Lately, it seems as though most of the new product announcements we are posting have one thing or another to do with Waltersons’ resurgent look at the Forces of Valor brand. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if their intent is to resurrect some of the oldies but goodies in the Forces of Valor product portfolio. Earlier today, as part of the run-up to the Nuremberg Toy Fair, the Company floated the idea of bringing back the deluxe diorama sets that were a part of their initial product mix way back in 2003, when the line was first introduced. I fondly remember ogling the sets at the American International Toy Fair held here in New York City, remarking to the distributor and owner how lifelike they looked and the degree they were prepared to support the hobby across all market segments.
Fourteen years later, and it now appears as if the new owners feel the same way, showcasing one of the now sold out scenics with an accompanying Tamiya 1:35 scale Challenger II main battle tank. If they do indeed move forward with the re-release of the dioramas, they will likely make some minor tweaks and improvements along the way, which may or may not affect the retail price, weight, packaging, etc. For now, we’re just happy that they are looking to bring them back in full force, which will no doubt be supplemented with additional dioramas featuring several of the new vehicles they’ve already hinted at coming to market in 2017. Enjoy!
Mum for some time regarding their soon-to-be-released range of static military models, it now appears as if Waltersons is releasing information to the public on a day-by-day basis. Yesterday the Company posted imagery of their upcoming 1:32 scale Tiger I tank. Earlier today, they revealed pictures for the warship series, which explains how the vessels will come packed when “shipped out.”
Rather than using a plastic blister to keep them in place, the Company developed a new locking nut mechanism that permits the buyer to easily take the ship in and out of its packaging. Moreover, the outer packaging features an open tabbed fifth panel, which is designed to make it far easier to remove, and, if necessary, replace the item in its box, thereby reducing the likelihood of damage.
As an Easter Egg of sorts, it appears as if the French Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle (R91), will be joining the growing Forces of Valor fleet in 2017, as well as some other unidentified warships. We’ve also re-categorized our Forces of Valor 1:700 scale subsections into a Battleship and Aircraft Carrier Series to correspond with the changes shown on the back of the aforementioned packaging.
As a special holiday gift, Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has debuted images of their upcoming 1:32 scale Tiger I heavy tank. Posted to Facebook earlier today, the up-close photos demonstrate some of the principal differences between the Tiger I tank produced by the former owners, Unimax, then contrasts them with some of the enhancements made by Waltersons, all of which are intended to correct certain deficiencies and make each vehicle more realistic. In the case of the Tiger I tank, five new molds were produced, among them a new chassis, new road wheels, swing arms, torsion bars, new sprocket & new idler wheel, new engine details, and new caterpillar tracks. You can see all on the improvements and follow the progress of some of the other vehicles still under development on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fovhobbies/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED. A new web site is also reportedly under construction.
Perhaps as a fitting tribute to the 75th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Waltersons posted images of their resurrected USS Arizona battleship, an integral part of their reinvigorated Forces of Valor warships range (FOV86013). As you can see, Waltersons has been making adjustments to each of the former models where deemed necessary, all designed to bring them up today’s standards. In the Arizona’s case, Waltersons states that “the colour scheme had been revised to the 1941 Pearl Harbour version, with bright red turret roof and medium blue colour on the hull body.” The model sits atop a wood-like display plinth with metallic rods and, when completed, will boast a metallic nameplate featuring the name of the warship. Look for the first warships to set sail some time in early 2017.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
