As is customary, Hobby Master announced their latest spate of new model introductions right around the middle of the month. While no new toolings were debuted, there were a number of important releases based upon some of their older molds that have taken a back seat in recent months to some of the trendier “darlings of diecast” that seem to have won the hearts and minds of collectors world over. Here now the latest list aircraft expected some time in either February or March:
Like clockwork, Hobby Master announced its latest compendium of aircraft models, all scheduled to land in February 2022. Its a bit of an eclectic mix, with models catering to the needs of collectors dabbling in different military eras and scales. Interestingly, the newest US Navy Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler Electronic Warfare Aircraft isn’t really a newbie at all: its a second rendition of this icoinc bird sans the shark mouth at the front of the aircraft. Some collectors have said it doesn’t look all that appropriate for an aircraft of this nature. Hobby Master listened, and decided to offer this aircraft without “its teeth”, a wise move that demonstrates Hobby Master’s commitment to its fans. Here’s a quick-and-dirty look at what you could be adding to your aircraft collection in early 2022:
If you like jets, and who doesn’t, then you’ll be delighted by the news that Hobby Master checked its latest list of models twice for the upcoming holiday season. While no new toolings were announced, there was a wide range of models in the announcement covering virtually every conflict and user nation. Here now the latest list of aircraft you can expect to ogle this December:
Never one to disappoint, Hobby Master announced today their intent to model the Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter as its next modern era subject. The Su-30 comes as no surprise to the collecting community seeing as how the manufacturer has already modeled virtually all of the other modern era combat aircraft found within the Sukhoi family. Still, it represents an important addition to the Hobby Master stable of modern era platforms, and cements their place as the preeminent maker of pre-assembed diecast military aircraft.
Several other noteworthy aircraft were also shown for the first time, all of whom are tentatively slated for a November release. What follows are the balance of the May product announcements:
Some time ago, Hobby Master released a 1:48 scale tribute to Lt. Commander John S. Thatch, inventor of the so-called “Thatch Weave,” an early war combat tactic that was aimed at preventing enemy aircraft from assuming a position behind friendly aircraft for fear of being shot down themselves. Of course, Thatch wasn’t alone in developing the combat tactic — he was assisted by then Lieutenant Edward “Butch” O’Hare.
Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare was an American naval aviator of the United States Navy, who on February 20th, 1942, became the Navy’s first flying ace when he single-handedly attacked a formation of nine heavy bombers approaching his aircraft carrier. Even though he had a limited amount of ammunition, he managed to shoot down five enemy bombers. On April 21st, 1942, he became the first naval recipient of the Medal of Honor in World War II.
O’Hare’s final action took place on the night of November 26th, 1943, while he was leading the U.S. Navy’s first-ever nighttime fighter attack launched from an aircraft carrier. During this encounter with a group of Japanese torpedo bombers, O’Hare’s Grumman F6F Hellcat was shot down; his aircraft was never found. In 1945, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS O’Hare (DD-889) was named in his honor.
A few years later, Colonel Robert R. McCormick, publisher of the Chicago Tribune, suggested that the name of Chicago’s Orchard Depot Airport be changed as a tribute to Butch O’Hare. On September 19th, 1949, the Chicago, Illinois airport was renamed O’Hare International Airport to honor O’Hare’s bravery. The airport displays a Grumman F4F-3 museum aircraft replicating the one flown by Butch O’Hare during his Medal of Honor flight. The Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat on display was recovered virtually intact from the bottom of Lake Michigan, where it sank after a training accident in 1943 when it went off the training aircraft carrier USS Wolverine (IX-64). In 2001, the Air Classics Museum remodeled the aircraft to replicate the F4F-3 Wildcat that O’Hare flew on his Medal of Honor flight. The restored Wildcat is exhibited in the west end of Terminal 2 behind the security checkpoint to honor O’Hare International Airport’s namesake.
“Butch” O’Hare’s 1:48 scale Wildcat is now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed “Dragon Lady”, is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.
Lockheed Corporation originally proposed it in 1953, it was approved in 1954, and its first test flight was in 1955. It was flown during the Cold War over the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, and Cuba. In 1960, Gary Powers was shot down in a CIA U-2A over the Soviet Union by a surface-to-air missile (SAM). Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. was shot down in a U-2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
U-2s have taken part in post-Cold War conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and supported several multinational NATO operations. The U-2 has also been used for electronic sensor research, satellite calibration, scientific research, and communications purposes. The U-2 is one of a handful of aircraft types to have served the USAF for over 50 years, along with the Boeing B-52 and Boeing KC-135. The newest models (TR-1, U-2R, U-2S) entered service in the 1980s, and the latest model, the U-2S, had a technical upgrade in 2012.
Look for Hobby Master’s first ever U-2 spy plane to lift off later in April.
While the Company continues to shuffle around some of its previous introductions, and beef up many of its strongest categories, Hobby Master took time away from their busy schedule to announce their late summer lineup. Although no new toolings were debuted, there were a number of notable new offerings, including their first ever subject from the Spanish Civil War: a Messerschmitt Bf-109E3 attached to the Luftwaffe’s Condor Legion. Designed to test the mettle of Goring’s young air force, the Condor Legion would go on to play a key role in the war between the Republican and Communist forces dueling for control over Spain from 1936 to 1939.
Here’s the rest of what you can expect to see when the summer draws to a close and everyone climbs back into their cockpit, er, returns to work:
Even as we begin packing up the February Hobby Master releases that showed up this week, we’re already looking ahead to the summer when the latest flock of warbirds materializes. That said, here’s a quick-and-dirty at what you can expect to set off for the wild blue yonder this coming July:
With Chinese New Year fast approaching, Hobby Master wasted no time re-jiggering its mid-year lineup and adding a bevy of new aircraft for a June delivery. While no new toolings were shown, several of their newest warbirds have been requested for several months, including an Israeli F-16C Barak fighter that took part in joint operations with the Luftwaffe over German skies as part of Exercise Blue Wing 2020. Here now some of the latest aircraft added to the Hobby Master aerial armada.
Now that the holiday season has come and gone, we can at last get down to business and start hawking some of the latest additions to our product portfolio. In the case of Hobby Master, several new aircraft were debuted in late December, all of which are tentatively scheduled for a May release. While no new toolings were shown, several of their most popular models are being hauled out again for a re-purpose and re-dress, which should make aviation collectors giddy with glee when they roll off of the assembly line. Here now the newest introductions to our burgeoning Hobby Master inventory:
To learn more about these items, simply click on each image, which will take you directly to the product listing.
