Tales of Transparency: Movement to Contact

One of our principal goals is to make the implements of war sexy. Its a somewhat strange conundrum we find ourselves in trying to talk up weapons of war that have contributed to the death of millions and the wholesale destruction of entire nations over countless generations, yet here we find ourselves in now undertaking our twentieth year of operation delivering scale military models to the masses. I’ve often wondered what makes the study of war so intoxicating to the average onlooker when they could just as easily set about pursuing other more peaceful pursuits and learn about the creation of civilizations instead of their obliteration. I’m not sure I’ll never know the answer to that vexing question, which has dogged us and others despite the Bible telling us that we should beat our swords into plowshares and study war no more.

That said, we have a tough road ahead of us for the next few months, as we attempt to discuss many of the newest scale models headed everyone’s way. Presently, we’re also laying out our strategic vision for year 21 and moving into our new digs at Shopify all in the next few weeks. Our dance card is certainly full even though we’ve done our best to accept new partners here and there when the music abruptly stops and we’ve had a quick run at the punch bowl. So sit back and relax as we take it to the next level and hopefully continue to provide the very best service we can muster. Panzers vorwarts.

Share This:

Which Toy Fair is Best?

In years past, the American International Toy Fair was the preeminent means of showcasing new releases for the calendar year. Over time, the Nuremberg Toy Fair supplanted the American venue, typically opening to the trade and public a few weeks earlier and oftentimes boasting a larger exhibitor list. Now it seems as if the Hong Kong Toy Fair is beginning to take center stage, not only because it comes even earlier than either the Nuremberg or American shows, but because more and more companies are based in China.

On Monday, January 6th, the Hong Kong show opens its doors to a worldwide audience eager to see what’s in store for the 2020 calendar year. While we won’t be in attendance, the power of the Internet and email enables us to learn about the new releases almost as quickly as if we were standing on line ogling the new products. And, with the power of online computing, we can post this new information within moments of receiving the news, thereby keeping our clientele informed and up-to-date like never before.

Two brands, Corgi (which is one of the flagship brands of Hornby) and Forces of Valor (now managed by Waltersons) will be showcasing some of their latest wares, providing information and imagery for their newest products and hopefully guidance as to when we can expect them. So, get to bed early on the night of the 5th, because we’re sure we have lots to share with you early the next morning.

Share This:

PMA Orders its Tanks Forward into the Modern Era

PMA’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “Saddamizer”, Operation Desert Storm, 1991

It was bound to happen. After playing for years in the World War II sandbox, Precision Model Art (PMA) has finally decided to turn the hands of time forward and move into the modern era. Well, almost. Yesterday we learned that the Company plans to model the US-built M60A1 Patton main battle tank in 1:72 scale, mainstay of the US Marine forces forces for several decades running. To kick things off, they chose three M60A1 tanks that took part in Operation Desert Storm, each one studded with explosive reactive armor (ERA) cells.

PMA’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “Beirut Payback”, 1st Marine Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Kuwait, 1991

From the pictures posted, its not clear if the Pattons will feature removable turrets thereby enabling collectors to peer inside the vehicle. Likewise we do not know if other areas of the vehicle are removable particularly the engine block like it is in their Tiger I series of heavy tanks. Stowage gear has been affixed to the sides of the vehicles although we aren’t sure if these can be detached. Look for each of the three Pattons sometime in late winter.

PMA’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “American Express”, Operation Desert Storm, 1991
Share This:

Where For Art Thou, Altaya?

Altaya 1:43 scale German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. G Medium Tank – 13. Panzer Kompanie Mielke, Netherlands, September 1944

It appears as though we’re still a way’s off from receiving any of the Altaya 1:43 scale armored fighting vehicles. Apparently, the manufacturer is starting to re-use some of their existing molds to produce an array of follow-on vehicles, thereby amortizing the molds and giving the series fresh legs. The line now encompasses some 107 releases with no signs of abating. Some vehicles, such as their Panther tank, has been reincarnated three times so we’re going to assume that each vehicle that has already been made will be resurrected in one form or another.

We’re still hoping to get the ball rolling some time in 2020 once Altaya has completed the series and moved on to other projects. Its an important range that fills in a niche market at a very affordable price.

Share This:

Eaglemoss or Bust

Even as we are just a scant two days away from Christmas, there is a large Eaglemoss shipment en route to us and likely arriving this week. Apparently, there is a lot of new items in the shipment, spanning everything from Star Trek-related goods to Battlestar Galactica. The list is too large to post here, so we will update our New Arrivals section once everything has been checked in and ready for outbound delivery. I don’t believe there is anything else expected before the New Year. Even if there was, the carriers are usually so busy trying to wind down for the holidays that we probably wouldn’t receive it until the beginning of the New Year.

News Update: So we’ve received the Eaglemoss shipment and updated our web site accordingly, indicating which back ordered items have now returned to stock along with all of the new items we were awaiting. We’re going to take a breather then upload all of these items to both Amazon and eBay, and resume shipments later this week. If you’ve been waiting for any of these items we’d appreciate it if you could hang on a bit longer and enjoy the holidays as we get back up to speed later this week.

Share This:

The Forces of Valor Update: Horsepower Personified

Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has updated their Facebook page with more information regarding their 2020 range. According to their representative, any vehicle that was originally produced by Unimax and has undergone an upgrade that includes a removable engine will be part of their newly branded “Engine Plus” series. So, tanks such as the T-34/85, M4 Sherman, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger and Tiger I fall under this heading. Newly tooled vehicles, such as the upcoming Sturmtiger, M10 tank destroyer and KV-2, will be part of their “Extreme Metal” series. These vehicles will feature fully detailed crew compartments and other interior detailing, as well as metal tracks, much like their larger 1:16 scale brethren. We haven’t decided yet if we will segregate all of the existing Forces of Valor vehicles into one category and the newly tooled vehicles into another since this may create some confusion for the collector. We’ll likely revisit this scenario once our web site has completed its migration to the Shopify e-commerce platform scheduled for January.

Interior detail of the Sturmtiger. The manufacturer claims that the rear panel of the vehicle can be removed so collectors can simulate the loading of the ammunition

In other news, eight different Sherman variants are currently being worked on by Waltersons, the first one likely being an M4 mounting a 105mm howitzer. The manufacturer claims that the entrenching tools typically attached to a vehicle’s exterior can be detached while other accessories, such as sand bags and logs, are being developed for added realism.

Lastly, the Company claims to be getting set to announce their aviation line up and will likely be showing some of their models at the upcoming Hong Kong Toy Fair which is scheduled to open on January 6th. We haven’t seen any images yet so it remains to be seen how they plan to re-work the aircraft to bring them up to today’s standards. Rumor has it that the engines can be removed much like the vehicles, although we haven’t seen any evidence to support this assertion.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: Recovery of Gemini X

Corgi’s 1:72 scale US Navy Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King Helicopter – HS-3 “Tridents”, USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60), Gemini X Spaceship Recovery, July 21st 1965

As part of the manned mission to the moon taken up by the US in the 1960s, NASA had to first perfect the art of rocketry and with it the ability to put men into orbit around the Earth. Just as importantly, NASA, with the help of the US Navy, was still looking to bring back each capsule and crew intact, which was oftentimes easier said than done given the difficulties associated with water landings.

Gemini X, as it was known, was designed to achieve rendezvous and docking with an Agena Target Vehicle (ATV), and EVA. It was also planned to dock with the ATV from the Gemini VIII mission. This Agena’s battery power had failed months earlier, and an approach and docking would demonstrate the ability to rendezvous with a passive object. It would be also the first mission to fire the Agena’s own rocket, allowing them to reach higher orbits.

Gemini X established that radiation at high altitude was not a problem. After docking with their Agena booster in low orbit, Young and Collins used it to climb temporarily to 412.4 nautical miles (763.8 km). After leaving the first Agena, they then rendezvoused with the derelict Agena left over from the aborted Gemini VIII flight — thus executing the program’s first double rendezvous. With no electricity on board the second Agena, the rendezvous was accomplished with eyes only — no radar.

After the rendezvous, Collins spacewalked over to the dormant Agena at the end of a 50-foot (15 m) tether, making him the first person to meet another spacecraft in orbit. Collins then retrieved a cosmic dust-collecting panel from the side of the Agena. As he was concentrating on keeping his tether clear of the Gemini and Agena, Collins’ Hasselblad camera worked itself free and drifted away, so he was unable to take photographs during the spacewalk.

The last day of the mission was short and retrofire came at 70 hours and 10 minutes into the mission. They landed only 3.0 nautical miles (5.6 km) away from the intended landing site and were recovered by the USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60).

To commemorate this important mission, Corgi has released a 1:72 scale replica of a US Navy Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King helicopter that was attached to HS-3 “Tridents”, then embarked upon the USS Guadalcanal. This particular helicopter was instrumental in the recovery of the Gemini X capsule and its two-man crew on July 21st, 1965.

Share This:

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Beaufighter TF.X Torpedo Bomber – No. 144 Squadron, Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, October 1944

We’re in the final run up to Christmas with just a week left in the hectic holiday season. We still have ample inventory of lots of items and are continuing to receive loads of restocks as well as new items including product from Hobby Master, Atlas Editions and Corgi, to name but a few. Of course, the sooner you place your order the better, and make sure to choose expedited delivery if you want your parcel to arrive before Christmas. Typically, the last two weeks of December are the most clogged in the logistical chain, with most carriers struggling to keep up with shipping demands and any post-holiday returns back-filling the first weeks of January.

Share This:

New Top Gun 2 Trailer Released

We’re still six months away from the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the runaway hit, Top Gun, which was released over three decades ago. Besides the F/A-18 Hornet and F-14 Tomcat shown in the first trailer, several additional aircraft types are shown in its follow-on clip, among them a P-51 Mustang and what could be the SR-72 Aurora. We’ll leave it up to you to decide so sit back and enjoy!

Remember that Mattel now has the license to produce anything Top Gun-related and we hope to be able to discuss some of the gear, replicas and other merchandise at the upcoming Toy Fair in February.

Share This:

The Corgi Update: “Its On the Water”

Corgi’s 1:50 scale German Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. D Medium Tank – Panzer Abteilung 2, Panzer Brigade 107, Bamberg, Northern Bavaria, April 1945

I’m not sure why Corgi has run into issues getting some of their most eagerly anticipated items out the door and into the hands of their dealer network but the fact remains that several products may still make it under the tree for the holidays. According to Corgi, a bunch of collectibles are “on the water”, meaning they are currently en route to them and will hopefully get turned around to us in time so that we can fulfill some outstanding orders. The following items are affected by this last-minute shipment:

#AA32518 – German Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stuka Dive-Bomber – J9+BL, 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1, St. Pol, France, November 1940 (1:72 Scale)

#AA28601 – RAF Bristol Beaufighter TF.X Torpedo Bomber – No. 144 Squadron, Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, October 1944 (1:72 Scale)

#AA33422 – US Navy Sikorsky SH-3A Helicopter – HS-3 “Tridents”, USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60), Gemini X Spaceship Recovery, July 21st 1965 (1:72 Scale)

#CC60309 – British RAF Bedford QL Supply Truck – RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force, 84 Group, Gold Beach, Normandy, 1944 (1:50 Scale)

#CC60205 – German Sd. Kfz. 171 PzKpfw V Panther Ausf. D Medium Tank – Panzer Abteilung 2, Panzer Brigade 107, Bamberg, Northern Bavaria, April 1945 (1:50 Scale)

The balance of their 2019 catalog has been pushed back into early 2020, meaning don’t count on them as last minute gifts.

Share This: