You may remember that a couple of months ago, I created a couple of blog posts indicating Air Force 1 had already produced models based upon some of the latest Chinese aircraft that have come to the fore. Today we learned that these models will be made available for North American collectors thanks to an initiative by Historic Aviation.
Slated to buzz our airfield in early 2026 are a 1:100 take on the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force Chengdu J-36 Stealth Fighter along with a 1:72 scale rendition of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force’s Shenyang J-50 Stealth Fighter. While the J-36 isn’t available in 1:72 scale, its dimensions adds up to a fairly substantial model, measuring about 13-1/4″ wide by 13-1/4″ long. Should they offer up a 1:72 scale version, then we will ascertain its costs and notify everyone about the development. Both models have been listed on our web site and are now available to pre-order.
Additionally, a 1:72 scale USAF General Atomics MQ-1 Predator drone is anticipated this November. The Predator was released way back in September 2021 and is finally being re-introduced as part of the AF1 product portfolio. Look for the Predator to take wing this November.
The jury is still out regarding the 1:72 scale Avic White Emperor stealth fighter being offered by KDW. Its not clear if KDW is an arm of AF1 or a completely different entity, so it may be some time before we learn if they can be imported at an affordable cost due to the tariff war currently being waged by the United States and the PRC.
When it comes to new aircraft and their scale reproductions, Air Force 1 certainly wastes no time pumping them out. Earlier today, we noticed that one Chinese seller was proudly offering a 1:72 scale take on the Shenyang F-50 strike aircraft, one of three sixth generation aircraft that the Chinese PLAAF debuted just seven months ago.
Presently, we are awaiting word from our distributor whether or not they’ll be able to stock these cutting-edge models in time for the holiday season. Bear in mind that the Trump Administration’s proposed tariffs has put the kabash on a great many projects that were originally intended to come out later this year. By tacking on another 55% to the cost of a model, many manufacturers and distributors feel they’d rather take a wait-and-see attitude before committing to making and selling a new model that could potentially languish on store shelves well beyond their intended sell-by dates. So, while we’d love to hear more about this and other models in the works, its quite possible that they may make it to other nations first before becoming available to collectors here in the North American market.
Previously, we posted that model maker Air Force 1 was planning on releasing a 1:144 scale version of the Chengdu J-36 Air Dominance Fighter, a feat not simple to achieve since the real aircraft was debuted to the public just six months prior. As we suspected, AF1 also plans on offering a larger 1:72 scale version of the sixth generation fighter, painted, naturally enough, just like the 1:144 scale take. While details are still sketchy and we do not read the Mandarin watermarks that appear on some of the images, we thought you might like to see it in pictorial form so you can formulate your own opinion about the model. Bear in mind that AF1 is based in China, so, when taken in conjunction with the proposed Trump administration tariffs, we have no idea about its ultimate price or exactly when it will hit the streets. Please bear this in mind before submitting any inquiries about the item.
Our distributor reports that the first production run for both the 1:144 and 1:72 scale J-36 has sold out and were likely earmarked for the Asian market. Word is that they are looking to have the manufacturer produce a second run although nothing is definite considering the current trade tensions between the PRC and the US. So, its your guess as good as ours whether or not we will see these models anytime soon and their cost. Sorry, but this scenario will likely occur with other models until the trade war, particularly between the PRC and US, has been fully addressed to both parties satisfaction.
To borrow a phrase my late mother-in-law oftentimes used when she felt as if a family gathering had run its course, Air Force 1 seems intent to produce the first diecast replica of a Chengdu J-36 Air Dominance Fighter. You may remember that the actual prototype was flown for the first time on December 26th, so getting a model of the aircraft out the door in such a short time frame is no mean feat even for the best of engineers. Interestingly, they are calling this first 1:144 scale offering a stealth drone, even though its clear from these images that the aircraft will be manned and quite possibly carry a crew of two, if the aircraft is intended to carry out long-range strike missions as some hypothesize or work in conjunction with multiple collaborative combat aircraft.
Nevertheless, we’ve passed along this information to our distributor and they are currently working on getting information about this product along with any buzz surrounding an even larger 1:72 scale version. Its also a good bet that this same manufacturer is working on developing scale versions of the Shenyang J-50 Strike Aircraft as well as the AVIC White Emperor Air Dominance Fighter. Air Force 1 is headquartered in China, so even if preliminary information is available, we don’t know if these products will be offered at an affordable price to make it worth the while of importing. Stay tuned…
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – “Man ‘O War II”, 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England, November 1944
The 323rd Bombardment squadron was first activated on April 15th, 1942, at Harding Field as the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, one of the three original bombardment squadrons of the 91st Bombardment Group. It was equipped with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. It completed First Phase training at MacDill Field under Third Air Force, with Second and Third Phase training at Walla Walla Army Air Field under Second Air Force in Washington. The squadron’s ground echelon left for Fort Dix in early September 1942, then boarded the RMS Queen Mary for transport to England. The air echelon moved to Gowen Field, Idaho on August 24th, 1942, and began receiving new B-17s there. It began flying them from Dow Field, Maine in September, although it was not fully equipped with new aircraft until October.
The ground echelon was established temporarily at RAF Kimbolton by September 13th, 1942. However, the runways at Kimbolton were not up to handling heavy bombers, and the unit moved to what would be its permanent station in the European Theater of Operations, RAF Bassingbourn, on October 14th, 1942. Bassingbourn had been a prewar Royal Air Force station, so the squadron found itself in more comfortable quarters than most of its contemporaries. The squadron primarily engaged in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, and flew its first mission on November 7th, an attack against submarine pens at Brest, France.
Until the middle of 1943, The squadron concentrated its attacks on naval targets, including submarine pens, dockyards, ship construction facilities and harbors, although it also struck airfields, factories, and communications facilities. On January 27th, 1943, the unit attacked the Kriegsmarine yard at Wilhelmshaven as part of the first penetration by bombers of VIII Bomber Command to a target in Germany. On March 4th, 1943, it attacked marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany despite adverse weather and heavy enemy opposition. For this action, it was awarded its first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).
From the middle of 1943 to the end of the war, the squadron concentrated on attacks on German aviation, including attacks on aircraft factories, including ones at Oranienburg and Brussels; airfields at Oldenburg and Villacoublay; the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt; chemical plants at Leverkusen and Peenemunde; and industrial facilities in Ludwigshafen, Frankfurt am Main and Wilhemshaven. As part of this attack on the German aircraft industry, on January 11th, the squadron penetrated into central Germany, despite bad weather, poor fighter cover, and strong attacks by enemy interceptor aircraft, the unit succeeded in bombing its target, earning a second DUC.
The squadron also performed interdiction and air support missions. It helped prepare for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by bombing gun emplacements and troop concentrations near the beachhead area. It aided Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo, in July 1944 by attacking enemy troop positions. It supported troops on the front lines near Caen in August 1944 and attacked lines of communications near the battlefield during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. It attacked airfields, bridges, and railroads to support Operation Lumberjack, the push across the Rhine in Germany, in 1945.
Following V-E Day, the squadron evacuated prisoners of war from German camps. The first B-17 left Bassingbourn for the United States on May 27th, 1945. The ground echelon sailed aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth on June 24th, 1945. The squadron was reestablished at Drew Field, Florida in early July, with the intention of deploying it to the Pacific, but it was not fully manned or equipped, and inactivated on November 7th, 1945.
With Masters of the Air now having reached its inevitable conclusion, “Man ‘O War II” stands an awesome tribute to the men and machines of the US Army Air Force, the 8th Air Force, and their death-defying daylight bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe during the Second World War.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Northrop P-61A Black Widow Interceptor – “Midnight Belle,” 6th Night Fighter Squadron, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, 1945
Lo and behold a new shipment of Air Force 1 aircraft has landed, flying in well below the radar to make an unexpected arrival. Several key models are amongst the passenger list, including this Northrop P-61A Black Widow dubbed Midnight Belle and a long lost B-25 Mitchell bomber that took part in the historic raid over Tokyo in early 1942. We don’t expect these models to last long so if you’re interested we strongly suggest you kick the tires and give them a once over before they head off for parts unknown.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird Reconnaissance Aircraft – 61-17974
Air Force 1 seems to be back with a vengeance in 2023, claiming five more warbirds are in store for the latter half of the year. While no new toolings were announced, several fan favorites are making an encore appearance, all attractively packaged and just as attractively priced as they were when they originally flew in. Here now the newest warbirds waiting in the wings for a Harvest Moon release:
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAC North American B-25B Mitchell Medium Bomber – “Whirling Dervish”, USS Hornet (CV-8), April 18th, 1942Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Northrop P-61A Black Widow Interceptor – “Midnight Belle,” 6th Night Fighter Squadron, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, 1945Air Force 1’s 1:48 scale US Army Bell UH-1 Huey Helicopter – 116th Assault Helicopter Company “The Hornets”Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird Reconnaissance Aircraft – 61-17980
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird Reconnaissance Aircraft
Its a tad ironic how a diecast model maker names itself after the US President’s venerable 747 jumbo jet yet somehow never gets around to making a model of it. You’d think the Presidential transport would be the first model out the door if they’re leveraging the name as a means of gaining instant notoriety. Be that as it may, AF1 will be unleashing a number of new models this January, all based upon previous best-selling releases, from the high-flying SR-71 Blackbird to a Tokyo-raiding B-25 Mitchell bomber. Here now a quick rundown of what’s in store this winter from, who else, but Air Force 1:
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF North American B-25B Mitchell Medium Bomber – “Hari Kari-er”, USS Hornet (CV-8), April 18th, 1942Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force Xi’an JH-7 Fighter-BomberAir Force 1’s 1:72 scale Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force Chengdu J-10A “Vigorous Dragon” Multirole FighterAir Force 1’s 1:72 scale Russian Sukhoi PAK FA T-50 Stealth Fighter – Gromov Flight Research Institute, Zhukovsky Air Base, Russia [Advanced Technology Demonstrator Scheme]
While their retail prices may have jumped somewhat over the last six months, AF1 continues to produce a series of high-quality model aircraft that continually sell well year-after-year. Heavy in the hand and offering great value vis-a-vis other similar lines, AF1 can certainly be forgiven for not making a Presidential transport if they continue to knock it out of the park with these and other superb replicas.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base [Low-Vis Scheme]
We have great news for all you Joint Strike Fighter fans. A squadron of F-35A Lightning IIs just landed at our distributor without so much as an early alert from the control tower. Our order is now en route to us and should be in stock some time next week. Typically, the AF1 F-35s sell very well at retail and we’ve been out-of-stock of the A version for several months running.
Of the three JSF variants, the A version is flown by the US Air Force. As such, the F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant intended for the USAF and other air forces. It is the smallest, lightest F-35 version and is the only variant equipped with an internal cannon, the GAU-22/A. This 25mm cannon is a development of the GAU-12 carried by the USMC’s AV-8B Harrier II. It is designed for increased effectiveness against ground targets compared to the 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon carried by other USAF fighters. On August 2nd, 2016, the USAF declared the F-35A basic combat ready. The F-35A was scheduled to be fully combat-ready in 2017 with its 3F software upgrade.
A restock shipment isn’t expected until March, meaning this shipment will likely sell out quickly once word spreads of its availability.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale Suhkoi Su-57 goes prime time.
With the all-important holiday season fast approaching, Air Force 1 announced the impending arrival of three new models for the aviation community. No surprises here considering the range of aircraft already available in the extensive Air Force 1 arsenal.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – “Swamp Fire”, 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, Europe, 1944-45
Of particular note are a pair of B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers, the aircraft most closely associated with the 8th Air Force’s daylight bombing campaign over Europe during the middle and late stages of WWII. “Swamp Fire” (AF10110B) is a B-17 that was attached to the 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, then deployed to Europe from 1944-45. As such it wears the iconic olive drab scheme most collectors and aviation buffs remember when considering the exploits of the US 8th Air Force. “Miss Conduct” (AF10110C), on the other hand, comes in a shiny, natural metallic finish, which was more commonly associated with aircraft that flew with the 481st Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group. These aircraft were lighter in weight than an aircraft clad in olive drab paint, and could attain slightly higher speeds since there was less drag.
Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – “Miss Conduct”, 481st Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group, Europe, 1943-45
Lastly, the Company has decided to bring back their Pak FA mold by reintroducing it as a Suhkoi Su-57 stealth fighter (AF11011A). Perhaps tearing a page out of today’s headlines, the Su-57 represents Russia’s next generation of front line fighter and was recently given the go ahead by the Russian government to go into full production. While it isn’t quite as capable as either the Lockheed F-22 or F-35 it might one day go against, its still a formidable aircraft, particularly when paired with some of the latest generation of Russian weaponry it is designed to carry.
