Hobby Master

Product Spotlight: “The Santa Tracker”

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

– Editorial that appeared in the New York Sun, September 1897

Norad Tracks Santa is an annual Christmas themed entertainment program, which has existed since 1955, produced under the auspices of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Every year on Christmas Eve, “NORAD Tracks Santa” purports to track Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole and delivers presents to children around the world. The program is the tradition of the September 1897 editorial “Yes, Virginia, thee is a Santa Claus” in the New York Sun.

Today, NORAD relies on volunteers to make the program possible. Each volunteer handles about forty telephone calls per hour, and the team typically handles more than 12,000 e-mails and more than 70,000 telephone calls from more than two hundred countries and territories. Most of these contacts happen during the twenty-five hours from 2 a.m. on December 24 until 3 a.m.MST on December 25th. A website called NORADSanta.org was established to allow project access for Internet users.

Google Analytics has been in use since December 2007 to analyze traffic website traffic. As a result of this analysis information, the program can project and scale volunteer staffing, telephone equipment, and computer equipment needs for Christmas Eve. Volunteers include NORAD military and civilian personnel.

In 2014, NORAD answered more than 100,000 phone calls. In 2015, more than 1,200 U.S. and Canadian military personnel volunteered to staff the phone lines.

Presently, the Hobby Master S-3 Viking “Santa Tracker” (HA4904), which plays on the program’s activities and features a caricature of Santa’s back as if he had collided with the aircraft, is scheduled to arrive some time in December, although its unclear if it will make it in time for Christmas delivery. Should things change, we will update our web site accordingly and indicate whether or not collectors can count on it as a Christmas present. If you are not keen to have Jolly St. Nick slathered across your warbirds, then a similar plane can be purchased in the form of HA4905.

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Product Spotlight: “Good Golly, Miss Molly”

“Illegitimi non carborundum” (a mock-Latin aphorism meaning “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.)”

– Motto of VF-111 “Sundowners”

Nowadays, it seems as though every manufacturer is either producing or planning to produce their version of the venerable F-14 Fleet Defense Fighter. So, when Hobby Master jumped into the game earlier this year, several model makers took notice, as did the bulk of the diecast collecting community. Pretty far along now in the production process, we recently received images of their next warbird: one nicknamed “Miss Molly,” and attached to the VF-111 “Sundowners”, then embarked upon the USS Carl Vinson (CV-70) during 1989.

The VF-111 Sundowners was a U.S. Navy fighter squadron flying the F-14 Tomcat until disestablished in 1995. The Sundowner tradition lives on in the form of VFC-111 as an aggressor squadron flying F-5Ns, it was made official in November 2006.

In October 1983 VF-111 returned to NAS Miramar following a world cruise on the maiden deployment of the USS Carl Vinson. The Sundowners accumulated over 1400 landings and 300 flight hours during the cruise.

In 1986 VF-111 accumulated over 7000 accident free flight hours and won the COMFITAEWWINGPAC Third Quarter Safety Award. The squadron earned COMCARGRU 3 and COMCARWING 15 endorsements to receive the ADM Joseph C. Clifton Award which designates the recipient as the best fighter squadron in the Navy.

In the spring of 1986 VF-111 began another busy work-up cycle, completing a successful series of training evolution and exercises in preparation for their June 1988 Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment. VF-111’s seventeen month work-up was capped by a history making event, FLEETEX 88-2, the first time since World War II that a carrier, USS Carl Vinson and a battleship, USS New Jersey operated as a Battle Fleet.

VF-111’s eventful 1988 deployment began in June and ended in December. It included operations in the Northern/Western Pacific, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean, providing support of tanker escorts in the Persian Gulf and included a transit of the Bering Sea, the fourth such transit in four deployments. Interoperability with U.S. and foreign air assets was stressed through exercises with the USAF Alaskan Air Command and Air Forces of Malaysia, Japan and Thailand.

In preparation for another deployment in 1990, VF-111 deployed aboard USS Carl Vinson from September to November 1989 as participants in PACEX 89. This landmark exercise had the Sundowners operating in the Bering Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan as a part of the largest naval exercise since World War II.

Look for “Miss Molly” (HA5213) some time in November.

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Product Spotlight: From Interception to Defection

Hobby Master’s first MiG 25 Foxbat interceptor, based upon the mount flown by defecting pilot Viktor Belenko

“In terms of speed, MiG-25 can fly at mach 3.2 but after that flight – and it will be short one, I don’t know how long but it will be short one – but after that flight you must change its engines.”

– Lt. (Sg.) V. Belenko, Russian pilot who defected to the West with his MiG 25 interceptor

When it was first unveiled to the world in the late 1960s, the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 25 “Foxbat” caused a great deal of consternation in the West, appearing as if the Soviets had gained the upper hand in fighter aircraft design. However, at a time when Western military planners were still unsure as to the exact purpose of the MiG 25, fate and a good bit of luck would turn things around and give the Soviets a headache of their own.

Inaccurate intelligence analysis caused the West initially to believe the MiG-25 was an agile air-combat fighter rather than an interceptor. In response, the United States started a new program which resulted in the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. NATO obtained a better understanding of the MiG-25’s capabilities on September 6th, 1976, when a Soviet Air Defence Forces pilot, Lt. Viktor Belenko, defected, landing his MiG-25P at Hakodate Airport in Japan. The pilot overshot the runway on landing and damaged the front landing gear. Despite Soviet protests, the Japanese invited U.S. Air Force personnel to investigate the aircraft. On September 25th, it was moved by a C-5A transport to a base in central Japan, where it was carefully dismantled and analyzed. After 67 days, the aircraft was returned by ship to the Soviets, in pieces. The aircraft was reassembled and is now on display at the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod.

Look for the MiG 25 to carry a wide range of short- and intermediate range anti-aircraft missiles

To pay tribute to this amazing warbird, Hobby Master has announced their intent to build a 1:72 scale replica of the MiG 25P “Foxbat-A” interceptor (HA5601). More importantly, Hobby Master has chosen to recreate the aircraft flown by defecting Soviet pilot, Viktor Belenko, as its first foray into the land of the MiG, the same aircraft he flew from Russia to Japan in 1976, and returned to the Soviet Union some two months later.

We anticipate extremely strong sales for this aircraft when it gets released some time this coming March, so we advise placing your pre-orders as soon as possible since it is entirely possible we may not have enough for general sale once it does arrive.

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Product Spotlight: “Dolfo”

HA8702

“As England, in spite of her hopeless situation, still shows no sign of willingness to come to terms, I have decided to prepare, and if necessary to carry out, a landing operation against her. The aim of this operation os to eliminate the English Motherland as a base from which the war against Germany can be continued, and, if necessary, to occupy the country completely.”

– Fuhrer Directive No. 16, announcing Unternehmen Seelowe (Operation Sea Lion), the invasion of England, July 16th, 1940

Hobby Master’s second 1:48 scale look at the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter is nearing its operational readiness date, and this one is ever-so-important to historians and collectors alike. HA8702 portrays Oberstleutnant Adolf Galland’s Bf-109E fighter, when he was attached to Jagdgeschwader 26 “Schlageter”, then deployed to Audembert, France, June 1940.

HA8702a

Undoubtedly one of the best known Bf 109Es of them all, Galland’s famous E-4/N was marked with Kommodore markings, 57 victory bars on the rudder and the familiar black and white mouse personal emblem. But the writing was on the wall for this aircraft by December 1940. Having scored an additional three kills with it, Galland then received a new Bf 109E-0, and proceeded to fly both types from Brest in early 1941. The Bf 109Es scope protuding from the windscreen was not a telescopic sight, but just a straightforward telescope, which enabled Galland to identify between friend and foe at a greater range.

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Product Spotlight: Celebrate General Chuck Yeager’s Upcoming 94th Birthday in Style

“You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.”

– Chuck Yeager

As legendary ace, Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, nears his 94th birthday this February, Hobby Master decided to pay him hommage with a replica of his P-51D Mustang, “Glamorous Glen III.”

Stationed in the United Kingdom at RAF Leiston, Yeager flew P-51 Mustangs in combat with the 363d Fighter Squadron. He named his aircraft Glamorous Glen after his girlfriend, Glennis Faye Dickhouse, who became his wife in February 1945. Yeager had gained one victory before he was shot down over France in his first aircraft (P-51B-5-NA s/n 43-6763) on March 5th, 1944, during his eighth mission. He escaped to Spain on March 30th with the help of the Maquis (French Resistance) and returned to England on May 15th, 1944. During his stay with the Maquis, Yeager assisted the guerrillas in duties that did not involve direct combat, although he did help to construct bombs for the group, a skill that he had learned from his father. He was awarded the Bronze Star for helping another airman, who had lost part of his leg during the escape attempt, to cross the Pyrenees.

HA7735a

Despite a regulation prohibiting “evaders” (escaped pilots) from flying over enemy territory again, the purpose of which was to prevent a second capture from compromising resistance groups, Yeager was reinstated to flying combat. He had joined another evader, bomber pilot Captain Fred Glover, in speaking directly to the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, on June 12th, 1944. With Glover pleading their case, they argued that because the Allies had invaded France and the Maquis were by then openly fighting the Nazis alongside Allied troops, if Yeager or Glover were shot down again, there was little about those who had previously helped them evade capture that could be revealed to the enemy.

Eisenhower, after gaining permission from the War Department to decide the requests, concurred with Yeager and Glover. Yeager later credited his postwar success in the Air Force to this decision, saying that his test pilot career followed naturally from his having been a decorated combat pilot, along with having been an aircraft mechanic before attending pilot school. In part, because of his maintenance background, he also frequently served as a maintenance officer in his flying units.

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Product Spotlight: Defending the Motherland

HA5301

“Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you.”

– First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikita Kruschev, commenting on Capitalism

While Hobby Master has been content to replicate some of the most iconic western jets of the modern era, their record at offering adversarial aircraft has been a bit spotty. Until now. Their first ever Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 23 Flogger has now been released, one that represents a warbird from the 787th IAP, then deployed to Eberswalde, Finow AB, Brandenburg, East Germany, during the 1970s (HA5301). Like their F-14 Tomcat, their inaugural MiG features variable geometry wings, thereby enabling the collector to display their aircraft in multiple configurations.

HA5301a

Painted in a light grey exterior and bearing all the hallmark detail we’ve come to expect from Hobby Master, their first ever MiG will no doubt kick off other variants and schemes in the months to come, and will likely usher in a bevy of other adversarial aircraft in the coming year.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third-generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 “Foxbat”. It was the first attempt by the Soviet Union to design look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond visual range missiles, and the first MiG production fighter aircraft to have intakes at the sides of the fuselage. Production started in 1970 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with various export customers.

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Product Spotlight: Hobby Master Hoists the Jolly Roger

HA5203

“Obsolete weapons do not deter.”

– British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

We’re starting to find ourselves knee-deep in Grumman F-14 Tomcats, so anytime a truly important release catches the third arresting wire on our flight deck, we have to sit up and take notice. This month, we are expecting the latest in the Hobby Master stable of F-14s – an “A” variant that was attached to VF-84 “Jolly Rogers,” then embarked upon the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), during 1977 (HA5203).

HA5203a

Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (the Jolly Rogers) is a Strike Fighter Squadron flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at NAS Oceana.

In March 1993, VF-84 deployed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the only F-14 squadron in a reconfigured airwing that included Marine F/A-18, CH-53 and UH-1 squadrons. VF-84 flew critical TARPS reconnaissance missions during Operation Deny Flight, providing information about Bosnian Serb positions around Sarajevo. The squadron also flew in support of Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq.

VF-84 returned to NAS Oceana in September 1993. It was to be the squadron’s last Mediterranean deployment.

Due to the downsizing of the Navy after the Cold War, the Navy disestablished several squadrons, and VF-84 was one of them. The squadron spent its last eighteen months of existence participating in several joint service operations, honing its skills in air-to-air combat, strike and TARPS. The squadron also made another memorable appearance in another motion picture, Executive Decision. VF-84 was disestablished on October 1, 1995, but VF-103 Sluggers adopted the name and insignia of the Jolly Rogers. From its transition to the F-14 until its disestablishment, VF-84 had been a part of CVW-8.

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Product Spotlight: Another Prowler Trips the Alarm

HA5002

“Without question, the arrival of the EA-6B Prowler on the carrier deck established airborne electronic attack as an invaluable, ‘don’t leave home without it’ part of every Navy and Marine strike mission.”

– Rick Morgan, LCDR, USN (Ret.) and historian for the Prowler Association

With sales for their first EA-6B Prowler exceeding expectations, Hobby Master took the wraps off of their second iteration, which is painted in a subdued desert camouflage scheme. The next release, expected some time in August, depicts an electronics warfare aircraft from Electronic Attack Squadron 133 “Wizards”, when it was deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, during 2007 (HA5002).

Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) is an EA-18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Beginning in 2013, the squadron began the transition from the EA-6B to the Growler. Upon completion of the transition spring 2014, the Wizards returned to their attachment to Carrier Air Wing Nine. The squadron’s nickname is “Wizards” and its radio callsign is “Magic”.

HA5002a

Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) was established on March 4th, 1969, at Naval Air Station Alameda, California. The squadron originally flew the EKA-3B Skywarrior. In August 1971, the Wizards relocated to NAS Whidbey Island. Following this move, the squadron received and transitioned to the EA-6B Prowler.

Following the 2012-2013 deployment of Carrier Air Wing 9 onboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), VAQ-133 will be reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight based aboard the carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). This reassign was originally slated to occur in January 2014 but changing operational requirements accelerated this reassignment until immediately after the end of the 2012-2013 deployment. As of mid-2014, VAQ-133 made a transition from the EA-6B to the Boeing EA-18G Growler.

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Product Spotlight” “MiG Mad Marine”

HA4312

“Ted and I flew together a lot,” Glenn recalls near the end of a chapter on Korea.”Ted flew about half his missions as my wingman. He was a fine pilot, and I liked to fly with him.”

– Major John “Old Magnet Ass” Glenn, recalling his days of flying with famed baseball player, Ted Williams, during the Korean Conflict

To round out this month’s product spotlight, we have this handsome North American F-86F Sabre jet, bearing the markings of “MiG Mad Marine”, the plan John Glenn flew over Korea during the 1950s era Korean Conflict (HA4312).

After WWII, Glenn was assigned to VMF-311, flying the new F9F Panther jet interceptor. He flew his Panther in 63 combat missions during the Korean War, gaining the dubious nickname “magnet ass” from his apparent ability to attract enemy flak. Twice he returned to base with over 250 flak holes in his aircraft. Glenn flew for a time with Ted Williams, a future hall of fame baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, as his wingman.

Glenn flew a second Korean combat tour on an inter-service exchange program with the United States Air Force. He logged 27 missions in the faster F-86F Sabre, and shot down three MiG-15s near the Yalu River in the final days before the cease fire.

On November 20th, 1951, squadron pilots received their new F-86 Sabre aircraft and went to face the Chinese, North Korean, and Soviet pilots in their MiG-15 aircraft. Major William T. Whisner Jr. got his fifth MiG kill on February 23rd, 1952, becoming an Ace.

When the 51st Group adopted a checkered design for its F-86 tail markings, it also received the designation “Checkertails”. The red squadron colors appeared in the design. Thus, the Assam Draggins of World War II became known as the “Checkertails” of the Korean War.

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Product Spotlight: Messerschmitts Over England

HA8701c

“As England, in spite of her hopeless military situation, still shows no sign of willingness to come to terms, I have decided to prepare, and if necessary to carry out, a landing operation against her. The aim of this operation is to eliminate the English Motherland as a base from which the war against Germany can be continued, and, if necessary, to occupy the country completely.”

– Fuhrer Directive No. 16, announcing Unternehmen Seelowe (Operation Sea Lion), the invasion of England, July 16th, 1940

Its been an eventful few days. Not only have we received some of the latest 1:72 scale jets from Hobby Master but so too their first ever 1:48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter, resplendant in an early war mottled grey camouflage scheme (HA8701).

Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between 1941-45. Despite its production run, only a handful of genuine German Bf 109s have survived into the 1990s, and with the serious damaging of the RAFs G-2 at Duxford in October 1997, only the German-based MBB G-6 and Hans Ditte’s G-10 (both composites) are currently airworthy.

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