Originally launched under the Imaginarium moniker, Calibre Wings has decided to rebrand its fantasy-based category by calling the new selection “Dream Cats”. The idea here is to tweak an existing model without going through the added expense of actually retooling the mold – a makeover of sorts by applying ahistorical “what if” liveries and schemes to operational aircraft. In the case of their F-14 Tomcat, the Company has elected to apply a familiar Japanese scheme typically seen on their F-1 and F-2 jets and calling the new aircraft a “Mona Cat”, then finishing by assigning it to the JASDF’s 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron. It’ll be interesting to see if collectors warm to the idea of adding models to their collection that never saw service with the nationality or squadron depicted. Its certainly a novel concept, and helps to defray the cost of producing the mold, so we hope it “takes off” with aviation enthusiasts world over.
Waltersons updated 1:72 scale Tiger I heavy tank model kit
Just like its predecessor, Unimax, Waltersons will apparently test out the model kit market with its soon-to-be-released Model Kit 999 Series. Twelve 1:72 scale kits are set to hit the streets, most based on World War II era machines of war. At first blush, these look to be the same 12 kits that Unimax produced roughly ten years ago. Interestingly, the Forces of Valor logo does not appear on the updated packaging. Its not clear, at present, if our distributor will stock the series or remain focused on the pre-assembled range of vehicles and aircraft that make up the Forces of Valor line up.
Unimax’ 1:72 scale Tiger I heavy tank model kit bearing the Forces of Valor logo
Speaking of Forces of Valor, the manufacturer intends to use the upcoming Shizuoka Hobby Show held in Japan this April to display much of their wares and hopefully provide everyone with a production schedule for the balance of the year. Despite falling behind schedule we are still hoping for some good things to appear in 2019 that will rekindle our passion for the line.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “Genesis II”, “Task Force Ripper”, C Company, 3rd Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Operation Desert Storm, 1991
Its been awhile since we’ve received a military vehicle of particular note, one with a fair bit of history behind it instead of some generic, unidentified unit no one cares about. Which is one reason why we’ve had our eye on Hobby’ Master’s recently released M60A1 Patton tank with explosive reactive armor (HG5606), a sharp-looking vehicle that served with “Task Force Ripper” during Operation Desert Storm.
Task Force Ripper, under the command of Colonel Carlton W. Fulford Jr., led the 1st Marine Division straight into Kuwait City during Operation Desert Storm, smashing through enemy armor and enemy delaying actions. As the Marine 1st Division edged nearer the city, commanders heard reports of two developing counterattacks by Iraqi forces. “We fired on the two gathering points and it wasn’t 30 minutes before we scattered them like rabbits out of the bush,” said Myatt, the division commander. “The Cobras {helicopter gunships} and the LAVs {light armored vehicles} had a field day” as a “hunter-killer package” to search out and destroy Iraqi equipment. On the way to their objective, the Kuwait International Airport, Task Force Ripper M-60A1 Patton tanks destroyed about 100 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers, including about 50 top-of-the-line Soviet T-72 tanks. 1st Marine division commander Maj. Gen. J.M. Myatt said, “During the first day of combat operations 1st Platoon, D Company, 3rd Tank Battalion destroyed 15 Iraqi tanks”. The Marines also destroyed 25 APCs and took 300 POWs. The 1st Marine Division’s Task Force Shepherd lost 14 killed in action during combat operations en route to Kuwait International Airport. Task Force Taro was also a participant in the 1st Marine Division’s combat operations. Task Force Papa Bear, C and D Co, 1st Marine Division, who as the division reserve repelled a huge enemy counter-attack while defending the minefield breach. The 1st Marine Division also destroyed around 60 Iraqi tanks near the Burgan oil field without suffering any losses.
An Iraqi counterattack was broken up by fire from five Marine artillery battalions. An assault by the 22nd Brigade of the Iraqi 5th Mechanized Division was broken at the point of attack by Marine Infantry. Company I of the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines hit the Iraqi 22nd Brigade with close range fire from their Dragon ATGMs and handheld antitank weapons. Company C, 1st Tank Battalion would destroy 18 Iraqi vehicles during this particular engagement. The 1st Marine Division lost 1 M60A1 tank clearing a path through a minefield. The 1st Marine Division encountered more Iraqi opposition as it proceeded to move north. Elements of the 1st Marine Division came into contact with the Iraqi 15th Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Armored Division. During this engagement the Marines destroyed an additional 46 enemy vehicles and took approximately 929 POWs. Three Marines were wounded in the process. As the 1st Marine Division continued its advance it destroyed an additional 29 Iraqi combat vehicles and captured 320 POWs. During these engagements the most effective Iraqi unit appeared to be the Iraqi 449th Artillery Brigade. Its accurate fire killed a Marine and wounded 12 others. Marine Company C, 3rd Tank Battalion would have a tank damaged by Iraqi artillery fire. In return 1st Marine Division artillery would also prove its worth eliminating numerous enemy targets or driving off other Iraqi forces. The 1st Marine Division would encounter more Iraqi opposition along the way to the Kuwait International Airport destroying dozens of more Iraqi tanks and APCs while taking hundreds of additional POWs.
Once the 1st Marine Division reached Kuwait International Airport they found what remained of the Iraqi 12th Armored Brigade, 3rd Armored Division defending it. The Marines destroyed 30 to 40 Iraqi T-72 tanks which had taken up defensive positions around the airport. The Marines also encountered T-62 tanks in dispersed and under strength platoon and company units. They were knocked out by TOWs at long range. By the end of the day the Iraqi 3rd Armored Division was totally destroyed. The Iraqi 3rd Armored Division losses included more than 250 T-55/62s and 70 T-72 tanks.
A week after Boeing and the RAAF unveiled their “Loyal Wingman” UCAV, designed as a strike package force multiplier, the USAF did them one better by introducing their own autonomous UCAV, dubbed the XQ-58A Valkyrie Experimental Combat Drone. According to a USAF press release, “The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. The Air Force Research Laboratory partnered with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems to develop the XQ-58A.
This joint
effort falls within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Low Cost
Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, which has the
objective to break the escalating cost trajectory of tactically relevant
aircraft. The objectives of the LCAAT initiative include designing and
building UAS faster by developing better design tools, and maturing and
leveraging commercial manufacturing processes to reduce build time and
cost.
Developed
for runway independence, the aircraft behaved as expected and completed
76 minutes of flight time. The time to first flight took a little over
2.5 years from contract award. The XQ-58A has a total of five planned
test flights in two phases with objectives that include evaluating
system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and launch and recovery
systems.
“XQ-58A is the first example of a class of UAV that is defined by low procurement and operating costs while providing game changing combat capability,” said Doug Szczublewski, AFRL’s XQ-58A Program Manager.
For more information on the Valkyrie, we recommend you pay a visit to The Drive.
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale German E-50 Super Heavy 38cm Assault Mortar
After several false starts and a snow storm to boot, we received confirmation today that our Modelcollect shipment is now en route to us and should arrive by the weekend, Monday the latest. Lots of goodies are included in this month’s covered chuck wagon, spanning everything from rail cars to missile launchers. Its going to take us a couple of days to review our outstanding orders and ship out everything already allocated so please bear with us during this time frame. If you haven’t already checked out the cache, we recommend you do so and submit any orders to us before stocks run out.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC M60A1 Patton Medium Tank with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) – “Genesis II”, “Task Force Ripper”, C Company, 3rd Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Operation Desert Storm, 1991
If there was ever any doubt behind the saying “March roars in like a lion,” all you need do is look to Hobby Master and their latest batch of releases currently en route. Some items, such as this M60 Patton tank (HG5606), weren’t even expected until the end of the month, so all we have is this line art drawing bravely acting as a stand-in until pix are provided. Other key items are their first ever 1:72 scale F-35C Joint Strike Fighter (HA6201) as well as a handsome 1:72 scale F-22 Raptor bearing the markings of the 95th Fighter Squadron (HA2819).
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USN Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – VFA-101 “Grim Reapers”, CAG Bird, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 2013 [Low-Vis Scheme]
We’ve updated our Hobby Master sections accordingly and hope to have all of the in transit items shown on our site ready for shipment by the start of this weekend, or early next week at the latest, depending upon when they arrive from our distributor.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German 88mm Flak 36/37 Anti-Aircraft Gun with Trailer – Deutsches Afrika Korps, El Alamein, North Africa, 1942 [Comes with Seven Crewmen and Rommel]
With
March just a day away, I sit here, yet again, having to explain why the eagerly
awaited Forces of Valor 88mm FLaK gun has been further delayed. Back in early
February, just before the start of Chinese New Year, we were told that our
shipment of 88mm FLaK guns could be expected to ship out in late February after
Chinese New Year had concluded. That meant we would see our merchandise in
early to mid-March, barring any shipping or customs issues. Earlier today, we
were told by our distributor that their shipment of FLaK guns was being delayed
again and could now be expected sometime in May, two months beyond the original
forecast date. Ordinarily, I hem and haw, but typically accept the news with a
grain of salt since there isn’t all that much we can do, except tell our
clientele that they must wait even longer to receive their order.
What
I find troubling is that for the past few weeks the manufacturer has been
selling the product online through Facebook while retailers and distributors
are left wondering when they will be receiving the product. I’m not sure why
this issue is playing out the way it is but it simply does not sit well with me
nor should it sit well with everyone that pre-ordered the gun. Moreover, I’m
not clear why the manufacturer has decided upon this course of action or can justify
their decision to sell it to interested parties while their distribution
network continues to wait.
Thus far, the new caretaker of the FOV brand has done a marvelous job of producing some fan favorites, taking existing tooling and tweaking them to bring them up to today’s standards. The problem is that they are promising the moon but delivering moon dust – continually changing the production schedule, delaying the release of certain items and generally not keeping up with requests for background information in any reasonable fashion. In years past, we heavily advertised the line in various enthusiast print publications and planned to do the same with the revamped range later this year. The problem is that putting together an ad campaign for FOV is akin to aiming at and attempting to hit a moving target, with information changing to the point where it becomes utterly useless. So, we’ve made the decision not to advertise the line at this time, which would have attracted even more buyers to the fold and likely would have led to even greater demand. We’ve also amended the timetable for previously announced FOV releases, pushing them out to the end of the year since no hard-and-fast information is still on the table.
Right now, its upsetting to have to share this information with you but I
thought you ought to know where things stand. It’s frustrating to be
sure, and we certainly hope that they get their act together soon before
we throw in the towel. It wouldn’t be the first nor the last time we
gave up on a line.
By now, most of us have heard that fighting has erupted between India and Pakistan near the embattled Kashmir region. What is surprising is that the Indian Air Force employed aircraft that are decades old, famous for last seeing combat in the 60s and 70s during the Vietnam War.
According to sources, India has steadily been upgrading its fleet of 110 MiG 21 fighters, so that it no longer resembles the MiG 21 of old. The MiG 21 “Bison”, as it is now called, was radically upgraded in 2006, and have been equipped with powerful multi-mode radar, better avionics and communications systems. The pilots have even been given helmet-mounted sights capable of providing all-aspect acquisition and targeting of enemy aircraft. That said, it is now plausible that an upgraded MiG 21 could have indeed shot down a Pakistani F-16 in air-to-air combat, which, on the surface, is infinitely more capable than the MiG 21. For more information on the engagement and background information on the MiG 21 “Bison”, we recommend you visit NDTV.
Update: Indian military authorities, responding to questions regarding the employment of the MiG 21 in this week’s engagement between the Indian and Pakistani Air Force, have cited the need to press the MiG 21s into service despite their age. Earlier that day a pair of Indian Air Force MiG 29s were rotated off of combat air patrol along the contested border to rest the pilots as well as refuel the aircraft. As a result, the MiG 21s were used to temporarily spell the MiG 29s but were nevertheless caught up in the ensuing conflict.
Its a wonderful thing to own the license to one of the most successful sci-fi brands of all times. So much so, that Eaglemoss, the maker of the Star Trek Starships range and other sub brands within the Star Trek universe, now plans on releasing a build-it-yourself version of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D. Released bi-weekly, each installment will include a separate section of the Enterprise, which will have to be fitted together to previous installments if you hope to get it right. Composed of diecast metal with some plastic parts, the finished ship will light up and measure some 70 centimeters in length and represents an amalgam of different studio-inspired ships rather than one particular version of the NCC-1701-D. Thus far, the line will be exclusive to the UK, but you can bet that if it takes off, the build-it-yourself line will be made available elsewhere around the world and likely encompass other starships. For more information on the newest sub brand in the Eaglemoss stable, head on over to Memory Alpha.
Rumor has it that there will be 100 installments priced at around $15.00 apiece bringing the total to around $1500. That’s a lot of Latinum so if you plan on headed down this road, its important you consider the cost before taking the plunge.
No longer the stuff of drawing boards and conjecture, today’s military is placing greater emphasis on integrating unmanned combat systems into their front line units. Interestingly, Australia seems to be taking the first step forward by now wedding unmanned aircraft together with manned aircraft to create the ultimate airborne weapons system.
According to The Drive, Boeing will today unveil the “Loyal Wingman” UCAV, an unmanned combat air vehicle that will fly alongside such aircraft as the F-15 and newly delivered F-35 to beef up the capabilities of the combined strike package. The UCAV will carry improved sensor suites and other electronics along with a full array of ordnance, although its not clear if the weapons will be carried internally, like the F-35, or be slung under the wings, which defeat’s the aircraft’s stealthy characteristics.
It isn’t certain if other air forces plan on employing unmanned combat air vehicles alongside their front line aircraft, so its a good bet that the Australian Air Force will be used as a test bed for further technological development. For more information on the aircraft, visit The Drive.
Boeing, working in conjunction with the Australian military, released this short video showing a computer rendered image of the “Loyal Wingman” flying alongside a F-15 and then again with an Early Warning aircraft. The video is relatively short and intentionally sidesteps some of the onboard capabilities the unmanned aircraft will sport. It would appear though, that the aircraft can and will likely be flown in swarms, intended to overwhelm its target from multiple vantage points and with multiple threats. Moreover, it would seem as if the manned aircraft will serve as a command and control aircraft for the UCAV package, perhaps controlling the UCAVs from a safer stand-off position outside the range of enemy targets while the UCAVs carry out their intended mission.
