Over night, the first trailer dropped for the upcoming series Star Trek Discovery, which will air this fall on CBS All-Access. Frankly, the teaser looks quite good, and explains the timeline as it relates to the Star Trek universe. According to the trailer, Discovery takes place ten years before the Original Series, Star Trek, which aired on CBS some fifty years ago, and before any mention of Captain Kirk or Commander Spock. Enjoy!
According to CBS, “As an added bonus, Star Trek: Discovery has expanded its original series order from 13 to 15 episodes—which means even more sci-fi goodness in Season 1.
CBS All Access has also announced that Star Trek: Discovery is getting its very own after-show, called Talking Trek.”
Eaglemoss, the makers of the highly successful Star Trek starships series, is purportedly hard at work replicating several of the ships seen in the upcoming series and will integrate them in their range once they are approved by Paramount.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale replica of USAAC North American B-25B Mitchell Medium Bomber – 40-2249, “Hari Kari-er,” Doolittle Raid, USS Hornet (CV-8), April 18th, 1942
When asked about the Doolittle Raid over Tokyo in April 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt played coy with the press, claiming the bombers had taken off from “Shangri-La,” a fictional location in the 1933 novel “Lost Horizon.”
Corgi, on the other hand, is happy to report that the 16 B-25 Mitchell medium-bombers actually flew off the deck of the USS Hornet, and that 2017 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Raid. While they have replicated other aircraft involved in the Raid, their latest warbird pays homage to one of the lesser known B-25 Mitchells, one known as “Hari Kari-er” (AA35313), which was piloted by Captain Charles Greening.
The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, on Saturday, April 18th, 1942, was an air raid by the United States of America on the Japanese capital, Tokyo, and other places on the island of Honshu during World War II, the first air strike to attack the Japanese Home Islands. It demonstrated that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, served as retaliation for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, and provided an important boost to American morale. The raid was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James “Jimmy” Doolittle of the United States Army Air Forces.
Sixteen B-25B Mitchell medium bombers were launched without fighter escort from the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Hornet deep in the Western Pacific Ocean, each with a crew of five men. The plan called for them to bomb military targets in Japan, and to continue westward to land in China-landing a medium bomber on Hornet was impossible. Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. All but three of the 80 crew members initially survived the mission. Eight airmen were captured by the Japanese Army in China; three of those were later executed. The B-25 that landed in the Soviet Union was confiscated and its crew interned for more than a year. Fourteen complete crews, except for one crewman who was killed in action, returned either to the United States or to American forces.
After the raid, the Japanese Imperial Army conducted a massive sweep through the eastern coastal provinces of China, in an operation now known as the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign, searching for the surviving American airmen and inflicting retribution on the Chinese who aided them, in an effort to prevent this part of China from being used again for an attack on Japan.
The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it achieved its goal of raising American morale and casting doubt in Japan on the ability of its military leaders to defend their home islands. It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific – an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. Doolittle, who initially believed that the loss of all his aircraft would lead to his court-martial, received the Medal of Honor and was promoted two steps to brigadier general.
Corgi’s German Heinkel He-111H-6 Torpedo Bomber – 1H+BB, I./Kampgeschwader 26, Bardufoss Airfield, Norway, July 5th, 1942
Year after year, one of the most popular aircraft in the Corgi aerial armada is their 1:72 scale depiction of the German Heinkel He 111 medium bomber. Their latest incarnation is no different — it comes in the form of a torpedo bomber that served with Kampgschwader 26 in the upper regions of Norway during 1942 (AA33715)
Perhaps the most interesting missions carried out by the ‘H’ model Heinkel He IIIs were those of the torpedo carrying maritime attack bombers, which flew at wave-top height, before delivering their payload of two air launched LT F5b torpedoes. Operating from the airfield at Bardufoss in northern Norway, the anti-shipping Heinkels of KG26 were involved in the infamous attack against Arctic convoy PQ17, which proved to be one of the most disastrous episodes in the history of the Royal Navy. Leaving Iceland, bound for Arkhangelsk in Russia, the convoy consisted of 35 merchant vessels and a large protecting force of naval ships. Quickly detected by the Germans, the first attack came from 25 Heinkel torpedo bombers of KG26 – warned of their approach, the escort vessels put up a murderous wall of defensive fire, which claimed four of the Luftwaffe bombers destroyed. Determined in their attack, the torpedoes did their damage and a number of ships were sunk and the defensive shield of the convoy disrupted.
Worried by the ferocity of the attack and intelligence reports suggesting that the mighty German battleship Tirpitz was steaming towards the battle, naval commanders ordered the escorts to withdraw and the convoy to scatter. Over the course of the next few days, Convoy PQ17 came under repeated attack from U-boats and Ju88 bombers, which claimed 23 of the defenseless ships. July 2017 will mark the 75th Anniversary of this naval disaster.
Ditch the dreary ties and steer clear of the sweater rack. Dad deserves better, and we have the best gifts in mind — something from the heart squarely aimed at his heart. We have loads of terrific gift-giving ideas that cover every budget and conceivable interest, plus we can ship you these special memorabilia well before Father’s Day this June 18th. So why not take a look at our online selection or better yet feel free to give us a call and we’ll suggest something that will guarantee to put a smile on his face and make this Father’s Day a truly memorable event!
Due to open just days prior to the 73rd anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of Europe, Churchill traces the exploits of Britain’s Prime Minster Winston Churchill’s during the 96 hours leading up to the climactic battle. The film stars Brian Cox as Churchill, who ably demonstrates his penchant for drama, irrepressible need for knowing every minute detail of the invasion, and iron will to see it through despite the potential risk for failure. Looks like a must-see this summer.
Happy Mother’s Day to all those fabulous moms out there that continue to do their utmost to make our lives wonderful! Wish we could celebrate them year round!
The Imperial Japanese Navy took great pains to camouflage some of their capital ships to protect them against aerial attack.
While doing research on a few Eaglemoss warships, I thought it particularly interesting to share some insights we came across as to how the Imperial Japanese Navy attempted to camouflage its aircraft carriers against aerial attack.
Dazzle camouflage was developed late in the nineteenth century to protect surface ships against submarine attack. Later on, it was not only used to a greater degree to deceive surface ship gunners and submarine captains but also from scout and strike aircraft. WWII US carriers wore Measure 1, Measure 11, and Measure 21 schemes, and were designed as periscope disruptive schemes. They painted their decks, first with Dark Gray 5-D, then stained their decks with Deck Blue 20-B and Deck Blue Stain 21.
Japanese carriers, such as the Zuiho, Unryu and Chitose, typically the primary targets for Allied bombers and strike aircraft, adopted alternative top deck paint schemes in an effort to mistake them for another type of vessel (merchant ship superstructure, stacks and hatches) when observed from the air. They also tried swirl and strong geometric patterns to break up the flatness of their decks. The carrier Zuiho did not have a superstructure so it had a clean ‘canvas’ deck to represent a skewed ship with strong turret and gun shadow shapes. Nevertheless, it was still sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.
You can see this type of deck camouflage first-hand with the Eaglemoss IJN Zuiho (EMGC29) and the IJN Chitose (EMGC74) aircraft carriers.
Earlier today we learned that we won’t have on-hand any of the new Forces of Valor warships for Father’s Day. Bummer, right? On the positive side, all eight warships reworked by the Walterson’s crew, which were expected this summer, are being “shipped” together, no doubt to save on “shipping” costs, and should be available for general sale in early July, barring any other unforeseen issues. Puns aside, we apologize for the delay but still believe that all those lucky recipients slated to receive these fine new replicas will be just as thrilled even if they have to wait a few more weeks to add them to their desktop fleet.
In related news, we are also going to tack on another 30 days to the anticipated release of their first grouping of 1:32 scale military vehicles, meaning they will likely start to appear some time in August. We recognize that the manufacturer has a lot of irons in the fire, so-to-speak, and think that our original forecast for a July release may have been a bit too optimistic. If anything further changes, we will update our site accordingly.
Russia’s Arctic ambitions were clearly evident for all the world to see at this year’s Victory Day Parade
To further demonstrate their intent to seize, by military force if necessary, the vast resource-rich areas around the Arctic Pole, Russia put on display some of the ground units tasked with defending its interests up north. At the annual Victory Day Parade held on May 9th in Red Square, the Russian Army debuted some of the winter-clad mobile forces charged with holding the high ground in the event of a conventional conflict with other nations. Each of the Arctic vehicles proudly displayed a polar bear on their sides alongside a modified Russian star and field designed for use in the Victory Day Parade.
Calibre Wings US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – E212, VF-142 “Ghostriders”, USS America (CV-66), 1976
If you had any doubts or reservations that newcomer Calibre Wings had the chops to do the F-14 Tomcat justice, then you may want to think again. The Company posted images for their second pairing of Tomcats, which are tentatively due out this coming August. The next duo include a US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense fighter that was attached to VF-142 “Ghostriders”, then embarked upon the USS America (CV-66) during 1976 (CA721404).
Calibre Wings US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – AJ200, VF-14 “Tophatters”, USS Enterprise (CVN-65), Last Cruise 2001
The second Grumman US Fleet Defense Fighter is also an “A” variant, this time around attached to VF-14 “Tophatters”, then embarked upon the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), during its last cruise in 2001 (CA721403). Both products show some of the craftsmanship that have gone into the F-14, which includes variable geometry swing wings, opening canopies, adjustable engine exhaust nozzles detailed crewmen, a full suite of ordnance and more, plus a novel display stand. More images for both aircraft can be seen on our web site. Pre-orders for both aircraft are moving briskly.
