I’m back! Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAAF Consolidated B-24H Liberator Heavy Bomber – 42-52534, “Witchcraft”, 790th Bombardment Squadron, 467th Bombardment Group, USAAF Station 145 Rackheath, Norfolk, England, January 1945
Earlier today we were informed by our Corgi representative that they performed some stock balancing between their wholesale warehouse and their retail unit responsible for handling online sales. In so doing, they uncovered several aircraft that they believed were sold out but are now being made available to select retailers. Some models, such as “Witchcraft”, a B-24 Liberator that sold extremely well last year, turned up in the routine administrative process. Naturally, we jumped on the opportunity to purchase it and several other aircraft once indicated as being sold out that have been unearthed and are now shown in our Products in Transit section. I just wanted to point out that since Corgi is located in the state of Washington and we’re clear across the country in Florida, we will likely take delivery of the entire cache by early next week. So, if you’re interested in any of these fan favorites, we recommend you peruse the list and pre-order those you may find tickle your fancy.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale German Kriegsmarine Bismarck Class Battleship – DKM Bismarck, Operation Rheinubung, Gotenhafen, Poland, May 1941 [Waterline Version]
Waltersons has a number of projects coming to fruition in June, all based upon previous builds and/or reinvigorated classics. Two versions of the battleships USS Missouri and Deutsches Kriegsmarine Bismarck are in the offing – one portraying the vessel in a full hull configuration while the other showcases the ship as a waterline model. Shown here is a picture of the waterline version of the Bismarck, which nestles the ship in a handsome “water-filled” base and framed accordingly. All four ships will carry a retail price of just $99.99 and signals how the manufacturer will likely tackle each new subject going forward.
Forces of Valor’s 1:72 scale US Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Attack Helicopter – 1-227 ATKHB, 11th Aviation Regiment (Attack), 1st Cavalry Division, Karbala, Iraq, March 2003
In the air, look forward to seeing 1:72 scale renditions of the US-built Apache helicopter gunship, one tied to the US while the other is based upon an attack helicopter flown by the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces. Both are available for pre-order as we speak.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M24 Chaffee Light Tank – Company D, 36th Tank Battalion, 8th Armored Division, Fheinberg, Germany March 1945
As we alluded to in a previous post, collectors will be able to wrap their arms around two versions of the US-built M24 Chaffee light tank, along with two dissimilar takes on the German Opel Blitz ambulance. The Chaffee is the first tank to be offered without a removable engine, no doubt in a bid to court collectors at the lower end of the price spectrum. Lastly, the manufacturer has elected to bring back one of their most popular subjects – the German 88mm FLaK gun. Two versions will be available – one in field grey while the other is in a desert sand motif. Priced at just $79.99 apiece, these will almost certainly be gobbled up as quickly as they arrive.
German 88mm Flak 36/37 Anti-Aircraft Gun with FLaK Rohr 18 Gun Barrel and Sd. 202 Towing Vehicle – Deutsches Afrika Korps, El Alamein, North Africa, 1942 [Comes with Seven Crewmen and Rommel]
Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Avro Lancaster B Mk. III Heavy Bomber – AJ-T, “T-Tommy”, No.617 Squadron “The Dambusters”, Operation Chastise, May 1943
With the crews of the newly formed RAF No.617 Squadron now briefed on the targets they were being sent to attack, raid preparations for American pilot Flt Lt Joe McCarthy and his crew could hardly have been more challenging. Having practiced exhaustively in their usual aircraft ED915/AJ-Q ‘Queenie’, the crew discovered their Lancaster had developed a technical problem in the seconds immediately prior to taking off for ‘Operation Chastise’, the audacious RAF raid against the mighty dams of the Ruhr Valley. The issue was serious enough to force the crew to abandon their aircraft and transfer to reserve Lancaster ED825/G AJ-T ‘Tommy’ just minutes before they were due to take off. Their new aircraft eventually left Scampton at 22.01 hrs bound for arguably the most difficult target of the entire raid, the Sorpe Dam, which was protected by a huge earth bank.
Having practiced attacking targets flying low, straight and level towards them, they would instead have to drop their ‘Upkeep’ mine in a completely different manner. Flying low over the German village of Langscheid, they would have to avoid the tall steeple of the village church on the run-in, before diving steeply to extremely low altitude to fly along the length of the dam wall, dropping the non-spinning ‘Upkeep’ mine at exactly the halfway point. This attack approach proved so difficult that the aircraft’s bomb aimer George Leonard ‘Johnny’ Johnson could not release the mine on nine previous attack runs, however on the tenth and whilst flying at a little over 30 feet, the Lancaster was perfectly aligned. Johnson shouted, ‘Bomb gone!’ over the intercom, much to the relief of the aircraft’s crew, with the mine exploding exactly where intended, creating a huge crack in the structure. Unfortunately for them, the huge earth bank which supported the Sorpe Dam held firm, but would require extensive repair works to be undertaken in the weeks which followed the raid.
Lancaster ED825 arrived safely back at RAF Scampton at approximately 03.30 in the morning of 17th May 1943, where the crew would learn that whilst the raid had been a success, the men of No.617 Squadron had paid a terrible price. Of the 19 Lancasters which had left the airfield only hours earlier, eight aircraft and their crews had failed to return. The bomb aimer onboard Lancaster ED825/G AJ-T ‘Tommy’ during its attack against the Sorpe Dam and the man with the responsibility for releasing the aircraft’s ‘Upkeep’ mine was George Leonard ‘Johnny’ Johnson. Unless the aircraft was in the optimum position to deliver the mine on target, Johnson would not release the weapon, telling the pilot to go around and have another run at it. On that fateful night, it would take ten attack runs before he was happy to release the mine and allow the pilot to set course for home and their place in the history books.
At the age of 101, George Leonard ‘Johnny’ Johnson was the last surviving airman from the Dambusters raid, but sadly joined the rest of his comrades in early December last year. All 133 of the Dambusters heroes are now reunited once more.
“T for Tommy” is currently in stock and ready for imediate shipment.
The 761st Tank Battalion was a separate tank battalion of the United States Army during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by War Department policy were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the U.S. military did not officially desegregate until after World War II. The 761st were known as the “Black Panthers” after their unit’s distinctive insignia; their motto was “Come out fighting”. The battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. In addition, a large number of individual members also received medals, including one Medal of Honor, 11 Silver Stars and about 300 Purple Hearts.
The battalion first saw combat on November 7th, 1944, fighting through towns such as Moyenvic, Vic-sur-Seille, often at the leading edge of the advance. The fighting that 761st engaged in at Morville-les-Vic was particularly brutal. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.
The 761st Tank Battalion suffered 156 casualties in November 1944; 24 men killed, 81 wounded, and 44 non-battle losses. The unit also lost 14 tanks evacuated and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. As part of the effort to drive the Germans from the vicinity of Bastogne, the battalion fought to capture the municipality of Tillet, less than 15 km west of the town, in early January 1945. Supporting the elements of the 87th Infantry Division with just 11 tanks, the battalion took control of the city from the 113th Panzer Brigade through two days of combat, losing nine tanks in the process.
After the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line. The 761st smashed through dozens of German cities and towns in their rapid advance through the Reich. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach Steyr, Austria, at the Enns River, where they met with the 1st Ukrainian Front of the Soviet Red Army. On May 4th, 1945, the 761st, along with the 71st Infantry Division, liberated the Gunskirchen concentration camp; the German guards had fled not long before.
The 761st was deactivated on June 1st, 1946, in Germany. They have been called “one of the most effective tank battalions in World War II.” In all, the battalion earned about 300 Purple Hearts.
Set during WWII, Come Out Fighting focuses on a small, specialized squad of U.S. Army African American soldiers that are sent on an unofficial rescue mission behind enemy lines to locate their missing commanding officer. The squad, upon battling their way through the German defenses, encounter more then they bargain for when they locate a downed U.S. Army fighter pilot. With the help of their friends at the 761st tank battalion, The squad must find a way to survive and make it back in one piece.
AFV’s 1: 43 scale US M4A3 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank – “Julia”, 761st Tank Battalion “Black Panthers”, Germany, March 1945
Currently we have in stock a 1:43 scale Sherman tank dubbed “Julia” that pays tribute to this elite fighting unit.Meanwhile, Forces of Valor claims they have a 1:32 scale version of the same vehicle on the drawing board that is set to come out later this year that was debuted at the recently concluded Shizuoka Hobby Show in Japan. The FOV version is not yet available for pre-order nor do we have photos of this particular tank. We’ll post information and imagery just as soon as its passed along to us.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAF Douglas C-47A Skytrain Troop Transport – 42-100521 “Night Fright”, 79th Troop Carrier Squadron, 436th Troop Carrier Group, Membury, June 5th/6th, 1944
With the long-anticipated invasion of Europe now imminent, some new arrivals turned up at US Station 466 Membury airfield in the last few days of May 1944, the paratroopers of the famous 101st Airborne Division ‘Screaming Eagles’, members of the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion and a detachment of the 326th Airborne Medical Company. These men would be putting their lives in the hands of the crews of the home based Douglas C-47 crews, but would have trained exhaustively for the historic mission which lay ahead of them. Many would take part in detailed briefings to give them information regarding flight routes, timings, drop-zones and known enemy anti-aircraft gun locations and on 3rd June, base personnel were given orders to paint black and white stripes around the rear fuselage and wings of all their aircraft.
With so many aircraft in the air at the same time and with this possibility of friendly-fire casualties resulting not only from aircraft attack, but from ground and seaborne anti-aircraft fire, Allied D-Day planners called for ‘invasion stripes’ to be painted on the majority of Allied aircraft, in an effort to clearly identify them to other friendly units. For everyone involved in this momentous day, the situation was now crystal clear – ‘if it ain’t got stripes, shoot it down’. In order to prevent German spies and reconnaissance aircraft from discovering this black and white secret, the plan was a matter of the utmost secrecy and was only divulged in the days immediately prior to invasion, increasing an already hectic workload for airfield personnel. The C-47s of the 436th Troop Carrier Group were assigned to fly two ‘serials’ (sorties) into Normandy on D-Day. Serial #9 would be executed by the 79th and 82nd Troop Carrier Squadrons, delivering the 1st Battalion 502nd PIR, whilst the 80th and 81st TCS would fly Serial #10 carrying the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion and the 326th AB Med Co into Normandy. Due to the heavy loads which needed to be carried for the 377th PFAB, which included their field guns and ammunition, the 85th TCS from the 437th TCG over at Ramsbury airfield were sent on detached service to the 436th and assigned as a third squadron for Serial #10.
The original planned departure date was to have been the 4th of June, however, a storm front forced a 24 hour delay – Operation Neptune finally got underway in the late evening of June 5th 1944. Para-packs were assembled ready to load onto the six racks beneath each aircraft, with the packs containing the component parts of disassembled field guns, ammunition, explosives, firearms and other essential equipment for war. Other packs including wheels for the howitzer field guns were loaded into the aircraft themselves, ready for the troopers to push out when the green light was turned on over the drop zone.
On the 5th of June, shortly before departure for ‘Mission Albany’, General Eisenhower and 101st Airborne Division Commander General Maxwell Taylor visited Membury airfield and the troops who were about to embark on their ‘Great Crusade’. Eisenhower visited all five airfields of the 53rd TCW that day to rally the troops but when he saw their determined, blackened faces and the number of weapons and knives each paratrooper was carrying, he knew that the men of the Screaming Eagles were ready for the coming fight. C-47A 42-100521 ‘Night Fright’ flew as Chalk No 20 in the first of the two serials which took-off from Membury at 2300 hours on the night of June 5th, carrying elements of 1st Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, arriving over the DZ ‘A’ near Saint-Germain-de-Varreville at approximately 01:08hrs on June 6th, 1944. The flight crew on that fateful night were Pilot; William Watson, Co-pilot; James Hardt, Radio Operator; Robert McKnight, Navigator; Arthur E. Thornton and Crew Chief, Owen Voss.
Upon reaching the western coast of the Cherbourg peninsula, low cloud made staying in tight formation difficult for the C-47 crews, especially as German anti-aircraft fire became heavier and more accurate the closer they got to their Drop Zone. The navigators onboard the lead aircraft skilfully shepherded the formation and they successfully dropped the paratroopers over their intended primary drop zone, before turning and heading for home and what turned out to be a relatively uneventful return flight to Membury, were they landed just before 0400hrs.
Incredibly, all the C-47s of the 436th TCG made it back to Membury, even though many had sustained damage from the savage ground fire they encountered – ‘Night Fright’ herself sustained around one hundred separate bullet and shrapnel hits, which put her out of service for the next four days whilst she underwent repairs. The Group’s glider pilots were not so lucky, with several men being either killed or injured during the landing operations. Between June 9th and 13th, the 436th carried out a number of further sorties, towing CG-4A gliders full of supplies in an attempt to resupply troops fighting in the area of St. Mere Eglise.After undergoing repairs, ‘Night Fright’ returned to post D-Day operations, carrying out resupply missions, medical evacuations and freight-moving flights during the rest of this historic month.
After playing such an important role in helping secure eventual Allied victory during the Second World War, Douglas C-47A 42-100521 ‘Night Fright’ entered the US civilian register as NC65384, flying domestic routes with several operators over the next fifteen years. She was then sold to the French Navy, where she served as a navigational trainer and general communications aircraft, arriving in France during the summer of 1963 and joining Escadrille 56S at Nimes-Garons, where she was given the serial 18984 and fuselage code ’84’.
When the French finally disposed of their military C-47s in 1984, the aircraft came into the possession of Basler Flight Services, who arranged to fly her back to America. Now registered N98BF, she flew the famous wartime northern ferry route on her way back home, not stopping until she reached Texas. Re-registered once more as N308SF, she soon found herself hauling cargo in the colors of Sky Freighters Corporation and while she would be used as a load lugger for the next twenty years or so, she would do so under the ownership of several different companies. Underlining the excellence of the aircraft’s original design and the strength of its construction, this warbird would spend many years transporting anything from live chickens to electrical generators all across North and Central America, in addition to regularly turning up at airfields on various Caribbean islands.
For an aircraft which possessed such a rich wartime history, ‘Night Fright’ was later forced to suffer the ignominy of being listed on a well-known auction site, finally coming into the ownership of a company who were specialists in the dismantling and scrapping of aircraft. Fortunately and for reasons which are still unclear, this former D-Day veteran was spared the scrapman’s attentions and sat forlornly at Walnut Ridge airfield, the same airfield she had returned to following the end of her wartime ETO service. It was from here that she was discovered by a group of people who had a very special restoration project in mind.
Douglas C-47A 42-100521 ‘Night Fright’ is now the subject of a meticulous restoration project taking place in a hangar at Coventry Airport in the UK and significantly, this project will see this D-Day veteran taking to the skies once more. Returning the aircraft to as close to her June 5th, 1944, configuration as possible, once the ‘Night Fright’ restoration team have succeeded in their quest, the aircraft will serve as a unique flying memorial to the men and aircraft which took part in D-Day, allowing the public the opportunity to experience what it must have been like to be on board this very aircraft in the hours prior to making that historic flight.
As ‘Night Fright’ takes her place as a high-profile addition to the UK and European Airshow circuit, there are also ambitious plans to create a museum at the former US Station 466 Membury airfield site, the actual airfield that ‘Fright Night’ took off from on the night of June 5th/6th, 1944. This is something which will clearly enhance the authenticity of this project, while also producing a popular visitor attraction for the region. Central to these plans, it is also intended that part of the original runway at Membury will be restored, to enable ‘Night Fright’ to operate from and to be based at her former wartime home airfield, a unique ‘living’ link to D-Day and a chance for us all to experience history. As is the case with everyone aware of this fascinating project, we await the first post restoration flight of Douglas C-47A 42-100521 ‘Night Fright’ with some excitement and wish the restoration team every success over the coming months.
“Night Fright” is in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
Recently we had an issue with a customer concerning our free shipping option. Several months ago, said customer placed an order calling for three Panzerkampf MiG-19s, none of which were in-stock and clearly marked as pre-order merchandise. The order was submitted to us late at night so we could not review it to see if we could accept it as it stood. When the first MiG arrived, we shipped it to him at a considerably reduced price to console him. But when the next MiG arrived, and we attempted to adjust the price he became indignant, basically accusing us of everything in the book because he wasn’t getting his way. Needless to say the customer misinterpreted the offer when we would not fulfill his order as he saw fit. There’s some other things that occurred that I won’t comment on publicly that raised an eyebrow so we blocked him from making any further purchases from us. Clearly no amount of explaining was going to correct the situation
So let’s back track for a moment and do our best to explain how the offer works. Our free shipping promotion clearly states that all of the merchandise on your order must be in-stock and ready for immediate shipment. It does not mean that any order of $250 or more qualifies for the discount nor does it mean we will break up an order calling for multiple items to be shipped out over an extended period of time since our shipping costs will go up exponentially, quite possibly wiping out whatever profit we are making on the order. We’ve gone back and edited the Free Shipping option so that it clearly states “All Items Must be In-Stock” to qualify for the discount. I’m certain we will still get orders submitted to us that fails to abide by the terms of sale but at least we made a yeoman effort attempting to make things as clear as possible.
We appreciate your consideration in this matter and hope we have made the matter as clear, concise and understandable to avoid further confusion. Thank you.
Luft-X’s 1:72 scale German Lippisch P.13a Ramjet-Powered Interceptor
Its been awhile since Luft-X added some new warbirds to their highly successful range of vengeance weapons Hitler oft touted as saving the Third Reich from disaster. Although the Ho 229 flying wing was resurrected and expected to return to stock this month, we were beginning to wonder if any newer projects were kicking about that would help extend the life and interest in this all-important line. Well, wonder no more because two new models were announced today, both designed to reinvigorate the range and breathe new life into a rather dormant series.
The Lippisch P.12, P.13a and P.13b were related design projects for a ramjet-powered delta wing interceptor aircraft studied in 1944 by German designer Alexander Lippisch. The P.12 and P.13a were unarmed, relying on reinforced wings to ram its opponent. The P.13a and b were to be powered by powdered coal. The DM-1 was a full-size glider, flown to test the P.12/13a low-speed aerodynamics. The design series were unrelated to the earlier P.13 produced by Messerschmitt’s Lippisch design office.
The solid-fuel powered P.13 was one of several distinct Lippisch design studies to be so designated and became identified as the P/13a. It underwent much the same variations of form as the P.12, being presented in a brochure with the large fin and integral raised cockpit, and with an articulated, double-hinged landing skid. The wing trailing edge is angled slightly forwards and the downturned tip surfaces have been discarded. The outer wing sections could be folded upwards for transportation by rail.
A variant with a rectangular canard foreplane was wind-tunnel tested. This was not really consistent with ramming and there are other indications that conventional gun armament was being considered.
Meanwhile, the Heinkel Wespe (English: Wasp) was a project study by the German company Heinkel for a tail-sitting, vertical take off and landing-interceptor aircraft. The aircraft did not have conventional wings, but instead featured a large rotor. Completed in 1945, it remained untested due to a lack of material at the end of the Second World War. A related project was the Heinkel Lerche.
Luft-X’s 1:72 scale German Heinkel Wespe Vertical Take Off and Landing InterceptorIs that the face of a Wasp on the nose? Perhaps it should’ve been named the Shark
The aircraft was to be powered by a turboprop in the center of the airframe which was unusual for having a circular wing and would have had a small frontal area, making it a good platform for attacking bombers. It may have been designed for point defense, but due to the situation in Germany at the time, the engine was not completed and none were ever built.
Both new models are slated to take to the skies this September.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Chinese PLAN Shenyang J-11BHG “Flanker B+” Multirole Fighter – South China Sea, 2022
While many diecast modelmakers are still fleshing out their plans for 2023, Hobby Master is already turning its attention to early 2024. Several new warbirds were among their January roll out, including a number of aircraft that could potentially see action in the not-too-distant future if geo-political tensions fail to abate and an East-West Cold War turns hot.
On Friday, Corgi debuted its latest round of diecast warbirds, which spans everything from a 1:48 scale BAe Harrier jump jet to a diminutive 1:72 scale Messerschmitt operated by the Regia Aeronautica. Its an interesting roll call of combat fliers, which adds a number of eagerly requested warbirds from a litany of twenty- and twenty first century military engagements.
Corgi’s 1:12 scale Triumph 1962 TR6R 650cc Motorcycle – Steve McQueen, “The Great Escape”
Also up for consideration is a 1:12 scale Triumph 1962 TR6R 650cc motorcycle that was used by Steve McQueen in the feature film The Great Escape.Its their second two-wheeler, and certainly looks like a winner for both McQueen diehards and bike enthusiasts world over.
We’ve listed all of the newest models in our May Additions section, and invite you to take a look and pre-order those models that could be of particular interest to you. As an aside, Corgi has put together this video which helps to add a bit of background information for each new introduction. Enjoy!
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye AEW Aircraft – 165648, VAW-113 “Black Eagles”, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), June 2006 (1:72 Scale)
Per Hobby Master’s MAP guidelines, we will be removing any price restrictions on all of the October 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.
