Forces of Valor

The Forces of Valor Update: Four Vehicles Return from the Dead

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale Soviet T-34/85 Model 1944 Medium Tank – “White 36”, 55th Guards Tank Brigade, 7th Guards Tank Corps, Berlin, 1945 [Bonus Model V-2 Diesel-Fueled 12-Cylinder Engine]

As we close out the week and the month of May, we learned early this morning that four 1:32 scale armored fighting vehicles are earmarked to make their return. The four vehicles — a Soviet T-34/85, a pair of German Jagdtigers and a British Firefly — had been released several years ago when Waltersons first burst onto the scene. Since then, stocks have slowly run out, making them exceedingly difficult to find in the marketplace. While the three tanks aren’t exactly new, its refreshing to see that the manufacturer hasn’t given up on the line as some have speculated, perhaps largely due to the Trump tariffs getting nixed by the US Supreme Court.

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale British M4A4 Sherman Firefly Mk. Vc Medium Tank – 24th Lancer, 13th/18th Hussars, 8th Armoured Brigade, Normandy, France, 1944 [Bonus Chrysler A57 Multi-Bank Engine]

According to sources, all three vehicles are scheduled to come in this July, and will likely be followed up by some of the other vehicles recently shown at the Beijing Hobby Show that was held back in April. The remaining vehicles — which includes a Kubelwagen, Panzer IV, King Tiger and M26 Pershing — are likely being assembled as we speak and are probably scheduled to hit the streets in late 2026. If you were planning on shelling out big bucks for one of these behemoths you may want to wait a bit so you can snag them at more realistic prices.

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Sd. Kfz. 186 Jagdpanzer VI Jagdtiger Heavy Tank Destroyer with Porsche Suspension – Feldwebel Erich Bonike, “Black 314”, 3.Kompanie, schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653, Germany, March 1945 [Bonus Maybach V-12 HL 230 P30 Engine]

Thus far, its not clear when the Company will begin producing new vehicles they have repeatedly alluded to over the last couple for years. The list is too lengthy to post here, so we’ll leave it up to the manufacturer to expound further, hopefully with some good news they can take to the bank.

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale 1German Sd. Kfz. 186 Jagdpanzer VI Jagdtiger Heavy Tank Destroyer with Henschel Suspension – Kampfgruppe Goggler, 3/schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany, 1945 [Bonus Maybach V-12 HL 230 P30 Engine]

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The Forces of Valor Update: Restocks Aplenty for Memorial Day & Beyond

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Sgt. Daniel “Buttons” Cardell, “Julia”, 761st Tank Battalion “Black Panthers”, Task Force Rhine, Germany, 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]

Even though we are still awaiting information concerning products shown at the recently concluded Beijing Hobby how, we were lucky enough to snag a number of products that had been languishing on the back burner for a lengthy period of time. While they haven’t been added to our New Arrivals section, we decided to include them here, so you can better see what’s back in stock without having to scroll through numerous sections. Bear in mind that Father’s Day is fast approaching, so any Forces of Valor product – on the ground, at sea or in the air – makes an ideal way of putting a smile on dear old dad’s face once he eraps his arms around them.

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – 753rd Tank Battalion, Gustav Line, Italy, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – Training Vehicle, C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, New York, 1943 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]

Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Late Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane and Zimmerit – Panzersturmmorser Kompanie 1002, Berlin, Germany, May 1945 [Bonus Maybach HL230P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]

Forces of Valor’s 1:38 scale USMC Bell AH-1W “Whiskey” Super Cobra Attack Helicopter – “Never Forget”, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 “Stingers”, Camp Pendleton, California, March 2012

Forces of Valor’s 1:799 scale US Navy Enterprise Class Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier – USS Enterprise (CVN-65), Mediterranean Sea, 2001 [Full Hull Version]

Update: Please note that Waltersons has changed the display stand for this item. The aircraft carrier now comes on a wooden base atop metal pillars as shown above.

Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale US Navy Pennsylvania Class Battleship – USS Arizona (BB-39), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1941 [Full Hull Version]

Update: Please note that Waltersons has changed the display stand for this item. The battleship now comes on a wooden base atop metal pillars as shown above.

Forces of Valor’s 1:700 scale Imperial Japanese Navy Yamato Class Super Battleship – Yamato, Operation Kikusui Ichi-Go, Okinawa, 1945, Okinawa, 1945 [Full Hull Version]

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The Forces of Valor Update: Your Guess is as Good as Ours

As some companies shutter or slow down production due to an uncertain future, one seems content to keep us guessing as to what’s going on. Recently, at the Beijing Hobby Show, several 1:32 scale subjects were shown for the “first” time — well, lets just say they haven’t been heard from in a very long time. Among them were a King Tiger, Panzer IV Ausf. F1 and Pershing, to say nothing of the illustrious Kubelwagen. When we asked when they were expected and their cost, we got a cold, starry eyed response — if that’s even possible from several thousand miles away and over the Internet.

On the positive side, we did finally receive a price list for their complete collection sans these new entrants. Apparently, some old favorites will be marking their return including “Julia” a heavily requested Sherman tank, along with a handful of previously sold out earlier Shermans. Also expected is a 1:700 scale reproduction of the USS Arizona along with a pair of USS Missouri battleships. The wholesale price for many of their products seems to have also decreased, so we are finally able to reduce the price on much of the Forces of Valor range to reflect these adjustments. Anyway, we’ve placed a re-order with them and hop to have the whole shebang back in stock by the end of May, just in time for Father’s Day.

In the meantime, we will keep pestering Waltersons to determine when the “new old” products, or should that read “old new” products are ready to make their triumphant return. Wish us luck.

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The Forces of Valor Update: The Future Revealed?

We’ve been pestering Waltersons, the owners of the Forces of Valor brand, for months on end regarding what they planned to do with their range of military vehicles, warships and aircraft. Typically, we take things at face value, but when it comes to this manufacturer, they seem content to leave people guessing, particularly after their acquisition of Greenlight Collectibles a couple of years ago.

This week, at the Chinese Hobby Show held in Beijing, images surfaced that show the manufacturer hasn’t closed up as has been rumored for several months. While nothing in the way of new tooling was put on display, the photos are indeed encouraging, and demonstrate — at least on paper — that they are still in the diecast game even though they are leveraging old tooling to see them through for the foreseeable future.

The photos show several older 1:32 scale military vehicles getting a new coat of paint, insignia and updated markings, along with supposedly a new Sherman tank that is based upon Creighton Abrams’ “Thunderbolt”. It remains to be seen if any of these vehicles will be made available to retailers such as ourselves or if the manufacturer has decided to go it alone by selling these vehicles.through their own web site. We hope to have more information shortly, provided the manufacturer is ready to open up about their future plans. For now, we wont’ list them on our web site unless we know for sure that we can sell them, and do so by having hard-and-fast information at-hand.

Forgive me if I sound jaded and a bit put off, but trying to provide our clientele with accurate information is exceedingly difficult, not just because of the tariff situation but because this manufacturer seems as if they are doing thngs on a lark instead of attempting to appease both their dealers and clientele who have stood by them for years. In our case, we basically put them on the map after running all sorts of print advertisements talking up the line. Its a bittersweet way to say thank you when others rode our coattails for year’s on end.

Update: Now that the Beijing Hobby Show has concluded, we asked Waltersons about the “new’ish” vehicles shown above, wondering if they had pricing and dates of availability information at hand. Oddly, nothing was provided, other than to say they are expected later this year. So, it’s your guess as good as ours when these 1:32 scale tanks are coming out, their price and whether or not they will be made available to retailers such as ourselves. I’m not certain why a manufacturer would display product at a show then remain mum concerning further details. It could have to do with the Trump tariffs, which are still in limbo, or it could have nothing to do with any valued added taxes applied to product coming out of China. Its a strange situation nonetheless, and one they need to address if they plan to remain a viable “force” in the military diecast business.

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The Forces of Valor Update: Its 2026 – Do You Know Where Your Tanks Are?

Its been awhile since we last spoke about Forces of Valor and with good reason — there wasn’t much to talk about. With the Trump tariffs still in doubt and companies such as Waltersons reluctant to produce new items because of how it might affect them, the line has been on hiatus for some time now. Several new items have been hinted at but nothing has been formally announced. That said, we contacted the manufacturer over the weekend to find out what’s in stock and where we stand with the Company now that the Christmas stampede has run its course.

Thus far, only a handful of new items are said to be in stock and ready to be shipped. These include several of the new 1:64 scale military vehicles and a handful of accessories, many of which have been shown on their site for months on end. The balance of the line has strangely not come in as yet so we assume they aren’t too far behind. Because of this, we’ve elected to hold off ordering them for now, largely because we want to get things started with them slowly then open up the spigots to bring in a number of items that had been on back order for the better part of a year and now show as being in stock. So, we’ve placed an initial order with them for several back ordered items, which will hopefully be received and ready to head off to the diecast front early next week. We’ve listed them in our In Transit section and will continue to monitor the situation once we review their initial shipment then go from there. Keeping our fingers crossed that this will lead to bigger and better things for the balance of the year.

Takeaway: Waltersons, the owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has always been a questionable commodity ever since they opened their North American warehouse/offices in the US over two years ago. Much of their focus still remains on Greenlight Collectibles, so it’ll be interesting to see where and when the Company decides to place added emphasis on their military range. Thus far, things are quiet but that could change with Toy Fair right around the corner.

Update to the Update: It looks as if Waltersons has gotten their act together, having taken and shipped out our opening order without incident. So, we’re getting set to place our second and larger order with them, which will contain three of their 1:64 scale military vehicles, a few accessory packs originally produced by Unimax and a bevy of back ordered merchandise that have been out-of-stock for several months. Still no word on any of the new items hinted at on their own blog or any of the products they announced years ago that have remained in limbo for some time. Their Facebook page is still mum, having gone dark over three years ago so no public information is being disseminated. As I mentioned earlier, the Trump tariffs are still acting as a headwind and the Company could be withholding new product announcements until the upcoming Toy Fairs have run their course. To sum up, we’re working in the dark and hope to have more concrete information to work with by the end of January. Maybe…

In the meantime, we’ve prepped our web site to reflect these changes, and made several amendments to our eBay store page so we can plug in the quantities available once we ensure that all of our pre-orders have been accounted for. We’re holding off indicating that the second shipment is available until we review its receipt. I’d like to ensure, first hand, that there are no discrepancies, gauge the quality of the new items and get everything ready in case we get beset by loads of orders. We are accepting pre-orders and quite frankly aren’t sure how quickly the new and back ordered merchandise will be received. Bear in mind too that we are expecting large Hobby Master, Corgi and Panzerkampf shipments by the end of the month, so getting ahead of these will be our mantra for the next couple of weeks.

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The Forces of Valor Update: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Its been awhile since we had anything to post regarding Forces of Valor and with good reason — nothing new has surfaced. While we’ve been pestering them regarding new and re-purposed products, they seem to have been reluctant to share information with us — until now.

Earlier today, we checked their revamped web site to see if anything new was being announced. Lo and behold, a new Sherman tank was added to their product portfolio, one based upon a Sherman tank commanded by Lt. Colonel Creighton Abrams. “Thunderbolt VII” as it came be known was one of the last tanks he led into battle, largely because his previous vehicles were shot out from under him. But now, the bad. According to the Waltersons’ owned web site, Thunderbolt will carry a MSRP of $289.00, well above even their recently released Ferdinand heavy tank destroyer. Now, I can understand that this is a new tooling, but a near $300 price tag is a bit much considering the series started out twenty or so years ago with tanks fetching $40 apiece.

Then there’s the ugly. Its not clear if this latest 1:32 scale vehicle will be available as a web exclusive or if it will be made available to retailers such as ourselves at some point during its product development cycle. Thus far, the Company has remained mum regarding their marketing plans and quite possibly is exploring other means of getting their products into the hands of collectors, at least here in North America. The vehicle does not appear on any of their other web sites, although that could change as more information is disseminated. If they do go the exclusive route, it could mean they are parting ways with their dealers and looking to market all of their latest products direct-to-consumers. Other companies have opted to go that route over the years, using the Internet as a means of reaching the consumer at an affordable rate. It does, however, leave a bad taste in the mouth’s of their retail network and takes quite a bit of work getting them back into the fold should they decide to reverse course down-the-road.

In any event, we’ve reached out to the powers that be to determine when this product will become available and if it will be offered to retailers. So, we will hold off listing it on our web site until we have a better idea of their marketing plans going forward.

Update: We heard back from the manufacturer this morning and they indicated that “Thunderbolt VII” wasn’t mass-produced and will therefore be made available to customers only through their web site. Frankly, the costs associated with making a new vehicle are quite high and it oftentimes takes a large production run to recoup an initial investment. Add to that the fact that the bulk of FOV collectors have traditionally spent no more than $150 or so for a new vehicle, so pegging this product at almost twice that figure is a somewhat questionable marketing strategy that will no doubt cause backlash from both collectors and their retail network. “The die is cast” so-to-speak, and its now up to Waltersons to weather the storm.

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The Forces of Valor Update: Waltersons Creates a New Strike Package

Its been a while since we had any news to report from the Waltersons camp, particularly when it came to new aircraft. While we do have some news to report it isn’t based on new aircraft — rather rehashes of previously released models formerly under the Unimax marque.

According to their updated web site, the Company plans on reintroducing several 1:72 scale jets that have been long out-of-production, this time around coupled with a section of flight deck/ runway to give them a more robust look so they can better compete with models made by other manufacturers. Based upon what we can see, collectors can look forward to a pair of F-15E Strike Eagles and a lone F-14 tomcat. The new aircraft carry a selling price of $99.99, making them excellent alternatives to models fetching $150 or more in the marketplace. Its not clear if any further enhancements or improvements will be made to the toolings and whether or not these models will make it to market in time for the holiday rush.

Also alluded to on their blog page is a new Sherman Firefly medium tank as well as a couple of “Easy Eight” Shermans that are, in effect, new models that haven’t been produced to-date. Before you get your hopes up we do want to warn you that these new models could potentially carry a much higher price tags than some of their recently produced tanks, perhaps upwards of $200 if you believe the scuttlebutt going back-and-forth on a Facebook fan page. We’re not sure why the manufacturer has been continually raising the price on their military vehicle series other than to take into account the tariffs being applied to China should ongoing negotiations with our current administration and trade representatives for the PRC fail completely.

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The Forces of Valor Update: Zzzzzzzz

We’re a few days away from the start of the Nuremberg Toy Fair, which most insiders agree is the venue where new product announcements are made. Thus far, Waltersons, the owners of the Forces of Valor brand, hasn’t privately discussed what’s in store from them for the 2025 calendar year, even though they’ve posted loads of new items to their multiple web sites. Why they have multiple web sites as opposed to one all-encompassing site is perhaps a topic for another time but suffice it to say that they seem reluctant to provide details on a wide range of yet-to-be-released items that they’ve hinted at for over two years running.

I know they purchased Greenlight Collectibles more than a year ago and that it has taken up much of their time. Its no easy task getting a new company to perform like clockwork. Heck, that’s a given. Greenlight gives them entree into an assortment of big box retailers from Walmart to Target whereas Forces of Valor has had to stick its nose and well-worn shoe in the door of these very same retailers to maintain any sort of presence. Let’s face it, war toys just doesn’t ring up at the cash register like they used to. But frankly that isn’t enough of a reason to leave their dedicated base of customers in the lurch for an extended period of time. Its been well over two years since they posted anything to their Facebook account and I’m not even certain if they are responding to collector inquiries, much less willing to draw back the curtains on what’s new.

That said, we’re hoping they are about to turn a corner and face their critics who have repeatedly asked if anything new is in the wings. If they don’t do so in 2025 I’m afraid they’re going to lose quite a few ardent supporters and witness the selling of more FOV collectibles by people who have moved on to other segments of the hobby. We’ve been a vocal supporter of the line too but are starting to wonder if that backing needs to be toned down in favor of other branches and manufacturers within the hobby. Its up to Waltersons to indicate if they plan on shedding light on what’s to come or are content to leave things the way they are. That would be a sad affair but ultimately their way of saying goodbye to their bread-and-butter range that to date has paid handsome dividends for both themselves and their retail network.

Update: Yesterday, we stumbled across this photograph from the Nuremberg Toy Fair that clearly shows both the Greenlight Collectibles booth playing host to the Waltersons Forces of Valor range. Only a handful of new products were being shown including their upcoming re-release of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, Ferdinand tank destroyer and a few other items we cannot accurately discern. Their soon-to-be-released line of 1:64 scale military vehicles are likely integrated within their Greenlight showcase, so there’s no point in discussing them any further. While its encouraging to see that Forces of Valor hasn’t dropped out-of-sight its a bit disappointing to see nothing new was being debuted in a public manner.

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The Forces of Valor Update: Back from the Dead

We’re happy to report that we received a rather large re-stock shipment of Forces of Valor products earlier this week, which is ahead of our upcoming vacation over the Labor Day weekend. Besides the usual convoy of Tiger I and Sherman tanks, is this M24 Chaffee light tank, a vehicle that was out-of-stock for several months running and one that ably does the Chaffee justice. We’ve filled all of our back orders for this item and have a handful left available, just in case you’re looking to snag the WWII version before we head off to parts unknown.

Another vehicle long unavailable is their Sherman tank with deep wading gear, this one used in the Pacific Theatre of Operations towards the end of WWII. Its a stand out vehicle and one that ably replicates its real-life cousin from top-to-bottom. “White 6”, as its known, was attached to the 713th Tank Battalion, then forcibly invading the island of Okinawa in April 1945.

Both versions of the 1:700 scale HMS Invincible sailed into our home waters as did their MH-47G Chinook, a favorite amongst chopper gearheads and a model that had been unavailable for several years. Its a fine specimen and most will agree its perhaps their best take on the unbiquitous Chinook. Again, we believe this one won’t remain in stock for very long despite us ordering what we think is a healthy supply.

Also, now in stock is their eagerly awaited 1:72 scale take on a USMC Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter. Their inaugural “Viper” was attached to Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 “Vengeance” (HMLA-469), which is deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California. The chopper comes complete with a full ordnance load out, a pair of pilot figures, opening engine nacelles and everything else you’ve come to expect from this prolific model maker.

With the holidays fast approaching and demand for FOV products continuing to remain strong, all of these models make perfect gifts for that special someone in your life and ideal center pieces for any military-themed vignette. So, whether it be on land, sea or air, both we and Forces of Valor have got you covered and ready to fuel your passion for combat collectibles.

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Forces of Valor Raises Another Ship from the Ocean’s Depths

Looking to complete its pairings of full draught and waterline models, Forces of Valor debuted a single picture of its upcoming waterline version of the US Navy Aircraft Carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN-65), to one of their web sites. While additional images are likely forthcoming, it isn’t clear when the warship will actually sail out of Walterson’s home port and into the diecast sea. So, while we will begin accepting pre-orders for it and the full draught version, don’t expect to see either of the two models until 2025. Please understand that we play no role as to when these items will either be produced or made available through their dealer network, so if you have your heart set on either of these releases, make sure you have lots of blood pressure medication on hand until this model joins their diecast fleet.

In other news, our August shipment of mixed Forces of Valor products showed up this morning, unannounced and without any advance notification. Great way to start off the week. Frankly, it is since we have been out-of-stock of many of these items for months on end. So, we’re in the process of going through the shipment, re-listing items as being back in stock on both our web site and our marketplace sites. We expect to begin shipping out these items on Tuesday.

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