As Waltersons, the new owner of the Forces of Valor brand, continues to build out its web site, product images are beginning to appear for some of their upcoming products. By clicking on their Exhibition link, located within the footer of their web site, then clicking on some of the recent Asian Hobby Shows, you can make out some of the tanks and aircraft slated for a 2017 release.
While some of the images are rather small, they do go along way towards proving that the manufacturer is hard at work bringing product to market and what you can expect from some of the re-purposed items carried over from the original range. http://forcesofvalor.com/new_website/event_toyfair.php
Ebay is currently running a promotion where buyers can earn 6% on qualifying items less than $50, 8% on items $50 or more, for purchases made by August 24th at 11:59PST. Said discount can be applied across all categories. This discount may be deducted from any future purchases once the buyer has been notified, which generally happens one month later.
Thus far, Sukhoi has sold a paltry dozen Su-57s to the Russian Air Force and none for foreign export, despite entering into an agreement with India for a number of potential variants
Much has been made of Russia’s so-called fifth generation fighter, the Su-57 (formerly the Pak FA), although, according to recent reports, it may be a stealth aircraft in name only. Jane’s, the holy grail of weapons analysis and performance, has gone on record to indicate that the Su-57 is already a dismal failure, an aircraft that was supposed to turn the military aviation world on its ear and serve as a viable contender to go toe-to-toe with both the USAF F-22 and F-35 entrants.
According to Jane’s, there are a number of critical areas in which the Su-57 fails to live up to its billing. For one, the aircraft’s internal weapons compartment is incapable of storing some of the latest weapons in the Russian arsenal, forcing the designers to hang the ordnance as external stores, thus all but undermining the aircraft’s stealth profile. Meanwhile, the aircraft’s power plant borrows from older fourth generation weapons platforms, and from a cursory observation, doesn’t seem to be shrouded in any type of heat dampening mechanism, again defeating the aircraft’s radar cross section return. Interestingly, NATO has yet to assign a reporting name to the Su-57, something they typically do for all potential adversarial aircraft produced by Russian aircraft makers. Perhaps they will go with “Failure”.
Its been an interesting 24 hours in the Dragon Armor camp. Yesterday came word that two more German PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2 (G) medium tanks are on the horizon, long overdue mainstays of the Wehrmacht throughout the prosecution of the Second World War. The first represents a vehicle that served with the 13.Panzer Division in the Northern Caucusus region of Russia during 1942 (DRR60697), while the latter portrays a tank attached to an unidentified unit during early 1943 (DRR60698). Both are slated for an October arrival.
Meanwhile, to keep the panzers at bay, Dragon has indicated that their first pairing of T-34-85 medium tanks have left the factory, ready to go toe-to-toe with these panzers. Expected next week are a Soviet T-34/85 Mod. 1944 Medium Tank that was supplied to the 1st Battalion, 63rd Guards Tank Brigade, then serving on the Eastern Front during 1944 (DRR60255) while the second represents a Soviet T-34/85 Mod. 1944 Medium Tank that was doled out to the 38th Independent Tank Regiment, on its march through Eastern Europe in early 1945 (DRR60256).
You should have no trouble warding off enemy aircraft with this German Flak40 128mm Zwillingsflak Anti-Aircraft Gun
Sure, Modelcollect has churned out enough T-72/T-80 main battle tanks to fill up an armored museum, but that doesn’t mean they’re leaving everyone high and dry on the WWII battlefield. Besides their German Flak40 128mm Zwillingsflak anti-aircraft gun (AS72071), which is designed to sit atop a FLaK tower, the Company has also announced plans to offer a German 12.8cm Flak40 Anti-Aircraft Gun with Kreuzlafette (AS72076), which is essentially a larger version of the famed 88mm FLaK gun affixed to a cruciform mount.
Modelcollect’s second artillery pieces portrays a German 12.8cm Flak40 Anti-Aircraft Gun with Kreuzlafette
The manufacturer claims it is already in stock, although only a line art drawing has been posted to their web site. Nevertheless, the new model demonstrates their eagerness to fill a void in the military space, which has thus far been served by only a handful of accurate replicas.
Walterson’s new portrayal of the Jagftiger heavy tank destroyer boasts lots more metal than their Unimax counterparts.
Its been awhile since we last saw product photos from Waltersons concerning their range of 1:32 Forces of Valor military vehicles. We’re still hoping for updated photos shortly, since these items are scheduled to go into production soon in order to meet the holiday deadline.
In the interim, we decided to post a couple of pre-production photos Waltersons uploaded to Facebook for two of their upcoming tank destroyers. As you can see from the images, the manufacturer is going to great lengths to return the line to its former glory when they were first introduced way back in 2002. The photos clearly demonstrate the amount of metal being used to flesh out the chassis, gun and other key areas, meaning they will be much heavier in the hand when they are completed. While its important to note that the engine compartments for the new range will come fully modeled and boast a removable engine, we thought it equally important to point out that even the accompanying crew figures are being reworked, thereby showing the Company’s commitment to quality as well as value.
Reworked crew figures will accompany each vehicle, in keeping with the Company’s belief that everything will be overhauled.
We’re still hoping for actual production photos before Labor Day, along with realistic release dates for the first group of vehicles on the docket. We will keep everyone apprised just as soon as we hear back from the manufacturer.
The USS Saratoga may have sunk beneath the waves over seventy years ago, but that doesn’t prevent it from serving in your navy today, provided you order it right away.
We often get asked if sold out items will ever return to stock. Typically we say no, since many items are made in single batches, although we have learned in recent years that some times treasure troves exist, if you turn over enough rocks. Earlier today, we were told that several sold out DeAgostini Warships of the Second World War will be returning to the high seas in November, among them the USS Saratoga, IJN Yamato, and HMS Vanguard, three of the quickest selling warships in the series. Quantities are limited, so if you are interested in procuring any of these favorites, we strongly recommend pre-ordering them now before they make port during the holiday season.
Chinese modelmaker, Modelcollect, has never been one to shy away from a risky project, churning out a steady diet of unique subjects that other companies seem to sidestep. That said, their latest venture has us a bit baffled, since it seems to stray far from the beaten trail into no-man’s land.
Recently, the company unveiled CAD pix for a new line dubbed Fists of War, which seems to combine familiar WWII-era weapons systems with science fiction. As you can see from the accompanying pictures, one item features what appears to be a King Tiger Ausf. B. Henschel turret and chassis with a multi-legged means of getting around. We aren’t sure if Fists of War is a home grown sci-fi system or one licensed from another company, since we haven’t been able to locate any information on it on the web.
Frankly, we aren’t sure how many of our customers are interested in this new range and how it fits within our present product portfolio, more rooted in historical fact than fiction. As more information is disseminated, we will likely list these items on our site as special order merchandise, meaning we will bring in product only to fill any orders we receive.
Not content to watch a grizzled old warrior die on the vine, Boeing has put together a slick new video showcasing what they call the Advanced F-15 2040C Stealth Fighter. Based upon a standard F-15 Eagle airframe, “the F-15 2040C series of upgrades would extend the life of the fourth-generation F-15C air superiority fighter to complement the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor. The 2040 version would double to 16 the number of air-to-air missiles the fighter carries, extend its range and improve its lethality and survivability with upgraded electronics,” according to AIN Online.
“An F-15 2040C would also extend the fighter’s production line in St. Louis, which with 84 F-15SAs destined for Saudi Arabia has firm orders through 2019. Boeing previously offered a stealthy “Silent Eagle” version for South Korea’s F-X III fighter competition, but that country last year settled on the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II for the requirement.
The package would incorporate the programmed radar upgrade of F-15C/Ds with the Raytheon APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned radar and a new electronic warfare suite called EPAWSS, for the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System. A proposed long-range infrared search and track sensor pod would complement the AESA radar. Boeing supplies conformal fuel tanks on the multi-role F-15E Strike Eagle; the 2040C upgrade would add them on the F-15C. The proposed weapons load increase would be accomplished by adding a Boeing-developed “quad pack” carriage system on two weapons stations. A communications and networking pod with advanced datalinks, now being demonstrated under the Air Force’s Talon HATE program, would enable the older F-15 to interact with the Raptor and other platforms.”
With other planes in the US military’s arsenal already being re-purposed to extend their life at a fraction of the cost of obtaining newer aircraft, there’s a good chance the F-15 2040C will survive any proposed budget cuts and remain a staple of the USAF well into the 21st century. Interestingly, Boeing is billing the F-15 2040C as a stealth fighter, so it will be curious to see how they plan to achieve this lofty aim considering all of the plane’s ordnance are slung externally thereby increasing the aircraft’s radar return signature.
Ebay is currently running a promotion where buyers earn 10% on qualifying items made by August 11th at 11:59PST for purchases of $50 or more. Said discount can be applied across all categories. This discount may be deducted from any future purchases once the buyer has been notified, which generally happens one month later.
