Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Late Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – schwere SS Panzerabteilung 103, Zwolle, Netherlands, 1944 [Bonus Maybach HL 230 TRM P45 Engine]
A number of you have pre-ordered some of the upcoming 1:32 scale Tiger I heavy tanks from Forces of Valor. Please be advised that the manufacturer has made several changes to the names and descriptions for each of the vehicles over the past week or so, and could be making further changes as we get closer to their actual release date. In fact, according to a recent blog post on Facebook, the manufacturer plans on offering as many as 20 different Tiger I tanks at some point in time, which means several haven’t even been announced just yet and others seem to be in a state of flux as to which vehicle and unit they plan to represent. Obviously we will post images for each vehicle once they are passed along to us but for now, we would appreciate it if you review each vehicle as they now stand and notify us of any changes you wish to make for pre-orders already submitted. Panzer Vorwärts!
Back in the day, a cad was a man who behaved dishonorably towards a woman, forsaking her good name in an effort to, well, take advantage of her when chivalry was still the norm. Today, CAD has taken on quite a different meaning, spelled out in capital letters and now signifying computer aided design, a creative process by which most models are now developed with the help of sophisticated software packages.
Recently, Waltersons, the new caretakers of the Forces of Valor brand, posted a bevy of CAD images to their website for many of their upcoming projects. Five different Tiger Is are shown, along with eight Sherman tanks and the first vehicles in their “Inside Out” series: the Sturmtiger. We’ve posted all of the images here and have already begun to accept pre-orders for the group. At this time, we don have firm release dates for any of the vehicles, since the production pipeline was disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis and Waltersons hasn’t shown any of the paint masters so collectors can get a better idea of what the finished products will look like. Stay tuned and remember its going to be a very busy third and fourth quarter from the folks at Forces of Valor, as they get set to release these and other projects long hinted at and finally coming to fruition.
Note: Keep in mind that many of the Tiger I images look the same based upon these CAD images. Actual photos of each Tiger I tank are expected in the coming weeks.
Forces of Valor’s Inside Out Series: German Sturmtiger Assault Mortar
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane – Prototype Presentation to Fuhrer, Ehrenfriedhof Arys Proving Grounds, East Prussia, October 20th, 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Late Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane – Sturmmorser Kompanie 1002, Berlin, Germany, May 1945 [Bonus Maybach HL230P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Mid Production RW61 Sturmtiger Rocket Assault Mortar with Loading Crane – Sturmmorser Kompanie 1002, Ebendorf, Germany, April 1945 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 V-12 Water-Cooled Engine]
Forces of Valor’s Engine Plus Series: German Tiger I Heavy Tank
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “832”, 2.SS Panzer Regiment, 2.SS Panzer Division “Das Reich”, Eastern Front, February 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “123”, schwere Panzerabteilung 503, Kursk, Russia, August 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “100”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Kursk, Russia, July 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – “321”, schwere Panzerabteilung 505, Kursk, Russia, July 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank – Michael Wittmann, “S04”, schwere SS Panzerabteilung 101, Eastern Front, Winter 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine]
Forces of Valor’s Engine Plus Series: US M4 Sherman Medium Tank
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – 35th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Bastogne, Belgium, December 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(105) Sherman Howitzer with HVSS Suspension – 8th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Avranches, Brittany, France, July-August 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3E8 Sherman Medium Tank with HVSS Suspension – “A Paper Doll”, A Company, 68th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division, Germany 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4(75) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – 47th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division, France, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3E8 Sherman Medium Tank with HVSS Suspension – Creighton Abrams’ “Thunderbolt VII”, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, NW Europe, 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4(105) Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension and Wading Equipment – 713th Tank Battalion, 11th Armored Division, Okinawa, April-June 1945 [Bonus Continental (Wright) R-975, Radial 9 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3(76)W Sherman Medium Tank with VVSS Suspension – C Company, 771st Tank Battalion, 12th Armored Division, Linnich, Germany, February 1945 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Assault Tank with VVSS Suspension – “Cobra King”, C Company, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Bastogne, Belgium, December 26th, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale US M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Assault Tank with VVSS Suspension – “Cobra King”, C Company, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Bastogne, Belgium, December 26th, 1944 [Bonus Ford GAA V-8 Engine]
Last year, Waltersons announced their intent to make eight different versions of the ubiquitous M4 Sherman tank, the workhorse of the American Army throughout WWII. Initially we were stunned that so many different versions were in the works, when Unimax, the previous owner of the Forces of Valor brand, released only one over the course of several years. While we were a bit skeptical, and hoped they planned on spacing out their releases so that collectors could pick and choose at their leisure instead of having to accept them en masse, the fact remained that we were happy to see so many different variants were going to be offered. Earlier today, we learned which vehicles, units and theatres of action are being replicated and have updated our web site accordingly. Here’s what you can look forward to leading into battle as early as this summer:
CAD images showing some of the new M4 Sherman variants on the drawing board
Interestingly, most of the vehicles will carry an $89.99 price tag while a handful will be pegged at $79.99. Information will soon be disseminated regarding their set of four different Tiger I heavy tanks as well as the first vehicle in their newly launched Inside Out Series, the Sturmtiger assault mortar.
Ever since they started rolling out late last year, I’ve wondered why the display bases for the revitalized 1:32 scale military vehicles seemed a tad unfinished along each of their edges. Well, now I know the reason. Yesterday, we learned that Waltersons has been planning several enhancements for each 1:32 scale set that are designed to give them a bit more polish and added flair. Beginning this summer, the manufacturer plans to release a series of wood-like frames that attach to each of the four display base sides with the forward facing edge mounting an etched metallic name plate. Three sizes will be offered (small, medium and large) as is three types of faux wood finishes: mahogany, black wood and walnut. Pricing hasn’t been set just yet and its not clear if each frame will include an assortment of name plates so that the collector can pick and choose which vignette they are looking to portray. Update: Waltersons informs us that three etched metallic name plates will be included in each set and that the retail price point will probably be fixed at $12.99.
While no images were offered, Waltersons did also indicate that they are planning to come out with an assortment of full-color back drops that can be mounted behind each vignette. Its possible that each back drop will be reversible giving the collector two options to choose from. Its not clear if the back drops will dramatize daytime/nighttime lighting conditions, as hinted at in their T-34/85 medium tank series, or simply provide different vistas and even 3-D pop outs such as buildings and fortifications. Look for these and possibly other enhancement sets later in the year.
On a different note, the Company is looking to branch out a bit by offering a new series of budget-minded interlocking sets that will feature a 4-inch aircraft along with a 1:200 scale section of an aircraft carrier deck. The first “panorama”, if you will, is designed to portray deck operations atop the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) just after its overhaul in 1982. Twelve individual sets make up the entire deck, five on the port side of the ship, five on the starboard side, and two forward over the bow. The embarked air wing will consist of several F-14 Tomcats, F/A-18 Hornets, and an E-2C Hawkeye Early Warning Aircraft.
Pricing for each section will likely be pegged at around $20 per section, thus bringing the entire 12-section set in at just under $240. The entire series is expected to street some time this summer.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German Sd. Kfz. 173 Jagdpanther Ausf. G1 Tank Destroyer with Zimmerit – “234”, schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 654, Normandy, August 1944 [Bonus Maybach HL230 P30 Engine]
So, we finally have some good news to report on the Forces of Valor front. Our distributor claims they have received their latest shipment of merchandise, which includes restocks of several back ordered items as well as a handful of new products. The new items include their 1:32 scale Jagdpanther tank destroyer as well as their Jagdtiger heavy tank destroyer. As mentioned previously, these are largely upgraded vehicles from the Unimax line that now feature removable engines, a decorative display base, more metal to give them greater heft and better paint schemes that includes weathering and pitting where applicable. We invite you to check out some of the images we’ve posted for both vehicles to get a better sense of what they now look like.
Forces of Valor’s 1:700 People’s Liberation Army Navy Surface Force Liaoning Class Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier – Liaoning (CV-16), Hong Kong Visit, 2017
Waltersons first new warship is also on its way to us, the PLAAN Liaoning aircraft carrier (CV-16). Two versions are being offered – one having participated in live fire military drills in the South China Sea in 2016 and the other portraying the ship as it pulled into Hong Kong harbor in 2017. Both have working elevators, a full complement of aircraft, and turning defensive armament as well as a vacuu-formed sea wave blister that can be used to display the ship as if it were at sea. If not, both warships comes with stands so they can be displayed atop a credenza.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German 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]
Back in December, we did a write up on the upcoming Jagdtiger from Forces of Valor, which is largely an upgrade to the Unimax Jagdtiger released several years ago but now comes with a detailed engine compartment complete with a bonus engine. At the time, there weren’t many images of the new vehicle available, so the article was somewhat text heavy and ended up discussing the reasons for building and fielding a Jagdtiger (hunting tiger) tank destroyer even when the Reich’s late-war resources were scarce and likely should have been diverted to other less costly projects.
Well, the manufacturer was kind enough to provide us with an avalanche of images for their soon-to-be-released Jagdtiger, which show off the upgrades made to the existing mold as well as the weathered ambush paint scheme it now bears.
According to our distributor, both the Jagdtiger and Jagdpanther (hunting Panther) are expected to arrive this month, along with a restock of their Sherman Firefly and other items. We anticipate brisk sales for all three vehicles and hope to share some additional information we’ve gleaned from the manufacturer in the days ahead. Stay tuned.
Waltersons has been exploring ways to better market its Forces of Valor 1:32 scale military vehicle category and has decided to change things up a bit to better reflect its revised strategy. Essentially, they’ve come up with three separate categories for their military line, all based upon each item’s features, extras and lineage. Here’s how everything will be categorized going forward:
The Legacy and Engine Plus series are actually two series rolled into one. To begin with, the Legacy series represents those vehicles produced by Unimax, the original manufacturer of the line. The Engine Plus series, which is the creation of Waltersons, the new owners of the line, encompasses those vehicles that have been upgraded with a removable engine and fully detailed engine compartment. Other enhancements may have been made, such as updated suspension systems, better weathering and painting, and additional metal components to give each vehicle more heft.
The Inside Out series, as its name implies, emphasizes the intricacy, ingenuity and complexity of the crew compartment found in many of the world’s armored fighting vehicles. As such, these replicas feature fully modeled three-dimensional interiors that are designed to show off some of the incredible detail found within each all-new combat vehicle. Where applicable, each crew station has been accurately modeled, along with ammunition stowage racks, ordnance, weapons and other important gear typically found within a vehicle that heretofore haven’t been correctly replicated by any of the major modelmakers. Presently, its not clear if this sub category will feature removable engines like the Engine Plus series although we’re willing to bet it will.
Like their larger brethren, the new 1:32 scale Extreme Metal series will feature metal tracks, added crewmen, accessories, a simulated wooden crate for stowage and added collectibility, replica munitions, as well as other familiar hallmarks that have made the 1:16 scale series so near and dear to the hearts of collectors worldwide.
To this end, we’ve temporarily taken down many of the new product listings until we have a better sense as to how they will be marketed and priced. It is possible, for instance, that a particular product could fall into multiple categories so we will wait a bit longer until this new marketing strategy has been fully fleshed out since there could still be some changes made to this plan. A similar plan could and will likely be created for their soon-to-debut military aircraft line so we will wait and see how they plan to approach this category in the days ahead.
Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has updated their Facebook page with more information regarding their 2020 range. According to their representative, any vehicle that was originally produced by Unimax and has undergone an upgrade that includes a removable engine will be part of their newly branded “Engine Plus” series. So, tanks such as the T-34/85, M4 Sherman, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger and Tiger I fall under this heading. Newly tooled vehicles, such as the upcoming Sturmtiger, M10 tank destroyer and KV-2, will be part of their “Extreme Metal” series. These vehicles will feature fully detailed crew compartments and other interior detailing, as well as metal tracks, much like their larger 1:16 scale brethren. We haven’t decided yet if we will segregate all of the existing Forces of Valor vehicles into one category and the newly tooled vehicles into another since this may create some confusion for the collector. We’ll likely revisit this scenario once our web site has completed its migration to the Shopify e-commerce platform scheduled for January.
Interior detail of the Sturmtiger. The manufacturer claims that the rear panel of the vehicle can be removed so collectors can simulate the loading of the ammunition
In other news, eight different Sherman variants are currently being worked on by Waltersons, the first one likely being an M4 mounting a 105mm howitzer. The manufacturer claims that the entrenching tools typically attached to a vehicle’s exterior can be detached while other accessories, such as sand bags and logs, are being developed for added realism.
Lastly, the Company claims to be getting set to announce their aviation line up and will likely be showing some of their models at the upcoming Hong Kong Toy Fair which is scheduled to open on January 6th. We haven’t seen any images yet so it remains to be seen how they plan to re-work the aircraft to bring them up to today’s standards. Rumor has it that the engines can be removed much like the vehicles, although we haven’t seen any evidence to support this assertion.
Forces of Valor’s 1:32 scale German 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]
By early 1945, the German Army in the West was a spent force. It had been fighting the Western Allies for almost a year, bled white by unrelenting combat that sapped the Wehrmacht of its waning strength. Still, some units held out til the bitter end, either afraid of what would happen to them should they attempt to capitulate to the advancing Allied units or maintaining their belief that the Third Reich would somehow pull through the ordeal despite its grievous losses. One such unit was Kampfgruppe Goggler, which was attached to schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653 tasked with defending the town of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany, in March 1945.
As a tank destroyer, the creation of the fearsome Jagdtiger was heavily influenced by one of its predecessors, the Sturmgeschutz III. Unlike a tank, a tank destroyer mounted its main armament within the hull of the vehicle, or more often in a completely enclosed, integral armored casemate as part of the main hull. From a purely economical standpoint, it was determined that a self-propelled gun was far cheaper to build than a tank boasting a powered turret since it required far fewer parts and less labor, and was therefore easier to maintain than a traditional tank. Moreover, under wartime conditions, it would oftentimes take a considerable amount of time and administrative work to repair a damaged tank turret with the goal of getting the vehicle back into the field as quickly as possible. The Waffenamt, the German Ordnance Department responsible for the creation of the panzerwaffe, therefore proposed a radical solution to this dilemma – it would be much quicker and cheaper to build and repair a turret-less tank that might necessitate the retrofitting of a new gun to the vehicle instead of a complete overhaul should it become battle damaged.
The Wehrmacht accumulated a vast amount of combat experience after its invasion of the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941. For starters, engaging the ubiquitous T-34 tank with its sloped armor came as surprise to the architects of the Blitzkrieg, who oftentimes had to employ improvised tactics to defeat the tank when their own tanks proved incapable of dealing with the threat. Moreover, the Soviet 122mm gun, originally deployed as a field gun, was being re-purposed as a mobile tank killer when it was mounted to an armored vehicle, first appearing on the battlefield with the introduction of the Su-122 assault gun in December 1942. As a response, the Waffenamt eventually developed the powerful 12.8 cm Pak 44 L/55 anti-tank gun. Although the Pak 44 had short to medium-range performance similar to its predecessor, the 8.8 cm Pak 43, it was better suited in the anti-tank role over long to extremely long ranges of 1800–2700+ meters, where it was important to engage enemy armor before they could come within range of their own guns. As the campaign in the east wore on, and the Soviets began fielding ever more capable battle tanks with even larger guns and thicker armor, it became imperative that a new series of armored fighting vehicles be developed by the German war planners to deal with these up-gunned threats.
Porsche, no stranger to designing combat vehicles for the German army, was awarded the coveted project of mounting a 12.8 cm gun within the bowels of the newly-created Tiger II tank chassis. Porsche was chosen because its suspension system was easier to manufacture than the one produced by Henschel, its chief competitor. Less parts were involved and, most importantly, it occupied less space inside the chassis as compared with the typical torsion bar type suspension system developed by Henschel. As a result, the first 11 Jagdtigers that rolled off the production line were equipped with the Porsche suspension system in an effort to get them into the field and into the hands of the panzerwaffe as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, shortly after being deployed, reports began to surface that the Porsche suspension was prone to breaking down largely due to the enormous weight of the 71-ton Jagdtiger. Despite its cost and longer build time, it was therefore determined that the remaining vehicles in the series be fitted with the Henschel torsion bar suspension system, thereby giving the vehicle better durability and reliability under combat conditions, two important attributes to armored combat in the latter stages of the war.
Look for Forces of Valor’s mighty 1:32 scale Jagdtiger (FOV801024A) in early 2020.
Forces of Valor’s 1:72 scale RAF Boeing-Vertol HC.Mk 1 Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopter – “The Survivor”, No. 18 Squadron, Falklands Detachment, 1982
The US Army has a long tradition of naming its helicopters after American Indian tribes and the Chinook is no exception. A proud tribe hailing from the state of Washington, the Chinook were skilled elk hunters and fishermen owing in large part to living near and along the coast of the Pacific Northwest.
The Boeing CH-47 Chinookis an American-designed twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter that was originally developed by Vertol, which was subsequently acquired by Boeing in the 1980s. The V-107, as the prototype model was originally designated, was developed to meet a requirement raised by the United States’ Department of the Army, who was looking to replace their older piston-engine-powered Sikorsky CH-37 Mojaves. The Mojave boasted larger, heavier and less powerful engines than the turboshaft engines employed on the Chinook, making them less suited in the heavy lift role. Initially, the Chinook was deemed to be too heavy for the conduct of assault missions, an integral part of the air assault concept by vertical envelopment put forward by US war planners in the 1950s. In order to meet this revised requirement, the V-107 prototype was improved to the point where it was eventually adopted by the US Marine Corps, who came to call it the CH-46 Sea Knight. With the success of the Sea Knight, the US Army, still seeking a more capable heavy-lift helicopter of its own that was capable of ferrying troops, vehicles and equipment onto the battlefield and medical evacuations off, eventually ordered a derivative of the V-107, the YCH-1B. In 1962, the YCH-1B was redesignated the CH-47A Chinook. Over the course of the next five decades, the Chinook went on to serve the military forces of over 50 nations, making it one of the most widely used helicopters still in existence today.
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force is just one of the many nations to have employed the Chinook in a variety of roles. Indeed, the RAF operates one of the largest fleets of Chinook helicopters outside of the United States, first entering service at the dawn of the 1980s. Designated as the HC Mk.1, the RAF Chinook is remarkably similar to the CH-47C operated by the US Army, although it is equipped with a pair of Lycoming T55-L-11E engines. During the Falklands War in April 1982, RAF Chinooks were sent to the conflict to provide support for British assault forces. Embarked upon the container ship, MV Atlantic Conveyor, the ship was attacked by an Argentine Navy Dassault Super Entendard strike fighter as it neared its destination. Four of the five Chinooks attached to No.18 Squadron were destroyed in the aerial attack, severely reducing the unit’s combat capability.
The lone survivor, Bravo November, (serial number ZA718), was deemed airworthy and used to pick up freight from the Royal Navy’s HMS Glasgow, a Type 42 destroyer, which was also part of the Task Force that managed to avoid the attack by the Entendards. During the ensuing campaign to liberate the islands from occupying Argentine forces, Bravo November transported approximately 1,500 troops, 95 casualties, 650 POWs and 550 tons of cargo to and from the battlefield. It was aptly given the the nick name “The Survivor” and, in due course, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for its meritorious service in combat.
Look for Forces of Valor’s rendition of “The Survivor” (FOV821004C) in early 2020.
