Militaria Diecast’s 1:43 scale US 1/4 Ton Willys Jeep with Bantam T3 Trailer – Top Down
Looking to build upon the success of their Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II line, the owner of the range has decided to expand the series to now include soft-skinned vehicles. Six new WWII-era 1:43 scale vehicles were shown on their site, covering everything from DUKW amphibious trucks to M16 motor carriages. Interestingly, all six vehicles are based upon vehicles drawn from the US inventory. It is hoped that as the series expands, vehicles from other user-nations will be added. We’ve listed all of the vehicles on our web site and expect them to storm our shores some time this summer.
The packaging for this new series is very reminiscent of the type used for the AFV’s of WWII line. Like the AFVs series, each vehicle in the Militaria range sits atop an etched based and is nestled within a handsome heavy acrylic display case. Eventually, as product sells out within the AFVs line and more product is called for, the new packaging will bear the Militaria Diecast logo rather than the AFV moniker all in an effort to maintain a consistent look and appearance across all of their sub brands.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale Pair of Weathered Metal Tiger Tank Tracks [Early Production]
We’ve learned that the June/July shipment of Forces of Valor products will contain the oft-requested early production Tiger I metal track set. We were laboring under the impression that the initial batch of tracks were sold out and that we might have to wait for the manufacturer to produce a second batch, which could take months if not years to happen based upon prior experience. So, when we heard that more were on the way we jumped on them (figuratively, not literally), and should have them in hand and ready for shipment some time in July. Frankly, when you consider how many more Tiger tanks are in the pipeline we thought it made sense to have an ample supply on hand to keep the Tigerwaffe rolling along for the foreseeable future.
In other news, Waltersons has completed in principal their acquisition of Greenlight Collectibles. Based in Indiana, Greenlight has carved out a respectable business amongst many of the big box retailers, selling all sorts of budget-minded toys from fire-fighting equipment to, you guessed it, smaller 1:64 scale military vehicles under their Battalion 64 sub brand. Indeed, some of the vehicles were recently on display at the Waltersons booth at the Shizuoka Hobby Show in Japan. Greenlight’s 1:64 scale tanks will no doubt serve as the basis for Forces of Valor’s newest line of military collectibles, although these will likely be weathered or outwardly reworked to make them dovetail within their entire spectrum of Forces of Valor military vehicle ranges.
Look familiar? Greenlight’s rendition of “Cobra King” is no doubt off the mark, sporting an M4A3 configuration rather than the correct M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo model recently released by Waltersons. While a model such as this might appeal to the inexperienced eye, collectors will no doubt take up arms if an unaltered Battalion 64 model makes its way into the Forces of Valor lineup.
Greenlight will also serve as the central warehouse for all things Forces of Valor, which had been operating in concert with American Diorama on the west coast since the beginning of 2023. We bring this up because it will no doubt make our job of acquiring Forces of Valor merchandise far easier and similarly cut down on the turn-around time it takes to first place an order with them then get our order delivered to our own warehouse in Florida. It also means that we will at last have a salesperson in North America that we can reach within a matter of minutes rather than have to speak to someone in eastern Asia, which, because of the time difference, typically took a half day to get a response.
We had hoped that their 1:700 scale take on the Royal Navy’s HMS Invincible would complete its sea trails and be made available last year in time for the 40th anniversary of the Battle of the Falklands. Maybe “Forty Plus One”?
We expect Forces of Valor to make a number of product announcements shortly now that they have begun handling their own distribution within North America. Some items, such as their first King Tiger tank, F-16 Viper, HMS Invincible aircraft carrier and V-22 Osprey, have been hinted at on Facebook for several months running, although nothing concrete has turned up in their sales solicitations. With their logistical network now having been worked out, we anticipate a steady stream of new product announcements to follow shortly.
Now, if they could update their web site in a more timely fashion we would be supremely grateful…
The Ford Aerospace AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack is an electro-optical targeting pod for military attack aircraft. It uses a laser and a forward looking infrared to find and designate targets for laser-guided bombs and other precision-guided munitions. Pave Tack’s images are routed to a cockpit display, usually for the weapon systems officer.
Pave Tack was developed in the late 1970s and entered service in 1982, and was initially used by the USAF McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and General Dynamics F-111C Aardvark strike aircraft. Its combat debut came in 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon’s air raid against Libya by F-111F aircraft stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England. F-111s used it to great effect in the Gulf War of 1991, both against fixed targets and against tanks.
F-4 crews called Pave Tack “Pave Drag” because it was carried externally. Pave Tack is a large installation, with the pod alone weighing some 1,385 lb (629 kg) and measuring 166 inches (4,220 mm) in length. On the F-4, the size of the pod meant that it had to be carried on the centerline station in place of the standard drop tank; it imposed a substantial aerodynamic drag penalty and was generally unpopular. The F-111C and F-111F carried the Pave Tack pod on a rotating carriage in its internal bomb bay, retracting it when not in use to reduce drag and protect the sensors from damage.
About 150 AVQ-26 pods were built, substantially less than originally planned. The last USAF Pave Tacks were withdrawn with the retirement of the F-111 in 1996.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) purchased ten Pave Tack pods in 1980 for its F-111 fleet. All 24 F-111Cs were wired for the pod, although there were not enough pods for all to be simultaneously equipped. Following the retirement of the USAF’s F-111F in 1996 the RAAF purchased surplus pods to equip each of its F-111Cs to carry its own.
The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) ordered an initial batch of eight pods in 1984 for delivery in 1987. It may have subsequently obtained additional pods from USAF surplus. The RoKAF uses the pods on its F-4 Phantoms.
Hobby Master’s upcoming RAAF General Dynamics F-111C “Aardvark” Strike Aircraft would eventually become the prototype platform for use with the Pave Tack pod, which was later phased out for better performing equipment and more updated platforms. Nevertheless, look for this rendition to fly in some time in July.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Army MH-60L Black Hawk Medium Lift Helicopter – “Gunslinger”, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment “Night Stalkers”, Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Panzerkampf has come clean concerning their second chopper in their medium-lift helicopter series. The MH-60L Black Hawk is a Special operations modification used by the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (“Night Stalkers”), and based on the UH-60L with T700-701C engines. It was developed as an interim version in the late 1980s pending fielding of the MH-60K. Equipped with many of the systems used on the MH-60K, including FLIR, color weather map, auxiliary fuel system, and laser rangefinder/designator. A total of 37 MH-60Ls were built and some 10 had received an in-flight refueling probe by 2003.
Panzerkampf’s rendition of the MH-60L bears the name “Gunslinger” atop its fuselage. It also comes with sliding side-mounted access doors, a detailed cockpit and other hallmark features you’ve come to expect from this high-flying nap-of-the-earth modelmaker. Presently, it looks like this helicopter will make its formal appearance on the diecast battlefield sometime in the third quarter of 2023.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-57E “Felon” Stealth Fighter – “Red 52”, Southern Military District, Russo-Ukraine War, 2022
We’re back from gallivanting around this nation of ours and are ready to resume business. Thus far, it seems to be a Hobby Master June, with loads of new products announced, their May shipment having just arrived, and the June shipment not too far behind. In fact, according to our distributor, the June cache is slated for June 20th, meaning plenty to list on eBay and elsewhere along with updating our main site. That said, we are also in contact with our other distributors to see what’s on tap from them for the month of June. Stay tuned.
Per Hobby Master’s MAP guidelines, we will be removing any price restrictions on all of the November 2022 Hobby Master arrivals. The price for each item has been reduced to their regular selling price and you may now apply any discounts we offer towards the purchase of these items. This process will recur on the first of every month in compliance with their updated MAP pricing program. You can tell if an item is no longer MAP protected if the blue MAP seal that appears alongside its image and just below its price has been removed. In effect, a retailer is no longer bound by the 6-month introductory MAP restriction policy and can sell the item for whatever price they deem appropriate.
Neo Dragon Armor 1:72 scale Soviet Late Production T-34/85 Medium Tank with Bedspring Armor – Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, 1945
Apparently, we have to think twice about when we are planning our next vacation. Over the weekend, Dragon debuted eleven new 1:72 scale subjects as part of their ever-expanding line of Neo Dragon Armor military vehicles. Most of the new introductions were either German Panther medium tanks or Ferdinand tank destroyers, but one new piece caught our eye – a Russian T-34-85 medium tank with bedspring armor and clad in a winter white camouflage scheme. We’re guessing that most of these new pieces won’t be available until the latter half of the year. That said, we’ve posted them to our June Additions section, completed their addition to our product portfolio and are now entertaining pre-orders.
As we get ready for our two-week shut down, we thought it made sense to provide one last look at things prior to us jetting off. For openers, everything expected in late May has now been pushed into early June, in part because we aren’t going to be around to take in the merchandise.
Several companies have seemingly delayed the release of their May shipments, the most notable being Hobby Master. Unless things change, the May shipment has now been delayed until either the first or second week of June and its a good bet that the June allotment will be shunted into July. Typically, sales tend to slow down around this time of year, so there’s no rush to take in goods that will likely sit on warehouse shelves for several weeks running until demand picks up.
The next batch of Forces of Valor items is currently slated for a late June or early July arrival, although this could change based upon the whims of the manufacturer. That’s a bit problematic for us since we are starting to run low on several of their recently introduced 1:32 scale vehicles. Rather amazingly, their winter mottled Tiger I tank is catching up in sales with their “Cobra King” Sherman Jumbo tank, which means we will likely have to place yet another re-order for this fan favorite. Several are being shipped overseas, despite the huge shipping costs associated with mailing out an oversized item to parts outside of CONUS. This usually means that international distributors are having a hard time sourcing the vehicle, and, rather reluctantly, consumers would rather bear any cost in acquiring the vehicle from a well-stocked US retailer rather than having it slip through their fingers.
Likewise their desert sand over-sprayed Tiger I tank is currently out-of-stock and won’t be available again until either late June or early July. Released several months prior to the winter camouflaged Tiger, there likely isn’t all that many pieces still available at the factory level before it sells out. So, if you plan to own every version of their Tiger tank — and let’s face it, who doesn’t — you can still submit an order at our MAP level price before it starts to rise in value or quite possibly lands in the vaunted Force of Valor Hall of Fame.
According to our US distributor representing the line, a new cache of Panzerkampf products is slated to arrive at their warehouse this week. Obviously, we’ve asked them to hold our shipment until we get back in the saddle again. Most of the items are re-stocks, although we’ve learned that their T-14 Armata main battle tank in a May Day victory parade scheme is included in the load. So too is their M1A2 Abrams main battle tank in a NATO woodlands camouflage scheme. If anyone is interested, we have therefore modified our M1070/Abrams combo pack to reflect the fact that both vehicles now come in the exact same palette from head-to-toe.
It would appear as if a number of key Corgi aircraft are scheduled to show in the June/Jule time frame. Its a bit of a hit-or-miss proposition to determine exactly which models will arrive ahead of all the others, so we strongly suggest monitoring our Corgi Aviation Archive section to check for any updates. The likely candidates rolling off the assembly line are their latest Messerschmitt Bf 109 in an Italina scheme, along with their newest Supermarine Spitfire since these are being headlines in Corgi’s most recent Diecast Diaries.
Air Force 1 is showing renewed signs of vigor with several new models pegged for a third quarter fly-in. Admittedly no new toolings have been shown thus far, although there’s quite a few long sold out models that are being pressed back into service in time to make it under the tree this Christmas. To be specific, three new P-61 Black Widows are in the offing as is a trio of SR-71 Blackbirds, as well are a pair of Su-57 Felon fifth generation fighters. We’re hoping that their hot-selling 1:72 scale B-17 Flying Fortresses will also be added to the fleet but we’re also well aware that time is running out if they are to get the go signal for the holidays.
Although we have nothing solid to go by, we are presuming that the next Dragon shipment will probably occur in July. We based this expectation on the frequency we receive their product, which, at present, occurs every two to three months. We realize this isn’t exactly positive news to go by if you’re an ardent Dragon collector, but ever since the manufacturer closed up shop in North America a few years back we have had to rely upon one of our distributors to bring in their merchandise. So, even though Dragon might indicate that a handful of vehicles are available through their web site for several months running, we must wait until they survive their trans-oceanic journey to America to begin doling them out.
Precision Model Art (commonly referred to as PMA) seems to have dropped off of the diecast radar. No new models have been announced and even their web site appears to be AWOL over the last few months. The distributor representing this line has been trying to hail them on an open frequency without much luck so the Company may have gone temporarily dormant or quite possibly decided to throw in the towel in the wake of COVID. Either way we hope to have a definitive answer this summer. Needless to say if they decided to close up shop what we have in inventory will likely be all that remains of this once proud model maker.
That’s pretty much it for now. We’re still pushing out product as fast as orders come in, although Monday the 22nd will be the last day we plan to get orders into the The Motor Pool slip stream. Otherwise the soonest the next batch of outbound orders is earmarked for shipping is June 9th. So, until you hear from us otherwise, we wish you a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and a scintillating start to the summer. Enjoy!
While Waltersons has been mum of late concerning their Facebook posts, and have become lax updating their own web site, it took a major hobby show to get them to share what they’ve been up to for the last several months. At the Shizuoka Hobby Show in Japan, the manufacturer displayed a number of new projects that are presumably in the works and slated for an early autumn release. In point of fact, if we could compare their rollout to a feast, the banquet was quite impressive covering everything from re-launched aircraft appetizers to their bread-and-butter 1:32 scale entrees.
On the ground, several new 1:32 scale tanks were shown for the first time, among them a Soviet KV-2 heavy tank, a US M4A3(76)W Sherman medium tank, their oft-hinted at Ferdnand tank destroyer (to be included in their Inside Out series), and a British Firefly Ic medium tank. Its likely a KV-1 tank is in the offing and their long awaited King Tiger heavy tank could join the entourage in the not-too-distant future. A number of vehicles scheduled for shipment in the June/July time frame were also laid out for all to see, including two Chaffee light tanks, a pair of Open Blitz 3-ton ambulances, and a US 2-1/2 ton cargo truck. It would appear as if the second 1:32 scale model kit is also nearing completion – a prototype of the Sturmtiger assault mortar
In the air, the manufacturer pulled back the curtains on their re-tooled MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, a troop transport that was originally a part of the Unimax range. Two versions of their 1:72 scale AH-64D Apache gunship, and updated renditions of a F-16 Viper were also on the “tarmac” and its a good bet that other Unimax-built aircraft will eventually join the aerial armada. Interestingly, we’ve seen several outlets re-listing their long sold out MH-47 helicopter as being re-released, so we’ve opened up the ordering window for this highly successful helicopter. Waltersons has previously stated that certain items, such as their upcoming 88mm FLaK gun will be made again, so its a fair bet that the MH-47 has undergone a similar vote of confidence.
The Company also took the opportunity to show off their next interlocking play set – a 1:72 scale look at a beach invasion scenario that pits several US- and German built vehicles against one another across a battle-scarred landscape. Its a rather large vignette and we haven’t heard how much the entire display will cost once its ready for prime time.
Lastly, the Company unveiled images of a brand new lineup. Apparently, when the Company took a majority stake in Greenlight Collectibles, they decided to re-purpose their 1:64 scale line so that it dovetailed within their overall Metal Proud product portfolio. Its not clear if the rechristened range will be geared towards big box retailers and mom-and-pop toy stores or redirected towards hobbyists.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Army UH-60 Black Hawk Medium Lift Helicopter
As we await pricing and other information concerning their soon-to-be-released Mi-24 Hind gunships, comes news that Panzerkampf will also be removing the chocks from their US-built Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk troop transports. Featuring sliding side-opening doors, hinged access panels to view the top-mounted engines, and side-mounted FFAR rocket pods, the Blackhawk fills an important void in the marketplace that seems to have been left vacant by Corgi et al over the last few years.
lAs is customary with Panzerkampf, the Company will likely offer the Blackhawk in multiple liveries and perhaps multiple configurations, from Dust Off medical ambulances to naval versions that may include the MH-60 Seahawk and Jayhawk. While the Blackhawk isn’t available just yet to pre-order, it would appear as if we should have information shortly based upon the progress the manufacturer has made to date.
