Calibre Wings Fires Up the F-16

As was the case with their previous releases, Calibre Wings has crafted an elaborate tutorial explaining the inner workings of its latest release, the F-16 Viper. The 15-minute instructional video is hosted by the Company’s owner, Noel Lee, who does a marvelous job of discussing the packaging, model, and all of its attendant detail, going so far as to show how to attach and detach various parts of the model to the main body of the aircraft. The video can be viewed here, within the body of each product listing on our web site, or seen on YouTube.

As a reminder, the first pair of F-16s are expected to land on our tarmac some time in February and Noel has publicly indicated that the inaugural model, the USAF F-16C Block 50D, is already sold out at the factory level. A second pair of F-16s is likely expected some time this spring.

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Delays on Top of Delays

As a wordsmith of sorts, I’ve been asked by several entities to explain why a number of lines and highly sought after items still haven’t arrived. In a word, COVID.

The Corona virus has had a huge impact on virtually every aspect of the supply channel, from manufacturing to logistics and everything in between. Obviously, if there are far few workers making each item then it takes quite a bit longer to deliver each model to market. Now, add to that the fact that workers in China have already begun their annual migration from the factories to their native homes ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year, some with the expressed desire of not returning to the factories, for whatever reason, and you have a situation that can turn the most resolute planner into a Mad Hatter.

Second, a great deal of manufacturers have re-located from the Chinese mainland to other countries in the hopes that they can continue producing low cost goods with some degree of regularity and at affordable prices. The problem, as some have begun to realize, is that COVID has had a direct impact on shipping, causing many ships to take far longer to reach their ultimate destination here in North America than what was originally forecast. One distributor we work with claims that in several instances it has taken over two months for a container ship to leave Bangladesh to reach one of our west coast ports. One ship, that left Bangladesh in November, is still moored in Kobe, Japan. Naturally, this has led to congestion at these very same ports, which again creates a bit of a logjam in the system as they are then forced to wait for the next available truck or train to take them to the distributor. Add a few nasty weather fronts to the mix, delays with all of the major carriers coming out of the holiday season, and you have the recipe for a perfect storm that produces endless delays from start to finish, as well as a ludicrous way to make any reliable forecasts.

Having said all that, it truly does not help to send us an endless stream of messages asking about the whereabouts of your order when we update our web site on a daily basis as soon as we have learned new information from each of the manufacturers and distributors we deal with. Moreover, we send out regular newsletters which shows, in handy graphical form, the latest arrivals along with those items expected in the not-too-distant future. We also have gone to great lengths to explain everything we do on our First Time User Information page in an effort to be as transparent as possible amidst this pandemic. If, at the end of the day, you still do not understand that COVID has caused a great upheaval in the market, we would prefer that you do not place your order with us since we simply do not have the time to explain this over and over again ad nauseum. I know its probably not what you want to hear at the end of the day but I’d prefer to give you the bare facts than blow smoke your way with false promises and heady illusions. That said, stay healthy, stay safe, and above all else, hug and kiss your loved ones in lieu of mindlessly staring at an empty space on your bookshelf as you await the next collectible to arrive. Trust me, you’ll thank me for it.

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Forces of Valor Super Sizes its Cobra

Forces of Valor’s 1:48 scale ROC (Taiwanese) Bell AH-1W Super Cobra Attack Helicopter Equipped with M261 19-Tube Rocket and M260 7-Tube Launcher – “528”, 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade Attack Battalion, Hsinchu Air Force Base Open Day, April 2008

There is no question that Forces of Valor’s stable of 1:72 scale Chinooks have done incredibly well at retail, with their MH-47G taking center stage and the lion’s share of the spotlight. We therefore had hoped that the manufacturer would choose it as the basis for its larger 1:48 scale range of helicopters to kick things off in 2021. Instead, the manufacturer chose the AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter, a chopper the previous owner of the line released a dozen or more years ago. No matter, images of the first Cobra were released today, all based upon a Taiwanese (ROC) attack helicopter that will come in three different configurations and markings. For now, we’ve included the standard isometric image for comparison purposes and hope to have close-up shots for each helo as soon as the manufacturer posts it to their web site.

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Rotorheads Rejoice

I’m convinced that January must mean rotorcraft in Latin even at a time when they had no idea what it meant when it was included in the Julian calendar. Dopey innuendoes aside, we are finally going to be receiving our second shipment of MH-47G helicopters from Forces of Valor and will likely have to place a further order once this allotment has evaporated. Also in the shipment are the first pair of Royal Australian CH-47 choppers, both clad in a desert yellow paint scheme.

Additionally we are heard that all three MH-53 Super Stallion helicopters from Panzerkampf are en route. The MH-53s are big and beefy and represent a great way for Panzerkampf to kick off their entry into the helicopter category. Rumor has it that a Hind is in the works, also these won’t likely touch down until the latter half of 2021.

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Hobby Master Shuffles and Deals its June Lineup

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Israeli Defense Force General Dynamics F-16C Barak Fighter – 101 Squadron, Norvenich Airbase, Germany, Exercise Blue Wings, 2020

With Chinese New Year fast approaching, Hobby Master wasted no time re-jiggering its mid-year lineup and adding a bevy of new aircraft for a June delivery. While no new toolings were shown, several of their newest warbirds have been requested for several months, including an Israeli F-16C Barak fighter that took part in joint operations with the Luftwaffe over German skies as part of Exercise Blue Wing 2020. Here now some of the latest aircraft added to the Hobby Master aerial armada.

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Corgi Stokes the Fires of Our Winter of Discontent

Corgi’s 1:48 scale RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 Multi-Role Fighter – ZK349 GN-A, Flt. Lt. Ben Westoby-Brooks, RAF No.29(R) Squadron, Battle of Britain, Typhoon Display Team, RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, Summer 2015 [Anniversary Scheme]

For some inexplicable reason, Corgi seems to run into problems announcing their yearly introductions on an annual basis. Their 2021 range, which was initially supposed to be unveiled on the 5th, was delayed by two days until today presumably to get out the news in a sustainable format so that all the world could see. Frankly, this seems to be anything but the case as their web site continues to either crawl or crash, preventing many collectors from ogling what they have in mind for the calendar year.

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Beaufort Mk.1 Torpedo Bomber – N1016 (OA-X), Pilot Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell, No.22 Squadron, RAF Cornwall, England, 1941

So, while we have some information stored away for safe keeping, largely obtained at the ungodly hour of 5am, it appears as if we will have to slowly roll out Corgi’s new announcements over the course of the next few days, as online traffic to their web site begins to wane and page views can be achieved with some degree of reliability. In the meantime, we’ve begun listing a handful of new items that we did manage to learn about, including this stunning 1:48 scale RAF Eurofighter Typhoon GR4 due out later this year. We’ve also posted a YouTube video created and narrated by Corgi that does a wonderful job of showcasing many of the models due out later this year.
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Hobby Master Fires Up the Production Line for May Day

Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” Stealth Fighter – “Bort 053”, MAKS 2019 Aviasalon Air Show

Now that the holiday season has come and gone, we can at last get down to business and start hawking some of the latest additions to our product portfolio. In the case of Hobby Master, several new aircraft were debuted in late December, all of which are tentatively scheduled for a May release. While no new toolings were shown, several of their most popular models are being hauled out again for a re-purpose and re-dress, which should make aviation collectors giddy with glee when they roll off of the assembly line. Here now the newest introductions to our burgeoning Hobby Master inventory:

To learn more about these items, simply click on each image, which will take you directly to the product listing.

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Is that a Tiger in Your Tank?

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]

Looking to cause a little stir on the very last day of 2020, Forces of Valor has finally posted pictures of one of their upcoming Tiger I heavy tanks to their Facebook account. While the vehicle sports its tactical number, its iconic knight on a red charger symbol hasn’t been applied just yet, nor have any of its balkenkreuz nationality insignia markings. Still it represents an important first step in the launching of this oft-discussed range, which is expected to begin fanning out this spring. According to the manufacturer 20 Tiger Is are in the offering, covering everything from the initial production machines that rolled out in 1942 to the late production versions responsible for defending the Reich towards the latter stages of the war.

We’ve doctored the photos somewhat to make them a bit more presentable since the original images sported a very dark background with extraneous errata thrown in. That said, you can get an overall idea as to how the model will look in its final form, complete with opening hatches and other equipment unique to this version. So please keep this in mind if you’re planning on ordering this model, which will no doubt be updated with better photos once the vehicle has entered its final building stages. Panzers vor!

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Forces of Valor Presents the Sturmtiger to the Fuhrer and the Collecting Community

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane – Prototype Presentation to Hitler, Ehrenfriedhof Arys Proving Grounds, East Prussia, October 20th, 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]

It appears as if Waltersons has at last posted final images of its upcoming 1:32 scale Sturmtiger assault mortar. The gallery shows the vehicle from a number of perspectives and even includes interior photos that show off its detail and working features. While the Company claims that the vehicle will be completed in early January, we believe that shipping delays and other issues points more towards either a February or possibly a March release.

We’ve learned that the price for a pair of metal tracks offered as an upgrade to the Sturmtiger is being pegged at $34.99, although its not clear if they will be available day and date with the arrival of the first Sturmtiger.

Forces of Valor Metal Tracks for the Sturmtiger Assault Mortar

The same tracks can likely be used for their upcoming torrent of Tiger I tanks, which should start to appear sometime in the first quarter of 2021.

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Tales of Transparency: Odds and Ends for December

Thus far, the 2020 holiday season has been exceptionally busy. So much so that we haven’t had the opportunity to publish a newsletter in over three weeks. Obviously it means that we haven’t been able to stay in touch with our customers on a regular basis and have instead had to rely upon short blog posts and web updates to keep everyone informed as best as possible. Part of the problem has been the pandemic, which has led to more people purchasing online from vendors they know and trust. It also means that we have sold through a good portion of our top end merchandise, and have had to re-purchase some stock from our suppliers at a time we would rather it draw down a bit to prepare for year end inventory. Be that as it may, it means a lot more unforeseen work which has taken us away from some of the chores such as creating newsletters.

In other news, we’ve learned that our distributor just received their December shipment of Hobby Master products, which brings them up-to-date on what they were expecting to receive for the calendar year of 2020. It also means that a great many highly desirable models are en route to us, including their latest 1:48 scale Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighter and their eagerly awaited inaugural F-105G Wild Weasel. Many of the newest models are still employing line art sketches in lieu of actual product photos to convey their appearance, something we hope to address shortly once actual imagery have been posted online.

Another supplier has indicated that the first shipment of 1:43 scale military vehicles under our proprietary Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II line are expected to make landfall in late December, as is the first shipment of 1:72 scale Warbirds of World War II. The same distributor also reports that the follow-on shipment of FOV’s MH-47 Chinook is en route to them as is FOV’s initial pairing of Royal Australian CH-47 helicopters. This, combined with some other restocks means we are going to be very busy throughout the holiday season as well as the post holiday time frame in the run up to New Year and beyond.

Beyond that, we aren’t anticipating any other major shipments until January, which will likely include lots of Panzerkampf, PMA, Corgi and other lines that are deeply in need of additional reinforcements. Lastly, Corgi has announced the cancellation of CC60216, the second Panther tank in the series. No reason was given apart from “problems with the tooling.” We’ve cancelled any pre-orders for this item and are still awaiting the other vehicles in this series due out some time this winter.

Anyway, that’s it for now as we return to our everyday job of getting merchandise out the door as quickly and expeditiously as possible. As always, we wish everyone a happy holiday and a joyous New Year and hope we have done out utmost to bring a little piece of diecast heaven to your doorstep in a year many of us would prefer to soon forget. Enjoy!

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