According to our principal distributor, the May Hobby Master shipment is expected to pull in to their facility sometime around the middle of next week. Its quite possible the follow-on June and July shipments could be right behind it, meaning lots of new Hobby Master models to go through by the middle to tail end of the month. As always, we would very much appreciate it if you could hold your inquiries for a couple of weeks until we’ve gone through everything and made our initial shipments. At that point, we’ll field any questions you might have as it relates to Hobby Master.
The next AFVs of WWII shipment is also expected this month, although no firm date has been established yet since the shipment is still mired at its port of call. The distributor is working in earnest to free up the shipment so here again we would be very thankful if you hold off any inquiries until these items are marked as being received and have already been shipped out.
In other news, we are finally onboarded with Walmart so for the next week or so will begin listing items that are approved for sale on the Walmart marketplace site. If they permit us to open a storefront, then we will point our Contact Us page right to our Motor Pool storefront. After Walmart has been seeded with a good assortment of product, we will then turn our attention to Target, and hopefully get them set up before the start of the holiday season. We will put our plans to launch our VR store on hold until 2023, since we still have our move to Florida on hold. Presently, it looks as if the move will occur in the beginning of the year since there doesn’t seem to be much progress with the build.
That’s about it for now. If anything else occurs to me this weekend then I’ll update this blog post and pass along any news that crosses my desk. Ta ta!
Update: So, we’re finally up-and-running on Walmart, after some trial-and-error work and a good bit of finessing with the powers that be. Right now, we’ve launched just a handful of items to test the system and see how their marketplace works relative to other similar marketplace sites. Once we feel confident that we understand everything and can perform up to their lofty standards, we will slowly increase our product portfolio size, which must first be reviewed by Walmart so that everything is in compliance with their code of conduct. Items such as German tanks featuring Maltese crosses or German aircraft with swastikas on their tail may not pass muster unless we can somehow demonstrate that these are simply artifacts of war that bear no political leanings. Anyway, just thought you might like to check out our presence on the world’s largest retailer site. Next stop Target then one other viable candidate, before we start to explore our VR options in 2023.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale US Navy Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair Fighter – “White 205”, LTJG Thomas “Lou” Hudner, VF-32 “Fighting Swordsmen”, USS Leyte (CV-32), December 4th, 1950
No one can fault Hobby Master for remaining aggressive. As other model makers continue to grapple with issues arising from the post-pandemic world, Hobby Master has kept its pedal to the metal, so-to-speak, by continuing to add dozens of new military models to the diecast aviation market. Of note, two 1:48 scale F4U Corsairs are part of their latest aerial armada, both based upon aircraft portrayed in the upcoming feature film Devotion. It is hoped that with Top Gun: Maverick continuing to do exceptionally well at the box office, Devotion will piggyback off of its success and tell the true life story of two naval aviators – one black and one white – caught up in the desperate struggle to protect beleaguered US forces then attempting to withdraw from North Korea in late 1950.
Here now, the rest of the May 2023 lineup Hobby Master plans to unleash:
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale US Navy Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair Fighter – “White 211”, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, VF-32 “Fighting Swordsmen”, USS Leyte (CV-32), December 4th, 1950Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Vietnamese People’s Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PMF “Fishbed” Fighter – 927th Fighter Regiment, Kep Air Base, Vietnam, 1979USMC Boeing Harrier II AV-8B Jump Jet – BuNo 165581, VMA-311 “Tomcats”, Afghanistan, 2013 {Low Vis Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IXc Fighter – MK694, Flight Leftenant Jaroslav Dobrovolny, No.313 (Czech) Squadron, RAF North Weald, England, October 1944Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IXe Fighter – ML407, Flight Officer Johnnie Houlton, No.405 (New Zealand) Squadron, France, September 1944Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAAF Boeing F-18A Hornet Strike Fighter – A21-29, No.75 Squadron, RAAF Base Tindal, Australia, 1990Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAAF Boeing F-18A Hornet Strike Fighter – A21-27, No.3 Squadron, RAAF Williamtown, Australia, 2016 [Anniversary Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – 81-0964, 21st Fighter Squadron “Gamblers”, 507th ACW, Shaw AFB, South Carolina, December 1991Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Iraqi Sukhoi Su-25K “Frogfoot” Ground Attack Aircraft – 25616, 114 Squadron, Tammuz Air Base, Iraq, 2001Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Convair F-106A Delta Dart Interceptor – 0-90062, 84th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Castle Air Force Base, California, 1970sHobby Master’s 1:72 scale French Dassault Rafale B Multirole Aircraft – Operation Chammal, Escadron de Chasse 14 “Gascogne”, 4e Escadre de Chasse, France, 2018Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Ukrainian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25PD “Foxbat-E” Interceptor – “Red 87”, 933rd FAR, 1995Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet Strike Fighter – 07/165792, VFC-12 “Fighting Omars”, NAS Oceana, Virginia, June 2021 [Aggressor Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing E/A-18G Growler Electronic Warfare Aircraft – 168386, VAQ-138 “Yellow Jackets”, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, 2018Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-57E “Felon” Stealth Fighter – “Red 52”, 2022Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – 162689, VF-41 “Black Aces”, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), June 1991
Devotion is an upcoming American film written by Jake Crane and Jonathan Stewart and directed by J.D. Dillard. Based on the book of Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos which retells the comradeship between Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner during the Korean War, the film stars Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Christina Jackson, Joe Jonas, Nick Hargrove, Spencer Neville, and Thomas Sadoski. The film will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022. It is scheduled to be released on November 23rd, 2022.
On December 4th, 1950, Hudner was part of a six-aircraft flight supporting U.S. Marine Corps ground troops who were trapped by Chinese forces. At 13:38, he took off from Leyte with squadron executive officer Lieutenant Commander Dick Cevoli, Lieutenant George Hudson, Lieutenant Junior Grade Bill Koenig, Ensign Ralph E. McQueen, and the first African American Naval Aviator, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, who was Hudner’s wingman. The flight traveled 100 miles (160 km) from Task Force 77’s location to the Chosin Reservoir, flying 35 to 40 minutes through very harsh wintery weather to the vicinity of the villages Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri. The flight began searching for targets along the west side of the reservoir, lowering their altitude to 700 feet (210 m) in the process. The three-hour search and destroy mission was also an attempt to probe Chinese troop strength in the area.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USMC Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair Fighter – “White 205”, LTJG Thomas “Lou” Hudner, VF-32 “Fighting Swordsmen”, USS Leyte (CV-32), December 4th, 1950
Though the flight spotted no Chinese, at 14:40 Koenig radioed to Brown that he appeared to be trailing fuel. The damage had likely come by small arms fire from Chinese infantry, who were known to hide in the snow and ambush passing aircraft by firing in unison. At least one bullet had ruptured a fuel line. Brown, losing fuel pressure and increasingly unable to control the aircraft, dropped his external fuel tanks and rockets and attempted to land the craft in a snow-covered clearing on the side of a mountain. Brown crashed into a bowl-shaped valley, near Somong-ni, 15 miles (24 km) behind Chinese lines, and in 15-degree weather. The aircraft broke up violently upon impact and was destroyed. In the crash, Brown’s leg was pinned beneath the fuselage of the Corsair, and he stripped off his helmet and gloves in an attempt to free himself, before waving to the other pilots, who were circling close overhead. Hudner and the other airborne pilots thought Brown had died in the crash, and they immediately began a mayday radio to any heavy transport aircraft in the area as they canvassed the mountain for any sign of nearby Chinese ground forces. They received a signal that a rescue helicopter would come as soon as possible, but Brown’s aircraft was smoking and a fire had started near its internal fuel tanks.
Hudner attempted in vain to rescue Brown via radio instruction, before intentionally crash-landing his aircraft, running to Brown’s side and attempting to wrestle him free from the wreck. With Brown’s condition worsening by the minute, Hudner attempted to drown the aircraft fire in snow and pull Brown from the aircraft, all in vain. Brown began slipping in and out of consciousness, but in spite of being in great pain, did not complain to Hudner. A rescue helicopter arrived around 15:00, and Hudner and its pilot, Lieutenant Charles Ward, were unable to put out the engine fire with a fire extinguisher. They tried in vain to free Brown with an axe for 45 minutes. They briefly considered, at Brown’s request, amputating his trapped leg. Brown lost consciousness for the last time shortly thereafter. His last known words, which he told Hudner, were “tell Daisy I love her.” The helicopter, which was unable to operate in the darkness, was forced to leave at nightfall with Hudner, leaving Brown behind. Brown is believed to have died shortly thereafter of his injuries and exposure to the extreme cold. No Chinese forces threatened the site, likely because of the heavy air presence of the VF-32 pilots.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USMC Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair Fighter – “White 203”, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, VF-32 “Fighting Swordsmen”, USS Leyte (CV-32), December 4th, 1950
Hudner begged superiors to allow him to return to the wreck to help extract Brown, but he was not allowed, as other officers feared an ambush of the vulnerable helicopters resulting in additional casualties. In order to prevent the body and the aircraft from falling into Chinese or North Korean hands, the U.S. Navy bombed the crash site with napalm two days later; the aircrew recited the Lord’s Prayer over the radio as they watched flames consume Brown’s body. The pilots observed that his body looked to have been disturbed and his clothes stolen, but he was still stuck in the aircraft. The remains of both Brown and the aircraft were never recovered. Brown was the first African American U.S. Navy officer killed in the war.
The December 4th incident grounded Hudner for a month, as he injured his back in the landing, an injury he later said persisted for six to eight years. He flew 27 combat missions during the war, serving there until January 20th, 1951, when Leyte was rotated back to the Atlantic Fleet. On April 13th, 1951, Hudner received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman, meeting Brown’s widow, Daisy Brown, in the process. The two stayed in regular contact for at least 50 years following this meeting. He was the first service member to receive the medal during the Korean War, though several others would receive the medal for actions which occurred before December 4th, 1950.
Hudner said he was occasionally criticized for his actions, and that “about 90” people had told him he acted recklessly. His commanders noted his actions may have endangered the helicopter pilot and sacrificed an aircraft, criticisms Hudner later said did not make him regret his decision, as he felt it was a spur-of-the-moment action. Still, commanders later issued orders forbidding pilots from crash-landing in a similar way to try to save downed wingmen. On later reflection, Hudner indicated he did not consider himself a hero for his actions.
Look for both Hobby Master aircraft models to fly into history in May 2023.
In recent weeks the cavalcade of new vehicles rolling out of the Dragon model works has shown no signs of abating, with more new subjects appearing almost on a daily basis. The latest two vehicles to see the light of day are a pair of M65 Atomic cannons – one portraying the vehicle in travel mode and the other in a firing configuration. Known colloquially as the “Atomic Annie”, the gun was an artillery piece built by the United States and capable of firing a nuclear device. It was developed in the early 1950s, at the beginning of the Cold War; and fielded between April 1955 and December 1962, in West Germany, South Korea and on the Japanese island of Okinawa.
The cannon was transported by two specially designed tractors in the same manner as railroad Schnabel cars. Both tractors were capable of independent steering in the manner of some extra-long fire trucks. Each of the tractors was rated at 375 horsepower (280 kW), and the somewhat awkward combination could achieve speeds of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) and negotiate right-angle turns on 28-foot (8.5 m) wide paved or packed roads. The artillery piece could be unlimbered in 12 minutes, then returned to traveling configuration in another 15 minutes. The gun was deployed by lowering it from the tractors onto levelled ground. The whole gun assembly was balanced on a ball and socket joint so that it could be swung around the footplate. The traverse was limited by a curved track placed under the rear of the gun.
Due to its size, the new M65s will obviously command a retail price well in excess of the $39.99-$44.99 range their current vehicles are commanding, and will more likely weigh in at around $89.99 apiece, and no doubt be nestled in much larger and heavier packaging. A Cyber Hobby limited edition version may also be in the works, although nothing yet has been discussed by the manufacturer. We hope that these new vehicles will be available for the holidays but with the current logjam still affecting our ports, its not clear if they will indeed be made available for the approaching holidays.
On a separate note, its truly refreshing to see this dynamic model maker both returning to its roots and producing subjects collectors have been hoping to see for years. Well done Dragon and keep them coming!
Dragon’s 1:72 scale US M4A3 Sherman Flame Tank with HVSS Suspension – POA-CWS-H5 Flamethrower, Korea, 1951
When war broke out between the Empire of Japan and the United States in December 1941, war planners at the Pentagon knew that US forces would have to take the war to Japan if they were to break the enemy in their island fortress. Between the tenacity of the average Japanese soldier and the nature of the terrain throughout the south and central Pacific, it was quickly realized that the American arsenal would have to be beefed up substantially if they were to assault and seize those enemy-occupied islands deemed important for capture, so the call went out for all manner of weaponry to help fill the void.
One device that was pressed into service was the man-portable flamethrower, a weapon of war that was both terrifying in nature and successful in use. The use of flamethrowers as a means of breaking an enemy’s morale and storm heavily defended fortifications was nothing new in 1941 — in fact they were first used several decades prior in WWI as a means of clearing trenches and other heavily fortified obstacles standing in the way of an advance. Unfortunately for the operator, a man-portable flamethrower became instantly recognizable to the enemy since he was both conspicuous in stance and an obvious target that could be picked out with ease. It was said that the life expectancy of a flamethrower could oftentimes be measure in seconds so it took nerves of steel and a fair bit of luck to serve as an operator.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale USMC M4A3 Sherman Flame Tank with HVSS Suspension – “35”, POA-CWS-H5 Flamethrower, Hawaii, 1945
Recognizing their vulnerability on the battlefield as well as the incorporation of mechanized units on the mid-twentieth century battlefield, war planners eventually developed more potent and better protected means of employing scorched earth tactics. One such result was the flame tank. A flame tank is a type of tank equipped with a flamethrower, most commonly used to supplement combined arms attacks against fortifications, confined spaces, or other obstacles. The type only reached significant use in the Second World War, during which the United States, Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom (including members of the British Commonwealth) all produced flamethrower-equipped tanks.
A number of production methods were used. The flamethrowers used were either modified versions of existing infantry flame weapons (Flammpanzer I and II) or specially designed (Flammpanzer III). They were mounted externally (Flammpanzer II), replaced existing machine gun mounts, or replaced the tank’s main armament (Flammpanzer III). Fuel for the flame weapon was either carried inside the tank, in armored external storage, or in some cases in a special trailer behind the tank (Churchill Crocodile).
In contrast to man-portable flamethrowers that were vulnerable to bullets and shrapnel making them extremely dangerous to their operators, flame tanks were extremely difficult to catch on fire or explode unless hit with an armor piercing round or explosive reaching the ammunition and engine fuel inside the tank’s main hull. Tanks such as the Churchill Crocodile, which towed the flamethrower liquid container behind the actual tank, held no greater risk of fire than standard tanks. Although the towed container itself could be easily targeted, the tank and its crew remained well protected. The armored trailer and armored coupling of the Churchill Crocodile could be jettisoned from inside the tank if necessary.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale USMC M4A3 Sherman Flame Tank with HVSS Suspension – “F11”, POA-CWS-H5 Flamethrower, Korea, 1951
Crews of flame tanks were not necessarily more vulnerable than those crews in the regular tanks, standard version of the tank (a Churchill Crocodile flame tank being more or less as vulnerable to anti-tank weapons as the standard Churchill), but the crews of flamethrowing tanks were often treated differently should they be captured alive by German troops. Due to the perceived inhumanity of the weapon itself, captured crews of such tanks were often treated much less humanely than crews of regular tanks. Instances of flametankers being executed by German troops upon capture were not uncommon. Subsequently, British tank crews received sixpence a day extra “danger money” due to the threat of arbitrary execution. Flame tanks also suffered from the fact, along with flamethrower-armed troops, that all enemy within range would usually open up on them due to the fear of the weapon.
Recently, Dragon announced the imminent release of no less than three flame tanks as part of their burgeoning Neo Dragon Armor range. Look for the first of these to unleash a firestorm on the diecast battlefield later this year.
As August unfolds, we thought we’d ask each of our distributors if things are improving as far as imports go. Apparently, not very well. We already reported how one distributor is expecting no less than three monthly Hobby Master shipments all around the same time, meaning lots to go through once the shipments finally do go out the door. Conversely, another distributor has said that one container they have been awaiting has been sitting in the Port of Long Beach for six weeks, mired in red tape and waiting to be placed aboard a freight train before it can reach their warehouse several hundred miles away. The list of imperiled goods goes on and on and right now things are looking much the same as they did in mid-2021, where containers expected for months on end are still languishing at the ports waiting to either be shipped via truck or freight train to their ultimate destinations. So, while the media has reported that consumers have been shifting their discretionary spending away from tangible items and over to experiential activities such as vacations and travel, the slowdown in the logistical network is once again beginning to affect the supply chain both here and abroad. It remains to be seen if both the ports and transport network will be able to get back on track in time for the coming holiday season. We hope so and will continue to monitor this slowdown each and every month from here on out so that we have a clearer understanding of which items will be available for Christmas shopping.
While we have temporarily discontinued stocking the Calibre Wings line of military aircraft, we thought it still made sense to cover them as if we did. Of late, the Company has come under fire from some of its most vocal critics, who delight in lambasting them on every conceivable issue, from quality control to licensing. While we are not going to agree or disagree with some of the online comments posted to their Facebook account, the point of this blog post isn’t to throw more fuel on the fire. Rather, it is designed to point out some of their positive achievements, which includes not only what they have brought to market thus far but what’s ahead from this rising star in the diecast community.
By now, most of you are no doubt aware that the Company has a MiG-31 “Foxhound” in the works, which can still be pre-ordered direct from the manufacturer and is currently listed as a 2023 release. What you may not know is that they are also working on their long-promised if oft delayed Convair B-58 Hustler, a supersonic bomber that saw yeoman service with the USAF during the Cold War. While the mold is still being finalized and pre-orders are not yet being taken by the manufacturer, they did take time out to cobble together this short video which discusses their labor-of-love. Enjoy and don’t forget to support your favorite manufacturers any way you can! BTW, Noel Lee, the owner of Calibre Wings, has hinted that the retail price of the B-58 could be as high as $300, although its likely he will offer it at a far lower price on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding site, for a limited time only. The Hustler is an iconic Cold War aircraft that helped to form the backbone of our so-called Triad nuclear response for several decades. As such while it may be expensive vis a vis other diecast aircraft, we feel confident that Calibre will do it justice and thus represent a worthwhile investment.
Next to the Apache and Cobra gunships, perhaps the most feared helicopter gunship ever to take wing is the Russian built Mi 24, NATO reporting name HIND. Designed as a combination heavy attack platform and low capacity troop transport, the HIND has been around since the late 1970s, a testament to their endurance and ability to take enemy fire at the forward edge of the battlefield area where fighting is oftentimes the most intense.
It therefore comes as no surprise then that Panzerkampf would choose the Mi-24 as one of their latest rotary wing models. Recently two versions were shown to the public on their Facebook account, although no other information was provided. So, while we’d love to begin taking pre-orders for either or both of their upcoming helicopter assault gunships, for now we will simply post images of both models and await further information. In our opinion, their success will likely eclipse that of the MH-53 Super Stallion that was released last year, and has already gone on to become one of their most successful subjects. And, if the HIND sells well, you can bet they will be looking at other Russian attack helicopters down-the-road, capitalizing on the success of these battlefield weapons and their own ability to model them at scale. Curiously, it appears as though the HIND will be marketed under their Legion sub brand, even though these are brand new toolings not based upon other previously released models as is the case with their newly-launched military vehicle line.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale US Army M4A3E8 Sherman Tank – “Tiger Face”, “Rice’s Red Devils”, 89th Tank Battalion. Han River, Korea, March 1951
Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), have been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, “Hearts and Minds”, and propaganda. The term is used “to denote any action which is practiced mainly by psychological methods with the aim of evoking a planned psychological reaction in other people”.
Various techniques are used, and are aimed at influencing a target audience’s value system, belief system, emotions, motives, reasoning, or behavior. It is used to induce confessions or reinforce attitudes and behaviors favorable to the originator’s objectives, and are sometimes combined with black operations or false flag tactics. It is also used to destroy the morale of enemies through tactics that aim to depress troops’ psychological states.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale US Army M4A3E8 Sherman Tank – “Tiger Face”, 25th Infantry Division, Han River, Korea, March 1951
Psychological warfare was still in its rudimentary stages when war broke out on the Korean Peninsula in 1950. Back then, military commanders understood the importance of fooling the enemy as a means of gaining the upper hand, even if the resources to pull off such a ruse was basic at best. Operation Ripper (March 6th-31st, 1951), as it was known, represented the UN’s attempt to liberate Seoul, South Korea’s capital, from North Korean occupation and push back the combined communist forces to their starting positions along the 38th Parallel. The Chinese Volunteer Army (CVA), who entered the war on the side of North Korea after it was attacked by UN forces in the latter half of 1950, did not possess any tanks and was largely an infantry-based formation that relied heavily upon human wave attacks to seize their objectives. The North Koreans, on the other hand, had lost most of their tanks during the fighting in 1950, and therefore posed little in the way of a threatening force as it had once been a year earlier.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale US Army M4A3E8 Sherman Tank – “Tiger Face”, “Rice’s Red Devils”, 89th Tank Battalion. Han River, Korea, March 1951
For this offensive, the US Army employed a bit of psychological warfare against the Chinese forces who were supposedly very superstitious, and whose culture feared both the tiger and dragon. Interestingly, the tiger is considered to be brave, cruel, forceful, stately and terrifying, the symbol of power and lordliness. In ancient times, the Chinese people usually compared emperors to the tiger. So, in an effort to boost the morale of the UN troops facing them and instill fear in the Chinese troops opposing them, it was decided that US tank crews were to paint their tanks with tiger heads/faces, bloody sharp teeth and claws on the front of their vehicles. These schemes were the most elaborate and colorful markings ever applied to US tanks and it was hoped these tiger faces would help to strike fear in the hearts of the Chinese troops ahead of any advance.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale US Army M4A3E8 Sherman Tank – “Tiger Face”, 24th Infantry Division, Han River, Korea, March 1951
Unfortunately, this colorful plan might have worked a year earlier but due to some misinformation regarding the dates of the Chinese New Year, never achieved its stated aim of forcing the Chinese to flee. In 1951, The Year of the Tiger as it was known by the Chinese, actually ended on February 5th, 1951, one month prior to the start of the UN attack. On the other hand, February 6th, 1951 ushered in the Year of the Rabbit, which had no detrimental effect on the average Chinese soldier. Changing the painted images of the tiger to a rabbit on many of the Allies’ tanks was obviously a moot idea so the tiger faces that adorned the tanks were left as is. After the offensive ended in late March, the elaborate guise was no longer needed so the paint schemes were either left to fade or were painted over to their original schemes.
Dragon’s 1:72 scale US Army M4A3E8 Sherman Tank – “Tiger Face”, 24th Infantry Division, Han River, Korea, March 1951
Never one to shrink from a daunting task, Dragon, under their Neo Dragon Armor brand, plans on re-producing these battle wagons with not one but five different iterations of the famed “Tiger Face” Sherman. Each has been painstakingly researched based upon information obtained from actual photos and other historical documents. Look for the entire collection to roll out sometime this fall.
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]. Something is amiss but only a trained eye will spot it
Recently I had a short but poignant discussion with the owner of Waltersons, who produces the wildly popular Forces of Valor range of military products. While we pointed out a number of glaring errors in two of their recent releases, they took the observations in stride, perhaps acknowledging that they are oftentimes their biggest critic when they get things wrong. Its refreshing to see that they are at least willing to hear about any errors they may have caused, given the price tag many of their newest efforts are commanding.
What we did learn, however, is that they are amending their strategy slightly for 2023, perhaps in an effort to get more product into the hands of collectors who have regularly been asking for new items since taking over the line in 2016. While the Company will continue to overhaul existing molds to bring them up to today’s standards, they have finally recognized that they have a tremendous amount of exisiting tooling sitting on the sidelines that doesn’t need to be changed all that much. Although no vehicles were mentioned specifically by Waltersons, the upcoming “20th Anniversary of Forces of Valor” range will likely encompass perennial favorites such as their Sturmgeschutz assault gun and Panther medium tank, two stalwarts that never seemed to get criticized all that much by military buffs despite being released ad infinitum year after year. Its not clear if this new strategy will see the employment of additional metal parts to give them more heft or the proposed price tag for these off-the-shelf armored reinforcements. What is known is that new figures and accessories are almost certain to be included along with new paint schemes so that they aren’t confused with previous releases.
In other news, sold out items such as their Jagdpanther and best-selling MH-47 helicopter will almost certainly make a comeback at some point, perhaps three years down the road, once space has been made in their tight production schedule. The manufacturer has never categorically stated that these are limited edition collectibles, so keeping the door open by reintroducing certain fan favorites has always been a part of their overall strategy even if they have never gone on record to say so.
From a marketing perspective, we will likely not distinguish these re-released products from other products already produced and simply place them in our Forces of Valor Legacy products section. Frankly, I think its getting far too confusing at present with all of the marketing hype used to date. Monikers such as “Metal Proud”, “Engine Plus” and “Inside Out” are already bewildering to veteran and newcomers to the hobby, all of whom are simply looking to acquire a vehicle first without all of the bells and whistles marketing gurus can needlessly bolt on. Adding yet another new category will only help to keep the customer guessing, wondering which item is which when contemplating a purchase. Sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel even if others are telling you it needs to be updated.
And the error? On the left hand portion of the transmission housing, the symbols indicate this vehicle is from the 3rd Armored Division, 10th Tank Battalion, when the manufacturer advertised it as a vehicle from the 5th Armored Division. Que sera, sera.
