Earlier today, Corgi revealed their May through August 2024 new aircraft introductions, the bulk of which have something to do with the D-Day landings of June 1944. We’ve listed most of the latest models discussed in the accompanying video and have opened the pre-order window accordingly. Bear in mind product photos have yet to be provided by the manufacturer so we are guessing that they are still a few months out from hitting the streets. Enjoy!
Typically, war planners like to give military operations names that help to convey the spirit and intent of the exercise in question. Overlord for the Allies’ invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe in the summer of 1944, Barbarossa, for the German invasion of Russia in 1941, and Market-Garden, the supposed breakthrough to the Rhine and beyond by Allied forces struggling to bypass the morass of northwest Europe in the autumn of 1944, all come to mind.
In the summer of 1948, three years after the conclusion of war in Europe, Soviet forces decided to close the major supply corridor into Berlin and bring it into the Soviet sphere. The Berlin Blockade, as it came to be known, (June 24th, 1948 – May 12th, 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies’ railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. The Soviets offered to drop the blockade if the Western Allies withdrew the newly introduced Deutsche mark from West Berlin.
The Western Allies, under the guise of Operation Vittles, organized the Berlin airlift (June 26th, 1948 – September 30th, 1949) to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin, a difficult feat given the size of the city’s population. Aircrews from the United States Air Force, the Royal Air Force, the French Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the South African Air Force:338 flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing to the West Berliners up to 8,893 tons of necessities each day, such as fuel and food. The Soviets did not disrupt the airlift for fear this might lead to open conflict.
By the spring of 1949, the airlift was clearly succeeding, and by April it was delivering more cargo than had previously been transported into the city by rail. On May 12th, 1949, the USSR lifted the blockade of West Berlin. The Berlin Blockade served to highlight the competing ideological and economic visions for postwar Europe.
Corgi’s 1:72 scale take on a C-47A Skytrain is special for several reasons. Firstly, its big and beefy, a far cry from a 1:144 scale version of the same aircraft released way back in 1998. Secondly, its the inaugural product in their all-new 20th Anniversary Aviation Archive series, which commemorates many of the aircraft models they first offered to the public some twenty years ago. Now in stock, the “Fassberg Flyer”, as it came to be known, is an important piece of civil and military history, and a worthy addition to anyone’s diecast aviation collection.
Looking to leverage the legendary star power of Hollywood, Corgi announced plans to build a 1:72 scale replica of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber that was piloted by none other than screen actor, Jimmy Stewart. While several legends of the silver screen enlisted in the military when their nation called upon them, Jimmy Stewart could be one of the most famous, leading an entire bomb group to reek vengeance over Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe during the latter stages of World War II. While he reportedly flew several bombers, “Male Call”, the lead ship of the 453rd Bombardment Group (AA34018) may be his most noteworthy, surviving the war having completed an impressive 95 bombing missions. In fact, she is thought to have been the only survivor of the original 61 aircraft assigned to the 453rd Bombardment Group, which arrived at RAF Old Buckenham airfield on January 21st, 1944. Look for “Male Call” to be called to action in October.
If you’re interested in learning more about Jimmy Stewart and his wartime experience, we strongly recommend Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe, which is available on Amazon.
