With costs continuing to escalate for the now suspended US Air Force’s proposed Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project, I sometimes wonder if it was premature to abruptly end the F-22 production line in favor of committing the bulk of the manufacturer’s resources to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Historians, pundits and aviation aficionados all agree that the F-22 Raptor is an aircraft par excellence, with no equivalent ready to challenge it in the near term despite what some may say. So spending untold wealth on an aircraft still in development that could be outclassed within a decade’s time gives me as well as others pause to consider other viable options still within reach.
Recently, NBC news anchor Lester Holt lent his voice to a new deep-dive video that discusses the improved F-22, dubbed the “Super Raptor“, now taking wing with several USAF squadrons and how it differs from its forerunner. Although outwardly resembling the original F-22, the Super Raptor is packed with all sorts of improvements and enhancements that include advanced avionics, a retrofitted weapons bay capable of handling some of the latest missiles now coming online, and soon external conformal fuel tanks that will extend its range well beyond its intended operating regime, making it a powerful weapons platform capable of conducting a wide array of combat operations, the most notable being air supremacy.
With that, I invite you to watch the accompanying video and take note of the fact that it is not only intended for domestic consumption but for our adversaries too, several of whom may be contemplating turning a cold war hot in the not-too-distant future.
As we await the fate of Forces of Valor latest 1:700 scale warship, HMS Invincible, we stumbled upon this manufacturer-created video that was found on YouTube and designed to show off some of the warships’ unique features. Produced and uploaded three months ago, this is the first video Waltersons, the owners of the Forces of Valor line, has posted to the site in almost three years, one we hope will be followed up by other “docu-advertisements”, which are designed to compare and contrast the warship, aircraft or vehicle in question with its smaller namesake. Waltersons has always done a fine job of showing off its models over the years – we just wish they had informed us they had produced and rolled out a new video so that it can be marketed day and date with the release of the product.
Like their other recently released warships, the HMS Invincible comes in two flavors – one a full draught model, the other a waterline replica that can, if necessary, be used for wargaming purposes. The full draught version sits atop a wood-like display plinth, complete with an etched identification label, while the waterline model comes packaged in a vaccu-formed piece of plastic that resembles an ocean in motion. Both versions of the warship are shown in the accompanying video and, as of August 20th, both models are now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (VFA-103), nicknamed the Jolly Rogers, is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia (US). The squadron’s radio callsign is Victory and it is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven.
In January 1983, VF-103 was among the last fighter squadrons to transition to the F-14A Tomcat. The squadron conducted the first East Coast fighter squadron’s low altitude AIM-54 Phoenix missile shoot a month later. In October 1985, VF-103 and VF-74 participated in the interception of the Egyptian Boeing 737 carrying the Achille Lauro hijackers. During a long range night intercept by VF-74 and VF-103, the 737 was forced to land at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily. The terrorists were taken into Italian custody, tried and sentenced.
VF-103 and the rest of the airwing participated in Operation Attain Document and Operation El Dorado Canyon in the spring of 1986. In 1989, VF-103 transitioned to the F-14A+ (later re-designated F-14B).
In August 1990 when Kuwait was invaded by Iraq, USS Saratoga was in the Mediterranean and soon joined USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea. VF-84 was part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Battle Group during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. VF-103 and VF-74 worked together to develop the fighter tactics which were used during the Gulf War. When the war started in January 1991, VF-103 conducted fighter escort for the air wing’s strike packages, reconnaissance and bomb damage assessment and combat air patrols. On the fourth day of the war, while on an escort mission, a VF-103 F-14A+ was shot down by what is believed to be an SA-2 “Guideline” surface=to-air missile. After ejecting from his aircraft, the Radar Intercept Officer, Lieutenant Larry Slade, was captured by Iraqi troops and held in Baghdad as a POW until the end of the war. The pilot, Lieutenant Devon Jones, was able to evade capture and, after eight hours deep in enemy territory, was rescued by USAF Special Operations Forces.
On October 1st, 1995, VF-84 was disestablished bringing an end to the Jolly Rogers. Not wanting the Jolly Rogers insignia to fade away from U.S. NAval Aviation, VF-103 requested to do away with their “Slugger” moniker and adopt the Jolly Rogers name and insignia that had been previously used by VF-84.
Also in 1995, VF-103 conducted the fleet feasibility testing of the US Air Force’s LANTIRN targeting pod in a rapid prototyping initiative that led to adoption of the LANTIRN for the Tomcat community. When they deployed with USS Enterprise in the summer of 1996, VF-103 became the first Tomcat squadron to introduce the LANTIRN targeting pod to operational service. The LANTIRN radically improved the F-14’s strike capabilities by providing an autonomous precision strike capability.
In 1997 VF-103 transferred from USS Enterprise to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and set sail to former Yugoslavia in June 1998 in support of NATO operations in Kosovo. In November, the carrier moved to the Persian Gulf in response to aggressive Iraqi posturing.
In June 2002, VF-103 and its carrier USS George Washington deployed to the North Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf and participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch. VF-103 supported Coalition forces in Afghanistan flying Close Air Support, Forward Air Controller and TARPS missions. VF-103 was already on their way home by the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003.
VF-103 returned to the Persian Gulf for its final Tomcat cruise with USS John Kennedy on July 10th, 2004, and ten days later the squadron bombed an insurgent position. The unit participated in Operation Phantom Fury in October 2004 to provide aerial support over Fallujah for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and Iraqi Army soldiers. During one mission an F-14 from VF-103 provided laser designation for an AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter’s AGM-114 Hellfire missile to destroy a building where insurgents had taken cover. This operation had never previously been attempted with a Hellfire, but the missile successfully hit the building, neutralizing the enemy fire that the US troops were receiving. The F-14 crew was ordered to two drop additional GBU-12 laser-guided bombs on the building, leveling the structure. During another mission, air support was requested for Marines fighting on the ground. An F-14 from VF-103 provided close air support and suffered a ruptured hydraulic line. The F-14 declared an in flight emergency and landed without incident at Al Asad Air Base. Repairs took a few days on the base as the starboard engine had to be removed and later the crew flew the F-14 back to the John F. Kennedy.
After a last deployment USS John F. Kennedy with CVW-17 and returning to NAS Oceana in December 2004, VF-103 retired their F-14B Tomcats and began transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and transfer to Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7). Following their transition to the F/A-18F, the squadron was officially re-designated as VFA-103 in February 2005.
Recently, we received a double shipment of JC Wings’ latest F-14 Tomcat, which, coincidentally, bears the Jolly Rogers insignia and the reason for this Product Spotlight. While the Skull and Crossbones markings are usually more than enough to help sell an item of this caliber, we decided to lower the price so that we could get back to our normal stock levels. So, for a limited time only, you can purchase this aircraft for only $129.99, and, if you’re crafty, apply any sales discounts we may be currently running. Bear in mind that this is a limited time only sale that could end once we’ve successfully sold off enough of these stellar models.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ll know that last week Ukraine invaded Russia near the historically significant town of Kursk, scene of the largest tank battle in history that pitted the forces of Nazi Germany against those of the Red Army. This comes at a time when Russia’s land forces are continuing to apply pressure further south, in a bid to expand their foothold along the eastern flank of Ukraine.
Perhaps because of this, Panzerkampf seized upon this headline and announced the addition of two new Mi-24V Hind attack helicopters to their growing stable of mid-sized rotor craft. Both of the new Hinds bear Russian insignia although its not clear if either of these new choppers were meant to replicate Hinds used to turn back the Ukrainian attacks.
No definite time frame was announced for either of these new helicopters, so we are going to presume they will out be out for the holidays.
We’re issuing an all points bulletin for Hobby Master’s recently released HA9801 as well as their HG0116. In case you’re wondering, the former is a 1:72 scale Israeli Defense Force Dassault-Breuget Mirage IIICJ “Shahak” Fighter – Yoram Agmon, 101 Squadron, Hatzor Air Base, Israel, July 1966, while the latter is a 1:56 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Heavy Tank – “Red 131”, schwere Panzerabteilung 504, Panzerarmee Afrika, Medjed el Bab, Tunisia, North Africa, April 1943. Apparently, in the hand off from one distributor to the other earlier this year, neither received these models, thereby making them extremely rare on this side of the pond. Its not clear why they never made it over to our shores, and its doubtful they ever will, unless the manufacturer decides to find or make some more. So, if you’re hard up for either model, we suggest you nab them while you can because it doesn’t appear as if any of the US dealers will get them any time soon. Just saying…
Every so often, we get emails asking about lines from the past — lines that seem to come and go in a heartbeat never to be heard from again. Today, we received just such a message, this time around from one of our distributors indicating that a cache of Panzerstahl 1:72 scale military vehicles were uncovered and will soon be winging its way to the US. Bear in mind that only a handful of SKUs were unearthed – most having to do with WWII-era German armored cars, Hetzers and 88mm FLaK guns. Nevertheless, the vehicles are in perfect shape, still in their original packaging and have been long sought after for at least a decade. Keep in mind too that many of these items are no longer available from any other manufacturer, making them all the more special to military diecast collectors.
Its going to take us at least a couple of days to relist all of the SKUs back on our web site, so please bear with us as we put out the construction cones, break out the jack hammers, and breathe new life into this once dormant section. Amazingly, the manufacturer’s web site is still in the ether, making it much easier for us to obtain photos and other pertinent information. Oh, and best of all, the price points haven’t changed all that much since the line disappeared, meaning they’ll likely get gobbled up the moment they hit the streets — for the second time.
We understand how frustrating it can be to place an order only to have to wait months on end for its arrival. That said, we play no part in the manufacture nor the distribution of any of the items we sell. While we may offer advice to several of the major players in the hobby regarding what to produce based upon our prior selling experience, we are simply a retailer based in Florida. We do not visit the manufacturers, many of whom are either located in Hong Kong or Bangladesh. We have no affiliation with any of the manufacturers or distributors we work with despite what some may tell you.
From time to time, we ask the manufacturers and distributors when we can expect to receive an item. If they tell us February, then its February, and we post it to our web site. If it slips to April, only to slip again for several months running, then we update our site accordingly and go from there. Again, we have no control over their inability to properly forecast when an item will return to stock. Sometimes customs can slow down the arrival of a shipment. Sometimes cargo ships get re-routed for whatever reason. Occasionally, a distributor may hold up a shipment so that they can consolidate merchandise with other merchandise that may have just been completed, thereby reducing their shipping costs.
Bear in mind too that this is a relatively small industry as compared to say the toy or video game industry. These are collectibles made in relatively small batches for worldwide consumption and as such are handled by a relatively few distributors faced with their own set of challenges. These aren’t GI Joe figures made in the hundreds of thousands or video games that can be uploaded to Steam then downloaded around the world in the blink of an eye. In many ways, the distribution of said products are handled in the same manner as they were decades ago, shipped to retailers such as ourselves via UPS or FedEx who face their own set of daily challenges that can include inclement weather, work stoppages and traffic issues.
Remember, you are always free to contact the manufacturer and/or the distributor yourself if you feel you are getting the run-around from a dealer. Its 2024, and most of the companies have web sites that include a Contact Us link, where you can message them directly. While some are located in Asia and occasionally their English may need tweaking, these companies make it their business to respond professionally with whatever information is at hand. They want to make you happy but oftentimes they themselves may be working with old or outdated data. Be mindful of the fact that they are 12-hours behind us — or 12-hours ahead of us, depending upon your outlook.
So, as we start to head into the back half of the calendar year, please be mindful of the fact that patience is a virtue and everyone in the supply chain is doing their utmost to get product into your hands in the most expeditious manner possible. Yes, it can be frustrating, but its oftentimes just as frustrating for us as we do our best to provide you with accurate and timely information. Thank you.
Besides several back ordered items, the June shipment has some notable aircraft included, among them Colonel Robin Olds’ F-101C Voodoo when he was deployed to Europe as part of the USAF’s 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron “Skulls”, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, then deployed to RAF Bentwaters, England, during 1964. Olds was certainly a colorful airman, earning ace status in both World War II and again in the Vietnam War, and was instrumental in retraining our air force squadrons deployed to Vietnam to better deal with the North Vietnamese Air Force.
Sometimes you need a score card to tell the players apart from one another. In the case of the newly launched Armor Collection (which happens to have no connection with the former Franklin Mint line of military aircraft), their pedigree first points to the Wings of the Great War line of resin WWI-era military aircraft, and then, with a wink and a nod, to its off shoot, the Wings of the Great War Armor Collection. Got it?
In any event, this new line of resin 1:72 scale military vehicles is designed to cover many of the armored vehicles that appeared on the battlefield post World War I. The first three armored fighting vehicles includes a Vietnam-era Ontos rocket-propelled tank destroyer as well as a pair of legendary WWII-era tanks — the first, Creighton Abrams’ Sherman tank known as “Thunderbolt VII” and the other Michael Wittmann’s final Tiger I mount, “007”. All three vehicles features historically accurate markings and insignia, rotating turrets and, where applicable, an elevating gun or set of rocket launchers. Each also comes with a decorative display base and a handsome outer box, just like their WWI-era cousins. Look for all three vehicles to roll out this October.
Apparently, collectors don’t mind adding a few notional or “what-if” aircraft to their aviation collection. We’ve known for several months now that Hobby Master’s recently released take on a Ukrainian F-16 was selling extremely well at retail even if they are just now entering the real world fray. Now, Corgi’s newest TSR-2 strike aircraft is following suit, selling out over this past weekend at a price point well in excess of their original cost.
No doubt part of the huge surge in demand has to do with the fact that Corgi’s TSR-2 has been unavailable for several years running so any new introduction, even a fictitious one, was bound to do well. But I think the real reason for the popularity of these models is the fact that collectors don’t mind dabbling in conjecture every once in awhile, more than willing to nab a new model that may never come to fruition in the real world so long as there’s some sort of emotional or intellectual connection with current or past events. No matter the reason, its encouraging to see such strong demand for notional models, which may end up ushering in other models that may have never seen the light of day.
