To my knowledge, Dragon still has no official distribution arm in North America after they closed up their self-titled shop back in 2021. Candidly, its hard to imagine that a large model maker such as Dragon, who was once the undisputed king of the 1:72 scale pre-assembled market, has pulled out of what has to be their most lucrative market but there you have it folks. Stranger things have happened. Its entirely possible they could be looking to re-establish themselves by forming a partnership with another modelmaking entity but until that time, retailers such as ourselves, are being asked to order direct from their Chinese factory, which, I might add, is too costly and time consuming to undertake.
Happily, they do seem intent to keep their toe in the diecast water by churning out several new vehicles under their Neo Armor banner. While it remains to be seen if these vehicles will ever make it to our shores within a reasonable time frame, we’re holding out hope that someone will eventually step forward and pick up the gauntlet, making these and anything else they plan to produce once again available to the Noth American collector. Anyway, here’s a quick pictorial update as to what’s purportedly being made for 2022.
While war continues to rage in Ukraine, modelmakers have seized the day, so-to-speak, by replicating – in scale form – many of the combat systems continuously being shown to them on late night TV. We’ve already discussed the litany of aircraft expected by such stalwarts as Hobby Master and JC Wings, but now comes word that Panzerkampf plans to throw its hat into the ring with several interesting ground vehicles. The first vehicle expected to see the light of day is the Russian-built Pantsir (“Carapace”) air defense system, a state-of-the-art family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems that has seen limited use in Ukraine largely because of the relative size of the Ukrainian Air Force vis a vis the Russian Air Force. The Pantsir-S1 was designed to provide point air defense of military, industrial and administrative installations against aircraft, helicopters, precision munitions, cruise missiles and UAVs; and to provide additional protection to air defense units against enemy air attacks employing precision munitions, especially at low to extremely low altitudes.
After seeing the size of this model on Facebook, we’ve temporarily taken it down for pre-order purposes until we get a more realistic idea as to its final cost. We hope to re-list it, along with photos for each of the six iterations planned, in the weeks ahead.
JC Wings 1:72 scale Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker” – 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, 2016
In a move that comes as no surprise to anyone, be it wily collectors or the eager trade, JC Wings has decided to offer yet another model based upon an aircraft that has taken part in the current Russo-Ukrainian Conflict. Previously they had offered a MiG 29 in a digitized winter camouflage scheme, which was released just prior to the start of the invasion. Naturally, these sold out almost immediately and we’re certain another version will soon make its way onto their release schedule. In the mean time, they have just unveiled a Su-27 in a scintillating horizon blue paint scheme, which will no doubt become another heavily sought after model upon release. The balance of their latest military hardware has now been posted to our site.
JC Wings 1:72 scale German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 Fighter – Major Siegfried Schnell, Jagdgeschwader 2, France, 194JC Wings 1:72 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Fighter – Warrant Officer Tetsuzo Iwamoto, 253rd Kokutai, 1944JC Wings 1:72 scale USMC Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler Electronic Warfare Aircraft – Electronic Attack Squadron 2 (VMAQ-2) “Death Jesters”, Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, North Carolina, 2019JC Wings 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 182nd Fighter Squadron, 149th Fighter Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, “70th Anniversary”, 2017 [Anniversary Scheme]JC Wings 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet Strike Fighter – VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers,” USS Eisenhower (CVN-69), 2016JC Wings 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14B Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – VF-11 “Red Rippers”, USS George Washington (CVN-73), 2005
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US M1A2 SEP Abrams Main Battle Tank with TUSK II Survival Kit – 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Baghdad, Iraq, July 2008 [Clean Version]
While everything in the world seems to be going up in price, we’re happy to report that at least one item has successfully downshifted. We learned today that the upcoming fleet of M1 Abrams tanks from Panzerkampf will now be priced at $49.99 apiece, a 20% reduction off of its original price of $59.99. A couple of vehicles are expected to return to stock some time this May and, if luck be a lady, the balance should be in stock by the end of this summer, sooner if the logistical logjam plaguing our ports finally get straightened out. Also expected this May is the desert version of the M1070 heavy equipment transporter, which will go nicely with any of the vehicles shown on our site.
Incidentally, if you were fortunate enough to pre-order any of the upcoming Abrams tanks at the incredible price of just $39.99 when we first trotted them out, then we will honor this price. Enjoy!
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Initial Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 502, Russia, February 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]
As stocks of their first Tiger I tank continue to draw down, and the release date for their second vehicle draws nigh, Forces of Valor decided to unveil images of its third Tiger iteration – an initial production tank that served with schwere Panzerabteilung 502, then deployed to Leningrad, Russia, during February 1943.
When the first production Tigers rolled out of the Henschel factory in late 1942, they were immediately sent to the training grounds at Fallingbostel to equip schwere Panzerabteilung 502 (502nd Heavy Tank Battalion). After just three days of training, the unit was sent to reinforce the German forces laying siege to Leningrad even though the tanks had teething problems and were still proving unreliable. Upon arrival at Mga, close to the front, they were ordered up to the front line where they would soon see combat.
These first nine Tigers had a unique appearance which differed markedly from later Tigers. To begin with, they had no fenders nor storage boxes on the hull sides. Further, their mudguards at the front and rear of the vehicle did not project beyond the hull side. They were also issued with “mirrored” tracks, i.e. the right and left tracks were different, unlike those of any other German tank. The crews disliked the inconvenience of this arrangement and eventually put just a single type of track on each Tiger. Finally, the initial production Tigers featured ammunition stowage racks conspicuously affixed to the sides of the turret, which would eventually be moved to the rear of the turret in later versions to reduce the vehicle’s profile and make them less of an obvious target to enemy gunners.
A total of nine Tigers were sent to this battalion, filling out its 1st company, before events in North Africa diverted additional Tiger production to the Mediterranean theater. The 502nd fought in forests and swamps south of Leningrad and achieved only limited success. Technical problems with the tanks caused as much trouble as the terrain, and so the more reliable Tigers were given the best components thus leaving the remaining vehicles in an even more precarious position.
On January 18th, 1943, a breakthrough by the Soviets cost the unit five Tigers, including numbers “121” and “100” (seen here), which were captured intact because they had bogged down in the swamps around Leningrad. Only two of the original nine Tigers remained serviceable by February, although their ranks were bolstered by three new vehicles still rolling off of the production line.
So why is this release so important if the vehicle turned out to be such a disappointment? Simply put, because it helps to trace the evolution of the Tiger tank series, from its earliest beginnings in the hands of inexperienced crews to its nightmarish engagements when commanded by tank aces such as Michael Wittmann. Unlike Unimax, who was content to simply repackage the same vehicle over and over again in different liveries and unit insignia, Waltersons is making a concerted effort to distinguish the differences of each variant, all of which helped to make each iteration unique in its own right. While it was feared by Allied warfighters throughout the latter half of World War II, its rushed production to regain momentum on the battlefield meant that the vehicle had to overcome a slew of mechanical obstacles before it could indeed live up to its fateful name and become a legendary war machine.
Look for the third vehicle in Forces of Valor’s Tiger I tank series to rear its head sometime this fall.
…or a weathered appearance? You may have the option to get both.
Ordinarily, Panzerkampf plays it cool on social media, occasionally talking up some of their latest projects one at a time and oftentimes days if not weeks apart. That strategy changed completely this past weekend when they announced a bevy of new products, many of which were well along in the build process based upon photos shown. They began their dog-and-pony show with a couple of Russian-built MiG 19s fighters, both of which were clad in operational schemes that got many a fan jealous with envy. Also unveiled were some of their upcoming M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, this time around sporting the TUSK II Survival Kit. Interestingly, there’s a good chance that Panzerkampf, for the first time, will be offering their military vehicles in both factory fresh as well as weathered, battle hardened paint schemes, meaning lots more to choose from depending upon how you plan to display them.
Lastly, two new military vehicles were added to their recently unveiled Legion line of budget-inspired vehicles – a German Marder Ausf. H anti-tank gun and a Hetzer tank destroyer. Both looked sharp and it appears as if even more vehicles will be announced in the not-too-distant future.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale French Dassault Rafale C Multirole Aircraft – 118 EF, “Arctic Tiger”, NATO Tiger Meet 2012
Showing no signs of abating, Hobby Master churned out yet another flock of warbirds all scheduled to take off this December. Among the new releases is their first ever french-built Dassault Rafale fighter, clad in a wintry white scheme indicative of taking part in a NATO led Tiger Meet competition conducted in the far north. Here now, the rest of the aircraft you can expect to see under the Christmas tree barring any logistical issues.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Convair F-106A Delta Dart Interceptor – 90053, 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron “Red Bulls”, Sawyer AFB, Michigan, 1970sHobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAF Panavia GR. Mk. 1A Tornado IDS All-Weather Bomber – ZA592, No.13 Squadron, RAF Marham, England, 1995Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 86-0333, 119th Fighter Squadron, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 2016 [Low Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16CG Block 40 Viper Fighter – 89-2035, Commander of the 555th Fighter Squadron, 2003-2004 [Low Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN Boeing F/A-18C Hornet Strike Fighter – VFA-81 “Sunliners,” USS Saratoga (CV-60), January 1991 [Low Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – 159390, CAG VS-30 “Diamondcutters”, USS George Washington (CVN-73), 2005Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – “VS-21 “Fighting Redtails”, USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), January 2005 [Decommissioning Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback” Strike Fighter – “Red 24”, Ukraine, March 2022Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF North American Mustang Mk. III Fighter – Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, No.315 “City of Deblin” Squadron, Southwest England, 1944Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USAAF North American P-51B Mustang Fighter – Lt. Bill Overstreet, “Berlin Express”, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Leiston, England, 1944
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “Alwin”, “121”, schwere Panzerabteilung 501, Deutsches Afrika Korps, Tunisia, 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]
We were a tad disappointed to learn that several 2021 Corgi items originally forecast for a March arrival will likely show up a month later in April. Its not clear why these items are being delayed since most have already been released in Europe and elsewhere. We can only assume that logistical issues are once again playing havoc with the release schedule for a number of diecast manufacturers.
With the recent spike in COVID-related cases in China, delays are being reported by several producers, most notably Hobby Master. Several items, originally earmarked for an April ship, still haven’t had their final images posted anywhere on the web, which generally means that they are nowhere near being completed. We are currently awaiting the latest shipping schedule from our distributor but I can say with some degree of certainty that similar indicators from the past usually point to extended delays. The question is by how many months will these items languish before they are actually produced.
This same distributor has indicated that they are already sold out of the latest Forces of Valor tanks, which include the second Sturmtiger, German Tiger I heavy tank and US M4 Sherman medium tank. We were able to procure some additional stocks on each of these vehicles, but we will eventually run out given supply and demand issues, the success of these items despite the recent price hikes, and lack of new product filtering into the market. Currently, the next major shipment is slated to make port in May, but given their inability to hit their forecast dates and recurring problems with the supply chain, it could be June or later before they actually storm our shores.
We were overrun with orders for the newly minted metal tracks for the Tiger I/Sturmtiger and made the mistake of listing a few remaining pieces on eBay, all of which were quickly gobbled up by eager collectors. We’ve placed a re-order for these tracks and are keeping our fingers crossed that they will be replenished with the next shipment. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is advertising metal tracks for the Sherman tank, so we strongly recommend pre-ordering them as soon as possible so we have a realistic idea as to how many to order.
Bear in mind that several different types of Sherman tracks will eventually be made, so please make sure you are ordering the correct set of tracks. We’ve made a concerted effort to match each pair of tracks with the correct Sherman tank, but fully realize some of you may want to mix-and-match the tracks with any of the Sherman variants they already own or plan to purchase at a later date. We haven’t opened the pre-order window for several upcoming Shermans because the manufacturer has a habit of changing the prices as the vehicles get nearer to release. Once the manufacturer has set the price for each vehicle, we will update our site accordingly.
We received an update concerning the long-awaited Panzerkampf M1070 heavy equipment transporters. The tri-color version is expected to arrive at our distributor’s facility this Friday, which means we should have our shipment in hand sometime towards the end of next week, perhaps by the 31st. They also reported that the desert version is leaving China on or around April 15th, so barring any unforeseen problems, they should have them several weeks later. As a result, we have moved up their receiving date to May instead of the somewhat nebulous summer arrival date we originally listed. We believe there’s a good chance the balance of the M1 Abrams tanks will also show up along with the desert M1070. Considering the success of the first batch of Abrams that are still in stock, the second batch should sell equally well. Keep in mind that a great many schools let out around May, and vehicles such as the Abrams tank make exceptional graduation gifts, if past performance with the larger FOV Abrams serve as any indicator.
In an interesting turn of events, Panzerkampf also noted that they are distributing a new line of 1:72 scale military vehicles under a heretofore unheard of brand called Legion. Thus far only a GMC CCKW 2-1/2-ton truck has been shown on their Facebook account although they are touting the fact that it is priced well within everyone’s budget. Its quite possible that these were originally sold under the Amercom license and are now being repurposed by Panzerkampf to both bolster their lineup and give these older toolings new life.
Curiously, Panzerkampf’s first warship, a 1:1250 scale rendition of the USS Enterprise (CV-6), is now being marketed under the Legion brand although it is still listed on the Panzerkampf web site. We can only assume that this will be their marketing strategy going forward – items that do not live up to the exacting standards Panzerkampf has set forth will be sold under the Legion banner.
We’ve dropped Herpa from our lineup and are cancelling any orders we’ve received to date for any of the items we had up on our site. Our distributor reported several issues with the line, most notably the receipt of damaged items, so, at least for now, we’ll put them on the back burner and hope for the best once these and some other problems get resolved.
This week Minichamps indicated that they were cancelling all four of the 1:35 scale tanks they had announced several years ago. Three vehicles were actually re-releases, while the fourth, the Leopard tank, was simply a new version of an existing mold, so none of the vehicles required new tooling. I’m always mystified how a manufacturer can reach this decision when all along retailers such as ourselves were accepting pre-orders and continuing to tell our customers that the product was coming albeit at some point in the future. Its almost as if they could care less how they treat both their retail partners as well as collectors, happy to do as they please since they are perhaps the largest diecast model maker. They claimed that the recent hike in trans-oceanic transport costs led to this decision but if true this would affect their entire line, not just their military vehicles, as well as several dozen other items they also decided to cancel. Candidly, if they would produce what they claim was coming within the same calendar year of its announcement, they wouldn’t have to hike the costs nor face the wrath of retailers and collectors tired of this tact. Moreover, this isn’t the first time they elected to cancel a product several years after first being announced, all the while hiking its cost and asking price. I believe it took them seven years to formally indicate that a 1:12 scale Brough Superior bike was being nixed. Seven years. To sum up, we’re done with Minichamps. While we wish them the best of luck going forward, issues such as this continue to sour my stance and dim my viewpoint. While they make a wonderful product that typically escalate in value, they have a lot to learn when it comes to working with the retail trade and how they treat their customers.
And then there’s our scheduled move to Florida sometime this summer. I’ve never had a house built before so near as I can tell its approximately 1/3-1/2 finished. In fact, my eldest daughter and her family recently stopped by the build to autograph the cinder block walls with everyone’s names before the drywall process begins. In case you’re wondering, we’re putting down roots in Wesley Chapel, an up-and-coming community on the port side of Florida and about 30 miles inland, almost 30 miles northeast of Tampa. The next town over is Zephyrhills, home of the Zephyrhills Museum of Military History. In addition to showing a wide array of WWII-era armor, they regularly run reenactments and next week plan to hold one based upon Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. But more about all of this at a later date.
So why bring this up? At some point in the next couple of months we will have to suspend all inbound shipments in an effort to lessen the amount of inventory we must ship roughly half way across this great nation of ours. While we will continue to ship outbound orders until such time as we have to pack up our inventory ahead of our move, we thought it important to bring this up now in case anyone is desperately expecting certain items this summer. Candidly, we do not have a firm date for the resumption of both inbound and outbound shipments since this hinges upon how quickly we can get set up. Moreover, it may take some time before the shipping carriers (USPS, UPS and FedEx) are able to both send and receive deliveries to and from a brand new community. We will revisit this scenario at a later date when we have more concrete information to work from.
Finally, and this could very well be conjecture on my part, has to do with the diplomatic pressure the US is exerting on China should they decide to back the Putin regime in the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict. If the PRC decides to back the Russian government and send both lethal and non-lethal aid to Russia, the US may be forced to place additional sanctions on China, which could very well include the ban on Chinese imports or, at the very least, exceedingly high tariffs to dissuade them from providing help. I know a great many global companies are anxiously awaiting news of China’s decision and the lengths the Biden administration may be willing to go to prevent China from aiding their supposed ally in their hour of need. Time will tell if this is an issue that could have both short- and long-term adverse effects on the production schedule for the diecast industry and the economy at large.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 “Gustav” Fighter – Heinrich Bartels, 11./Jagdgeschwader 27 “Afrika”, Greece, November 1943
Looking to beef up their holiday presence while simultaneously paying homage to some of the platforms taking part in the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict, Hobby Master, late last week, announced a wide array of new combat aircraft for the month of November. The list is quite impressive, adding a number of heavily requested items to what is already a daunting product portfolio. Here’s what you can expect to sit along side the turkey this coming Thanksgiving:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC McDonnell F-4J Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – VMFA-232 “The Red Devils,” MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, 1977Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18C Hornet Strike Fighter – CAG Bird, “Chippy Ho,” VFA-195 “Dambusters,” 2010Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 495th Fighter Squadron “The Valkyries”, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England, December 2021 [Low-Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RCAF Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Canada, 2010 [Low-Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – 75th Fighter Squadron “Tiger Sharks,” 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia, 2017Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-25M1 “Frogfoot” Ground Attack Aircraft – “Blue 08”, 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade, Nikolaev, Ukraine, 2022Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29C ‘Fulcrum-C’ Fighter – “Yellow 57,” “The Ghost of Kyiv”, Ukraine, 2022Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale German Panavia GR. Mk. 1 Tornado IDS All-Weather Bomber – Jagdbombergeschwader 32, Piacenza-San Damiano, Italy, 1999Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker-B” Multirole Fighter – “Blue 58”, 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, Mirgorod, Ukraine, 2022Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Navy Sukhoi Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter – “Red 84”, 2nd Aviation Squadron, 2016Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – VF-84 “Jolly Rogers,” USS Nimitz, (CVN-68) July 1978
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29C ‘Fulcrum-C’ Fighter – “Yellow 57,” “The Ghost of Kyiv”, Ukraine, 2022
So, I’m officially exhausted. Between all of the new Forces of Valor arrivals, receipt of a huge Hobby Master shipment and, if I may, off-the-charts sales on both our website and marketplace channels, its likely going to take us a couple of days for me to fully recover. Frankly, its a good thing another snow storm is bearing down on our neck of the woods this weekend, which will give me time to take a shower, shave and take stock of everything that has gone on around us. At least that’s my plan.
Why do I bring this up? For starters, I just wanted to thank everyone for holding off sending us missives asking about the status of their Forces of Valor order. As I alluded to previously, its counterproductive for us to take time out and respond to everyone’s query. Because of this, we’ve gotten out all of the tank and aircraft shipments and are now down to a handful of metal track orders, all of which will go out on Saturday. Afterwards, once I’ve downed a few cups of coffee, taken my meds and fed the hound, I’ll begin posting another set of eBay listings for the rest of the products contained within the January/February Hobby Master shipment. Expect them to show up on the Bay by Monday morning.
Lastly, we just received the Hobby Master November release list, which, as we fully expected, contains a number of items directly connected to the current situation in Ukraine. The most notable is the so-called “Ghost of Kyiv” MiG-29 fighter, which is decked out in a handsome digitized winter camouflage scheme. This could well be the best selling aircraft model of 2022, so we’ll do our best to list it first, followed by a scintillating Ukrainian Su-25 “Frogfoot” ground attack aircraft, then address the rest of the new announcements in due course. These should all be up and available for pre-order by Saturday evening. I urge you to place your pre-orders as soon as possible, so we have a fairly good idea how many we need to order from our distributor.
If I have any further thoughts, I’ll update this post over the weekend, once I’ve had a good night’s sleep and gotten my bearings. In the meantime, many of you should be receiving their FOV orders and I certainly hope the product was worth the extended wait. While I may have some reservations about how they conduct business, they happen to make awesome replicas and that is what this hobby is all about.
