Every year, we don our Santa caps and put together a gift-giving guide based upon what we think you or your loved one would appreciate this holiday season. What follows are several links to each gift-giving category featured on our web site. Just click on the button embedded within each image and off you go to our workshop but keep in mind that many of these items will likely sell out quickly as the holiday season wears on.
We are regularly reviewing these sections on a daily basis, deleting those items that have moved to back order status and adding other items appropriate for each gift-giving level. We therefore recommend that you periodically check these sections for product updates and other changes we may have to make over the course of the next several weeks.
Back when they were first offered about a dozen or so years ago, Forces of Valor’s model kit line didn’t exactly light the world on fire, perhaps because they concentrated on the smaller 1:72 scale category instead of the more lucrative larger sized category where they had a more loyal following. While we stocked their armor line, we backed off of their aircraft line since the vehicles weren’t selling all that well.
Fast forward to today and Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor line, has decided to both re-launch their 1:72 scale model kit line as well as kick off a brand new series: 1:32 scale armor kits. While we’re going to beg off the 1:72 scale category for reasons already mentioned, we believe that their 1:32 scale range will do quite well in today’s market, since a great many of our clientele continue to build models, provided they still have the patience, expertise and eyesight to turn bits and pieces of unfinished raw material into works of art. FOV’s first foray into the 1:32 scale build category is based upon their first pre-assembled Tiger I tank – an early production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E that served with schwere Panzerabteilung 505, then deployed to Kursk, Russia, during July 1943. While model makers can certainly compare their skill and prowess against what FOV has produced by duplicating the vehicle in every sense of the word, they also have the ability to portray a completely different vehicle from a completely different unit that served on a completely different front. Ah, the joy of model making!
Presently, we do not have a price for the kit or a firm release date, nor do we know if it will come with an engine, metal or vinyl tracks, or the commander figure, all commonplace in their pre-assembled vehicles. And, since FOV is hawking the fact that their 1:32 scale armor now contains more metal, its not clear how much metal will be used in their model kit line, if at all. We hope to have more complete information shortly as well as insight concerning other vehicles, aircraft and/or warships that will also be available in kit form.
By mid November, we had hoped to have received a great many more items than what our November 2001 Arrivals section shows, thus enabling us to offer more new introductions for the holiday season. While there are some hopeful signs that a number of late comers will still trickle in, the fact remains that there’s going to be slim pickings going forward until the issues plaguing the supply chain get ironed out.
For instance, we had hoped that over a dozen new items from Corgi would arrive before Thanksgiving. Late yesterday we learned that barely four new products are expected this month: a single Tiger tank and a trio of 1:72 scale aircraft. It remains to be seen if the balance of their 2021 releases will arrive by year’s end or whether they will put into port in early 2022. Keep in mind that Corgi traditionally likes to announce their yearly lineup in January, so this year it appears as if they’ll be doing so while any number of 2021 introductions have still to put in an appearance.
Other manufacturers aren’t faring much better although we are still hopeful that both the September and October Hobby Master shipments will make it in time for the Thanksgiving banquet. Likewise, we haven’t heard anything further from the FOV camp, and with their very spotty track record of missing release dates, we’re inclined to believe that their late 2021 releases will more than likely show up in early 2022.
We aren’t expecting anything from Panzerkampf until early 2022, but we are crossing our fingers that both DeAgostini and PMA merchandise will be in more plentiful supply for the holidays. Other than that, there really isn’t all that much to crow about this holiday season since the port congestion issues continue to worsen despite efforts by the Administration and others to alleviate the congestion. And with transportation costs on the rise and inflation fears chiming in, it could be some time before our diecast ship rights itself and returns to the sea lanes as before. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s only so much good tidings we can sing about this holiday season.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Training Vehicle, C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, New York, 1943 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Looks as if Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has begun showing off its second in a long line of M4 Sherman tanks, which are due out over the course of the next 12 months. Interestingly, Forces of Valor chose a training vehicle as the subject for its first M4A3(75) Sherman medium tank that features a VVSS suspension. The model is purportedly based upon a vehicle attached to C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, which was still stateside here in New York during 1943 before being shipped overseas for the invasion of Europe in the summer of 1944. The 5th Armored did not see action until August 1944, two months after Operation Overlord, and took part in Operation Cobra, the Allies’ attempt to break through the stiff German defenses in and around Normandy, clear the Brittany countryside then sweep around the Germans’ flank in a wide enveloping move aimed at cutting off their retreat.
Its not clear when this Sherman will actually become available, based upon issues still plaguing the global supply chain, production schedules and whether or not our distributor is able to fill a container load to warrant higher than normal shipping costs. We’re guessing it will show up sometime at the beginning of the second quarter, seeing as how it took their first Sherman and inaugural Tiger I tank several months before they were fit for duty here in North America. There’s a good bet that a second Tiger tank is in the offing, so its possible that this Sherman may have to languish on the docks for a bit until the next Tiger is ready for combat.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb Fighter – Squadron Leader Jan Zumbach, No.303 (Polish) Squadron, Summer 1942 [Kemble Air Show, June 2011]
We’ve got a bit of good news to share with everyone. According to our distributor, both the September and October Hobby Master shipments have made port and should arrive at our distributor on or around November 19th, which means we, in turn, should be receiving our orders before Thanksgiving. This is great news since we should be able to make them available for general sale during the extended Thanksgiving Day weekend.
Moreover, our distributor claims that both the November and December Hobby Master shipments should make port by December 12th and they will likely receive these shipments during the run-up to Christmas. We doubt that these shipments will be available for sale prior to Christmas. They should, however, be in stock by year’s end, unless either adverse weather or trucking delays hamper their arrival. So, it would appear as if future Hobby Master shipments will arrive as advertised, again unless port congestion, adverse weather or trucking issues enters the equation.
We’re not certain if our Forces of Valor shipment, previously advertised as arriving around the end of November/early December, will still make it in time for the holidays since these items are likely included within a different container and on a different cargo ship bound for Savannah. Georgia. We’re still awaiting word from Corgi when their next major shipment is expected, leaving them as the only major supplier whose 4th quarter releases are still up in the air. They are located in Oregon and face their own set of difficulties receiving new shipments.
Our Solido supplier says they are expecting to take delivery of their shipment within two weeks, meaning here too product will be available for general sale for the holidays. Some of our other lines are still up in the air, both figuratively as well as literally, and we will keep everyone abreast of any further developments as they materialize. All in all, hopeful news given what we have seen over the last few months.
Oh, and one last thing. We recognize that a lot of products we had hoped would arrive for the holidays may not make it in time even if Herculean efforts are made throughout the supply chain. Therefore we have brought back our gift certificate, which can be found throughout our Gift Giving Ideas section. Essentially, you can send your love one a gift certificate in any denomination, which can be redeemed before, during or after the holidays, an especially useful tool for anyone still looking to obtain an item that may arrive after December 25th. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we will walk you through the process of ordering a gift certificate.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Oshkosh M1070 Heavy Equipment Transporter with M1000 Semi-Trailer – Camouflage
Much is being made of the current shortage of truck drivers here in North America, which has helped to create an added bottleneck in getting goods from our clogged ports to the retail network. It therefore comes as no surprise that this added hurdle is now affecting the diecast industry in general and the upcoming Panzerkampf tank transporter set in particular. And if you believe that, there’s a bridge here in New York I can sell you.
In all honesty, when they were first announced last summer, well before the kinks in the global supply chain became apparent, we envisioned these sets would likely retail for around $100, a fair assumption given the fact that most of their similarly scaled military vehicles were retailing for around $35-$40. Turns out we missed the mark by a wide margin. We learned today that they will be pegged at $150 per set and, more importantly, will be available in very limited numbers here and around the world. So, we will honor the price we originally listed for anyone that placed a pre-order with us for either of these sets. That said, we have also updated the price for each set to $150. Frankly, this is still a fair price to pay given the paucity of military vehicles reaching the marketplace and the appeal these sets offer to anyone collecting military diecast memorabilia. Some of you may remember that Sword Models released several different 1:50 scale Oshkosh tank transporter sets several years back, which sold for around $300 or more. Those sets blew out in no time, and now command much higher prices in aftermarket venues such as eBay. In fact, someone is listing a few as we speak and offering them up for $800 apiece.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Oshkosh M1070 Heavy Equipment Transporter with M1000 Semi-Trailer – Desert Scheme
Anyway, we’re sorry to have made this announcement but hope you understand that some things are well beyond our control, hustling tanks from Point A to Point B one of them, even if they are diminutive cousins of the real thing.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN Douglas A-1H Skyraider Attack Aircraft – VA-176 “Thunderbolts”, USS Intrepid (CV-11), 1966
Despite extensive shipping delays here in the North American market, Hobby Master announced yet another batch of new warbirds, this one purportedly set to arrive in July 2022. The “July” shipment contains a number of models that haven’t been made available for some time, including a Douglas A-1H Skyraider and a Lockheed-Martin F-22A Raptor. Its not apparent if these new models will actually arrive as advertised considering the huge logjam of ships still waiting to dock and be offloaded. At this point, July may be an optimistic forecast since a great many aircraft that were previously touted are taxiing onto the diecast tarmac awaiting their own clearance for takeoff. To be clear, the incessant delays aren’t the fault of either Hobby Master or our distributor, since the product is being made on time and can oftentimes be found in other parts of the world. The culprit, as has been pointed out by the media, is the current breakdown in the global supply chain, which has played havoc with the release schedule here in North America, If cargo ships are sitting idle for weeks on end and there aren’t enough truckers available to transport the containers from the ports to the distributors, two key bottlenecks that still haven’t been overcome, then the net result is incessant delays in being able to ship out product to retailers.
In any event, I’ll get off my soapbox and offer up the rundown of what the “July” roster entails:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F-18A Hornet Strike Fighter – “Red 02”, VFA-127 “Cyclons”, NAS Lemoore, California, 1995 [Aggressor Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD “Flogger-K” Fighter – “Green 03”, Bagram, Afghanistan, July 1987Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale East German Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23ML “Flogger-K” Fighter – “Red 340”, Jagdfliegergeschwader 9 “Heinrich Rau”, Peenemunde-West, East Germany, 1990Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale German Lockheed F-104F Starfighter Interceptor – “BB+377”, Waffenschule Der Luftwaffe 10, 1961
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Lockheed F-104J Starfighter Interceptor – “TAC Meet”, 46-8587, 202nd Squadron, Nyutabaru AB, Japan, 1980Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 Multi-Role Fighter – RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands, 2015 Note: Two versions will be made available – one with a light weapons loadout and the other with a more robust loadoutHobby Master’s 1:72 scale JASDF McDonnell F-4EJ “Kai” Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 501st Squadron, 2020 [Retirement Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM “Flanker-C” Fighter – “Blue 34”, “Russian Knights”, 2019Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed-Martin F-22A Raptor Air Dominance Fighter – 03-4046, 19th Fighter Squadron “Gamecocks”, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, 2018 [Low-Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc Fighter – No.43 Squadron, RAF Acklington, England, August 1942Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc Fighter – Flt. Lt. Karel Kuttlelwasher, No.1 Squadron, RAF Tangmere, England, 1942Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc Fighter – Squadron Leader James MacLachlan, No.1 Squadron, RAF Northold, England November 1941-June 1942
Somewhere in this corrugated morass, are our September and October Hobby Master shipments, which will likely become the fate of our remaining shipments unless something is done to dramatically improve the situation
If you’re wondering why we and other retailers in North America haven’t been receiving the latest Hobby Master products for several weeks running, you may want to read this insightful article that recently appeared in the New York Times. Several months back, when our distributor for Hobby Master, Historic Sales out of Minnesota, was sold to Collectors Armory in Georgia, the Company re-routed each Hobby Master shipment away from Los Angeles to the port of Savannah, Georgia. This made sense because at the time both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the principal ports of entry for inbound freight from Asia, were deluged with shipments and unable to keep up with the logjam of ships and containers arriving on a daily basis. Recently, it was reported that there were at least 200,000 shipping containers either ready to be unloaded or parked in a holding area, waiting for their turn to be picked up by local truckers. While both ports are now operating on a 24-hour, around-the-clock basis, the problem is exacerbated due to the lack of truckers picking up their loads and ferrying them to their distribution centers.
It turns out that Savannah is faring no better than the west coasts ports, itself inundated in cargo bound for distributors and retailers around the US. According to this article, over 50,000 containers are either sitting idle or languishing off-shore in any number of cargo ships, thereby suffering much the same fate as other ports of entries around the country. So, while you may be seeing certain Hobby Master products appearing overseas, on Facebook or elsewhere, take heart and understand that these same items will eventually make it to Historic Sales of Georgia and in turn to us and every other retailer patiently waiting to take delivery of their orders.
Mind you this problem plagues every Forces of Valor shipment as well since Historic Sales has once again been appointed the official distributor of the line in North America. Likewise, Air Force 1 has been beset by the same problems, although we recently received a shipment from them, which will likely have to last well into the first quarter of 2022. No matter how you look at it, its going to be a very long holiday season that will certainly extend into the first half of the new year…
Update: Late on Tuesday, we were informed that the trucking company responsible for picking up Historic’s inbound containers has been notified that the September shipment of Hobby Master products has been offloaded, passed customs, and can be picked up in good order. Presently, they are attempting to take delivery of this shipment by week’s end and, if successful, we should be receiving our order sometime towards the end of the first week of November. With Thanksgiving looming, there is no way of knowing if the “October” Hobby Master shipment will arrive before the start of the holiday season. We will post further updates on both the “October” and “November” shipments, along with the Forces of Valor shipment still pegged for a late November arrival once information has been passed along to us.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – 753rd Tank Battalion, Gustav Line, Italy, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Waltersons, the new stewards of the Forces of Valor brand, was kind enough to post pictures for their upcoming M4(75) Sherman medium tank. This is the first of several US vehicles expected in 2021-2022, their British Sherman Firefly, released a couple of years ago, having sold out at virtually every level and now commanding premium prices.
According to the sales literature, this new Sherman is still pegged for a late November/early December arrival here in North America. If true, we’ll certainly burn the midnight oil and work overtime to get them out in time for the holiday season so as not to disappoint all you platoon commanders out there. Also expected is their second Sturmtiger assault mortar along with their eagerly awaited Tiger I heavy tank, something armor addicts have been requesting ever since it was announced a couple years back. While a separate set of metal tracks are expected in the same shipment as the Tiger, Sherman lovers may have to wait a few more months before they too can strip out the vinyl tracks that come with the vehicle for something a bit more realistic. We will make a formal announcement down-the-road regarding the tracks’ anticipated released date and open the pre-order window at that point. Keep in mind several different track sets are in the offing, so its not clear if only one or all of the different tracks will ship in one go.
We’ve spun up and launched our latest marketplace site, this time on the social media site everyone seems to love to hate of late, Facebook. Admittedly, we intended to create this shop some time ago, but it seemed as if Facebook was having issues verifying our business information, which prevented us from actually selling merchandise there or on its associated app, Instagram. And, with no one to actually talk to in their “customer service” department, we had to rely upon back-and-forth emails to get the ball rolling even though we’ve been in existence since 2000. Be that as it may, our Motor Pool boutique shop is now up-and-running and we are in the process of adding products to its online portfolio as quick as we can so we can beef up our holiday presence to service its clientele.
In 2022, we’ll be exploring the launch of similar shops on both Target as well as Walmart, although each comes with its own set of hurdles a.k.a. headaches. To achieve this and maintain a reasonable in-stock inventory level across all of our marketplace sites as well as our main web site, we have begun reducing our SKU count by 10% so that we can store more inventory for those items we do plan on selling on a regular basis. In the collectibles business, it’s oftentimes difficult to predict when an item will be available and for how long, so this is no easy task no matter how you look at it.
Once we move to Florida the middle of next year, we will re-examine this scenario, which is also dependent upon the global supply chain straightening itself out some time in 2022, we hope. More about this as we get ourselves locked and loaded for the coming year.
