Many of the repurposed 1:32 scale military vehicles now come with a removable engine instead of redundant and much maligned accessories.
Admittedly, its been a little difficult trying to locate images of the Forces of Valor booth at the recently concluded Shizuoka Hobby Show in Japan. We’ve scoured YouTube, Facebook and the Internet, looking for anything that could help whet everyone’s appetite. That said, we did finally manage to unearth some photos, thanks to the good folks at Amiami.
As you can see, most of the product on display are still works in progress, bereft of any painting and background data. Moreover, it appears as if the bulk of the items on display have to do with their 1:72 scale military vehicle line, with a smattering of aircraft thrown in for good measure. Still, its nice to see that progress is being made across several different categories, and that the upcoming holiday season will feature a good deal more Forces of Valor products than in year’s past.
Four new 1:72 scale US 8-wheeled vehicles will join the Fist of War franchise
Never one to shy away from an intimidating project while simultaneously looking to build out its pseudo sci-fi military series, Modelcollect unveiled the first Allied vehicles in its Fist of War franchise. Based upon an eight-wheeled armored car, the Company debuted a family of four different 1:72 scale combat vehicles, each utilizing a different turret type and weapons system. Its not clear when these vehicles will hit the streets and whether they will be made available in both kit form and as pre-assembled models.
In other news, Modelcollect acknowledged on Facebook that they will soon be producing a range of 1:35 scale military vehicles, although no further details were made public. If true, this could not only mark a major departure from this prolific modelmaker but also become an important development for the pre-assembled market, who have been without a viable supplier of larger scale military vehicles for several years running. Both Minichamps and Dragon Models were heavily invested in the sector years ago, but have since withdrawn their support in favor of other pursuits. And with the resurrection of the Forces of Valor brand, larger scale military vehicle collectors could have lots to crow about this holiday season.
An M26 “Lobster”, whatever that is, has been added to the Allies’ Order of Battle
Ever since it decided to intervene in the Syrian civil war back in 2015, Russia has been steadily, if furtively, battle testing some of its latest air and ground equipment to see if they are ready for a 21st century war. Word out of Syria is that they have now introduced the Uran-9 to the crucible of battle, likely deploying it near the capital of Damascus where the bulk of Russian forces are stationed. The Uran-9 is a drone tank that must be within 1.8 miles of its manned operator to function effectively. It boasts a wide array of hi-tech weaponry, which includes anti-tank missiles, an automatic cannon and a machine gun, thereby enabling it to take on a wide variety of targets. It is “equipped with advanced optics and targeting systems including a laser warning system and thermal imaging,” says the World Defence Forum, which has been monitoring the usage and testing of the unmanned weapons system ever since it was officially unveiled several years ago. For more information on the vehicle and its deployment, visit the World Defence Forum.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Fighter – “Red 8”, Kurt Gabler, “Mosquito Hunter”, III./Jagdgeschwader 300, Juterbog-Waldlager, Germany, July 1944
“We did not think about the personal nature of killing in the air. We were proud of every victory in the air, and particularly happy that we had not been hit ourselves. Of course, I tell myself in quiet moments today: “You’ve killed. In order to protect others and not be killed yourself.” But in the end: for what? The Third Reich trained 30,000 pilots. Ten thousand survived the war. One-third. This is the highest loss rate along with the U-boat sailors.”
– Oberleutnant Gunther Rall
When Mosquito production began in 1941, it immediately became one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world. Entering service in late 1941, the first Mosquito variant was an unarmed high-speed, high-altitude photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Subsequent versions continued in this role throughout the war. The first Mk. B.IV bomber, serial no. W4064, entered service with No. 105 Squadron on November 15th, 1941. From mid-1942 to mid-1943, Mosquito bombers flew high-speed, medium or low-altitude daylight missions against factories, railways and other pinpoint targets in Germany and German-occupied Europe. From June 1943, Mosquito bombers were formed into the Light Night Strike Force and used as pathfinders for RAF Bomber Command heavy-bomber raids. They were also used as “nuisance” bombers, often dropping Blockbuster bombs — 4,000 lb (1,812 kg) “cookies” — in high-altitude, high-speed raids that German night fighters were almost powerless to intercept.
Insignia of Jagdgeschwader 300 “Wilde Sau” (Wild Boar”), which famously adopted ramming tactics to bring down Allied bombers
To combat the effects of the Mosquito and hopefully intercept it before it could do further damage, several German Luftwaffe units came up with various proposals to deal with their wooden nemesis. “Red 8” as it came to be known, was a modified Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 fighter that was piloted by Kurt Gabler, who was attached to III./Jagdgeschwader 300, then deployed to Juterbog-Waldlager, Germany, during July 1944. From war time photographs, the aircraft appears to have been sanded back from its original RLM74/75/76 finish, reportedly in an effort to increase its speed for intercepting RAF Mosquitos. Traces of paint are visible on the wing root and base of the elevators, and the swastika has clearly been sanded down, leaving only a faint trace of the geometrical figure. The gun troughs and various access panels appear darker than the rest of the aircraft because they are composed of darker metals (e.g., the gun troughs were iron). This same effect is seen in photographs of a sanded down Bf-109G belonging to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), adding support to the claim that “Red 8” was natural metal rather than light grey.
Look for Corgi’s rendition of “Red 8” (AA27107) to circle our diecast air base some time this May.
Wishing everyone a happy and joyous Mother’s Day. Put down the tanks, planes and toy soldiers for a day and make sure to celebrate everything she has done for you and yours over the years.
An F-14 “Monacat”, the inaugural offering in Calibre Wings’ all-new Imaginarium series
At this year’s Shizuoka Hobby Show in Japan, Calibre Wings touted a new line of model aircraft called their Imaginarium Series. According to their Facebook post, it appears as if this sub category is inspired by several accomplished model builders, all of whom have gone to great lengths to make their creations look as realistic as possible. The first warplane in the series has been dubbed a Monacat, which is a JASDF warplane clad in a dark/light blue paint scheme layered atop much of the upper surfaces of the aircraft. No word as to how many models will be offered in the series, and whether special packaging will be used to make them stand out from their standard aircraft series. Calibre Wings did indicate that pricing will not be affected by the usage of master modelers to create some of their more imaginative projects. Meanwhile, they have also created another new umbrella line called Soviet Stars, which, as the name infers, focuses on aircraft produced for the Soviet and Russian Air Forces
Calibre Wings 1:72 rendition of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, complete with removable engine, engine dolly and open/closed exhaust nozzle
In other news, Calibre Wings drew back the curtain on prototypes of their F-16C/D Block 50/52 Fighting Falcon in 1:72 scale, one carrying twin conformal fuel tanks attached to the upper surface of the aircraft running along its center line, and the other boasting an updated sensor suite fixed atop its dorsal spine. The F-16 will feature a removable engine and engine dolly, so it can be displayed in a landed position with its engine removed and seemingly undergoing overhaul by its ground crew. An interchangeable nose cone and crew access ladder are also included. Again, no word as to pricing, dates of availability or which livery they plan to replicate first.
Calibre WIngs’ 2nd F-16 prototype boasts twin conformal fuel tanks running alongside the center line of the aircraft
Having spent much of my glory days in the seventies, I can tell you first hand that one of the most memorable songs of the period was “Do the Hustle.” While I’d prefer to forget about the Huckapoo shirts and platform shoes that helped me while away the weekend evenings, thank you very much, I can’t help but reflect on one of the most iconic aircraft of the era – the Convair B-58 Hustler, the first operational jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. Despite its place in the annals of aviation history and importance during the Cold War era, this iconic aircraft seems to have been overlooked from a diecast stand point, briefly offered in a 1:200 scale by Sky Defenders that never quite did the aircraft or the collecting community justice.
One of the reasons why diecast model makers seem loathe to offering a 1:72 scale replica of the Hustler was, as some claim, only a handful of variations are available to justify the costs associated with building a mold. This, however, is anything but the case, as shown by the accompanying infographic, which clearly shows five different variations and an equal number of paint schemes that could be easily adopted should a savvy manufacturer decide to take up our challenge.
So what say you collectors? Should a company such as Hobby Master pick up the gauntlet and take a shot at diecast immortality by building the Hustler or are you content with what you’ve gotten thus far? (Hint, nudge them with a quick jab to the abdomen so you too can add the B-58 to your diminutive collection)
Oxford’s 1:72 scale German Arado Ar 196A-3 Shipboard Reconnaissance Floatplane – D-IHQI, Prototype, 1938
In October 1936, the RLM asked for a He 114 replacement. The only stipulations were that it would use the BMW 132, and they wanted prototypes in both twin-float and single-float configurations. Designs were received from Dornier, Gotha, Arado and Focke-Wulf. Heinkel declined to tender, contending that the He 114 could still be made to work.
With the exception of the Arado low-wing monoplane design, all were conventional biplanes. This gave the Arado better performance than any of the others, and the RLM ordered four prototypes. The RLM was conservative by nature, so they also ordered two of the Focke-Wulf Fw 62 designs as a backup. It quickly became clear that the Arado would work effectively, and only four prototypes of the Fw 62 were built.
The Ar 196 prototypes were all delivered in summer 1937, V1 (which flew in May) and V2 with twin floats as A models, and V3 and V4 on a single float as B models. Both versions demonstrated excellent water handling and there seemed to be little to decide, one over the other. Since there was a possibility of the smaller outrigger floats on the B models “digging in”, the twin-float A model was ordered into production. A single additional prototype, V5, was produced in November 1938 to test final changes.
Ten A-0s were delivered in November and December 1938, with a single 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun at the rear seat for defense. Five similarly equipped B-0s were also delivered to land-based squadrons. This was followed by 20 A-1 production models starting in June 1939, enough to equip the surface fleet.
The plane was loved by its pilots, who found it handled well both in the air and on the water. With the loss of the German surface fleet the A-1s were added to coastal squadrons, and continued to fly reconnaissance missions and submarine hunts into late 1944. Two notable operations were the capture of HMS Seal, and the repeated interception of RAF Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley bombers. Although it was no match for a fighter, it was considerably better than its Allied counterparts, and generally considered the best of its class. Owing to its good handling on water, the Finnish Air Force utilized Ar 196 solely on transporting and supplying special forces patrols behind enemy lines, landing on small lakes in remote areas. Several fully equipped soldiers were carried in the fuselage.
Look for Oxford’s second rendition of the German Arado Ar 196A-3 shipboard reconnaissance floatplane to slice through the waves this June.
Back in the seventies, director Jack Smight amassed an all star cast for the feature film, Midway, which, as its name implies, portrayed the pivotal air and sea battle that enabled the US Navy to wrest control of the war in the Pacific from the Japanese Empire. Fast forward forty years and now director Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Godzilla (1998), Independence Day (1996) and The Patriot (2000) is looking to cast an equally star-studded ensemble that once again returns to the vast ocean waters near Midway Island. Emmerich is reportedly being backed with a $100 million budget, and has already locked up several prime time actors that include Woody Harrelson and Mandy Moore. For more details on the project, visit Film School Rejects.
They’ve worked hard all year, gotten the grades they’ve earned and now deserve a special reward for making their friends and family proud. Why not show them you care by giving them a special gift from The Motor Pool while taking advantage of our Graduates 15% Off sale! From now until Sunday, May 27th, you can take 15% off of any item we have in stock simply by entering our latest coupon code at the bottom of your shopping cart just prior to final checkout. Please enter discount code “TMP180” in the coupon box just prior to final checkout. Note: The following lines are excluded from this promotional offer: Air Force 1, Calibre Wings, Extreme Metal, Hobby Master, Luft-X and Wings of the Great War. Sale ends midnight, Sunday, May 27th, 2018. May not be combined with any other sales discount.
