The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed “Dragon Lady”, is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.
Lockheed Corporation originally proposed it in 1953, it was approved in 1954, and its first test flight was in 1955. It was flown during the Cold War over the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, and Cuba. In 1960, Gary Powers was shot down in a CIA U-2A over the Soviet Union by a surface-to-air missile (SAM). Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. was shot down in a U-2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
U-2s have taken part in post-Cold War conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and supported several multinational NATO operations. The U-2 has also been used for electronic sensor research, satellite calibration, scientific research, and communications purposes. The U-2 is one of a handful of aircraft types to have served the USAF for over 50 years, along with the Boeing B-52 and Boeing KC-135. The newest models (TR-1, U-2R, U-2S) entered service in the 1980s, and the latest model, the U-2S, had a technical upgrade in 2012.
Look for Hobby Master’s first ever U-2 spy plane to lift off later in April.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane – Prototype Presentation, Ehrenfriedhof Arys Proving Grounds, East Prussia, October 20th, 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]
The Sturmtiger (German: “Assault Tiger”) was a World War II German assault gun built on the Tiger I chassis and armed with a 380mm rocket-propelled mortar. The official German designation was Sturmmörserwagen 606/4 mit 38 cm RW 61. Its primary task was to provide heavy fire support for infantry units fighting in urban areas. The few vehicles produced fought in the Warsaw Uprising, the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of the Reichswald. The fighting vehicle is also known by various informal names, among which the Sturmtiger became the most popular.
The idea for a heavy infantry support vehicle capable of demolishing heavily defended buildings or fortified areas with a single shot came out of the experiences of the heavy urban fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. At the time, the Wehrmacht had only the Sturm-Infanteriegeschutz 33B available for destroying buildings, a Sturmgeschutz III variant armed with a 15 cc sIG 33 heavy infantry gun. Twelve of them were lost in the fighting at Stalingrad. Its successor, the Sturmpanzer IV, also known by Allies as Brummbär, was in production from early 1943. This was essentially an improved version of the earlier design, mounting the same gun on the Panzer IV chassis with greatly improved armor protection.
While greatly improved compared to the earlier models, by this time infantry anti-tank weapons were improving dramatically, and the Wehrmacht still saw a need for a similar, but more heavily armored and armed vehicle. Therefore, a decision was made to create a new vehicle based on the Tiger tank and arm it with a 210 mm howitzer. However, this weapon turned out not to be available at the time and was therefore replaced by a 380 mm rocket launcher, which was adapted from a Kriegsmarine depth charge launcher.
In September 1943 plans were made for Krupp to fabricate new Tiger I armored hulls for the Sturmtiger. The Tiger I hulls were to be sent to Henschel for chassis assembly and then to Alkett where the superstructures would be mounted. The first prototype was ready and presented to Adolf Hitler in October 1943. Delivery of the first hulls would occur in December 1943, with the first three Sturmtiger completed by Alkett by 20 February 1944.
Due to delays, Hitler did not request production of the weapon until 19 April 1944; twelve superstructures and weapons would be prepared and mounted on rebuilt Tiger I chassis. The first three production series Sturmtiger were completed by Alkett in August 1944. Plans to complete an additional seven from 15 to 21 September 1944 were presented to Hitler in a conference on 18–20 August 1944. Ten Sturmtiger were produced in September, along with an additional five in December 1944.
Hitler had laid great importance on the special employment of the Sturmtiger and believed it would be necessary to produce at least 300 rounds of ammunition per month.
Forces of Valor’s all-new 1:32 scale early production Sturmtiger is now in stock and available for immediate shipping.
As we await the arrival of their 1:32 scale Sturmtiger assault mortar, Waltersons posted a short, low-light teaser for their inaugural Tiger I heavy tank. Created for their Japanese audience, the trailer makes use of the “Metal Proud” moniker Forces of Valor has developed over the course of the last couple of years as a means of demonstrating how much diecast material is actually being employed in the reworked series. As many collectors pointed out towards the end of the Unimax era — the original manufacturer of the Forces of Valor brand — the Company was using less and less metal in the composition of its 1:32 scale military vehicles, largely as a means of reducing costs. This, of course, didn’t sit well with the collecting community despite the manufacturer passing along repeated price hikes and seemingly offering more lackluster products that lacked the imagination the series aimed at recreating.
While the Waltersons’ version will carry a MAP of $124.99, which is substantially more than the last Tiger I produced in the late 2000s, it is, in effect, a completely different vehicle than its predecessors, boasting a removable engine, heavier content and a more realistic painting process that involves repeated over-spraying and various weathering effects. The manufacturer has acknowledged that at least 20 separate vehicles are slated to be re-produced over the course of the next few years, to say nothing of the Panzer Ace series hinted at some time ago, which will replicate some of the more famous tanks and their storied commanders that have become the stuff of legend since the end of the war.
In other news, Waltersons has posted three different videos for their soon-to-be-released trio of ROC AH-1W “Whiskey” attack helicopters. Each video showcases the differences between the three helicopters being portrayed, as well as the obligatory commonalities that have enabled the manufacturer to release three helicopters at once in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs. Thus far, a pair of USMC attack helicopters are set to ship later in the year, so we expect videos and imagery to be unveiled in due course.
Earlier today, CNBC broke a story where shipping giant UPS agreed to purchase and subsequently test ten eVTOLs for potential use as a means of delivering shipping containers to small and medium sized markets. An eVTOL, which stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, can takeoff and land atop a building thereby avoiding the need to fly into and out of airports. Moreover, eVTOLs make use of rechargeable batteries to provide power, much like an electric car. So, instead of delivering packages one at-a-time to the destination point, and requiring vast amounts of time to complete, an eVTOL can unload a container en masse, then return to its point of origin to repeat the process.
Currently, Beta Technologies, the maker of the eVTOLs, has applied for certification with the FAA. Pilots will likely have to go through a rigorous flying course much like a regular pilot and its not clear if eVTOLs can be used in adverse weather or in high wind conditions. Its possible that eVTOLs will eventually be unmanned, flying back and forth on an autonomous basis and/or steered from a remote site much like a military drone. For more information on the development, visit CNBC.
Solido’s 1:48 scale US M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank – Desert Camouflage
Back when we started out in 2000, Solido was one of the dominant makers of military vehicles, producing an ever-expanding range of 1:43-1:50 scale tanks, artillery and soft-skinned vehicles. Over the years, they seem to have ebbed and flowed, producing a handful of vehicles one year then lying dormant for several years running. Hopefully, that may have changed as we ourselves learned recently, with nine new 1:48 scale diecast military vehicles slated for a summer release. Nine is a bit of a stretch, since four of the vehicles will be offered in both a woodland camouflage scheme as well as a desert motif. Still, this can only be seen as welcome news as we basically gave up on seeing anything new from them for the foreseeable future.
We’ve listed all nine vehicles in our revamped Solido military vehicle section and are accepting pre-orders as we speak.
Things seem to be going from bad to worse as far as getting in new merchandise is concerned, with many of the US west coast ports reporting huge bottlenecks that has prevented them from offloading cargo in a timely manner. In some instances, product has been waylaid for several months, sitting in limbo and awaiting their turn for release by customs officials. As a for instance, the Forces of Valor Sturmtiger, which was received in the Port of Los Angeles back in December, is just now receiving clearance and is currently expected to arrive at our distributor some time in mid April. Please bear this in mind when placing or awaiting delivery of your orders since the problem will likely last well into the summer and perhaps into the busy autumn months.
Needless to say, product we expected to be in earlier this year has been delayed by months, causing all sorts of issues for us as well as our customers. We bring this to everyone’s attention because in this business its extraordinarily important to have the patience of a saint if you expect to lay claim to many of the item’s listed on our future release schedule. Having said that, we do not, under any circumstances, accept “conditional orders” whereby the customer tells us that s/he needs to receive his or her order by a certain date otherwise they are cancelling their order. Friends, we are in the collectible business, which by its very definition means product seems to get completed then shipped to our door all according to their own schedule no matter how much we try to predict their actual dates to market. In this day and age, when people seem to think that virtually everything they order, from bleach to pet food, will arrive to them within 24-hours after order placement creates quite a bit of a problem for us and everyone involved in the process not to mention consternation on our part as we are forced to answer the same question over and over again. If you cannot accept this vexing situation, then we strongly advise you to pursue other interests and/or hobbies until such time as when the product does come out. Contacting us over and over again, asking us when an item is expected, does no one any good particularly when we are completely up front about the release schedule and how best to pay for product. Pre-paying for an item using a debit card, PayPal or AmazonPay also does not mean you move to the front of the line or the item in question will get to us any sooner. All it means is that we now have your payment in hand, rather than billing you when the item does materialize. We thank you for your understanding and look forward to quenching your diecast appetite now and well into the future.
Precision Model Art’s 1:72 scale German Horten Ho 229 Fighter Bomber [Bonus Pair of Jumo 004 Turbojet Engines]
Having carved out a respectable niche in the diecast military vehicle space, it appears as if Precision Model Art (PMA) now has its sights set – quite literally – on the skies above. Earlier today, the manufacturer decided to dip its toe into the military aircraft space by announcing plans to build a 1:72 scale replica of the Horten Ho 229 fighter-bomber. Previously, Luft-X had offered the same model in its product portfolio but has since gone dormant over the last few years with no new product announcements. Sensing the time was right to step into the void, PMA’s offering will be made of diecast rather than the resin replica Luft-X created, and will feature a bevy of features commonly found in their military vehicles.
For openers, the PMA version will have removable engine covers so collectors can peer inside the aircraft thereby enabling them to ogle each of the intricately detailed Junkers Jumo 004 engines found within the model. Also shown is a removable canopy and detachable landing gear, so aviation enthusiasts can display the model in multiple configurations.
Precision Model Art’s 1:72 scale German Karl-Gerat Super Heavy Self-Propelled 54cm Mortar – “Fenrir” (Son of Loki), schwere Artillerie Abteilung 833, Hillersleben, Germany, 1945
Also shown for the first time is a new Karl Morser siege mortar, this time portraying the prototype 54cm gun which was capable of firing a huge projectile several miles at fixed enemy fortifications. The pre-order window for both items is now open and shipment is expected to take place some time this summer.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale French Dassault Mirage 2000B Multirole Aircraft
Typically, March is one of the slowest months in the industry largely because it falls one month after Chinese New Year and, as such, means there usually isn’t all that much to ship out of Asia to the rest of the world. Add to that the fact that there is record congestion in many of our port of entries, tying up goods that were destined for our markets months earlier. That said, we learned today that Panzerkampf has cleared customs and several eagerly awaited items are expected towards the end of this month.
A new Mirage 2000B is slated for arrival as is a pair of Russian Kurgenats-25 Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The complete list of what we are expecting can be found by clicking on the Mirage image located above.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – 42-31713 (UX-T) “Snake Hips”, 327th Bombardment Squadron, 92nd Bombardment Group, Podington, England, August 24th, 1944
Corgi’s 1:72 scale B-17s are undoubtedly one of their most popular models, flying off the shelves, year-after-year, and into the homes of aviation aficionados world over. Therefore it came as no surprise late last year when the manufacturer decided to announce yet another Flying Fortress, no doubt capitalizing on the success of some of their most recent four-engine heavy bombers.
B-17G Flying Fortress 42-31713 “Snake Hips” arrived at the USAAF’s 92nd Bombardment Group base at Podington in February 1944 and quickly benefited from a name and nose artwork that her crew hoped would bring them luck in the air battles to come. The aircraft saw extensive action over the next few months and brought her crew through relatively unscathed, until undertaking a mission to the heavily defended synthetic oil plant at Leuna on August 24th, 1944.
On the run in to the target, “Snake Hips” took a direct 88mm flak hit in the bomb bay and whilst the explosion did not detonate the bombs, it did blow a gaping hole in the side of the fuselage and start a hydraulic fire which threatened to engulf the bomber. The aircraft dropped out of formation and headed for home, but on attempting to jettison the bombs, several ‘hung’ and members of the crew were forced to deactivate them, in the midst of all this airborne chaos.
With two engines out and the pilot heading for the relief landing airfield at Woodbridge, he ordered his crew to parachute to safety, knowing he could not leave his station and fearing the landing may result in their injury. Fortunately, he managed to land the bomber without further incident and “Snake Hips” became one of the most heavily damaged B-17s to make it back to the UK during the Second World War.
As US heavy bombers began their strategic bombing campaign against German targets in occupied Europe towards the end of 1942, they were hoping that the heavier calibre of guns used on their aircraft would prove decisive against the threat of Luftwaffe fighter attack, particularly when their bombers were arranged in defensive boxes, bringing the firepower of hundreds of guns to bear.
Assembling hundreds of bombers above the English countryside in all weathers as they rose from their respective bases, would prove to be a huge challenge and collisions were relatively commonplace. Once formed up and heading for their targets, accurate navigation was essential if they were to remain in formation and avoid the murderous flak fields, until they were actually on the run in to the target, all the time knowing that the Luftwaffe were ready to pounce, often in large numbers.
During the early months of the campaign, the bombers would have to run the gauntlet of German defenses alone, as Allied fighters lacked the range to escort the bombers all the way to their targets and losses were crippling. Once longer range Lightning, Thunderbolts and Mustangs entered service, the bombers had their protection and as a result both bombing accuracy increased and Luftwaffe fighters began to fall to the guns of their ‘little friends’.
Snake Hips is currently en route to us and expected to arrive towards the end of March.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Kursk, Russia, July 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]
Our distributor was kind enough to pass along the latest Forces of Valor production schedule which encompasses all of 2021. Its an ambitious run rate, to say the least, calling for multiple items to be released each and every month and cutting across virtually every category and sub-category. It even includes their on-again, off-again 1:16 scale radio controlled T-72 tank, which, according to a Facebook posting by Waltersons, was originally supposed to come out way back in May 2020. Interestingly, the production schedule passed along to us does not contain any of their 1:24 scale radio controlled tanks, nor any of the VS tanks they were supposed to start producing after they acquired the line several years ago.
We have updated all of our Forces of Valor sections using the information at-hand, but padded the release dates by at least sixty (60) days to address any production mishaps, delays in shipping and any other issues that will likely affect each item’s true release date. Moreover, we highly doubt that several of the items expected in the fourth quarter will actually hit their mark as manufacturers of all stripes and colors attempt to bring in their own merchandise during these hectic months. More likely several products will either come in towards the tail end of 2021 or, quite possibly, the early part of 2022.
Forces of Valor’s 1:72 scale USMC Chance-Vought F4U-1D Corsair Fighter – Lt. Ira Kepford, VF-17 “Jolly Rogers”, 1944
While a couple of new items were added to the roster, such as a second version of the USS Enterprise and a handful of metal track upgrade kits, most of the product shown on the list have already been discussed in detail and are simply awaiting their turn in the production cycle. Many vehicles, such as the Tiger I and Sherman tanks have been spaced out by several months to avoid oversupply in the supply chain and logjams in the production pipeline. No new photos were shown apart from some placeholder line art imagery and other similar faux photos. Should the anticipated dates of delivery change, we will update our web site accordingly.
