The Motor Pool – Blog – Page 157 – Pureveyors of Fine Diecast Collectibles

How Do You Spell Eagle(mas)?

Every so often we run into a situation where we get short shipped a few items. In the case of Eaglemoss, we learned today that several items in their partworks line that we had been expecting in the August/September time frame won’t be materializing, chief among them the 1:43 scale Bren Gun Carrier. Likewise, we got short shipped the Studebaker truck in CIAB livery, although we will be able to fill a few orders based upon the date we received them. Our distributor hasn’t given up hope, so there’s still a chance that they will locate another cache of these items, thereby enabling us to fill a few more orders and possibly offer the product up for general sale.

Anyway, one of the lessons learned from this unhappy happenstance is that it pays to submit pre-orders early. We fill orders based upon the date we receive them, in a sense rewarding those customers who place their orders ahead of the product being received rather than dallying on the sidelines waiting for a timely opportunity to arise. Again, by using a credit card, you have nothing to lose since we do not charge you until the merchandise is ready to be shipped out. If you decide to pay by PayPal or use a debit card then that’s a different story, since each brings with it its own set of circumstances discussed in detail on our First-Time User Information page.

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Disney Unveils a Galaxy, Far, Far Away

Looks like the Mrs. and I have a date with destiny in a few years when we take our grand kids down to Orlando, Florida. At the recently concluded Disney Expo, held in Anaheim, California, Disney Chairman, Robert Eiger, disclosed information concerning their latest theme parks. Dubbed Star Wars Land, at least for now, the new 14-acre theme park to be added to both the Disney Land property in Anaheim as well as the Disney World mega complex in Florida, will be the mecca for all things Star Wars-related, featuring rides, attractions, stores and other venues all tied together within a “space port” like cityscape. Employees dressed in Star Wars costumes will circulate among the park’s visitors, appear in make-shift bands (think the Star Wars cantina scene), and engage in light saber battles, all in an effort to breathe life into the Star Wars saga we’ve all come to know and love. No word as yet as to when the theme parks will be completed, but you can bet Disney will be throwing lots of money at these twin projects as more and more movies, games and merchandise come to the fore.

Meanwhile, other previously constructed venues will be updated accordingly, including Star Tours, while a few existing attractions, namely Space Mountain, will be renamed Hyper Space Mountain, and be spruced up to give it a more Star Wars-esque appearance. No word if a Star Wars-themed Hotel(s) will be erected for park goers, but we’re willing to bet that one or perhaps several are being discussed with the hospitality industry.

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Hobby Master has a Remedy for the Winter Doldrums

Earlier this week, Hobby Master disclosed what they have in store for January 2016. Several intriguing new liveries are being worked on, including this commemorative 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain scheme adorning a Canadian Cf-18 Hornet (HA3526).

Other notable entrants include two Israeli warplanes – one based upon a F-15 Baz flown by the “Knights of the Twin Tail” squadron (HA4505) and an E-2C Hawkeye flown by a reconnaissance squadron (HA4805). All of the new replicas have been listed on our web site and are now available for pre-sale.

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The F-35 Looks to the Future

According to Defense News, “Marking a milestone for the joint strike fighter program, Rockwell Collins this week delivered the first Generation 3 helmet for the F-35.

The Generation 3 Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS), which was handed over to the Joint Program Office Tuesday in a ceremony at the company’s headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is crucial to the F-35’s advanced suite of technologies. It provides a 360-degree digital view of what’s going on around the aircraft, essentially letting the pilot “look through” the cockpit floor and walls. All the information pilots need to complete their missions is projected on the helmet’s visor.

Developed and built by the Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems joint venture, the new helmet includes an improved night vision camera, improved liquid-crystal displays, and automated alignment and software upgrades, according to an Aug. 11 company statement. The Gen 3 helmet will be introduced to the fleet as part of the low-rate initial production lot 7 in 2016.”

The new helmet improves the situational awareness for the pilot, enabling him to see his environment in a more robust fashion rather than confining his vision to a small, forward-looking crystal display. And, as the test pilot in this accompany video indicates, it gives the pilot better interoperability with his wingmen, thereby enabling them to work as a team rather than individual weapons platforms. The new helmet will be used across all three versions of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

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Russia Continues to Eye its Next Bomber

With the USAF set to announce its proposed Long Range Strategic Bomber (LRS-B) this September, Russia is continuing to develop plans for its own next-generation strategic bomber. Dubbed the Pak DA, the subsonic PAK-DA is destined to replace Moscow’s aging fleet of 63 Tu-95 Bear and 13 Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers.

According to the RIA Novosti, Russia’s Air Force commander insisted that the aircraft will be equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems and armed with new nuclear-capable long-range cruise missiles, and will be able to carry a wide array of conventional precision guided weapons.

With its flying wing shape and radar-evading capabilities, the new plane will enter production stage by 2020 with the first bomber in active service by 2025-2030 timeframe.

The PAK-DA will not be hypersonic (even if it will probably carry hypersonic missiles) as opposed to the American X-51, Falcon HTV-2 and other hypersonic development programs on which U.S.’s perspective strike capability will be based.

A supposed “sixth-generation” pilotless strategic bomber based on the PAK-DA could enter service around 2040-2050, provided Russia can afford its massively inflated defense budget put in place by President Vladimir Putin.

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Russia Takes First Steps to Militarize Space

According to The Diplomat, “Russia created a new military branch, the Aerospace Forces, by merging the Russian Air Force with the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces, TASS reports. The $60 billion reorganization appears to be a direct response to the perceived increased risk of NATO air and missile attacks on Russian soil — in particular, the United States military’s Global Strike program has the Kremlin worried.”

The change, which occurred on August 1st, is being officially called the Aerospace Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. “The Aerospace Forces will be subdivided into the air force, air and missile defense troops, and space forces,” claims The Diplomat. And, according to Russia’s defense minister, Sergey Shoigu, “Now the single command unites aviation, air defense and anti-missile defense troops, space forces and means of the armed forces’”

The new service branch will be responsible for launching and operating intelligence/nuclear missile warning satellites, as well as coordinating air and missile defenses, next to having control over one of the largest air forces in the world along with its conventional weapons arsenal. Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces will remain a separate service branch and will continue to control all of Russia’s land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, will remain a separate entity directly under the orders of the General Staff.

Back in May, former President of the Soviet Union, Mikhael Gorbachev, said that if the United States developed space-based weapons, the price could be not only an end to the Geneva talks, but “the scrapping of every prospect for an end to the arms race.” Apparently, members of the Russian military took note of his comments, and initiated steps that could conceivably begin to see advanced military projects enter the realm of space, in an effort to keep up with western initiatives.

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The Museum of American Armor

In the “duh, we had no idea this was in our backyard department,” we just learned about the existence of The Museum of American Armor. Located on the grounds of Old Bethpage Village, Long Island, right near the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport, the Museum houses several dozen pieces of military hardware, and recently received a USMC LVT “Buffalo” from the estate of a deceased collector.

The Museum of American Armor in New York www.museumofamericanarmor.org is acquiring a rare World War II era LVT (Landing Vehicle Tracked) “Buffalo” amphibious assault vehicle from Thea Kronlund as part of a joint decision to create a permanent living tribute to her late husband and armor collector, Mr. Kevin Kronlund, and his leadership in keeping alive our nation’s military heritage.

Mrs. Kronlund stated, “On the eve of Kevin’s death the Museum of American Armor acquired his Long Tom cannon and M 4 artillery tractor for the purpose of making it a cornerstone of the museum’s armor collection on Long Island. Over the passage of time the museum has made repeated references to Kevin’s legacy when visitors come to tour their facility. Given that the museum is located within one of the largest veterans populations in the United States and some 35 miles from Manhattan, we thought his LVT would be an appropriate means to create a lasting tribute to Kevin’s legacy that would be appreciated by many.”

According to their web site, “visitors will walk through the museum’s camouflaged front doors that have been heavily sandbagged similar to the way important bunkers were protected some 70 years ago. Inside, a gift shop and administrative office will occupy a modest amount of space as the bulk of the building will be devoted to the display of some 30 vehicles. Half a dozen times a year, and in coordination with OBVR programming, these vehicles will be presented in the field or on the Village’s country roads as living historians offer displays on WW II tactics.”

For more information about the museum and its semi-regular events, you can visit their web site: http://museumofamericanarmor.com/

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Props to (and from) Air Force 1

Earlier this week, we posted a slide comparing the upcoming Air Force 1 Northrop-Grumman E-2C Hawkeye AEW aircraft against the one proposed by Hobby Master. While we didn’t catch it previously, we did notice that the Air Force 1 version featured four propellers on each of the engines, while the Hobby Master replica showed eight. We queried the distributor regarding this glaring difference between the two aircraft and they indicated that the Air Force 1 version will ship as is, but will also include a second set of 8-bladed propellers. Wikipedia explains why the changes were made:

“In 2004, the E-2C’s propeller system was changed; a new eight-bladed propeller system, named NP2000, was developed by the Hamilton-Sundstrand company to replace the old four-bladed design. Improvements included reduced vibrations and better maintainability as a result of the ability to remove prop blades individually instead of having to remove the entire prop and hub assembly. The system had previously been used in the C-130 Hercules, which also uses the T-56 engine, to great effect. However, one major difference between the C-130J and the E-2C is that the C-130J uses a six-bladed propeller. The E-2C needed to use a new eight-bladed configuration in order to maintain harmonic compatibility with the electronics that were designed for a four-bladed propeller. The propeller blades are of carbon fiber construction with steel leading edge inserts and de-icing boots at the root of the blade.”

Frankly, kudos go to Air Force 1 for including both sets of propeller configurations, which take into account the changes made to the aircraft design in 2004. Its these types of details that go a long way towards making the collector happy with their purchase, much like Hobby Master’s fix for its radome oversight which came to light a few weeks ago.

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Russia’s Mistrial with the Mistral

When Russian forces moved into neighboring Ukraine last year, France suspended the sale of two completed helicopter assault ships it had built for the Russian Navy. Undaunted, Russia now plans to build several ships of its own, according to their St. Petersburg navy design bureau, one intended to be larger, faster and more heavily laden than the French built Mistral warship. Dubbed Lavina (‘Avalanche’), the new ship, which is scheduled for completion by the end of this decade, “will have a full load displacement of 24,000 tons, as opposed to 21,300 tons for the French-designed ship. It will also have a maximum speed of 22 knots, compared to 19 knots for the Mistrals.

Just like the Mistral, Lavina will house 16 helicopters, about 50 armored vehicles (about 10 fewer than the French amphibious assault vessel) and a potential six smaller boats, as opposed to the Mistrals’ four. All figures are likely rough estimates, with numerous variables, and it is unclear how advanced the Lavina blueprints are at the current stage. ”

Other helicopter carriers are also in development, including the Priboy, a 14,000-ton helicopter carrier, capable of transporting 16 attack helicopters, and previously announced by Nevsky Design Bureau, another leading St. Petersburg design bureau.

According to Russia Today, “the Yantar shipyard also reportedly began construction of a smaller Ivan Gren-class assault vessel, which the Navy said would be ready by 2018.”

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Eaglemoss Orders General Quarters for the HMS Hermes

At the outset of the War in the Pacific in 1941, the Allies were woefully unprepared to take on the Imperial Japanese Navy operating in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific waters. One of the victims of the Japanese centrifugal offensive was the British aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes (95), which was sunk by Japanese dive-bombers on April 9th, 1942, after setting sail without its complement of aircraft on board.

Happily, Eaglemoss rendition of this venerable warship will feature some of its warplanes deployed on its flight deck, with the ship resplendent in a tropical tri-color camouflage pattern. Look for their newest entry in the Warships of the World Collection some time later this year.

On a related nautical note, four warships are expected to drop anchor at our port in early August. The list includes IJN battleship Musashi (EMGC04), IJN heavy cruiser Furutaka (EMGC27), IJN destroyer Fubuki (EMGC39), and the Marine Nationale battleship Dunkerque (EMGC43), the first French warship in the series.

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