Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale take on “Marine One” – a MV-22B used to ferry the President to and from local Andrews Air Force Base
It was perhaps a matter of time before Air Force 1 got around to modelling the US President’s short-hopper, “Marine One”. After all, the manufacturer has released four operational schemes to date, so a Presidential version was likely in the cards from day one.
“Marine One” bears the familiar United State Marine Corps stenciling running along the length of the fuselage
Based upon the MV-22B variant of the Osprey, Air Force 1’s depiction of “Marine One” bears the familiar green and white paint scheme associated with the President’s ride, as well as the tell tale “United States Marine Corps” stenciled across the length of the fuselage (AF10012B). Look for “Marine One” to lift off from the White House lawn this October.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2B “Zero” Fighter – LCDR Shigeru Itaya, IJN Akagi, December 1941
One of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War has finally joined the Hobby Master arsenal with news that the manufacturer will soon offer up a 1:48 scale Mitsubishi Zero fighter. The first effort is expected in February, and is based upon Lieutenant Commander Shigeru Itaya’s A6M2B Zero that was embarked upon the aircraft carrier Akagi as it participated in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. No doubt other variants, schemes and types will be added to the Zero fly-by, as the Company better gauges interest in its sales success.
Going for insane prices in the after market, Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale returns to the front lines. Seen here is a Polish Achilles IIC Tank Destroyer – 1st Anti-tank Regiment, Polish 1st Armoured Division, Netherlands, Autumn 1944
Hobby Master also announced a bunch of other new aircraft in its September newsletter, along with a pair of 1:72 scale Achilles tank destroyers, which have long since sold out at most retail venues. On the down side, their initial trio of M60A1 Patton tanks, originally due out this fall, have been pushed back until February, although now reason was provided for the delay.
We have received reports that many of the roads leading into and out of the southeast portion of the United States are now cleared of debris and that power should be restored to many affected customers by Monday September 18th. Furthermore, we have learned that the USPS, UPS and FedEx will be resuming shipments into and out of the southeastern US this coming Monday. So, we will be resuming shipments to the affected area beginning Monday although there could still be intermittent delays where service has not been fully restored or in instances where the Postal Service has decided to temporarily withhold shipments including the Florida Keys.
And the hits just keep on coming. Late this afternoon, one of our distributors informed us that many of the previously sold out 1:43 scale Eaglemoss military vehicles are returning to the battlefield this October, many of which were either available in very limited numbers or not at all. According to the literature, this will likely be a “come as you are party” meaning they will likely get only one shipment and no restocks. We are currently in the process of changing the status on those items listed in our Eaglemoss section from “Sold Out” to “Back Order” so you may place your orders as soon as possible.
Eaglemoss’ 1:43 scale German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. N Medium Tank – schwere Panzer Abteilung 503, Bogoduchow, Ukraine, 1943
If you previously ordered any of these vehicle but not got your order filled, we strongly recommend you contact us immediately to see if you would still like these items or perhaps add to your order. We will be placing our order with the distributor tomorrow, so we advise taking a look at the Eaglemoss section and your backs orders as soon as possible before we transmit our order.
SkyMax Models’ USN Douglas TBD-1 Devastator Torpedo Plane – VT-8, USS Hornet (CV-8), June 1942 “Battle of Midway”
We took a wait and see attitude with SkyMax Models over the past year, ever since they started raising their prices on some of their newest releases well above what we thought the market would bear. This strategy may have paid off for everyone concerned since two of their latest aircraft are now being offered at bargain basement pricing.
Cut almost in half from its original MAP pricing, the first aircraft up for your consideration is this Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo plane, which represents a warbird that took part in the Battle of Midway (SM8008) in June 1942.
SkyMax Models’ 1:72 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Aichi D3A1 Val Dive-Bomber – EII-235, Aircraft Carrier Zuikaku, “Battle of Coral Sea”
The second release is an Imperial Japanese Navy Aichi D3A1 Val dive-bomber, then embarked upon the Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku, which took part in the Battle of Coral Sea in early 1942 (SM5008). Both models are now being offered at just $39.99, a far cry from their initial street price when they took to the skies earlier this year.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank – schwere Panzer Abteilung 501, Ardennes, 1944
If you weren’t lucky enough to score some of the Cyber-Hobby 1:72 scale tanks released well over a decade ago, then you may want to toss that Fidget aside and take notice. To help restart their Dragon Armor line, the Company plans to offer two new King Tiger Ausf. B heavy tanks that look eerily similar to some of the Cyber-Hobby versions that have skyrocketed in value over the years. While they won’t come in collector tins or come bundled with numbered certificates of authenticity like their expensive cousins, the first pairing of heavies will no doubt get scooped up by the handful once they hit the street in November.
Dragon’s German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank – schwere Panzer Abteilung 509, Hungary, 1945
We’ve listed both vehicles (DRR60399 and DRR60400) on our web site and have begun accepting pre-orders. Keep in mind both of these replicas are already being considered home runs in the collectible market, and will no doubt soar in value once they start to sell out. As far as we are concerned, these are considered “no-brainers” that signal the start of something big in Dragon’s armored stable.
An October treat: a 1:43 scale replica of an Italian Centauro Tank Destroyer
Looking to expand their foothold in the North American market, Atlas Editions will soon make available a quartet of new 1:43 scale military vehicles this October. On the land, expect to see a Willys jeep (ATL7123101), Italian Centauro Tank Destroyer (ATL7123112), USMC LAV-25 Piranha Light Armored Vehicle (ATL7123117), and Italian Fiat Iveco Oto Melara Type 6614 Armored Personnel Carrier (ATL7123117).
Germany’s most advanced submarine of WWII will surface this October. Clear the decks for a German Kriegsmarine Type XXI U-Boat – U-2540, Germany, 1945
By sea, two German U-Boats will surface soon: a German Kriegsmarine Type VIC U-Boat – U-552, Germany, 1941 (ATL7169103) and a German Kriegsmarine Type XXI U-Boat – U-2540, Germany, 1945 (ATL7169105). The latter is, perhaps, the most coveted warship in the Atlas submarine series, since it represents the most advanced submarine ever to set sail with the Kriegsmarine.
The U.S.C.S.S. Nostromo from the blockbuster sci-fi film Alien
Eaglemoss is no stranger to both the Alien and Predator sci-fi universe, having released a bevy of figures tied to each license over the last few years. However, when to comes to some of the ships portrayed in the feature films, the Company has thus far sidestepped the issue, perhaps looking to take the Star Trek starships series as far as it can go before tackling another ship-based line up.
That said, it appears as if Eaglemoss has finally begun to take the ships a bit more seriously, announcing their intent to offer a range of larger ships beginning later this year. The first ship in the brand new series is based upon the U.S.C.S.S. Nostromo.The Nostromo was a modified Lockmart CM-88B Bison M-Class starfreighter captained by Arthur Dallas, registered to the Weyland-Yutani Corporation out of Panama. The Nostromo operated as a tug, connecting to and pulling loads like a tractor truck rather than carrying those loads on board like a traditional freighter.
The ship was destroyed in 2122 when its reactor was set to self-destruct by Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley in an attempt to kill the lone Xenomorph that was loose aboard the vessel. The ship and its cargo were completely destroyed in the resulting explosion.
According to reports, the Eaglemoss rendition of the Nostromo will measure approximately eight inches in length and be composed of diecast metal and ABS. Its not clear presently if it will come bundled with a magazine as is customary with the Star Trek starship series nor the frequency of releases once the Nostromo hits the streets. Likewise, we do not have any indication if Eaglemoss plans to offer any subscription-based rewards for ordering directly from the manufacturer. We hope to have further details concerning the new series in the coming weeks. Rumor has it they may also introduce another series connected to the Battlestar Galactica sci-fi universe, although nothing has been announced thus far.
With Hurricane Irma due to make landfall in Florida some time this weekend, we may elect to hold any outbound shipments destined for the region for several days until such time that it is prudent to resume shipments. The same may hold true for the Carolinas and up along the eastern seaboard as we get a better sense of the hurricane’s impact on the entire region. We apologize for the decision but hope you understand that sometimes prudence is the better part of valor.
Note: On Friday, September 8th at 5PM EST, FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service all announced that they have suspended service to the affected region for the next several days and will wait until the storm has passed before determining when they can resume service.
Needless to say, we wish everyone in the affected region the best of luck ahead of the storm. Stay safe and heed the warnings of the local authorities.
With summer all but a distant memory, we’ve updated our Calendar of Events page to reflect both domestic and international shipping deadlines for the upcoming holiday season. If you plan on sending a gift or want to know the drop dead dates to mail an item amidst the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, we strongly suggest you peruse the calendar to see how it fits within your shopping plans.
