PMA’s 1:72 scale German Mid Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “233”, schwere Panzerabteilung 507, Eastern Front, 1944 [Bonus Maybach HL 230 TRM P45 Engine]
You can’t fault Precision Model Art (PMA) for having a love affair with the iconic Tiger I heavy tank. After all, it was feared by all of the Allied nations arrayed against Germany, a powerful if ponderous tank that seemed to symbolize German resistance in the face of still opposition. Slow and ungainly, it nevertheless took on swarms of enemy armor and, in the hands of competent crews, denied the enemy the upper hand at a time when they could have easily steamrollered past tanks of a lesser caliber.
It therefore comes as no surprise that PMA has decided to release the fourth version of the Tiger, this time around bearing the markings and insignia of schwere Panzerabteilung 507. Painted in a summer camouflage scheme and bearing all of the hallmark details you’ve come to expect from this vaunted diecast modelmaker, we expect it to hit the streets sometime in early 2021.
In the meantime, if you need to get your fix on for a Tiger tank, PMA is re-releasing the Otto Carius version, which sold out quite quickly earlier this year. Its a magnificent model, and one with lots of history behind it. Expect it to return to stock in time for Thanksgiving.
The pandemic, as many experts have predicted, has had a major impact on our business over the last few months. Sales have grown exponentially on all of our sales venues, which has accelerated in recent weeks. As a result, we are genuinely concerned that we may run out of certain key items ahead of the start to the traditional holiday shopping season. While we are working closely with all of our suppliers to ensure a steady flow of merchandise to back fill our shelves, the fact remains that many hot-selling items will likely be in short supply going forward. We therefore strongly recommend you peruse our site and place your orders as early as possible. Keep in mind that the major carriers are expecting a record shipping season during the fourth quarter and have already gone on record to indicate that orders need to be shipped out as early as possible to guarantee their arrival before the holidays. With that said, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday and look forward to servicing your needs for the remainder of the year.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale Swiss Junkers Ju 52/3m Tri-Motor Transport – Tarnmuster A-702
In a surprise announcement, Corgi unveiled and released two new 1:72 scale Junkers Ju 52 transports, both bearing Swiss markings and insignia. One comes in the standard Corgi packaging while the other is nested in a European style box likely created for a special client.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale Swiss Junkers Ju 52/3m Tri-Motor Transport – IWC HB-HOS
In other news, several eagerly awaited aircraft models were also released, all of which are now winging their way to us. All of the October releases are expected to safely land at our aerodrome by the end of this month.
Forces of Valor’s 1:72 scale US Army Boeing-Vertol MH-47G Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopter – 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment “Night Stalkers”, 2014
According to our distributor, the Forces of Valor MH-47G Chinook helicopter, which is famously operated by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment “Night Stalkers”, is en route and expected by the end of October. This is a significant announcement because we have quite a few pre-orders to fill as soon as they arrive and won’t have all that many left available for general sale once the pre-orders have been filled. However, we also wanted to point out that the manufacturer has decided to revise the tooling by moving the front set of landing wheels a bit further forward under the fuselage as one savvy collector pointed out on an aviation forum. While we applaud the manufacturer’s decision to revise the mold and bear the cost of making these changes it does create a bit of a lag in the supply chain. According to the manufacturer, they are sold out of the original helicopter model and have begun retooling the mold to address this modification. As a result, a second batch of models sporting this tooling change is not expected before the holidays and could likely make its way back into the distribution network as late as February. So, if you prefer to wait for the second version of the model, we will need to hear from you as soon as possible otherwise we will assume that the initial version is okay with you.
The DeAgostini fleet of WWII-era aircraft keeps growing by leaps and bounds with the addition of five more aircraft to the warbirds roster. Like the other aircraft in the series, each comes bundled with a full-color magazine written in Japanese and a handsome bookcase style package. Here’s what you can expect to nab by the end of October:
We’ve received some preliminary photos for the prototype Sturmtiger rocket mortar, as it was presented to der Fuhrer and other dignitaries at the Ehrenfriedhof Arys Proving Grounds, East Prussia, on October 20th, 1943, which, as you can see, is bereft of any camouflage or unit markings. Besides several shells, this particular version comes with fully-painted 1:35 scale renditions of Adolf Hitler and his Minister of Armaments, Albert Speer. Bear in mind that although production has commenced for this particular version of the Sturmtiger, the vehicle may or may not appear by year’s end due to logistics issues. Based upon previous experience, it will likely show up sometime in early 2021. No word concerning the other two vehicles in the series or when they will become available.
We’ve been given the go ahead to move forward with the launch of the Warbirds of World War II line of 1:72 scale military aircraft. Like the Armored Fighting Vehicles of World War II range expected to hit the streets later this year, the Warbirds line will encompass aircraft previously released under the Altaya banner several years ago but unavailable in great quantity here in North America and elsewhere. This time around, they will be packaged within an upscale 5-panel box that will help to explain the aircraft in question much like a Corgi or Hobby Master release. Like the AFV line, each aircraft will come with a numbered limited edition collector card. As a bit of a departure from the norm, we will be releasing them in a different sequential order than when they were first released, meaning the entire assortment and order of release has not been set just yet and could be shuffled around based upon certain criteria. The first six warbirds will likely come out in early 2021, and plans call for six new warbirds to be produced each month thereafter. Unless things change, each release will carry a $34.99 price point.
Calibre Wing’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16C Block 50D Fighting Falcon Fighter – 91-0353, 77th Fighter Squadron “The Gamblers”, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
We’ve been a fan of Calibre Wings ever since their inception, silently rooting on the underdog who’s been fighting for its fair share of marketing and shelf space for several years running. That said, the manufacturer has at last unveiled images of their upcoming F-16 multi-role fighters, one clad in Hellenic markings and representing a F-16D Block 52 aircraft, the other draped in US insignia and replicating an older F-16C Block 50 warbird.
Both aircraft are likely due out before year’s end, thus capping off a very successful year for this dynamic upstart. Priced at $149.99 apiece, we believe these models are the ultimate in “Viper” reproductions.
Side-by-side images of the forthcoming pair of F-16 Flying Falcons due out by year’s end
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Russian T-14 Armata Main Battle Tank – Moscow Victory Day Parade
The 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade was a parade that took place in Red Square in Moscow on May 9th, 2015, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945. The annual parade marks the Allied victory in the Second World War at the Eastern Front, on the same day as the signing of the German act of capitulation to the Allies in Berlin, at midnight of May 9th, 1945 (Russian time). President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin delivered his twelfth holiday address to the nation on this day, right after the parade inspection that was presided by Minister of Defense General of the Army Sergey Shoygu.
Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Russian T-15 Armata Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Being a landmark jubilee parade honoring the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in the European continent, the 2015 parade was the largest and most lavish held in Russian history. Col. Gen. Oleg Salyukov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, was the 2015 commander. In addition to troops of the Russian Federation, 1,300 troops from 10 foreign countries were also on parade, including contingents from China, India, Serbia, and Mongolia, all four countries making their first appearance at a Russian Victory Day parade.
Following the official parade, over 500,000 Russians and foreign attendees marched through central Moscow in commemoration of those who perished and those who survived World War II. The Moscow leg of this parade, which is an annual Victory Day tradition called the March of the Immortal Regiment and observed in numerous other Russian cities and in several other countries, was led by President Putin whose father served during the war. It is estimated that up to 12 million Russians participated nationwide in the 2015 March of the Immortal Regiment.
Several new weapons systems were shown for the first time at the 2015 Victory Day Parade, among them the T-14 Amata main battle tank, T-15 Armata Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the Kurgenats-25 Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Panzerkampf has faithfully recreated each of these vehicles and has plans to reproduce more. Stay tuned.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 “Gustav” Fighter – Erich “Bubi” Hartmann, 4./Jagdgeschwader 52, Hungary, 1944
Erich Alfred “Bubi” Hartmann, nicknamed “Bubi” by his allies and “The Black Devil” by his enemies, was a German fighter pilot and is still the highest scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He claimed 352 aerial victories (of which 345 were won against the Soviet Air Force, and 260 of which were fighters) in 1,404 combat missions and engaging in aerial combat 825 times while serving with the Luftwaffe in World War II. During the course of his career, Hartmann was forced to crash land his damaged fighter 14 times. This was due to damage received from parts of enemy aircraft he had just shot down, or mechanical failure. Hartmann claimed never to have been shot down or forced to land due to fire from enemy aircraft.
Hartmann, a pre-war glider pilot, joined the Luftwaffe in 1940 and completed his fighter pilot training in 1942. He was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 on the Eastern front and was fortunate to be placed under the supervision of some of the Luftwaffe’s most experienced fighter pilots. Under their guidance Hartmann steadily developed his tactics which would earn him the coveted Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds on August 25th, 1944, for claiming 301 aerial victories.
He scored his 352nd and last aerial victory on May 8th, 1945. He, and the remainder of Jagdgeschwader 52, surrendered to United States Army forces and were turned over to the Red Army. In an attempt to pressure him into service with the Soviet friendly East German Volksarmee, he was convicted of false/unjustifiable War Crimes, a conviction posthumously voided by a Russian court as a malicious prosecution. Hartmann was sentenced to 25 years of hard labor, and spent 10 years in various Soviet prison camps and gulags until he was released in 1955.
In 1956, Hartmann joined the newly established West German Luftwaffe and became the first Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 71 “Richthofen”. Hartmann resigned early from the Bundeswehr in 1970, largely due to his opposition to the F-104 Starfighter deployment in the Bundesluftwaffe and the resulting clashes with his superiors over this issue. Erich Hartmann died in 1993.
