Forces of Valor

Waltersons Adds More Punch to its R/C Lineup

Over the weekend, Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, uploaded an intriguing post which disclosed how the Company is supporting the curious if successful Girls und Panzer brand within Japan by offering a wide array of licensed 1:24 scale military vehicles. Four of the new Forces of Valor vehicles have obviously been repainted to fit the Girls und Panzer theme, however, what really caught our attention are some of the vehicles included in the brochure that are designed to widen the license’s appeal in 2017. Some of the vehicles featured in the Girls und Panzer handbook include a US M3 Lee medium tank, German Hetzer tank destroyer, German Sturmgeschutz assault gun, Russian IS-2 heavy tank, Russian T-34/76 medium tank, Russian KV-2 heavy tank, French B1bis heavy tank, German VK4501(P) heavy tank, Japanese Chi-Nu heavy tank, Japanese Chi-Ha medium tank, US T-28 super heavy tank, German Morser Karl self-propelled gun, British A41 main battle tank, variants of the M4 Sherman tank, British Churchill infantry tank, Italian CV33 light tank, Russian BT-42 light tank, and Japanese Ha-Go medium tank. Whew! Quite a proposed lineup. These same vehicles will more than likely be included in the Forces of Valor R/C lineup going forward with more to follow, if intuition serves as any guide.

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When Will the Caissons Go Rolling Along?

Back in September, we learned that radio-controlled vehicle manufacturer, Waltersons, had acquired the entire Forces of Valor product portfolio from the previous owner, Unimax. Since then, word has been sketchy about when the first products will hit the street so we thought it prudent to share what we know about the proposed line now before the year closes out. Best you play the accompanying musical video as you read what follows:

The first quartet of 1:24 scale radio controlled vehicles are now expected some time in early January 2017, barring any issues with customs, inventories, the Mad Hatter, and so on. The first four vehicles include the Tiger I heavy tank, PzKpfw IV medium tank, M4A3 Sherman tank and T-34/85 medium tank, each boasting new features which make them incompatible with the previously released vehicles offered by Unimax. The remaining four vehicles in the line (M26 Pershing tank, M1A1 Abrams tank, MLRS and King Tiger heavy tank) are already being re-developed and will likely come to market some time in the Spring. A 1:16 scale tank has been hinted at, which could be the T-72 tank shown in our Waltersons R/C section or it could be an entirely new vehicle. Figure packs are also being created.

The first batch of 1:32 scale static vehicles and 1:700 scale warships, based upon previously released models by Unimax, are being crafted with updated packaging and some minor improvements where applicable, such as new road wheels for the Tiger I tank and an improved display plinth for the warships, all of which will likely be released in early 2017. Our guess is that a formal announcement will be made at the Nuremberg Toy Fair held in Germany in February. At that time, we should also get a better idea as to which new products are being worked on for the rest of the year, even though several have already been hinted at by the manufacturer on Facebook. Moreover, expect several other retreads to be launched later in the year, modified, where deemed appropriate, to bring them up to today’s standards.

So, that’s it in a nutshell. Everything currently is still in a state of flux and we ask for everyone’s patience during this transitional period. Good things are in store for 2017, including a new 1:16 scale Tiger I heavy tank, we just need everyone to relax and remain focused as they once again build out their Forces of Valor collection. Enjoy!

Follow Up: We’ve been in touch with the principals at Unimax who inform us that they will be attending the upcoming American International Toy Fair held each year at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City in February. At that time, we’ll have a better idea as to where they are headed in both the short- and long term, and hopefully take photos of anything on display. Additionally, the Company provided some details concerning their expanding warship series, which will boast the following 1:700 aircraft carriers: PLAAN LiaoNing aircraft carrier, British HMS Invincible and USN Kitty Hawk (CV-63). All three are pretty far along in their production, so they will likely be released in early 2017.

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The First Wave of Forces of Valor Gets Set to Hit the Beach

Earlier this year, when Waltersons announced they had purchased the entire product portfolio comprising the Forces of Valor brand, it was unclear which items would be offered first and when. Well, we now have an answer. The first four vehicles in their 1:24 scale radio controlled military vehicle range have been shipped out to their distributor network and, barring any unforeseen issues, could conceivably make it under the Christmas tree this holiday season.

The quarter includes a Tiger I heavy tank, PzKpfw IV Ausf. H medium tank, US M4A3 Sherman medium tank and even a Soviet T-34/85 medium tank. The remaining vehicles in the original range have been given the green light for a 2017 release, although that could occur further down the road.

Since no information was disseminated concerning their static model range, and pictures have yet to be shown, we are assuming that the first wave won’t arrive until early 2017, at the earliest. New items will likely be discussed at the upcoming Nuremberg Toy Fair, held in German in early February, although the manufacturer has already hinted at quite a few new vehicles for release next year.

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Forces of Valor Makes an Encore Performance

forces-show

Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor marque, made sure their newly announced 2016 lineup was on display at the 56th All Japan Models & Hobby Show 2016 held in Tokyo, Japan. Shown is one of their relaunched warships, complete with its new display plinth and etched metallic name plate. Also highlighted were some of the past 1:32 scale favorites, which may come with updated paint schemes and revised packaging to differentiate them from the Unimax releases. Its not clear when these items will make it into the retail channel, so for now we would suggest not counting on them making it under the Christmas tree or by the Hanukkah bush. They’ll likely show up towards the end of the year.

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If You Like ’em Big, then 2017 Could be Your Year

For several years, collectors have been wondering when or even if Forces of Valor would get around to releasing their next big 1:16 scale tank. Dubbed their Extreme Metal Series, these vehicles were certainly “extreme” in nature, oftentimes weighing more than 20 pounds and accompanied by all sorts of accessories, equipment and other items that helped them to stand out from the pack. While most retailed for around $400-$500, many have escalated in value, oftentimes commanding prices two or three times what they originally went for.

Under Unimax, their original owners, its been a long time since anything new was introduced, much to the consternation of collectors worldwide. Indeed as the Company pared down inventory of their last vehicle, a US M4A3 Sherman tank, and wound down operations to get out of the business, it looked as if the series might be doomed, with no new product in sight. Fortunately, all that may have changed. Now a member of the Waltersons family, who purchased the line in its entirety, the new owners of Forces of Valor seem to be genuinely interested in reinvigorating the brand from top to bottom. On Facebook, they let it be known that a new 1:16 scale vehicle is indeed in the works and slated to be shown for the first time at the upcoming Nuremberg Toy Fair in February.

Its not clear what they have in store for us, although they have indicated that, in an effort to preserve the value of the original set of vehicles, they have no intention of reintroducing any of the former liveries. That’s not to say they wouldn’t consider offering, say, an Otto Carius Tiger I tank, or perhaps Richard Wilfred Harry Erich Freiherr von Rosen’s King Tiger, who passed away in 2015. Or, they could pivot in an entirely new direction and offer, say, the “Easy 8” Sherman tank that Brad Pitt commanded in the feature film, Fury. So, while we’d love to speculate, the purpose of this post was just to whet the appetite of the collecting community and get them geared up for the Nuremberg Toy Fair which is just a few months away. We don’t know what they plan to offer, however, if any information should surface before the show, which is entirely possible, we will let everyone know as soon as possible.

Update: According to a Facebook post from the All Japan Hobby Show, Waltersons plans to build a mid production Tiger I heavy tank as its next 1:16 scale vehicle and have it ready for shipment some time in 2017. No details were provided concerning the livery, commander, production numbers and attendant accessories, and no information was given about the price or anticipated date of delivery.

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If it Doesn’t Fit, Force it!

Information seems to be trickling out from the new owners of the Forces of Valor line, which cuts across all of their individual brands, product segments and areas of interest. Here’s what we know thus far from their Facebook page:

The manufacturer has begin production on their late 2016 product introductions. Eleven 1:32 scale military vehicles are slated for reintroduction later this year, hopefully before the holidays, making them ideal gifts. Although the vehicles will be based upon previously released vehicles from Unimax, the re-introductions will purportedly feature better painting and the tracked vehicles will sport individual tracks linked together rather than a single rubber band like track. A couple of fixed and rotary wing aircraft are also being produced, as are most of their 1:700 scale warships. The warships will come with nicer display stands, making them suitable for desktop displays
The manufacturer has begun production on reintroducing their 1:24 scale radio controlled military vehicles range. The R/C line will be feature rich and more robust, making them ideal for competitions or solo play
The manufacturer has acknowledged that they will once again be offering the limited edition 1:16 scale Extreme Metal series in 2017, although no word as yet as to which vehicles will be built, price, production run, etc. To preserve the value of previously released products, the manufacturer has indicated that they have no plans to reintroduce the same versions, and will more likely look at other schemes or variants to carry the series forward. Does that mean we may one day see a 1:16 scale replica of “Fury”, the Sherman tank Brad Pitt commanded in the movie of the same name? It’s entirely possible, and would certainly be a smart marketing move on their part provided the licensing fees weren’t exorbitant
The manufacturer has hinted that they are already looking at new 1:32 scale vehicle builds for 2017, which could include a T-34/76 medium tank and a M4A3E8 medium tank. Other subjects are still being considered
A new web site is currently under construction which will likely feature product released under the former owner’s stewardship as well as all of the new products slated for release and/or scheduled for 2017

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Forces of Valor: Out with the Old, In with the New

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As the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand move closer to announcing their initial product offerings, we have decided to make some changes to the way in which we present the brand to the public. Because the new owners will likely reintroduce some of the older items in updated packaging or with different accessories and features, we will be distinguishing old inventory from new with some minor SKU modifications to lessen confusion yet extend the brand.

Any of the products remaining in inventory that were offered by Unimax, the original makers of the line, will have a product code that begins with UNI. Any new items being offered by the new manufacturer, Waltersons (Walter & Sons), will sport a FOV product identifier. So, a Unimax-built 1:32 scale Tiger I tank will carry the code UNI80003, while a similar Waltersons release will be identified as FOV80003, unless, of course, the new owners decide to introduce a completely different set of product codes.

Enterprise

Speaking of new, Forces of Valor has released details concerning their first new static model. According to their Facebook page, the Company plans to reintroduce a 1:700 scale replica of the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), which is reportedly set for production some time in September. We’ve posted CAD images showing the new warship and some of its embarked aircraft atop the flight deck.

Enterprisea

Note that the manufacturer has elected to go with a more elegant wooden base and machined metal supporting pillars over the previous plastic design, as well as an etched metal name plate. Nice improvements meant to make the diorama look even more attractive.

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Forces of Valor Lays Out Their R/C Plans

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Since their success lies in the radio controlled business, Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor marque, recently addressed how they plan to resurrect and improve upon the radio controlled military vehicles that once formed the cornerstone of the Forces of Valor brand.

“Forces of Valor (Unimax) first introduced the 1/24 scale radio controlled tank line back in early 2010, unfortunately this R/c line had been discontinued 36 months later due to electronic supplier issue. Ever since then, these 8 tank models have been sleeping quietly in their warehouse. And once the buyout of Forces of Valor had finally been completed, the first thing Waltersons did, was to bring the 1/24 scale R/c tanks back to life.

And after nearly 6 years since the introduction of this R/c line, are you thinking that Waltersons is just simply re-cooking the same dish? still 27MHz control system, complicated drive system, simple sound effect, average paint job and regular Infrared battle system?

Not at all!!!! We are about to re-define the standard of 1/24 scale R/c tanks, and check the following features list to see if there is anything you like 🙂

Exterior:
– CNC machined aluminum gun barrel
– Hobby grade painting
– Weathering effect
– Zimmerit pattern on Tiger I tank
– Natural casting surface effect on Sherman tank

Hardware:
– Coils suspension system
– Individual track links (Clipping type)
– Turret rotates 320 degrees
– Gun barrel elevates 25 degrees
– Drives forward, backward, left and right (Check our demo video later to see how good the handling is)
– Infrared shooting target board (Standard equipment)

Electronics:
– New 2.4GHz FHSS radio system with a minimum coverage of 60 meters
– ARM Based MCU architecture
– Remote control volume adjustment
– Remote control headlight
– Left & Right hand throttle interchangeable
– 12 steps throttle responsiveness control
– Auxiliary control mode -> can rotate turret, elevates gun barrel, fire machine guns and main gun
– Engine running mode -> drive tank forward, backward, left, right, battle with other tanks plus everything you can do in auxiliary power mode (** This feature was unseen in 1/24 scale R/c tanks in the past, and now we have brought this to you as a standard feature)

Sound:
– REAL sound recorded from museums + private tank collectors
– Maybach 231 engine sound for Tiger I, Continental V8 for Sherman M4A3 and V-2-34 for Soviet T34/85… every type of tank produce its unique engine note just like the real machine
– Class D amplifier
– 1W output speaker
– 4 Channels sound chip, can play up to 4 sound effects simultaneously
– 14 sound effect profiles
1. Engine ignition
2. Engine shut off
3. Engine idling
4. Acceleration
5. Maximum acceleration
6. Deceleration
7. Machine gun (recorded from real weapons)
8. Main gun – obtained from sound library, unfortunately many vehicles at the museum has disarmed the main gun feature 🙁
9. Turret rotation
10. Turret braking
11. Gun barrel elevation
12. Tank explosion (when you get hit by enemies)
13. Caught fire (after you are defeated)
14. Headlight switch on

Power:
– 4 x 1.5V Alkaline battery (Transmitter)
– 6 x 1.5V Alkaline battery (Tank on board)
– Optional Ni-MH rechargeable battery (Tank on board)

Battle system:
– Team A & B battle system, now support up to 16 players. You can form a team up to 15 players against 1 opponent player. Team combination can be 8:8, 7:5, 4:3 etc…
– Team N battle mode: last man standing (Fight everyone, no team)

Safety:
– Tank shut off reminder system
– Automatic power cut off after 4 minutes of idling

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We are working with our distributors now on packaging, we should be able to offer “Tank only” pack or complete Ready to run package. We have received a lot of emails from collectors saying that there is no need for them to keep 5 transmitters because they want to collect 5 tank models.”

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If it Doesn’t Fit, Force It!

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According to several sources, it appears as if the long dormant Forces of Valor range of military vehicles, aircraft, and warships will be resurfacing soon, courtesy of a new owner and resurgent look. Their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/fovhobbies/) already has a new cover photo and feel plus, if information posted on July 28th is correct, even their 1:24 scale radio controlled military vehicles will be making a return engagement.

We’re not sure when the the line will be formally introduced or which products will be tapped to from the nucleus of the product portfolio, but we’re nevertheless happy to see them back and with a vengeance. We will post further information just as soon as its passed along to us.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford CVN 78, is represented here in a combination model and live shot digital photo illustration. The ship is the first in a new class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, for the US Navy under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding. — The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), HMS Queen Elizabeth and PLAAN Liaoning, all likely candidates for model representation from the new Forces of Valor some time in 2017.

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Unimax Studies War No More?

According to a post on the Diecast Hangar Pub forum, a prominent UK distributor is indicating that Unimax, the makers of the Forces of Valor range of military vehicles, aircraft and warships, are throwing in the towel and calling it quits, at least as far as military diecast is concerned. They claim that the manufacturer has cancelled all of their upcoming projects slated for 2015, instead of postponing them indefinitely as had been rumored. Recently, Unimax had closed their North American distribution arm and sold off all of their inventory to a US distributor.

If true, this marks a particularly sad state of affairs for collectors, who were expecting a number of key items for several months running. Moreover, the departure of another long time stalwart in the diecast military space represents a nod to some of the manufacturers who have gained market share either by offering untapped subject matter, cheaper items, other scales, or a combination of all three mitigating factors.

Please note that we have yet to confirm these findings with our North American distributor so the information provided could still be sketchy. For further information, please review this thread:

http://tdhp.fr.yuku.com/topic/19329/Re-FOV-items-Cancelled-totally?page=-1#.VLUoOXsYNM4

Update: In early January, our distributor informed us that the list of product originally slated for release was nixed by the manufacturer in favor of a new group of items. It is now February, with the Nuremberg Toy Fair behind us, and we are of the opinion that Unimax has withdrawn from the marketplace, perhaps permanently. We hope it isn’t true but at this point fear the worst.

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