our web site for fear that new information could, in fact, suddenly surface but we’re in the same situation as everyone else, regularly spoon fed erroneous information that oftentimes never materializes. At this point we strongly recommend that you contact the manufacturer directly to see why they continually post items to their web site that seems to languish on the drawing board for an eternity. You can reach them both on Facebook and through their own web site.

There’s some other important information that has arisen over the last couple of weeks that we aren’t comfortable sharing just yet with our customers. Its an important development, but one which we do not feel we can discuss at present until the manufacturer decides to explain it more fully. Anyway we will keep you apprised of any further developments as soon as we can.

That’s about it. Make sure to get vaccinated and enjoy the summer season. Everyone certainly deserves it after a tough 2021.

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21st Century Technology: UPS Takes Wing

Earlier today, CNBC broke a story where shipping giant UPS agreed to purchase and subsequently test ten eVTOLs for potential use as a means of delivering shipping containers to small and medium sized markets. An eVTOL, which stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, can takeoff and land atop a building thereby avoiding the need to fly into and out of airports. Moreover, eVTOLs make use of rechargeable batteries to provide power, much like an electric car. So, instead of delivering packages one at-a-time to the destination point, and requiring vast amounts of time to complete, an eVTOL can unload a container en masse, then return to its point of origin to repeat the process.

Currently, Beta Technologies, the maker of the eVTOLs, has applied for certification with the FAA. Pilots will likely have to go through a rigorous flying course much like a regular pilot and its not clear if eVTOLs can be used in adverse weather or in high wind conditions. Its possible that eVTOLs will eventually be unmanned, flying back and forth on an autonomous basis and/or steered from a remote site much like a military drone. For more information on the development, visit CNBC.

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Panzers Rollen in Afrika Vor!

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 German 88mm Flak 36/37 Anti-Aircraft Gun with Trailer – Deutsches Afrika Korps, El Alamein, North Africa, 1942 [Comes with Seven Crewmen and Rommel]

Well, almost. While its not quite a burly Mark IV medium tank clad in Afrika Korps markings pressing home Rommel’s attack, Forces of Valor’s opening entry in their 1:32 scale military vehicle category is an upgraded 88 FLaK gun, complete with eight accompanying figures. Painted in a desert sand motif and featuring a weathered exterior to give it a battle hardened appearance, the 88mm gun was one of the most feared weapons in the German inventory, able to take on advancing enemy armor well before they could come into range and bring their own guns to bear.

According to the manufacturer, their first shipment is now expected to ship out after Chinese New Year and should be hitting the dusty trail to our advanced encampment some time in March. Frankly, we may not have enough product available for general sale once all of our pre-orders have been addressed, so open stock may not be available for purchase until a second follow-on shipment reaches us in March. Don’t say we didn’t warn you if you wait until the first shipment arrives to place your order.

As an aside, FOV is showing their 2019 wares at next week’s Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany, so we hope to have images of some of their other forays direct from the Show. Stay tuned!

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USPS Shipping Costs Rise Dramatically for 2019

All three of the major shippers operating within the US are passing along pricing increases for the 2019 calendar year even though the price of oil has fallen over the past year. The USPS, which is the only service we currently use, are making two important changes which will have a major impact on the way we ship out products across North America. The first, which goes into effect on January 27th, is as follows:

USPS First Class packages are increasing an average of 11.9%. Note that USPS First Class Package Service pricing will change from a flat rate per ounce to zone-based pricing per ounce

USPS Priority Mail increases an average of 5.9%

Moreover, changes in weight distribution of packages will affect pricing on USPS packages starting in June.

Effective June 23, the USPS is planning to change the way they calculate dimension weight on Parcel Select Ground, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express. They currently apply dimensional weight (DIM Weight) pricing on medium to large packages with lower weights to take into consideration the amount of space taken up on a truck rather than a package’s physical weight.  As pricing changes take effect, the rate charged will be the higher cost of either Dim Weight or physical weight of a package.

As a result, shipping larger items, such as the upcoming 1:32 scale Forces of Valor vehicles and several of the larger 1:72 scale aircraft offered by a variety of manufacturers, will cost us dearly to ship out, particularly if the item(s) must be mailed to the West Coast, northwest and even the midwest. As a result, we will likely have to dispense with our flat rate shipping model on January 27th and determine shipping costs based upon what the USPS will assess us for each shipment. We regret having to make this decision but hope you recognize that we simply cannot afford to sell at a loss in order to make a sale.

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We’re Headed into The Final Stretch

Hobby Master’s 1:72 USN Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – VFA-101 “Grim Reapers”, CAG Bird, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 2013

Apart from some rather smallish shipments about to hit our receiving bay, it would appear as if there are no further deliveries expected for the balance of 2018. The December shipment of Hobby Master products will likely arrive after the New Year, as shippers and other components in the supply chain typically wind down their activities just after the holidays. Likewise, Modelcollect has been delayed until February and the next major Eaglemoss load will probably hit the North American market in early to mid January. As a result, we have updated our web site accordingly but will certainly keep an eye on things and make any adjustments to the shipping schedule should anything change from here on out.

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Save Some Room Under the Christmas Tree for Several Last-Minute Gifts

Hobby Master’s 1:48 USN Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat Fighter – Lt. Commander John Thach, “White 23”, VF-3, USS Yorktown (CV-5), June 4th-6th, 1942

The final two weeks of December is shaping up to be a real humdinger for us (do people even use that term anymore?) According to our distributor, several major shipments are still scheduled to arrive before the year is out, including the December Hobby Master cache, a large Eaglemoss order and a lone Forces of Valor Chinook that never seems to want to show up according to the battle plan. Its possible we could be getting a Modelcollect delivery as well, so keep your powder dry and remember several important products could still end up under the Christmas tree this year or at the very least make it onto the hors d’oeuvre platter for New Years. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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George H. W. Bush: The Man and His Machine

George H. W. Bush, behind the controls of “Barbara III” after he was assigned as a naval aviator in a new torpedo squadron, VT-153, based at Naval Air Station Grosse Ilse, Michigan. Each of his three aircraft were named after his future wife, Barbara

On Friday evening, the nation witnessed the passing of our 41st President, George H. W. Bush. As has been pointed out by the press and elsewhere, Bush enlisted in the US Navy when war with Japan broke out in 1941. After graduating from naval flight school, Bush was acknowledged to be the youngest US naval aviator of the war at only 18 years of age and would later go on to become a war hero, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions near Chichi Jima.

Bush piloted a Grumman Avenger TBM-1C torpedo-bomber, a 3-man aircraft designed for low-level attacks against enemy naval vessels. Because of this, many were shot down, forced to evade anti-aircraft fire from virtually every type of gun the Imperial Japanese Navy possessed. While flying a TBM with VT-51 (from the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)), Bush’s plane was shot down on September 2nd, 1944 over the Pacific island of Chichi Jima. Both of his crewmates died; however, because he released his payload and hit the target before being forced to bail out, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Bush, seated behind the controls of his TBM Avenger aboard the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)

After being rescued at sea by the submarine USS Finback, Bush subsequently returned to San Jacinto in November 1944 and participated in operations in the Philippines until his squadron was replaced and sent home to the United States. Through 1944, he flew 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to San Jacinto.

Because of his valuable combat experience, Bush was reassigned to Norfolk Navy Base and put in a training wing for new torpedo pilots. He was later assigned as a naval aviator in a new torpedo squadron, VT-153, based at Naval Air Station Grosse Ilse, Michigan. Upon the Japanese surrender in 1945, Bush was honorably discharged in September of that year.

Several years ago, Hobby Master produced a 1:72 scale replica of his earliest mount “Barbara”, which has long since sold out and will likely appreciate in value now that he has passed away. We are therefore hoping that the manufacturer will re-release a model of his aircraft and, if at all possible, consider offering a 1:32 scale tribute too as a means of kicking off their 1:32 scale run of the Avenger and as a tribute to the man and his machine.

George Bush after bailing out of his stricken aircraft and rescued by the US submarine USS Finback


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Star Trek for a Starry Night


Eaglemoss Star Trek Federation Cardenas Class Starship – USS Buran NCC-1412

Now that our Eaglemoss shipments have resumed, we’re starting to receive updates concerning their many Star Trek lines almost on a daily basis. Currently, a number of long out-of-stock standard sized starships are warping their way to us, all expected to make port around the end of November.

Beyond that, there are a multitude of new ships slated for a December release, covering everything from their Discovery series to their over-sized XL line. We cannot say for certain if all of the ships will make it in time for the holidays but at least its refreshing to know that product is back in the pipeline with even more new items scheduled for a January and February roll out.

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