According to ComicBook.com, plans are underway at Paramount to create a third installment in the highly-acclaimed Top Gun franchise. The site goes on to say that the three central actors from Top Gun 2 – Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Glen Powell – will be reprising their respective roles although no word as yet concerning the third flick’s plot, aircraft depicted or adversaries the trio will face off against. For more information, feel free to peruse the following article: https://comicbook.com/movies/news/top-gun-3-development-tom-cruise-returning/?fbclid=IwAR2d6GVtzt43GjuAgYlv5xHxvxeh84vppRr0zQ-Yf_jr71z6bittqSQEI5M
Sukhoi’s S-70 Okhotnik-B stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV)
While much is being made of the forthcoming “Loyal Wingman” program here in the US, a project in which a manned jet is controlling one or more unmanned jets to increase the effectiveness of the airborne package, Russia may soon be unveiling its own “Tavaryš” or Comrade system later this year.
The Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B (Russian: Сухой С-70 “Охотник”, ‘Hunter’), also referred to as Hunter-B, is a Russian stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) being developed by Sukhoi and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG as a sixth-generation aircraft project. The drone is based on the earlier Mikoyan Skat, designed by MiG, and encompassing some technologies of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet. In the future, it is planned to act under the control of pilots of Su-57 jets, similarly to the USAF Skyborg program.
The Okhotnik has been under development since at least 2011, when Sukhoi was selected by the Russian Defense Ministry to lead a program for a new heavy unmanned reconnaissance and attack drone. The new UCAV is being jointly developed by MiG and Sukhoi, based on data of the earlier Mikoyan Skat UCAV program. The work is carried out by the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO), part of the Sukhoi company. In the documents, the drone is characterized as a “sixth-generation unmanned aerial vehicle”.
The first mock-up intended for ground tests was created in 2014. Prototype of the drone was first revealed in July 2017, showing the drone’s flying wing configuration.
In November 2018, the drone performed first series of taxiing, speeding and stopping tests in fully autonomous mode at a runway of the NAPO plant. During the runs, it has reached a maximum speed of 200 km/h.
An Okhotnik-B UCAV flying alongside a Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” fifth-generation fighterstill undergoing flight testing
On January 18th, 2019, the third flyable Su-57 prototype (bort no. 053) was spotted wearing a new digital camouflage paint scheme, with digital silhouette of the Okhotnik on its top and underside and a unique markings on the vertical tail showing the shape of a UCAV flying alongside the shape of Su-57 with a lightning bolt (universally used to show electronic connectivity and data sharing) between the two. On January 24th, 2019, first flyable prototype of the drone was seen towed at the NAPO plant. According to Russian officials, the Su-57 is being used as a flying laboratory for the testing of the Okhotnik’s avionics systems.
In late May 2019, Okhotnik performed a series of flight tests during which the drone flew several meters above a runway of the NAPO plant. On August 3rd, 2019, Okhotnik performed its maiden flight. The drone flew for about 20 minutes at an altitude of 600 meters above Chkalov State Flight Test Center in Akhtubinsk, and made several circles around the airfield. On August 7th, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video of the first flight.
On September 27th, 2019, Russian MoD released a video showcasing the first flight of Okhotnik alongside a Su-57. Reportedly the UAV operated autonomously and flew for more than 30 minutes interacting with the Su-57 to test extending the fighter’s radar and target designation range for use of long-range air-launched weapons from the outside of enemy air defenses.
On February 12th, 2021, it was reported that three additional prototypes were under construction at the Novosibirsk Chkalov Aviation Plant, according to a source in the military-industrial complex. The second model is a modified copy of the 1st prototype while the 3rd and 4th prototypes will be identical to the serial production unit. The improvements will relate to the systems of onboard radio-electronic equipment and structural elements of the air frame. The three additional prototypes should be ready for flight tests in 2022 and 2023. The source in the military-industrial complex also said that the serial Hunter will receive a standard flat nozzle to further reduce their thermal and radar signature.
On February 28th, 2021, it was reported that the Okhotnik will be used aboard the future Project 23900 Ivan Rogov amphibious assault ships, capable of carrying four Okhotnik drones, for reconnaissance and strike missions. The second prototype was rolled out in December 2021, with a new flat jet nozzle.
Okhotnik reportedly tested unguided weapons like free-fall bombs in 2021 and carried out tests with precision-guided munitions in 2022. In August 2023, it was reported that state tests for the Okhotnik will be completed by the end of 2023, with the drone expected to enter mass production in 2024.
With both Hobby Master and Air Force 1 having already produced several versions of the Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” fifth-generation fighter, it remains to be seen if one or perhaps both modelmakers will sit up and take notice of this important technological development and decide to offer either a stand alone version of the “Hunter” or possibly create a gift set that combines both a manned and unmanned aircraft suited for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
Per Hobby Master’s MAP guidelines, we will be removing any price restrictions on all of the June 2023 Hobby Master arrivals. The price for each item has been reduced to their regular selling price and you may now apply any discounts we offer towards the purchase of these items. This process will recur on the first of every month in compliance with their updated MAP pricing program. You can tell if an item is no longer MAP protected if the blue MAP seal that appears alongside its image and just below its price has been removed. In effect, a retailer is no longer bound by the 6-month introductory MAP restriction policy and can sell the item for whatever price they deem appropriate.
We’ve been in touch with our supplier for the AFVs of WWII series and passed along our suggestions for the next set of tanks for the coming year. Many of the vehicles are based upon requests we’ve received over the years, so sales should be brisk once they get the nod of approval and hit the production line. We will keep everyone informed regarding their progress as information is passed along to us.
Ever since we opened in 2000, we believe in being as transparent as possible, sharing as much information with our customers as is possible. Sometimes said information is too sensitive to share publicly so we have to remain mum and keep in mind the considerations of both our clientele as well as our vendors if we are to remain an effective retailer.
In the case of Forces of Valor, its been a mixed bag of late, as we attempt to figure out why product hasn’t been made available here in North America despite our best prodding and pushing to get accurate information direct from the source. Essentially, when Waltersons acquired Greenlight Collectibles back in May, they realized that Greenlight’s facilities were too small to hold both company’s inventory. So, they went out and found a nearby public warehouse to hold the Forces of Valor inventory, at least until they could sort things out in the new year. Unfortunately, they have run into a litany of problems using a public warehouse, which has prevented them from being able to serve their vendors, and, in turn, their customers.
We’ve been told that sometime in February they plan to move both the Greenlight and Waltersons inventory to a new warehouse, although we have no assurances that this plan isn’t fraught with its own perils and pitfalls. Right now, we are still awaiting news concerning a re-stock shipment that will supposedly hit the road shortly. Communication with Waltersons isn’t exactly their strong suit, so getting up-to-date information has become a hit-or-miss proposition. As for their new product that was supposed to become available in October and then December, we’ve been told that the shipment has arrived at the public warehouse, although nothing further has been discussed. At this point, it is entirely possible that their new product may not ship out until February, once they have consolidated their inventory and addressed any issues that the new warehouse may pose. For now, we are listing them in our January upcoming releases section, although its a fair bet that this could slip by yet another month. Mind you we have no hand in the process and no way of getting moved up to the front of the line to receive product as quick as it comes in.
In summation, please be patient and understand that as it currently stands we are working to get and share news with you as it hits the wire. Remember, patience is a virtue, and right now looking at ways to purchase more patience with an Amazon gift card we received this holiday season. In the mean tine, peace out.
Update: As of January 3rd, here’s where we stand with the Forces of Valor series. Our point of contact has indicated that our re-stock order will ship out to us this week, which means it should arrive sometime during the second week of January. They are also claiming that the new merchandise is in stock and ready to be shipped out, however, we have elected to hold off receiving this merchandise until they can demonstrate that they are capable of shipping out an order on time and correctly. Our last shipment, which arrived way back in October, was totally FUBAR and led to all sorts of issues that took weeks to address to our satisfaction. So, we want to see how the re-stock shipment goes before committing our resources, time and energy towards another potential fiasco. I know this isn’t what a great many of you want to hear but when we face a problem of this magnitude we insist that the supplier go back to the drawing board and get things right. Walk before you learn how to run, so-to-speak.
If the re-stock shipment goes as planned and without any hitches, then we will have Forces of Valor release their new product shipment to us, perhaps as early as the second week of January. This means that the new merchandise should reach us before the close of the month. As always, we ask for your patience in this matter and hope you can understand that we need to ensure that Forces of Valor can ship out product in both an expeditious manner and without any additional problems.
Neo Dragon Armor’s 1:72 scale German Late Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – SS-Oberscharfuhrer Heinrich Ernst, “Green 112”, 1./schwere SS Panzerabteilung 101, Normandy, France, Summer 1944
The tracking information for our Dragon shipment shows it arriving this Sunday, the 24th. Of course, the shipment could get parked at our doorstep at 9PM or get hijacked by a bunch of punch-drunk elves, which means we won’t address it until the 26th, at the earliest. So, we’ve moved all of the Neo Dragon Armor subjects to our New Arrivals section in preparation for their arrival, which means you can apply the current sales discount to any orders since they’re technically “in-stock”.
As always, Forces of Valor seems to a be a different beast, no pun intended. We’ve paid for the merchandise but our illustrious distributor handling the line is still sitting on the merchandise with no explanation as to why it hasn’t gone out yet. If they hustle, it will likely show up right after Christmas — provided, of course, they get religion and decide to act in an expeditious manner and remember who the customer is. More about that at a later date. So, to sum up, Dragon yay, Forces of Valor maybe, all by the tail end of 2023.
Ever since man took up arms against his fellow man, humankind has sought out ways to gain the upper hand in battle. In the case of cloaked or stealth aircraft, a number of nations have attempted to develop ways to detect that which is supposedly “un-seeable”, or at least get a better understanding of what they are confronting in the modern battlespace so that measures can be brought to bear to unravel their advantages.
One of the latest developments arising from the so-called “stealth wars” is IRST. An infrared search and track (IRST) system (sometimes known as infrared sighting and tracking) is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infrared radiation, such as the infrared signatures of jet aircraft and helicopters.
IRST is a generalized case of forward looking infrared (FLIR), i.e. from forward-looking to all-round situation awareness. Such systems are passive (thermographic camera), meaning they do not give out any radiation of their own, unlike radar. This gives them the advantage that they are difficult to detect.
However, because the atmosphere attenuates infrared to some extent (although not as much as visible light) and because adverse weather can attenuate it also (again, not as badly as visible systems), their range compared to a radar is limited. Within range, an IRST’s angular resolution is better than radar due to the shorter wavelength.
To date, Hobby Master has done an admirable job of modeling some of the latest experimental aircraft still undergoing testing by the USAF, all in an effort to once again gain the upper hand in aerial warfare. Their “chrome” covered F-22s sold out almost the moment they became available and are now commanding prices well in excess of their introductory price. That said, the USAF is conducting field testing of other experimental aircraft, eventually choosing the best means of protecting their aircraft in combat for the foreseeable future. The so-called “symbiote” F-22 represents another step towards remaining stealthy in aerial combat.
Nicknamed “Disco” or Symbiote F-22, the new Raptor with a reflective coating has been one of the highlights for the photographers gathered outside Nellis Air Force Base for Red Flag 22-2.
A second F-22 with a mirror-like coating has been spotted flying out of Nellis AFB, Nevada. As already explained, the new coating on this second stealth aircraft appears to be much different than the one on the Raptor [IDed as airframe #04-4065] that made its first appearance in November 2021: it features smaller, mirror-like tiles applied on the nose section, weapons bay doors, fuselage and also inner and outer face of the twin tails.
Hobby Master is already hard at work developing a model based upon the symbiote scheme. While pre-production photos are still a couple of months off, the manufacturer did release a four-sided illustration that ably demonstrates the look of their newest F-22. It is our belief that HA2828, as it is currently known, will instantly become a hit when it is released in 2024, and become hard to get in the after market. That said, there’s still time to pre-purchase this model before it flies off for the great blue yonder.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Sgt. Daniel “Buttons” Cardell, “Julia”, 761st Tank Battalion “Black Panthers”, Task Force Rhine, Germany, 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Typically, as the holiday season draws to a close, we take stock of what items are still expected to arrive by year’s end, all in an effort to provide the greatest selection of merchandise available even after the holidays have come and gone. This year, we still have quite a few re-stocks and new items scheduled to show up in the waning weeks of 2023 and into the New Year, many of which people have been waiting for for several months running.
Neo Dragon Armor’s 1:72 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. G Medium Tank – “Black 112”, Unidentified Unit, Prussia, 1945
In the case of Forces of Valor, we are expecting a re-stock order to arrive by the end of this week, barring any last minute unforeseen issues with either the weather or the supply chain. Said shipment includes several of their most recently released warships as well as a number of 1:32 scale tanks that we ran out of during the holiday rush. Waltersons, the manufacturers of the line, claims that a shipment of long-awaited new items is due to reach them over the next few days. Rather than hold up our re-stock shipment, we elected to have them shipped to us first, followed by the new product, which is currently on track to reach us by either the first or second week of January. This follow-on shipment will also include another cache of “Cobra King” Shermans, which have become their most popular vehicle in 2023.
JC Wings’ 1:72 scale US Navy Vought A-7E Corsair II Attack Aircraft – VA-93 “Blue Blazers”, USS Midway (CV-41), 1979
Another distributor reports that a very large shipment of Neo Dragon Armor 1:72 scale military vehicles are also winging their way to us and is hopefully hitting our loading dock by the end of this week. This shipment includes a vast array of Abrams, Panther, Jagdpanther and Tiger I heavy tanks, all of which are denoted within are Product in Transit section. In addition, a second JC Wings A-7E Corsair is scheduled for release, as are a number of Panzerkampf 1:72 scale armor re-stocks. Needless to say, we’ll update our New Arrivals section once they arrive and get them out-the-door just as soon as they’re checked in and ready for outbound shipping.
We’re still awaiting news if the December Hobby Master shipment is on track for a late December fly-over or if it has been shunted into early January. We’ll pass along this information just as soon as we catch wind of it. Enjoy!
Oxford’s British BL 14-inch Railway Howitzer and Rod 2330 0-6-0 Locomotive with Coal Tender Set – “Boche Buster”
Over the weekend, we learned that Oxford Diecast is bringing back two favorites that have long been sold out. The first is a 1:76 scale British BL 14-inch Railway Howitzer that was dubbed “Boche Buster” while the second is a more upscale version that includes the rail gun, Rod 2330 0-6-0 Locomotive and coal tender. In the past, both sold well at retail and we had been agitating for their return to the fold over the years. Apparently someone is listening and we are now taking pre-orders for both sets. Presently, we do not have a release date for either set, so we are presuming they’ll be rolled out in the latter half of 2024.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy North American RA-5C Vigilante Strike Bomber – 150834/604, RVAH-13 “Bats”, USS Kitty Hawk (CVN-63), 1966 [Experimental SEA Camouflage Scheme]
In Greek mythology, Ganymede is a divine hero whose homeland was Troy. Homer describes Ganymede as the most beautiful of mortals and tells the story of how he was abducted by the gods to serve as Zeus’s cup bearer in Olympus.
Like Ganymede, the North American RA-5C Vigilante strike bomber was one of the most beautiful aircraft to ever serve in the US Navy’s arsenal, swept up from its original purpose to serve in a completely different role.
Despite being designated by the US Navy as a “heavy”, the A-5 was surprisingly agile for such a large aircraft. Without the drag of bombs or missiles, even escorting fighters found that the clean airframe and powerful engines made the Vigilante very fast at high and low altitudes. However, its high approach speed and high angle of attack in the landing configuration made returning to the aircraft carrier a challenge for inexperienced or unwary pilots.
Given its original design as a carrier-based, supersonic, nuclear heavy attack aircraft, the Vigilante’s main armament was carried in a novel “linear bomb bay” between the engines in the rear fuselage, which provided for positive separation of the bomb from the aircraft at supersonic speeds. The single nuclear weapon, commonly the Mk 28 bomb, was attached to two disposable fuel tanks in the cylindrical bay in an assembly known as the “stores train”. A set of extendable fins was attached to the aft end of the most rearward fuel tank. These fuel tanks were to be emptied during the flight to the target and then jettisoned with the bomb by an explosive drogue gun. The stores train was propelled rearward at about 50 feet per second (30 knots) relative to the aircraft. It thereafter followed a typical ballistic path.
In practice, the system was not reliable and no live weapons were ever carried in the linear bomb bay. In the RA-5C configuration, the bay was used solely for fuel. On three occasions, the shock of the catapult launch caused the fuel cans to eject onto the deck resulting in one aircraft loss.
Hobby Master’s first set of Vigilantes has been out-of-stock for some time, neglected, some say, in favor of other more popular aircraft. Nevertheless, December marks the return of the Vigilante and a fitting tribute to any aviation enthusiast’s pantheon of diecast warplanes.
