Imagery is finally starting to appear for Unimax upcoming rendition of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (#UNI86015). Slated to join the Forces of Valor fleet some time in September, the Hornet will feature Jimmy Doolittle’s squadron of B-25 bombers on its deck, just as it was configured prior to the Tokyo Raid of April 1942. The ship shown here is still devoid of its markings and insignia, as are the planes and display plinth.
In what could well be the worst held secret in the diecast military community, Hobby Master confirmed today that they are working on a 1:72 scale replica of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle. Designed to waylay the countryside in October, their first ever “Mud Hen” is patterned after a bird that flew with the 391st Fighter Squadron, then deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, during 2012 (HA4501). Priced at $103.99, the F-15E is substantially higher in price than some of its recent releases, and could signal further price hikes are in the works for newly tooled aircraft.
Strange as it may sound, Aviation 72’s inaugural 1:72 scale replica of the Swedish Saab Viggen is already sold out at both the distributor and manufacturer level. Thankfully, a second version is already taking wing and should be in stores later this summer. On a like minded note, the Aviation 72 Saab Draken is also sold out at our distributor, although we still have a few pieces left to fill any late comer orders. Reviews have been very positive so you may want to think long and hard about these scale replicas before passing up either one of them.
Power lifting has never been a problem for German-based Panzerstahl, so it should come as no surprise that they plan on adding more weight to their bar bell in the form of the British Conqueror heavy tank (#PS89009). Slated to step on to the mat in the September/October time frame, the FV 214 Conqueror heavy tank was intended to stand toe-to-toe with some of the beefy Soviet tank designs that were fielded after WWII. Mounting a fearsome 1200mm main gun, the Conqueror never saw service due to lengthy design delays and other remedies offered by the British War Ministry.
Just days after Century Wings announced a new SR-71A Blackbird was in the making comes news that this high-flier will soon have some unexpected company. Air Force 1 claims to have their own rendition of the SR-71A in the works, boasting all of the fine workmanship, casting and detail the CW mold has touted for some time. Slated for an October ship, their first look at the super-sleek, super fast reconnaissance plane is based upon the craft that set several speed records in the 1990s.
An interesting turn of events…
Hot on the heels of their 1:72 scale V-22 Osprey offering comes news that Air Force 1 will also be tempting us with a slew of Chinese Peoples Liberation Army favorites, both on the ground and in the air. A pair of 1:35 scale main battle tanks will be released this year, each boasting wooden display plinths and a wealth of detail.
Also expected are two 1:48 scale attack helicopters as well as a 1:72 scale representation of the Chengdu J-10 fighter. Previously, each of the items was released as part of the Donart brand, which never made it over to the North American market place in significant numbers. Donning a brand new manufacturer’s logo and stocked by one of the most reliable distributors here on our shores, each of these interesting subjects will finally make it into diecast collections the world over.
Century Wings is one of those model makers that defy explanation. Rather than branching out and offering new molds, they seem to prefer producing only a handful of aircraft types painted in virtually every conceivable skin. Their latest introduction showcases a SR-71A in “Skull and Crossbones” motif, always a war winner among the aviation crowd (#CW001607).
Currently, their newest Blackbird is penciled in for an August fly-by, and commands a king’s ransom of just $149.99.
With drones playing an ever greater role in our nation’s military defense strategy, we thought it made sense to create a brand new section which focuses on the myriad unmanned combat systems fielded by the world’s armies. Thus far, we’ve included the three Italeri unmanned aerial vehicles in this all-new section, but fully anticipate an ever growing array of aerial, submersible and land-based systems to be included in this section.
Our principal distributor has informed us that they have signed an agreement with newcomer Air Forces 1 Model Company to become the sole distributor of their line of multi-scale aircraft for the North American market. While the manufacturer is still working on their own web site, early indications are that the first release will be a 1:72 scale replica of the V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor aircraft. The AF1 version will feature the ability to rotate the wings 90 degrees so that it can be stowed aboard a US Aircraft carrier.
According to reports, AF1 will be relaunching several of the older Armour Collection 1:48 scale aircraft as part of their line, although its not clear if any retooling will be done to bring them up to spec. Moreover, the new line will include aircraft in differing scales and could be as broad and deep as the original Armour Collection range. We hope to have more details concerning this important announcement in the days and weeks ahead.
While we’ve had a photo of the upcoming USS Arizona on our web site for several weeks running, we’ve finally unearthed some detailed images of the ship’s superstructure and packaging.
The images reveal some of the workmanship that has gone into this iconic warship which was sunk at the outset of the Second World War at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7th, 1941. Among the important features is a floatplane attached to the rear of the warship, its catapult, the ship’s superstructure, and the multitude of guns bristling along the length of the deck. The Pennsylvania is scheduled to ship out some time in June.
