Hobby Master – Page 22 – The Motor Pool

Hobby Master: Time to Make the Donuts

Donuts

Perhaps Fred the Baker of Dunkin Donuts fame said it best when he uttered those immortal words, “Its time to make the donuts!” With Chinese New Year now all but a distant memory, we were hoping to hear a bit of news concerning several models from Hobby Master, ones they’ve produced in the past but have now dried up due to high sales demand. Key among them is their 1:72 scale F-111/EF-111 Aardvarks, not to mention their recently introduced RA-5C Vigilantes, which blew out almost as fast as they arrived. We are now completely out of both aircraft types, thanks to strong demand, abbreviated production runs and generally high consumer satisfaction with both models. Likewise, we’re hoping to see their upcoming F/A-18E Super Hornet along with their MiG 23 Flogger sometime soon, which has obvious implications for a potential MiG 27 strike aircraft.

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Did Someone Request a Low-Vis F-14D Tomcat?

HA5202

In a year where there will likely be a deluge of F-14 Tomcats, its important we compare apples to apples and Tomcats to Tomcats. Hobby Master’s first release was based upon an “A” version, and was decked out in a standard naval scheme with squadron logos and insignia (HA5201). Their second release represents a completely different look at the venerable Fleet Defense Fighter, this time portraying a “D” variant in a low-vis naval grey aimed at making it blend in with the sky (HA5202).

HA5202c

Like its predecessor, the Hobby Master replica features swing wing variable geometry wings, so you can display your warplane in a swept back or forward positioned takeoff mode. Combined with the legendary “Felix the Cat” logo of VF-31 “Tomcatters”, a full load of ordnance, and the usual attention to detail, it looks like we have another winner on our hands.

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Hobby Master Goes Hunting Over England

HA8701c

Several months ago, Hobby Master indicated they were prepared to produce a 1:48 scale Messserschmitt Bf 109 – they just didn’t know when, the model or which pilot to offer. Earlier today we learned that their inaugural release will be a Bf-109E Emil, an early war favorite that became one of the iconic symbols in the Battle of Britain. Just as importantly, the first mount belongs to none other than Hauptmann Hans von Hahn, who was attached to 1./Jagdgeschwader 3 “Udet”, then deployed to Grandvillers, France, in late 1940 (HA8701). Look for the first of many Bf 109s to take to the skies in June.

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Hobby Master Shows Off Their Holiday Handiwork

At this point in time, Hobby Master could be considered an old hand in the modelmaking business, outlasting several recent newcomers and a number of older players. A visionary, to be sure, they’ve finally taken the wraps off of some of their early 2016 releases, giving them a leg up on the competition when things seem to be heating up in a big way. With Top Gun 2 on the way, perhaps their most important early 2016 product line is the Grumman F-14 Fleet Defense Fighter, the workhorse of the US Navy for well over three decades. Their first effort is this F-14A, which was attached to VF-211 “Fighting Checkmates” (HA5201). Unlike the comparable Century Wings F-14, the Hobby Master version features variable geometry wings, which means you can display the plane in either a launch or flat-out, afterburner-fueled configuration.

Also up for your consideration is their first US Navy Lockheed S-3B Viking Anti-Submarine Aircraft, another integral part of US carrier operations for the better half of the twentieth century. While it may not be as sexy as an F-14, the S-3B is a key member of the carrier air wing, designed to seek out and destroy nearby hunter-killer submarines that pose a risk to the task force. This particular S-3B was attached to VS-21 “Fighting Redtails”, then embarked upon the USS Independence (CV-62) during the 1990s (HA4901).

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Hobby Master Confirms a Messerschmitt Bf-109 is on the Horizon

Apparently the rumors are indeed true. Hobby Master confirmed that they are working on a 1:48 scale replica of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter, although no word as yet as to which version will make the early cut. When you consider the many liveries, variants and schemes available, aviation enthusiasts will likely be thrilled by this decision, making it a great companion piece to their growing array of 1:48 scale warbirds.

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The F-35 Takes a Dive, in Pricing

If you’re a fan of either the Hobby Master or Air Force 1 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, then you may want to sit up and take notice of the following announcement. Yesterday, we learned that our distributor has dropped the minimum advertised price for the entire Hobby Master and Air Force 1 1:72 scale F-35 catalog to just $49.99 apiece, which, in some instances, equates to an almost 50% price drop from a high of almost $85. No reason was give for the huge price decrease ahead of the holiday season, so we assume they are just looking to move inventory and provide great value to the aviation collecting community. We’ve lowered our prices accordingly, and will bring in extra inventory to cover any orders that exceed our current stock level.

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Hobby Master Gets Vectored into MiG Alley

If rumors are true, and why wouldn’t they be in this industry, Hobby Master intends to pursue several Mikoyan-Gurevich subjects in 2016. According to sources, the Company is already hard-at-work developing the MiG 23 Flogger, a third generation jet fighter likely boasting a variable geometry swing-wing like its soon-to-be-released counterpart, the F-14 Tomcat. It therefore wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that a MiG 27 Flogger ground attack aircraft is also on the drawing board, since it was based, in large part, upon the Russian designed MiG 23. What’s nice here is that there was a slew of client nations that operated both the MiG 23 and MiG 27 during the height of the Cold War period, meaning lots of liveries to choose from and loads of potential theaters of war to portray.

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Hobby Master has a Remedy for the Winter Doldrums

Earlier this week, Hobby Master disclosed what they have in store for January 2016. Several intriguing new liveries are being worked on, including this commemorative 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain scheme adorning a Canadian Cf-18 Hornet (HA3526).

Other notable entrants include two Israeli warplanes – one based upon a F-15 Baz flown by the “Knights of the Twin Tail” squadron (HA4505) and an E-2C Hawkeye flown by a reconnaissance squadron (HA4805). All of the new replicas have been listed on our web site and are now available for pre-sale.

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Fight’s On: Hobby Master Puts On its Boxing Gloves

With 15 years in this business, we ordinarily take any news we come across with a grain of salt, particularly when new products are announced, since they sometimes end up as no more than pipe dreams or chest-beating rants by boastful manufacturers. However, when Hobby Master announced their intent to offer a 1:72 scale replica of the Grumman F-14 Fleet Defense Fighter, we sat up and took notice. Hobby Master has been one of the most reliable model makers in business today, while one of their rivals, Century Wings, is equally well-respected, largely confining its efforts towards producing a narrow gaggle of aircraft. The F-14 has always been one of Century Wings most passionate projects, with something on the order of 35 different aircraft released to date. Some command a small fortune in the after market, prized for their accuracy and limited runs.

Hobby Master’s first effort will be based upon a bird that was used by the commanding officer of VF-211 “Fighting Checkmates”, which was embarked upon the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) during 2004 (#HA5201). Moreover, the model will feature variable-geometry wings, thereby permitting them to be displayed in launch or in-flight configuration. Barring any licensing issues, a good subject for replication might be the F-14s depicted in the feature film, Top Gun, seeing as how the movie’s sequel is about to enter production.

Anyway, we thought it a bid odd that Hobby Master would devote precious resources towards producing a model that has become the bastion for another model maker, when loads of other untouched subjects could have made better choices. We wish them well in their endeavors and hope there’s enough market to go around for both companies to remain satisfied.

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Turning Lemons into Lemonade

While several manufacturers have been accused of not including enough information with their models it looks as if one went a tad too far in the other direction, and with unhappy results. Hobby Master originally included some text on the top of the radome for their inaugural E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning Aircraft (as shown in this image), an oversight that may never be fully explained. Anyway, as some have pointed out, the text never appeared on the actual aircraft (as shown in the second image), as several online photographs clearly show, meaning their first foray could have been headed to the bargain bin.

071217-N-4294K-008
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 17, 2007) An E-2C Hawkeye, attached to the “Screwtops” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, performs a fly-by for family and friends of crew members during an air power demonstration held by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) during a three-day Tiger Cruise. Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 are on a scheduled six-month deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class George R. Kusner (Released)

To fix the error, Hobby Master has dutifully returned this bird to their hangar and is removing any and all text they inadvertently included, leaving just the “blue swirl” intact to signify it belongs to VAW-123 “Screwtops”. While other manufacturers may have declined the notion of recalling a model to fix such a glaring error, its refreshing to see that at least one model maker is willing to go the extra mile to make their replicas as true-to-life as possible, even if it costs them resources, time and energy to bring their product to market. No one likes a black eye, but the take away here is that the Company recognizes its responsibility to their clientele and is working towards rectifying the issue to everyone’s satisfaction. Well done!

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