At this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, Corgi announced that they were adding two more aircraft to its 2019 roster, both based on the recently retired Panavia Tornado. The manufacturer had this to say about their latest additions:
The 1:72 scale limited edition models will have detailed crew figures, fuel tanks and moveable sweeping wings, with a wingspan of 181mm and 118mm for the GR.4 ZG752 and GR.4 ZG775, No.IX (B) respectively. They are an ideal addition to any aviation enthusiast’s collection for £79.99 each.”
Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAF Douglas C-47A Skytrain Troop Transport – “That’s All Brother”, Lead D-Day Aircraft, 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, June 5th/6th, 1944 [75th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion]
With just a week to go before the all-important July Fourth weekend, Corgi has touched off its own fireworks extravaganza of sorts with the release of several eagerly-awaited Aviation Archive aircraft. Headed our way are the following models, each meticulously handcrafted and painstakingly researched to evoke memories of days gone by steeped in the annals of aviation history:
AA38707 – RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIV Fighter – RM740, No.322 (Dutch) Squadron, Deanland, England, August 1944 [75th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion] (1:72 Scale)
AA38508 – German Messerschmitt Bf 110 E Destroyer – Stab II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, Deelen, Holland, Spring 1942 (1:72 Scale)
AA38210 – USAF Douglas C-47A Skytrain Troop Transport – “That’s All Brother”, Lead D-Day Aircraft, 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, June 5th/6th, 1944 [75th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion] (1:72 Scale)
AA27901 – Royal Navy McDonnell F-4 FG.1 Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – No. 892 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal (R07), November 1978 (1:48 Scale)
Corgi’s 1:72 scale German Heinkel He-111H-16 Medium Bomber with Fi 103 (Doodlebug) – A1+HK, 2./Kampfgeschwader 53, Air Launch V-1 Flying Bomb Unit, Late 1944
As we have alluded to previously, 2019 marks the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day landings. It therefore comes as no surprise that Corgi — in an effort to take advantage of the hype — has decided to tinker with its lineup so they can release as many commemorative aircraft as possible around the pivotal time frame. While many models have been moved up well ahead of original forecasts, others have been moved back. In the case of their USMC Sikorsky SH-3A Helicopter (AA33422), the chopper has now been delayed until early 2020, no doubt to get out as many heavies in time for the holidays as possible, even at the expense of other models.
It doesn’t appear as if their 1:50 scale WWII military vehicles has been affected by the production shift, with several expected around the June time frame and others still slated for later in the year to commemorate the Battle of the Bulge.
Dragon’s 1:72 German Sd. Kfz. 182 PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausf. B Heavy Tank – “313”, schwere Panzer Abteilung 501, Ardennes, 1944
As we hinted at earlier this month, there seems to be no shortage of new arrivals looking to pry open the 2018 door in an effort to still make it under the tree this holiday season. This weekend, Dragon announced that both of their long delayed 1:72 scale King Tigers are finally in the US and are now making their way to us as we speak (DRR60399 and DRR60400). With the holidays looming and shipping issues likely to kick in, look for both vehicles to become available the first week of January.
Corgi’s 1:72 German Dornier Do17Z-10 Kauz Light Bomber – Erich Jung, R4+AK, I/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, Gilze-Rijen Airfield, Holland, October 1940
Corgi also announced that a flock of latecomers made port and are winging their way to us tout de suite. The haul includes:
AA38109 – RNAS Sopwith Camel Fighter – Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner, No.3 Squadron, Bray Dunes Aerodrome, France, 1918
AA38906 – German Fokker D VII Fighter – 4649/18 “Seven Swabians” Wilhelm Scheutzel, Jasta 65, September 1918 (1:48 Scale)
AA32820 – RAF De Havilland Mosquito Mk. VI Night Fighter – Flt. Lt. D A G “George” Parry, No. 105 Squadron [100 Years of the RAF] (1:72 Scale)
AA38808 – German Dornier Do17Z-10 Kauz Light Bomber – Erich Jung, R4+AK, I/Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, Gilze-Rijen Airfield, Holland, October 1940 (1:72 Scale)
AA36111 – RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA Flying Boat – JV928 ‘Y’ Flight Officer Alexander Cruickshank, VC 210 Squadron, July 1944 [100 Years of the RAF] (1:72 Scale)
The December Hobby Master shipment is reportedly on the high seas and could likely hit the streets in early January. While not exactly containing any stocking stuffers, the December shipment nevertheless includes a number of notable releases so don’t spend all of your gift card money just yet if you’re looking to nab some of these favorites.
Corgi’s 1:72 RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA Flying Boat – JV928 ‘Y’ Flight Officer Alexander Cruickshank, VC 210 Squadron, July 1944
Admittedly, its not a US Navy PBY Catalina they decided to portray this go round but sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. If you don’t mind RAF roundels in place of Stars and Stripes, and can shift vistas from the vast Pacific to the grey Atlantic, then boy do we have a head turner for you.
Expected some time this holiday season is this handsome RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA flying boat (AA36111), which operated along Britain’s extensive coast line in search of enemy naval activity, both on and below the surface.
Although the Battle of Britain is regarded by most people to be the RAF’s most decisive victory of WWII, the constant struggle to protect Britain’s vital sea lanes against German U-boats and surface raiders proved arguably more decisive. It is difficult to imagine the mental and physical strain placed on the crews of Coastal Command aircraft, who were forced to endure arduous patrols, often lasting many hours and having to constantly scan vast expanses of ocean for even the smallest sign of enemy activity. Should a target present itself, they would potentially have to launch an effective attack at short notice, aware that the enemy would be frantically attempting to disappear below the waves or were preparing to defend themselves with every gun at their disposal. Add to this the knowledge that they were still many miles and several hours flying time from the safety of their home base and completely exposed should the engagement leave them with damage to their aircraft, or injuries to crew members and you understand why these men are viewed with such admiration to this day. As if to underline the perilous nature of these missions, four brave Coastal Command airmen were awarded Britain’s highest award for gallantry in the presence of the enemy, the Victoria Cross during the Second World War, but only one survived to receive the honor in person – Flying Officer John Alexander Cruickshank, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, RAF No.210 Squadron.
This particular warbird is part of Corgi’s 100 Years of the RAF Collection, a fitting testament to the men and machines that have helped to guard and defend the British Empire through times of peril and turmoil.
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.
Corgi’s 1:72 Scale German Junkers Ju 88C-6 Medium-Bomber – F8+BX, 1-3/Kampfgeschwader 40, Lorient, France, 1943
The Luftwaffe’s Junkers Ju 88 was a twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Among the most versatile planes of the war, it was used as a bomber, close-support aircraft, nightfighter, torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. A solid aircraft with great performance, it went on to be one of the Luftwaffe’s most versatile aircraft. It carried out almost every kind of mission ever imagined, even as a giant flying bomb. It was used in every theater, with many nations, including nations allied against Germany.
Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40) was a Luftwaffe medium and heavy bomber wing of World War II, and the primary maritime patrol unit of any size within the World War II Luftwaffe. It is best remembered as the unit operating a majority of the four-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor maritime patrol bombers. The unit suffered from the poor serviceability and low production rates of the Fw 200 bombers, and from repeated diversion of its long-haul capability aircraft to undertake transport duties in various theatres, especially for the airlift operations to supply encircled forces in the Battle of Stalingrad. Later in the war, KG 40 became one of several Luftwaffe bomber wings to use the Heinkel He 177A heavy bomber.
The wing was formed in July 1940 at Bordeaux-Merignac under the control of Fliegerfuhrer Atlantik. The unit flew reconnaissance missions in the North Atlantic searching for Allied convoys and reported their findings to the Kriegsmarine’s U-boat fleets. On October 26th,1940, Oberleutnant Bernhard Jope bombed the 42,000 ton liner Empress of Britain, the ship later being sunk by U-32. Between August 1940 and February 1941, the unit claimed over 343,000 tons of ships sunk. The newer Fw 200C-2 was then available and differed only in having the rear ventral areas of the outer engine nacelles recessed with dual-purpose bomb racks fitted to carry a pair per aircraft of the quarter-tonne SC 250 bombs, or standard Luftwaffe 300 litre (79 US gallon) drop tanks in the bombs’ place for longer ranged patrols.
The crest for Kampfgeschwader 40
On February 9th, 1941, five Focke-Wulf Fw 200 of I/KG 40 in cooperation with the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper and U-37 attacked the British convoy HG 53. The convoy lost 967-ton Norwegian freighter Tejo and British freighters Jura, Dagmar I, Varna, and 2490-ton Britannic to aerial attacks.
With the lack of suitable long-range air cover to counter KG 40 in mid 1941 the Allies converted several merchant ships to CAM ships (‘catapult aircraft merchant’ ship) as an emergency stop-gap until sufficient RN escort carriers became available. The CAM ship was equipped with a rocket-propelled catapult launching a single Hawker Hurricane, dubbed a “Hurricat” or “Catafighter”. KG 40 crews were then instructed to stop attacking shipping and avoid combat in order to preserve numbers. Their objective was to locate and shadow convoys and continually report by radio their composition and course changes to allow the Kriegsmarine to direct the ‘wolf-packs’ of U-boats to close, intercept and engage.
The centerpiece of Corgi’s second half Aviation Archive releases is this Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Little Miss Mischief’, which was attached to the USAAF’s 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, and will likely be compared to the recent efforts by Air Force 1
Many ardent aviation enthusiasts weren’t holding out much hope for Corgi’s second half lineup, citing all manner-of-reason why the manufacturer was falling behind the competition. So, when word came that Corgi announced their second half releases, quite a few collectors did a double take, instantly praising the “pooch” for finally pumping out some eagerly asked for favorites. While we are still awaiting important information concerning the new introductions before posting them online, consider this: Corgi is finally offering a heavily requested Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of its back half mix, giving Air Force 1 a run for the money this fall and reestablishing themselves as the predominant maker of WWII-era fliers.
In a surprise move today, Corgi announced two new 1:72 scale North American Mustangs would be out before year’s end, further strengthening their Aviation Archive brand and signifying they are in the market for the long haul. Expected in November are a USAF North American F-51 Mustang Fighter that was nicknamed “Was that too fast?”, and attached to the 18th Fighter Bomber Group, then deployed to Chinhae Airfield, South Korea, during 1951 (AA27702) as well as a RAF North American Mustang Mk. IV Fighter that was piloted by Norwegian ace Werner Christie, who was attached to No. 150 Wing, then deployed to RAF Hunsdon during the spring of 1945 (AA27703) . Look for both models some time in November.
Originally we had been told that Corgi would not release a winter catalog this year. In a strange turn of events, the manufacturer belayed that ordered and announced a bunch of newcomers to their Aviation Archive portfolio, some of which are due out right after the holiday season concludes. One of the key releases is this Avro Lancaster Mk. III heavy bomber (AA32624), which is slated to make its initial bombing run in January. We’re currently in the process of listing all of the notable introductions expected the first half of 2016, but decided to post this one first just to whet your appetite.
