When Waltersons resurrected the Forces of Valor brand some six years ago, we were under the impression that they would immediately bring back many of their fan favorites, including their beastly 1:16 scale Extreme Metal series. Previous releases in the series now command $3,000 or more in the marketplace, so consumer interest is, to say the least, quite voracious given its value as a collectible and importance as a piece of military history. For one reason or another, however, that was the last we heard of the sub brand — at least until today.
In a surprise Facebook posting, the manufacturer indicated they would be bringing back the 1:16 scale series beginning with their King Tiger heavy tank. According to Waltersons, the newest vehicle will be available some time in 2023 although little else is known about the model including its cost, what it will look like, which extras will be included, etc. In other words, we have little to go by other than to say that a new King Tiger is in the offing.
Rather than speculate further, we are providing the following link so you can put your sleuthing skills to the test and help us ascertain more information about the vehicle. Obviously, we will hold off accepting pre-orders until we have more concrete information to go by.
One last thing. Before you reach for your wallet or log in to your PayPal account, there are some important points to consider. Their last 1:16 Tiger I tank came out way back in 2006 and initially fetched $400; their last King Tiger was unleashed in 2005 and also carried a $400 sticker price. Both now command prices well in excess of these figures. However, their last 1:16 scale release, a Sherman medium tank, was unleashed in 2008 and also carried a $400 price tag. How did that do? We had to help Unimax sell off their remaining stock of Shermans for around $100 a pop, otherwise they would have sat in inventory til the cows came home. Its anyone’s guess where a King Tiger in today’s market will initially sell for — as a guess closer to $1,000 or possibly more plus shipping. So, if you’re looking to turn this around and make some quick cash I would suggest you evaluate the marketplace as best you can and decide if spending that kind of dough, possibly during a recession, will pay off handsomely in the short term, long term or if at all. Caveat emptor, my friends.
