Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – Indiana Air National Guard, Stout Field, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2021 [Anniversary Scheme]
Hobby Master announced ten more warbirds were added to their April 2022 roster, plus a pair of Ju-7 Stukas that were originally slated to swoop in this March. Interestingly, this recently unveiled A-10 Warthog was among the list, clad in a sleek midnight black anniversary scheme. When you combine the popularity of Hobby Master’s 1-10 Warthogs with a stunning scheme such as this, we feel this could be one of those rare gems in the making that will likely get bid up the moment they arrive. Here’s what you can also look forward to nabbing this coming spring:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale North Vietnamese Air Force Shenyang J-5 (MiG 17F) “Fresco C” Fighter – Le Hai, 923 IAP “Yen The”, June 1968Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy McDonnell F-4J Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 157269, VF-92 “Silver Kings”, USS Constellation (CV-64), May 1972Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper Fighter – 89-2048, “Wraith”, 64th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada, 2020 [Aggressor Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAAF Boeing F-18A Hornet Strike Fighter – A21-18, No.25 Squadron, RAAF Base Pearce, Perth, Australia, 2021 [Heritage Scheme]Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale East German Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29A ‘Fulcrum’ Fighter – “Red 661”, (LSK-NVA), Germany, 1990Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC Boeing F/A-18D Hornet Strike Fighter – 165685, VMFA(AW)-242 “Bats”, Yokota AB, Tokyo, Japan, 2020Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAF Panavia GR. Mk. 4 Tornado IDS All-Weather Bomber – ZA542, No.31 Squadron, Operation Ellamy, Italy, 1991Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM “Flanker-C” Fighter – “Blue 77”, 2019Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14B Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – 163225, VF-102 “Diamondbacks”, Operation Enduring Freedom, 2002 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Even though we do not have images to share with everyone just yet, Panzerkampf is continually announcing a bevy of new products that are likely due out over the course of 2022. We’ve already touched upon the Leopard 2A4, Bumerang APC and UH-60 Blackhawk in a previous post, and how they will integrate into their scheme of reproducing some of the key pieces of armament fielded by today’s armies. Now comes news that they will also be making the US Joint Light Tactical Vehicle as well as the Sikorsky MH-60 helicopter, both in 1:72 scale, two important additions to the US arsenal that are routinely deployed amidst many of the world’s hot spots.
While we’d love to discuss which units they plan to replicate first, and when you can add them to your collection, the fact remains that Panzerkampf has proven themselves to be a competent and reliable modelmaker in the face of global supply chain tumult, intent upon carving out a respectable share of the marketplace now and well into the future.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Republic F-105F Thunderchief Fighter-Bomber – 63-8301, Lt Col. Leo Thorsness, 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Dragons”, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, April 1967 (1:72 Scale)
Apparently everything isn’t doom and gloom for the dog days of summer. While a category one hurricane is bearing down on the northeast, gathering momentum as we speak, it seems to have brought good tidings as well, in the form of several new shipments. Recently we received a bunch of Hachette Collections 1:100 scale aircraft, two new Panzerkampf 1:72 scale Dassault Rafale multirole aircraft, all of the Solido 1:48/1:56 scale military vehicles, and Forces of Valor’s inaugural 1:72 scale Chance-Vought F4U Corsair fighter.
Solido 1:56 scale US M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank – Desert Camouflage
And, if that didn’t tickle your fancy, we learned this morning that the July shipment of Hobby Master products has finally arrived at our distributor in Georgia and should be in stock at our facility by the end of next week. Right now, the only other major shipment that could appear by the end of the month is Corgi, although this could likely be pushed into early September if things go awry. All in all, not a bad way to end the month of August and the summer season given the state of things in the global supply chain.
Forces of Valor’s 1:72 scale USMC Chance-Vought F4U-1D Corsair Fighter – Lt. Ira Kepford, VF-17 “Jolly Rogers”, 1944
We had hoped that by the end of the summer, the logjam plaguing most of America’s west coast ports would have abated and product intended to reach consumers for the holiday season would again flow in plentiful supply. As of today, that seems to be wishful thinking.
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that things have gone from bad to worse in the Port of Los Angeles, the principal port of entry for most goods bound for the USA from Asia. All sorts of reasons for the problems were cited in the report, from COVID to big box retailers attempting to bring in their shipments ahead of schedule. What this means for a smaller retailer such as ourselves is anyone’s guess as the holiday shopping season looms and consumer expectations begins to rise. Many of the items we are currently anticipating for a November and December releases will likely be shunted into the new year, and items we are pinning our hopes on to arrive in the next 60 days may instead show up just before the close of the holiday season. At least that’s how we see things stacking up for the next few months unless things continue to worsen.
As always, we strongly recommend ordering those items either listed as being in-stock or expected within the next 30 days or so if they are intended to be gifted away to a friend or family member. Otherwise, we urge you to remain patient and stay abreast of the issues continuing to affect the global supply system since this is the best barometer of judging whether or not product will arrive as expected. The full text of the WSJ article can be found here.
Update: After speaking with a representative at Historic Sales, it does look as if the last couple of Hobby Master shipments will arrive much later than originally slated. Their December roster, for instance, will almost certainly arrive sometime in early 2022 and their November spate will likely show up some time after the new year. No word if the October HM shipment will arrive in time for the holiday season or if it too will be pushed back into 2022. Our guess is that it won’t be ready for the holiday season although this could change if herculean efforts to clear the ports meet with overall success.
We haven’t received any updates from Corgi regarding their third and fourth quarter shipments, but here again its likely these too will be affected by the port congestion problems previously highlighted. Although they receive shipments further north and nowhere near Los Angeles, the port congestion issues discussed affect virtually every major port of entry up and down the length of the west coast. Likewise, smaller manufacturers such as PMA, Panzerkampf and others are in the same boat, figuratively as well as literally, and may or may not materialize in time for the holiday season. I know this is tough news to hear but better you should learn it first hand before the holiday season commences than peg your hopes on receiving items that simply won’t be available for the holidays. We will continue to update our release schedule as further news continues to trickle in.
While some manufacturers seem to have slowed down their production efforts, others seem to have unfurled their sails, aiming to catch the wind before their competitor’s do the same. Panzerkampf is one such modelmaker, churning out a growing array of military vehicles, aircraft and helicopters that have been widely accepted into diecast collections by the worldwide community. Over the weekend, Panzerkampf added yet another 1:72 scale modern vehicle to their arsenal: the Russian built Typhoon-VDV K-4386 Mine-Protected Armored Vehicle.
While not exactly widely known in military circles, the Typhoon nevertheless fills an important niche in the Russian Army, much like the US-built MRAP was developed by the US in the face of accelerating use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
The Tayfun/Typhoon-VDV K-4386 is a 4×4 mine-protected wheeled armored vehicle designed and manufactured by Remdiesel, a subsidiary of Kamaz. It is the newest member of the Typhoon family of armored vehicles.
The Typhoon K-4386 is intended to support combat missions, crew transportation, logistics, cargo transport, medical support, and other intense armored offensive strikes.
Typhoon K-4386 is a single-compartment frameless armored cross country vehicle with two entrance doors in the front and one access door in the rear. It also features a roof-top hatch cover, allowing the troops to access weapons systems.
The K-4386 is built on a rugged hull, which provides the vehicle with a strong base, along with less curb weight and general centre of mass, leading to compact vehicular dimensions. The optimized hull enables the vehicle to carry more payloads and offer superior performance off the road.
The vehicle is 6m-long, 2.54m-wide and 2.4m-high and has a curb weight of 11,000kg, while its gross weight is 13,000kg. The armored vehicle can accommodate eight personnel, including crew and fully-equipped troops.
The 4×4 armored vehicle can integrate a range of multi-mission support systems and tools such as an assault ladder, a 6.75t self-recovery winch module, strobe lights for night missions, loudspeakers, a circular video camera for surveillance, and communication systems for inter-vehicle communication.
The vehicle was on display during the Russian Army’s 2019 International Military and Technical Forum in June 2019. It completed testing in December 2019 and is purportedly entering service with the Russian Army as we speak.
In a related development, Panzerkampf has also posted CAD drawings of their first Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks as well as a Russian-built VPK-7289 Bumerang (Object K-16) armored personnel carrier. Both are likely pegged for a 2022 release as other vehicles, long hinted at on their web site and elsewhere, have yet to be released here in North America. Despite these delays, the announced vehicles come as welcome news for diecast military vehicle collectors, who haven’t had much to choose from in recent years.
DeAgostini’s 1:72 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi J8M Shusui Rocket-Powered Interceptor
Looking to avoid the summer doldrums, DeAgostini announced the imminent arrival of four more 1:72 scale fighter aircraft to their rapidly growing portfolio of WWII-era aircraft. Packaged with a Japanese language magazine and packed inside a Janguage-language bookcase format box, the DeAgostini WWII-era fighter series is designed to present a wide range of combat aircraft to the worldwide community and, just as importantly, does so at a budget price. While many of the more common aircraft are portrayed, from Zeros to Corsairs, P-51s to Oscars, several of the more exotic aircraft are also depicted, such as this Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi J8M Shusui Rocket-Powered Interceptor, which was clearly modeled after the German Messerschmitt Me0-163 Komet interceptor. Look for all four new introductions to arrive by the third week of August.
DeAgostini’s 1:72 scale American Volunteer Group Curtiss P-40N Warhawk Fighter – “Boss’s Hoss,” Lt. Col. William Reed, 7th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Fighter Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing, 1944DeAgostini’s 1:72 scale Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore Fighter – 356 Squadriglia, 21 Gruppo Autonomo Caccia Terrestre, Regia Aeronautica, Russia, 1942DeAgostini’s 1:72 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero Fighter – Kazuo Tsunoda, 2nd Kokutai, Buna Airfield, New Guinea, 1942
If you thought things were bad in the supply chain, they may have just gotten a bit worse. According to a NBC News article, recent flooding in both western Europe as well as China’s Henan Province could throw further wrenches into the worldwide logistical network, hampering if not upsetting the supply of raw materials and finished goods to the marketplace.
“The disasters have damaged railways used for the delivery of goods and raw materials in both regions. Water rushed into industrial areas, extensively damaging facilities, machinery and warehouses, companies in the supply chain industry told CNBC.”
For further information on how the recent flooding in both hemispheres will affect the upcoming holiday seasons, click here.
Some diecast makers have been slowly inching up their wholesale prices in recent months. Corgi, looking to pass along the entire increase in one fell swoop, indicated that prices are rising by 10% as of August 1st. Other makers will likely follow suit and it remains to be seen which makers will actually be able to get product to market this holiday season.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale German Junkers Ju-87G-2 “Kanonenvogel” Dive-Bomber – T6+AD, Hans Ulrich Rudel, Gruppenkommandeur of IIII/Schlachtgeschwader 2, Budapest-Ferihegy, Hungary, October 1944
While most of the other diecast manufacturers seem to have stalled as a result of COVID, Hobby Master continues to soldier on, announcing even more aircraft models for 2022. Of particular note are a pair of 1:72 scale Ju-87 dive-bombers, perhaps signalling their intent to return to modeling World War II era aircraft. Additionally, the March announcement includes a pair of over-sized 1:32 scale World War II era aircraft, which have been absent from their lineup for several consecutive years. Here’s what you can expect to see around the March time frame:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale German Junkers Ju-87D-3 Stuka Dive-Bomber – T6+EK, Friedrich Reissner, II./Schlachtgeschwader 2, Eastern FrontHobby Master’s 1:72 scale German McDonnell F-4E Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 37-51, Jagdgeschwader 71 “Richtofen”, Germany, 1976Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 Multi-Role Fighter – ZK344, No.1(F) Squadron, Operation Shader, RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, 2021RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 Multi-Role Fighter – ZK343, No.1(F) Squadron, RAF Lossiemouth, England, 2020Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Navy Sukhoi Su-33 “Flanker-D” Air Superiority Fighter – “Red 70”, Major General Timur ApakidzeHobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed U-2R Reconnaissance Aircraft – 80-1084, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Fairford AFB, England, 1990sHobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4 Fighter – Oberleutnant Walter Nowotny, 1/Jagdgeschwader 54 “Grunherz”, Staraya, Russia, March 1943Hobby Master’s 1:32 scale USN Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Fighter – CDR. David McCampbell, “Minsi II,” Commander Air Group 15, USS Essex (CV-9), 1944Hobby Master’s 1:32 scale USN Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Fighter – “Paper Doll”, VF-27 “Kangaroos”, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944
As July draws to a close and the back half of the summer slowly slips into view, we thought it best to discuss things as we see them for the balance of the summer and, quite possibly, the balance of the year. To begin with, COVID in the US seems to rearing its ugly head once again, largely due to a lot of people refusing to get vaccinated. I’m going to stay out of the politicizing of the virus, and how both sides of our political spectrum seems to be addressing the issue from rather different standpoints, but suffice it to say I think everyone should get vaccinated. The benefits far outweigh the risks associated with a vaccine developed in record time. Moreover, this country will never fully get back on its feet until and unless we have properly dealt with this pandemic once and for all.
That said, COVID continues to have a dramatic impact on the global supply chain, be it the manufacture of goods in east and southern Asia, port congestion due to the huge influx of consumer goods swamping our ports of entry, and the way in which we have learned to cope with the pandemic for a second year running. Some diecast manufacturers seem to be fairing rather well during this hiatus, continuing to bang out goods in the face of a growing list of unforeseen problems. For instance, Hobby Master seems to be back on track, now that their long delayed May shipment has been finally unloaded and sent out to its distribution network. Their July shipment is still expected the first week of August and, unless something happens to upset the apple cart, it appears as if the balance of their 2021 release schedule should arrive on time and hopefully intact.
Corgi is also doing well, cranking out its fair share of military vehicles and aircraft as originally planned. We haven’t heard of any further delays to their release schedule, although they did notify us recently that they plan to increase prices by 10% on August 1st. As a result, we will be forced to raise prices accordingly, so if you are looking to pre-order any of their second half releases, we strongly recommend you do so now before the price increase goes into effect.
And then there are the rest of the pack of manufacturers we sell, who have, for the most part, been adversely affected by the global pandemic far out of proportion to their size. Some, such as Modelcollect, seem to have abandoned making any more pre-assembled models at least for the foreseeable future, preferring instead to stick with the making of model kits. We’re not certain if they ever plan to return to making pre-assembled diecast products, perhaps getting a better idea as we head into 2022. Others, such as Panzerkampf, seem to be stuck in neutral, announcing a bevy of new products over the last year or so that never seem to make it to market. We still have high hopes that these products will make it to our shores sooner rather than later, but the fact remains that we are still unable to get any clear cut information as to when to expect them.
The balance of the lines we stock have also been affected by the slowdown in the logistical chain, forced, in many instances, to deal with higher material and labor costs, not to mention the huge increase in prices for trans-oceanic shipping. We hope that this problem will eventually subside once the upcoming holiday rush has run its course but its anyone’s guess as to when the issue will be put to bed for good. So, as always, we appreciate both your business and patience as we and everyone else in the business of providing quality diecast collectibles struggle to keep our ships afloat amidst the raging COVID storm. Remember, every little bit helps so do your part by keeping abreast of the latest information and supporting your favorite sources.
Hinted at for over two years, Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, have finally revealed pre-production images for their upcoming Flight Deck Series. Unlike their 1:72 and 1:48 scale helicopter series or soon-to-street 1:72 scale WWII-era fighter aircraft series, the Flight Deck series is, as its name implies, aimed at portraying the entire flight deck of a Nimitz class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in 1:200 scale.
Rather than offering the flight deck and its attendant aircraft models as one entire model, Waltersons developed the range so that collectors can acquire and build out the upper deck one section at a time, complete with different aircraft models. Even the carrier’s superstructure is attainable. All told, 12 sections or modules are being created, from the aft of the ship to its stern, which are then locked into place so that they do not come apart if being played upon. Thus far, we do not have a firm release date, so we’re keeping our fingers and arresting gear crossed that they make it under the tree for the upcoming holiday season.
In other news, we’ve learned that Forces of Valor’s first 1:72 scale warbird is expected to make landfall this August. As noted previously, each aircraft comes with a decorative base that resembles a section of an aircraft deck or forward air base. Each model comes with a highly detailed engine and seated pilot figure along with a posable display stand meant to give the illusion of flight.
