Calibre Wings announced plans to model the General Dynamics F-16, which could be moved ahead of the Eurofighter Typhoon, Sukhoi Su-24 and MiG-29 already hinted at
There seems to be a mad dash, of late, to see which manufacturer can lay claim to replicating some of the most iconic aircraft of the modern era. While Hobby Master is taking on the Su-35S Flanker-E and Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat, Calibre Wings has set its stakes on other high profile aircraft, the most notable now being the General Dynamics F-16 Flying Falcon. According to several postings on their Facebook page, the Company is already hard at work putting the finishing touches on the CAD program for the F-16, rather than porting over model kits, which could contain their own anomalies. This permits the Company greater flexibility when attempting to model the intricacies of each Falcon variant, and shows the lengths with which this newcomer to the replica game is prepared to carve out its own niche in the marketplace.
Sophisticated Computer Aided Design (CAD) programming is now utilized by most serious manufacturers rather than reliance on porting over model kits
If you’re an avid gamer like I am, and a huge fan of Company of Heroes like, well, I am, then you may find the accompanying news a bit on the incredible side. Fellow devotees of the real-time strategy game went so far as to model one of the featured maps of the game, right down to the buildings, terrain and road net. Modeled in 1:48 scale, the folks at B+B Models expressed their love for the game by breathing life into the Angoville Farms map, including adding troops and vehicles so they could portray a mock battle. You can see the fruits of their labor here:http://www.companyofheroes.com/blog/2017/05/25/coh-10th-anniversary-angoville-farms
Yesterday, actor Tom Cruise leaked word that he and director, Jerry Bruckheimer, were working on the sequel to Top Gun, the 1986 box office smash hit that helped propel Cruise to stardom and give US Navy recruiting a kick in the pants. Little is known about the plot for Top Gun 2 or where it will be set. However, since its now 30 years later, we can likely presume that Cruise’s character, Pete Mitchell, is a flying instructor at the Naval Flying School, and that a younger, fresher face will almost certainly sit in the cockpit this time around, defending the world from whatever is thrown our way. With territorial disputes around the world, and tension rising in a number of geo-political hot spots, it wouldn’t be difficult to presume the enemy could be Iranian, North Korean, Russian or Chinese, flying the latest stealth aircraft or perhaps piloting them remotely with the aid of UCAVs. And, with the Grumman F-14 Tomcat long since retired from the Navy’s active duty roster, and the new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier completing its testing and sea trials, its more than likely that whomever is taking on the central role this time around is doing so from the cockpit of a Joint Strike Fighter embarked upon our pride of the fleet. Whew! That’s a lot of speculating going on, but one not without its merits.
Modelcollect breathes life into Germany’s vaunted “paper panzers”. The first is a German Flakpanzer E-100 Anti-Aircraft Gun
“[Hitler overestimated] the importance of [technology]. As a result, he would count on a mere handful of assault-gun detachments or the new Tiger tanks to restore situations where only large bodies of troops could have any prospect of success.”
– German Field Marshal Erich von Manstein
No stranger to offering scale WWII replicas, ModelCollect has quietly picked up the mantle that now defunct Panzerstahl threw down a few years back when they began modelling some of the proposed German vehicles still languishing on the drawing boards. Two intriguing models are expected this summer: the first is a humongous Flakpanzer E-100 Anti-Aircraft Gun (AS72057) while the second is a German E-100 heavy tank with a 128mm main gun (AS72063).
Also slated for a July release is this massive E-100 heavy tank with 128mm main gun
Priced at just $29.99 apiece, these are absolute steals, combining Modelcollect quality and incredible detail with affordable pricing.
Also pegged for a summer release is a 1:72 scale look at a German Kampgwagenvernichter Ausf. F (E-100) StuG Heavy Tank Destroyer as well as a Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte Super Heavy Tank. While we have set a price for the former vehicle, we are awaiting word on the latter, due largely to its colossal size and higher-than-average shipping costs.
Eaglemoss 1:43 scale US Studebaker US6 (M16A) 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Truck – CIAB (Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade), Northampton, England, April 1944 returns to stock this July
We were pleasantly surprised to learn today that a cache of Eaglemoss 1:43 scale military vehicles was uncovered by one of our distributors. While several vehicles were already in stock and available for general sale, quite a few long out-of-stock vehicles were purportedly unearthed, and should be back in stock some time this summer. Vehicles of note that are returning to stock include:
EM010 – German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. L Medium Tank – 16.Infanterie Division (Motorized), Voronezh, Russia, 1942
EM014 – US Army Dodge WC 63 6×6 1-1/2 Ton Truck – 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion, Arracourt, France, 1944
EM031 – US Studebaker US6 (M16A) 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Truck – CIAB (Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade), Northampton, England, April 1944
EM044 – German Sd. Kfz. 15 Horch Command Car – 4.Panzer Division, Radzymin, Poland, 1944
EM045 – US Army GMC CCKW 353 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Workshop Truck – Vehicle 3, 3886 Transport Company, Advance Section Communications Zone, Cherbourg, France, 1944
EM055 – German Sd. Kfz. 251/8 Krankenpanzerwagen Armored Ambulance – schwere Panzer Abteilung 501, Sidi Bou Zid, Tunisia, 1943
Big and beefy, look for this hard-to-find US Army GMC CCKW 353 6×6 2-1/2 Ton Workshop Truck to roll in this summer
Also, soon-to-be-available are EM080 and EM081, a Sd.Ah.116 Tank Transporter and a Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. G Medium Tank from the 14.Panzer Division respectively, which we believe were intended as gifts for subscribing to the partworks series. Neither vehicle comes with an acrylic case, but they do serve as nice supplements to the series, and an attractive set when paired together.
Although no case is included for either model, EM080 and EM081 make a handsome set, particularly when displayed together
Every so often, I’m left scratching my head trying to figure out the hows and whys of a conundrum rather than the simple because. Earlier today, we stumbled upon what looks like an intriguing teaser trailer for a film entitled T-34, which is a Russian film that is apparently being ported over to the English-speaking world. Although the visuals look first-rate, we’re not quite clear about the story line other than to say it is based upon a “legendary story” that apparently pits a lone Russian T-34 tank against a swarm of German infantry and panzers, battling it out for control of a small town on the Eastern Front in the dead of winter. Have a look at the accompanying trailer and perhaps you can help us decide whether its a film that deserves everyone’s attention..
There’s no question that Amazon has had a profound impact on the retail landscape in the main and the way in which merchandise is sold across the globe in recent years. Take into account that Amazon now offers same day delivery in some cities, and you can see why many users of the service swear by the etailer, even if they have to pay handsomely for these benefits through their Prime membership.
The problem with instant gratification, if we can call it that, is that people expect to be able to purchase a newly announced item the day and date it hits the wires. In the case of the diecast modeling industry, many items don’t fit the Amazon mold, to borrow a pun, announced simply to gauge consumer interest as a barometer of sorts to see if it pays to morph an idea from concept to production line. Other manufacturers are notorious for taking their time to release an item, oftentimes taking upwards of a year or more before their wondrous creation actually makes it to market. By that time, the average collector may have lost interest in the item, as they are constantly bombarded by competing items or other diversions competing for their discretionary dollar.
For this very reason, some services cast a dim eye towards offering online pre-orders, since it creates a bit of a stir in the market that may not be quelled for months on end. As we move forward towards becoming an omni-channel retailer, able to offer our wares on multiple venues with differing rules and regulations, we just wanted to point out that not all of our products or services will be available on every platform, and that the best source for obtaining product updates and the latest information will continue to be found on our web site.
Its Fleet Week here in New York City although the Merchant Marine seems to be bowing out of the festivities and sadly hasn’t offloaded anything new for the holiday. In fact, a number of items that were slated for a late May release have been pushed back into the first week of June, largely due to logistical delays connected with the Memorial Day holiday weekend. These include the first shipment of Solido 1:72 scale military vehicles and aircraft, Air Commander’s “Showtime 100” Phantom II fighter-bomber (AC1007), and the next Luft-X aircraft — a German Messerschmitt Me 329 Fighter (LUFT005). The first pair of Dragon Armor 1:72 scale PzKpfw IV Ausf. D medium tanks have been pushed back into June, although this may likely slip even further since no firm ship date was offered by Dragon. Calibre Wings’ inaugural pair of F-14 Tomcats have also slipped slightly, now likely rescheduled for a mid-June fly-in.
We’ve all stumbled across the term “rivet counters” when perusing the many threads winding their way through the average diecast forum. But the question remains, “what is a rivet counter?” A “rivet counter” is a glorified term for someone best characterized as an overzealous hobbyist who would like to see a finished model look every bit as good as the real thing. It isn’t meant as a demeaning term — just one that best describes someone that scrutinizes every conceivable aspect of a finished model. The problem is that the average diecast manufacturer simply doesn’t have the resources to make their models look every bit as good as the real thing without breaking the bank. Moreover, the average model buyer couldn’t point to a “glove vane” on an F-14 or explain why an engine intake on an F-15 should be canted downwards or horizontally, or for that matter care. Only a handful of devotees know that the wings on a Grumman F8F Bearcat fighter should have its wings swept in a dihedral versus anhedral position, or could accurately describe the condition and what causes it from an aerodynamic standpoint.
So I sometimes stare in amazement as I read the banter that goes back and forth between forum users as they do their best to tear apart a model in the hopes of making it the perfect replica. Coming from the video game industry, and having played my fair shared of computer wargames and combat simulations over the years, it reminds me of how “grognards” — best described as a wargaming rivet counter — are constantly looking for the “holy grail” of wargames or flight sims, routinely taking designers to task for overlooking or simplifying one aspect of the product in order to make it more enjoyable if slightly less accurate in the user’s eyes.
The problem, in a nutshell, is that most diecast manufacturers must draw the line somewhere when it comes to designing their replicas, otherwise they will never bring the project in on budget or to market in a timely manner. I dare say, most are deeply interested in the feedback their products receive and do their utmost to correct deficiencies when and where ever possible. But the fact remains their target audience is typically more of a casual collector that just wants to add a decent replica to their collection that won’t bust “their budget” in the process. Its a fine line both parties must tow from a market driven perspective, bringing in the best possible product on time and within reasonable cost constraints so that everyone is satisfied and the business model can move forward to the next project all over again.
According to Hobby Master Collector, a fan site aimed at disseminating all of the latest information as it relates to Hobby Master, the manufacturer has been furtively working on developing their first model of a Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E. While no livery has been formally announced, prototype photos were posted on the site showing how far along the Company has come towards bringing the first model to market (HA5701). The site claims that the first replica will ship in August, although no price point has been issued and orders have not been placed to determine the production run.
Needless to say, we will keep our eye on this important development and post product information just as soon as it is passed along. It is also quite likely that Hobby Master is signalling plans to produce models based upon the entire family of Sukhoi modern aircraft, which includes the Su-27, Su-30, Su-33. Time will tell if this assumption proves correct.
