Films in Focus: WWII with Tom Hanks

Ordinarily, we don’t comment on all of the military-themed flicks destined for both the small and large screen unless they are of particular significance to the average enthusiast. In the case of actor, Tom Hanks, he’s agreed to both host and narrate a lengthy 20-part mini series covering the entire scope of the Second World War. Hanks is no stranger to WWII, having produced and starred in a number of pet projects from Greyhound to Saving Private Ryan. He also helped to dedicate the National World War II Museum and played an integral role in the making of the 4-D film Beyond all Boundaries, which has been updated and currently plays in the Solomon Victory Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana.

WWII with Tom Hanks was ordered by The HISTORY® Channel back in 2024 in conjunction with the A+E Factual StudiosTM group and Nutopia. With the 250th anniversary of the formation of the US set for 2026, the series is scheduled to begin airing on Monday, Memorial Day, at 8PM EST. Subsequent episodes are slated to run each Monday thereafter, finishing up some time in October. For more information on the series, you can visit this link.

Update: You can watch the first three episodes of “World War II with Tom Hanks” for free before you need to start paying. Here’s how…

“World War II with Tom Hanks” will be broadcast on the History Channel in the U.S. beginning at 8pm EST. You will need a cable package that includes that channel, but you could sign up for a free trial of YouTube TV and enjoy the show while you can.

Given the first three episodes all drop on Monday, May 25th, you can watch those episodes to get a taste for the docu-series before continuing your viewing via cable.

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Tales of Transparency: FedEx

In a move aimed at garnering more of our outbound shipping traffic, FedEx has extended lower pricing to us for the balance of 2025 and well into the coming year. While we cannot say for certain if this will affect shipments to neighboring postal zones and states in and around the southeast, it should dramatically reduce our shipping costs to the west coast, thereby making it more affordable to send small, medium and larger-sized packages all-around the continental US. Typically we were using FedEx Home Delivery to send larger-sized packages to the west coast because USPS Ground Advantage rates were both inexplicably and abnormally high. Now we should be able to send packages of all sizes to the western most zones at much better rates.

According to our FedEx representative, these revised rates will kick in at our end within the next 24-48 hours. Once they do get implemented, we will review the FedEx rates that are shown to our customers on our web site to see if they are being properly reflected. So, give us a few days before we give everyone the green light to choose FedEx for our westernmost delivery destinations. Again, we reserve the right to select the carrier of our choosing, should one turn out to be appreciably less expensive than the others.

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Tales of Transparency: “Hello, It’s Me.”

Earlier this week, we enabled eBay’s AI feature within their messaging app. This means that if you have a question for a seller such as ourselves, eBay will attempt to field your query automatically by answering basic questions using our listing’s description to see if the answer is readily apparent. I’m assuming that if you require a detailed answer it will then forward your question to us so we have some input and can respond more appropriately. We’re running this app over the course of the next couple of months to see how well it does before letting it loose for the holiday season. If you feel the app isn’t working as promised, you can always reach us at Support@themotorpool.net or by phone at (813) 406-5649 during normal business hours.

I’m not certain if their messaging app will attempt to negotiate with a buyer who may be seeking to make an offer for an item. Bear in mind that we do not accept offers. Our posted prices are fair and competitive. In most instances we offer a generous 10% discount and, where applicable, free shipping, so there’s no point for us to entertain low-ball offers.

Here’s a recent example of how the eBay AI handled a customer’s inquiry:

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Despite Looming Tariffs and Fears of a Recession, Hobby Master Still Claims “Life is Good”

Looking to build out their assemblage of diecast military aircraft, Hobby Master debuted their February 2026 list of military muscle. While no new toolings were among their latest introductions, several significant models were included in the mix, among them two new General Dynamics F-16 Vipers including “Play to Win”.

Here now the balance of the recently announced models we plan to stock:

USAF North American F-86F Sabre Jet Fighter – 25333, 461st Fighter-Day Squadron “Deadly Jesters”, Hahn Air Base, West Germany, 1955 (1:72 Scale)

USAF Northrop F-5A Tiger II Fighter – 38381, 1960s (1:72 Scale)

USAF General Dynamics F-16A Viper Fighter – “Golden Bat Viper”, 185 Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, 2022 [Commemorative Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

US Navy Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet Strike Fighter – 166817, VFA-136 “Knighthawks”, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), 2024 (1:72 Scale)

Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy Sukhoi Su-30MK2 “Flanker-G” Fighter – “Blue 08”, 2012 (1:72 Scale)

Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RBF “Foxbat-B” Interceptor – “Red 20”, 47th GRAF, Shatalovo AB, Russia, 2001 (1:72 Scale)

Admittedly, the prices of many of their newest introductions seem to be reaching stratospheric levels, in part due to the tariffs being applied to Bangladesh where the Hobby Master product range is currently manufactured. As a result, we are careful as to which of their newest introductions are included in our product mix, largely based upon past sales performance and the need to discount slow-moving items to improve turn. For instance, Typhoons and Red Arrows aerobatic aircraft seem to appeal more to European collectors than they do to home-grown collectors here in the US. Couple that with increasing international shipping costs and we end up being reluctant to carry these types of models in favor of what we feel would appeal to domestic collectors. We’re not happy about this situation but its one we have to abide by to prevent inventory build at our end and keep our stock levels to within reasonable limits.

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The Art of War: China Adds More Muscle to their Armored Forces

Recently, the PLA unveiled two new armored fighting vehicles to their growing arsenal of land-based weapon systems, both of which will likely be featured in an upcoming military parade that celebrates their victory over Imperial Japan some 80 years ago. The ZTZ-201, as its been named, is an all-new medium tank that weighs roughly 35-40 tons, and boasts an active protection system that is designed to ward off incoming airborne threats that include both drones and anti-armor missiles.

Smaller than their standard ZTZ-99 main battle tank and featuring a modular design so that a family of armored fighting vehicles can be created from a common base, the vehicles are likely being fast-tracked so that a significant number of them can be built and fielded should a shooting war erupt with Taiwan in the not-too-distant-future. The tank boasts an impressive 105mm caliber gun while its sister infantry fighting vehicle is armed with a 30mm cannon and can likely haul a 10-man squad in its rear compartment.

The tank features a reinforced dynamic protection shell attached to the hull sides and turret, that is designed to rely less upon steel and applique armor to shield the vehicle from various threats in favor of speed and agility. A three-man crew, seated within a capsule towards the front of the vehicle, has been developed for crew protection and survivability and an autoloader has been incorporated within the turret to both reduce the size of the crew as well as speed up target acquisition and firing. Each crew member likely wears an augmented reality head set that provides all-around viewing thanks to a complete set of externally embedded sensors and cameras.

Needless to say information remains classified regarding the composition of these protective shells. And, with the weight reduction, its not clear if these vehicles are designed to be air-transportable, thereby aiding Marines and other ground-based assets in the early hours of a seaborne invasion.

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Does Corgi’s “Royal Flush” Live Up to Its Name?

Its been a couple of years since Corgi released their last B-17 “Flying Fortress” heavy bomber. Mind you they have several large bombers in their growing portfolio so they have to be careful where they place their eggs in the product basket. But with the recent airing of the mini series “Masters of the Air”, hype was building for a 1:72 scale model that could both live up to its name and entice more collectors into the hobby. So, when Corgi indicated that a new B-17 was in the works, one that had a storied history behind it, we were downright giddy and looking forward to taking orders for the holiday season.


That is until now. Last week, as part of their regular Diecast Diaries newsletter, preliminary images were shown for “Royal Flush”, a legendary B-17F that, as it turned out, was the only aircraft to survive a bombing mission over Munster in 1943. As a member of the “Bloody 100th” bomb group, so named for the number of aircraft lost on this single mission, “Royal Flush” somehow survived this strike, despite being set upon by countless Luftwaffe fighters intent upon destroying the entire bomb group. At the controls of “Royal Flush” was Lieutenant Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal, an accomplished pilot that somehow performed a number of defensive maneuvers so that they could return home to their base at Thorpe Abbot Field in England.

But now the model. As you can see, the replica has a huge gap that runs from its nose down the fuselage, with a tampo-printed insignia overlaying the forward part of the model. The gap is so large that it almost seems as if you can peer into the nose section to see inside. Now I can understand if this was Corgi’s first attempt at modelling the B-17, but folks this is at least their 15th look at bringing the B-17 to their collector base. How they managed to bungle the job and introduce such a large join line at this point in the model’s lineage is, quite frankly, baffling, especially since they pride themselves on offering professionally-built and heavily researched scale models to their Aviation Archives series.


I don’t often criticize a model for its accuracy, especially one that hasn’t been released as yet and represents a sizeable impact on Corgi’s overall revenue this holiday season. But with the Trump Administration’s hike in tariffs on product brought in from China, we thought it made sense to say something now since there may be some time to re-work the model so that the join lines aren’t so noticeable. “Royal Flush”? Well, you decide if the name has a dual meaning.

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Hobby Master Does the J-10 Hustle

There seems to be no shortage of sharp, pointy things coming out of the Hobby Master camp. All kidding aside, the Company announced their intent to model the Chengdu J-10 multirole aircraft as part of their effort to introduce every new warbird to their adoring public.

The Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon (NATO reporting name: Firebird) is a Chinese medium-weight, single-engine, multirole combat aircraft using a delta wing and canard design, with a maximum speed of Mach 1.8. It is produced by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) of China, and exported to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The J-10 is mainly designed for air-to-air combat, but can also perform strike missions.

While specific information in the press release was rather light, Hobby Master was kind enough to supply us with photos of the prototype. The inaugural aircraft is likely due out in early 2026.

For those of you unfamiliar with the J-10 “Vigorous Dragon”, the accompanying video does an admirable job of showing the capabilities of the aircraft. Enjoy!

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Legion Claims, “Everyone Loves the Sherman, Right?”

Well, not exactly but try telling that to Legion Models. Earlier today, the manufacturer indicated that they were getting into the Sherman game with the Firefly medium tank, due out by year’s end if you can put stock into their marketing material. Legion, a budget-minded producer of military diecast models and an offshoot of Panzerkampf, seems to like the British Firefly tank — so much so that five models will be offered when they roll out for front line duty this holiday season. Why they have a penchant for releasing so many versions of any given subject all at the same time is anyone’s guess apart from economies of scale, no doubt an effort to keep the retail price as low as possible. Be that as it may, we’re in the process of listing the quintet to our web site, and should have the diminutive platoon ready for pre-sale by the close of business today.

And, if you’re wondering about the difference between the standard US-built Sherman medium tank and the British conversion, check out the accompanying video that was produced by the British Tank Museum:

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When “Gabby” Met “Pappy”

USAAF Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Fighter – 42-75510, Lt. Col. Francis “Gabby” Gabreski, 61st Fighter Squadron “Top Dogs”, 56th Fighter Group, Halesworth, England, January 1944 (1:72 Scale)

Diecast sometimes makes for strange bedfellows. Take the case of Militaria Diecast, who recently indicated that two more 1:72 scale warbirds were joining their growing pantheon of military aircraft. According to our distributor, two new fighters are winging their way to us, each, in its own right important additions to the Allied war effort in World War II. As it turns out, both are the mounts of two high-scoring aces, one in the ETO, the other halfway around the world in the PTO.

USMC Chance-Vought F4U-1A Corsair Fighter – “Lucybelle,” Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, CO of VMF-214 “Black Sheep,” Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands, November 1943 (1:72 Scale)

The first aircraft represents Francis “Gabby” Gabreski’s P-47D Thunderbolt fighter, a plane that made him one of the top scoring ace’s facing the Luftwaffe over the western front. And, if that weren’t enough, collectors can look forward to a rendition of Greg “Pappy” Boyington’s F4U Corsair, who famously went on to become the leader of the “Black Sheep” squadron operating against the Japanese in the vast Pacific Theatre of Operations.

Pegged at just $39.99, these replicas have become synonymous with quality at an affordable price, at a time when just about everything else in the diecast military space seems headed towards the stratosphere. Both models are on their way to us and we should have them in stock and ready for outbound shipping by the middle of August.

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Hobby Master Pours Fuel on the Fire this January to Keep Everyone Warm and Cozy

Israeli Defense Force Lockheed-Martin F-35A “Adir” Joint Strike Fighter – “Black 268”, Nevatim Airbase, Israel, 2025 [Notional Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

Like clockwork, Hobby Master recently announced a gaggle of new aircraft models that are slated for a January release. While no new toolings debuted, the roster includes a number of fan-favorites that have demonstrated a strong sales history among collectors world over. Included are two models from their SkyMax Models range — a separate budget-mind line that has largely been ignored over the last few years., Both introductions are based upon the Grumman F8F Bearcat fighter, a highly respected if late-to-the-party warbird that ended up being pressed into service at the start of the Cold War.

Here now what you expect to place on your diecast tarmac in early 2026:

SkyMax Models US Navy Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat Fighter – 121717, VF-61 “Jolly Rogers”, 1949 (1:72 Scale)

SkyMax Models US Navy Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat Fighter – 121714, Duxford, England, 2014 (1:72 Scale)

USAF McDonnell RF-101A Voodoo Reconnaissance Aircraft – 54-1512, 29th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1965 (1:72 Scale)

USAF McDonnell F-4D Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 66-8738, 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Night Owls”, Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, 1972 (1:72 Scale)

USAF McDonnell F-4C Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 63-7666, 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron “Black Knights”, Keflavik, Iceland, 1977 (1:72 Scale)

Israeli Defense Force Dassault-Breguet Mirage IIICJ Fighter – “Black 56”, Giora Epstein, 101 Squadron “First Jet Squadron”, Hatzor Air Base, Israel, 1967 (1:72 Scale)

USAF Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor Air Dominance Fighter – 09-4190, 90th Fighter Squadron “The Diecemen”, 3rd Fighter Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 2017 [Low-Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft – 80-0283, 25th Fighter Squadron “Assam Draggins”, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Force Base, Japan, 2015 (1:72 Scale)

USAF Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle Multi-Role Fighter – 88-0705, 90th Fighter Squadron “The Dicemen”, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, August 2005 [Low-Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

French Dassault Rafale B Multirole Fighter – “113-1E”, EC 01.007 Provence, Libya, 2011

US Navy Boeing E/A-18G Growler Electronic Warfare Aircraft – 168256, VAQ-139 “Cougars”, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, 2025 (1:72 Scale)

Additionally, Hobby Master is bringing back a fan-favorite with the re-release of HA33003. This aircraft sold out quickly when it was first issued earlier this year, so its encore performance will certainly be viewed with great fanfare.

USAF Northrop F-5C Tiger II Fighter – 64-13332, 10th Fighter Squadron, Commando “Skoshi Tiger”, Bien Hoa AFB, Vietnam, 1965 (1:72 Scale)

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