After speaking with the powers that be, there’s an excellent chance that Hobby Master plans on celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation with several commemorative aircraft schemes. Rumor has it that both of the models shown here will be replicated, along with other modern era aircraft painted in the good old red, white and blue.
The F-16 Viper will likely get a similar skin and possibly some of the other aircraft still in the USAF/USN inventory, such as the A-10 Warthog and even the AH-64 Apache. Its not clear, however, if either the F-22 or F-35 will get the same “stars and stripes” treatment since repainted stealth aircraft are adversely affected by a fresh coat of paint. Better to keep them in their original schemes should they be suddenly needed in the Middle East or the Sino-Pacific regions. We’re assuming that which ever aircraft they re-skin will also come with special packaging to help differentiate them from the standard models.
As we’ve come from this prolific model maker, Hobby Master trotted out some of the warbirds we can expect to see this coming December. Not surprisingly, a pair of Vought F-8 Crusaders were included in the mix, which came about as a result of their acquisition of several molds from the now defunct Century Wings. Also in the bag were several longtime favorites, which included two models paying tribute to the El Dorado Canyon mission undertaken two decades ago.
So, without further ado, here now the list of models we plan to bring in towards the end of 2026:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy McDonnell F-4J Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – 155580, VF-96 “Fighting Falcons”, USS Constellation (CV-64), May 1975
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft – “Final Countdown”, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), 1979
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC Boeing F/A-18D Hornet Strike Fighter – VMFA-232 “Red Devils”, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, September 2025 [Anniversary Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet Strike Fighter – 166649, VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers”, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), March 2023
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle Multirole Fighter – 91-311, 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron, “40 Years El Dorado Canyon”, 2026 [Heritage Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scaleUS Navy Boeing E/A-18G Growler Electronic Warfare Aircraft – 168392, VAQ-142 “Gray Wolves”, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), February 2026
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF General Dynamics F-16B Viper Chase Plane – 78-0099, 6510th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, California, 1990
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale US Navy Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat Fighter – “White 10”, Lt.(jg) Dennis Laird, VF-4 “Red Rippers”, USS Ranger (CV-4), October 1943
Just when we thought Hobby Master was done announcing new tooling for 2026 comes word that they plan on tackling the Swedisn-built JAS-39 Gripen as its next airborne warrior. For those of you unfamiliar with the SAAb Gripen, its a light single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. Later aircraft are fully NATO interoperable. As of 2025, more than 280 Gripens of all models, A–F, have been delivered.
Prototype photos were posted in conjunction with the announcement so we anticipate the Gripen, if it does put in an appearance this year, will surface towards the tail end of 2026. More likely, its set to take off at the beginning of 2027, once an initial subject has been chose, a price has been established, and other mitigating factors have been addressed. So, for now, these prototype photos will have to suffice.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Vought A-7D Corsair II Attack Aircraft – 70-0970, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1970s
Never one to miss a beat, Hobby Master debuted their lineup for November earlier this week. Of particular note is their Vought A-7 Corsair II attack aircraft, when the mold was acquired from Century Wings just before they announced they were closing up shop. Aircraft of all size and eras were included in the mix, so there should be something for everyone when these warbirds take flight.
Interestingly, two Avenger’s made the cut. We bring this up because many collectors had feared that Hobby Master was giving up on World War II, instead preferring to offer jets from the Cold War on up to the present day. Privately, it remains to be seen if interest is waning in World War II, what with the 25th Anniversary of the Unites States coming up, History Channel’s WWII with Tom Hanks series set to kick off this Memorial Day, and record crowds attending all of the WWII museums located around the nation.
So, without any further ado, here now the rest of the models we plan to bring in for Turkey Day:
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAAF North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang Fighter – Captain Leonard “Kit” Carson, “Mildred”, 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, RAF Leiston, England, June 1944
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USAAF North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang Fighter – George Preddy, “Cripes A’Mighty”, 487th Fighter Squadron “Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney”, 352nd Fighter Squadron, RAF Bodney, England, July 1944
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 170106, VMA-311 “Tomcats”, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, 2024 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman F-14B Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – 161435, VF-103 “Jolly Rogers,” NAS Oceana, Virginia, 2002
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USMC Boeing Harrier II AV-8B Jump Jet – 165427, VMA-223 “Bulldogs”, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, 2025 [Low-Vis Scheme]
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo-Bomber – “White 5”, Torpedo Squadron 4 (VT-4), USS Ranger (CV-4), September 1943
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy Grumman TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo-Bomber – “The First Avenger”, January 1942
1:72 scale US Navy Grumman A-6E Intruder Attack Aircraft – 160428, VA-34 “Blue Blasters”, Late 1970s
Ever since they burst onto the scene way back in 2006, I’ve always been fascinated by Hobby Master’s ability to keep cranking out new product on a month-by-month basis. In twenty years time, the range has grown exponentially, oftentimes branching into new areas few diecast manufacturers would even consider testing. Earlier this year, it was announced that Hobby Master had obtained many of the molds once owned by the now defunct Century Wings, no doubt paying homage to the Japanese model maker and recognizing they still had plenty of life left within them. That said, the first pairing of former Century Wings aircraft are now getting the nod to be incorporated into the Hobby Master arsenal. And, if that weren’t enough to pique your interest, 15 additional models are set to roll off the assembly line, meaning November is going to be a very busy month when they all see the light of day. So without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to sitting beside the turkey come Thanksgiving:
1:72 Scale
1:72 scale US Navy Grumman KA-6D Intruder Refueling Aircraft – 149951, VA-35 “Black Panthers”, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), 1975
1:72 scale USAF Douglas A1-H Skyraider Attack Aircraft – 52-139738, “The Proud American”, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, June 1972
1:72 scale Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2A Multirole Fighter – 13-8514, 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Tsuiki Air Base, Japan, 2017
Hobby Master’s 1:32 scale US Navy Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless Dive Bomber – 41-S-13, Lieutenant John M. DeVane, Jr., VS-41, USS Ranger (CV-4), November 1942
Operation Torch (November 8th-16th, 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during World War II. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale.
The French colonies were aligned with Germany via Vichy France but the loyalties of the population were mixed. Reports indicated that they might support the Allies. The American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied forces in Mediterranean theater of the war, approved plans for a three-pronged attack on Casablanca (Western), Oran (Centre) and Algiers (Eastern), then a rapid move on Tunis to catch Axis forces in North Africa from the west in conjunction with the British advance from Egypt.
The Western Task Force encountered unexpected resistance and bad weather but Casablanca, the principal French Atlantic naval base, was captured after a short siege. The Centre Task Force suffered some damage to its ships when trying to land in shallow water; Oran surrendered after bombardment by British battleships. The Eastern Task Force met less opposition and were able to push inland and compel surrender on the first day.
The success of Torch caused Admiral Francois Darlan, commander of the Vichy French forces, who was in Algiers, to order co-operation with the Allies, in return for being installed as High Commissioner, with many other Vichy officials keeping their jobs. Darlan was assassinated by a monarchist six weeks later and the Free French gradually came to dominate the government.
Look for Hobby Master’s huge and highly detailed 1:32 scale rendition of Lieutenant John M. DeVane, Jr.’s SBD-3 Dauntless dive bomber in April.
When President Trump announced his plans to increase tariffs on dozens of countries way back on April 2nd of last year, it basically threw the market into a tizzy. The diecast model making business, which is essentially located in both China and Bangladesh, was deeply affected by the move, forcing several to shut down for an indefinite period of time, and others to adjust their shipping schedule to accommodate the changes. One Company that has attempted to soldier on despite the tariffs is Hobby Master, who, up until “Liberation Day”, was pumping out at least a dozen or so new products each month. It too, was eventually forced to alter its battle plan, delaying the release of many products by several months and shunting others to the back burner until the “all-clear” signal was issued.
This April, fully one year after the Trump tariffs took effect, our distributor reports that a large number of Hobby Master products are slated for an April arrival, many of which had been expected months ago. In fact, 24 military aircraft models are destined to reach our shores this month, and that ain’t no April Fools joke. We are currently awaiting confirmation from our distributor regarding which models are in the works and when we can expect them. We will update this blog post once we have firm confirmation regarding their release.
Note: The following products are confirmed to arrive in April: HA33007, HA3383, HA38069, HA9805, HA19081, HA19082, HA38070, HA4447, HA1341, HA38068, HA4625, HA3593, HA6214, HA5143,HA9558, HA5654, HA9707,HA0218
Looking to build out their product portfolio, Hobby Master debuted a line drawing of its next military subject, the Chengdu J-10 “Firebird” multirole aircraft. While not as sexy as some of the PLAAF’s sixth generation aircraft currently undergoing testing, the J-10 is nevertheless an important bridge to the future until their next generation warbirds move from the drawing board to serial production over the next few years. Due out in August, the first version of the J-10 represents an aircraft that is deployed to Zhuhai, China, during 2025, and would likely be employed in an aerial conflict that focused on the invasion and potential seizure of Taiwan.
A number of other models were also announced as part of the August release roster. These are currently being addressed as we speak with concrete pricing out by week’s end.
Recognizing that the Century Wings line of military aircraft still has legs, Hobby Master has purportedly acquired the molds to many of the Century Wings aircraft models. The list reportedly includes the SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft, A-6 Intruder attack aircraft, A-7 Corsair II light attack aircraft and F-8 Crusader air superiority aircraft. Additionally, the purchase includes their entire range of 1:144 scale military aircraft, which includes their A-6, A-7 and F-14 replicas. Word on the street says that the purchase does not include CW’s 1:72 scale F-14 Fleet Defense Fighter largely because Hobby Master already makes a model of the Tomcat.
Hobby Master will reportedly thoroughly inspect each mold and make improvements where needed to keep them up-to-date and ensure they are capable of being used multiple times over the course of their reinvigorated lifespan. While no mention was made regarding which models will come out first, the announcement does claim that some models will start to show up towards the latter half of 2026. We are assuming that Hobby Master packaging will be used throughout so there is no confusion with previously released black-box Century Wings models. With its exacting attention to detail, its possible that the CW F-14 mold could end up with yet another manufacturer, although nothing firm has been indicated and several manufacturers, among them Calibre Wings and JC Wings, already possess their own F-14 molds.
The acquisitions solidifies Hobby Master’s position as the leading maker of diecast military aircraft models and rounds out their range of Cold War era subjects. Naturally, it would be nice to see models based upon some of the warbirds currently being developed and tested world over by a number of nations, among them several sixth generation fighters and other equally important aerial platforms. Likewise, it would be sweet to see them delve deeper into other sophisticated combat systems, most notably drones, collaborative combat aircraft, ground vehicles and even surface and sub-surface systems that comprise many of today’s military arsenals.
Takeaway: This is a great development for fans of both Hobby Master and Century Wings. While Hobby Master has slowed down its production of new aircraft types, the Century Wings acquisitions serves a dual purpose by completing Hobby Master’s pantheon of Cold War military aircraft and resurrecting the Century Wings molds many had thought were doomed after the manufacturer announced its closure this past December.
Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2b “Zero” Fighter – Lieutenant Junior Grade Tetsuzo Iwamoto, 253rd AG, Rabaul, January 1944 (1:48 Scale)
In a race to flood the market with diecast aircraft while other manufacturers sit back on their laurels, Hobby Master announced a bunch of new models for a June/July release. While no new toolings were unveiled, their most recent marketing literature did feature a number of favorites, including a pair of 1:48 scale Mitsubishi Zero fighters, demonstrating they are still supporting mid-twentieth century warfare platforms that seem to have fallen out of favor with other manufacturers. Here now the list of aircraft models we plan to bring in this coming summer:
Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2b “Zero” Fighter – 261st AG “Tiger Corps”, Kagoshima, Japan, February 1944 (1:48 Scale)
USAF North American F-100 Super Sabre Fighter – FW-871, The National Museum of the United States Air Force (1:72 Scale)
USAF North American F-100D Super Sabre Fighter – 55-2950, 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron “Panthers”, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France, 1958 (1:72 Scale)
USAF Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 22-5696, 176th Fighter Squadron “Badger Air Militia”, 115th Fighter Wing, Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Madison, Wisconsin, August 2004 (1:72 Scale)
US Navy Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter – 169034, VFA-125 “Rough Raiders”, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), 2022 [Low-Vis Scheme] (1:72 Scale)
USAF Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II Ground Attack Aircraft -“Maryland Farewell”, 104th Fighter Squadron “The Fightin’ O’s”, Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland, September 2015 (1:72 Scale)
French Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000N Multi-Role Fighter – 4-BJ, EC 2/4 “La Fayette”, Luxueil, France, July 1992 (1:72 Scale)
US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat Fleet Defense Fighter – 160658, VFA-124 “Gunfighters”, October 1978 (1:72 Scale)
USAF Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Air Dominance Fighter – “Blue 065”, 65th Aggressor Squadron, 57th Operations Group, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada [Notional Scheme] (1:72 Scale)
All of these new introductions have now been listed in our product portfolio and are available for pre-order.
