Anatomy of War: The Air Force Drones On

Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie Experimental Combat Drone

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.

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Modelcollect Hits the Trail


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.

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March Roars in Like a Lion Thanks to Hobby Master


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.


Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor Air Dominance Fighter – 95th Fighter Squadron “Boneheads”, 325th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, England, April 2016 [Low-Vis Scheme]
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FOV Still MIA


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. 

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Anatomy of War: When is an Aircraft Too Old to Fight?

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.

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Exasperated, Eaglemoss Exhorts, “Well, then Go Build Your Own ‘D’amned Enterprise”

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.

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Anatomy of War: Introducing the “Loyal Wingman”

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.

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Tales of Transparency: Why We Do What We Do

From time to time, we get asked an uncomfortable question or two where the answer we provide never seems to sit well with the customer. Two of the most pervasive issues have to do with holding merchandise for the customer and refusing to ship to an alternate address. To get everyone on the same page, here’s the reason we do what we do.

To answer the first question we have roughly 15,000 customers in our database. Now if every customer asked us to hold an item or two for them so they could save on shipping costs we would literally have to open a separate warehouse containing held merchandise potentially for indefinite periods of time. Not only is this problematic for any number of reasons, the simplest answer is that we have invoices to pay and cannot do so with held merchandise. Our cash flow would be crimped and, from a logistical standpoint, it simply would not work for us as we continue to stack and dodge piles of unpaid merchandise that could have been sold off.

Now. to answer the second question. We did at one time ship to an alternate address, oftentimes because the item was meant to be given as a gift or no one was going to be home to receive the package. Lo and behold, a few years ago we shipped two radio controlled vehicles to an alternate address as stipulated on the order. A few weeks later, we received a charge back notification in the mail from our credit card processor. It turns out that even though we provided proof of delivery, the credit card company would only protect the merchant if he or she ships to the billing address. It doesn’t matter that we got a legitimate authorization code when the sale was entered, did our due diligence by going over all of the order’s details, or shipped the package where it was intended to go and provided proof of delivery. As a result, we got stung and lost the case, leaving us little else but to lose out on a couple of hundred dollars as well as a charge back fee to boot. Now I know that by publicizing this, other merchants might get a bit nervous, but have hopefully taken similar steps to protect their business from fraudulent transactions. I cannot speak for them and they are certainly free to do as they please. But for me, that one bad transaction left a sour taste in my mouth that I never quite got over.

Ebay offers one solution to this quandary. If the mailing address is different than the billing address, the customer must stipulate where the package is to be sent in their closed messaging system where the merchant, customer and eBay representative can see the back-and-forth communiques. At that point, eBay will protect the merchant should the customer still decide to open a case for non-receipt of goods or claim they never ordered the merchandise to begin with. Its not the best solution for everyone concerned, but one that seems to work given the vagaries of e-commerce and the risk the merchant is willing to undertake to help a customer and complete a sale.

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Air Commander Adds Another Phantom to the Pattern

Air Commander’s 1:72 scale USAF McDonnell F-4D Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ubon RTAB, Thailand, 1967

While not necessarily big on offering a multitude of different aircraft types to choose from, Air Commander has certainly made it up by having built a huge following of F-4 Phantom II devotees. That said, news out of the Air Commander camp has it that another Phantom is waiting in the wings, likely due out this Spring and already making a name for itself.

Clad in a tri-color southeast Asian camouflage scheme, their latest fighter-bomber is based on an aircraft that served with the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, then engaged in the Vietnam War during 1967 (AC1010). Looking back, a detachment of the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron operated under the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was deployed to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, from June 5th until July 2nd, 1966. It conducted air defense in Southeast Asia from October 12th to December 20th, 1965, and combat sorties from July 1966 to August 15th, 1973.

Typically, Air Commander F-4s sell out very quickly, largely because they offer the best detail and one of the greatest returns on the dollar if you approach it purely from a speculative investment. Of course, no one likes to think about parting with their models, but its always nice to know they tend to increase in value as collectors search for them in vain.

Thus far, all we have is this line art drawing to go by but a word-for-the-wise, if you wait until actual photos are posted it may be too late to pre-order this beauty.

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Panzerkampf 2.0


Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Air Defense System with M901 Launching Station – Desert Camouflage

I’ve been told by one informed source that we never gave newcomer Panzerkampf a fair shake when it came to adding their products to our online catalog. Frankly, I wasn’t all that impressed when the range first appeared since many of the 1:72 scale vehicles looked to be rehashes of already available product. We’re not in business to offer redundant lines that gather dust on the shelves and leave us wondering why we stocked them in the first place.


Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale Soviet Object 279 Special Purpose Tank

But, with 2019 already in full swing, and several existing lines withering on the vine, we thought we’d give them a second chance and add a few products to our site. Moreover, we noticed several interesting new items due out later this year that are already appearing on some European retail sites. So, rather than shunt them to the side a second time, we’re looking to give them another chance and hopefully see some stellar results. New blood is always welcome to our site, however, there has to be a reason to carry more plasma, not simply because they are the latest flavor in the candy store with nothing else to show for it.

Panzerkampf’s 1:72 scale US Ground Self-Defense Forces M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) (1:72 Scale)
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