Each month Hobby Master trots out the latest flock of models collectors can expect to lay their mitts on later that year. As part of their March 2025 launch calendar, two warbirds caught our eye: one based upon the F-14 Tomcat portrayed in the feature film Top Gun Maverick as well as a F/A-18E Super Hornet meant to depict one of the four US Navy aircraft used to attack a heavily-protected uranium enrichment facility buried deep inside a supposed enemy country. Needless to say, the model maker took precautions to depict both aircraft in a somewhat nebulous form, never actually showing either aircraft as they appeared in the film to avoid any legal entanglements with Paramount, the producer of the film. So, its up to the collector to either display the model straight out-of-the-box as is or, if they so choose, perform what is known in the hobby as a “Code 3”, meaning they can obtain and apply decals from other sources to finalize the look of each model.
Lots of other models were shown in the monthly leaflet, including a U-2S spyplane and an all-new experimental F-35C donned in a black chrome reflective coating. We invite you to take a look at the latest models likely headed to showcases around the world this coming March.
Not to be outdone by some of the other recent product announcements hitting the air waves, Hobby Master indicated they had plans to pursue a brand new category that, quite frankly, caught many by surprise – 1:8 scale polyresin figures. Two figures were shown off for the first time earlier today: one a statue of a U-2 “Dragon Lady” spyplane pilot while the second pays tribute to none other than Neil Armstrong, the Commander of the Apollo 11 mission, who subsequently became the first man to set foot on the surface of the moon back on July 20th, 1969. Currently, its not clear if either figure will come with separate points of articulation or are simply designed to maintain a simple pose.
The Armstrong figure comes bundled with a replica of the US flag that was planted atop the surface of the moon and what we assume is a soil sampler. The U-2 pilot comes with a portable air conditioning unit and looks to be posed atop a section of runway. Both figures stand atop attractively designed display bases that feature the name of the figure etched along its lower edge. Each figurine carries a price tag of $149.99 and both are expected some time in March.
With two figures announced right out of the box, so-to-speak, its clear Hobby Master has “high hopes” for the category and will no doubt have other figures waiting in the “wings.” Okay, I’ll stop now…
The ASM-135 ASAT is an air-launched anti-satellite multistage missile that was developed by Ling-Temco-Vought’s LTV Aerospace division. The ASM-135 was carried exclusively by United States Air Force (USAF) F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft.
On December 21st, 1982, an F-15A was used to perform the first captive carry ASM-135 test flight from the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, California in the United States.
On August 20th, 1985, President Reagan authorized a test against a satellite. The test was delayed to provide notice to the United States Congress. The target was the Solwind P78-1, an orbiting solar observatory that was launched on February 24th, 1979.
On September 13th, 1985, Maj. Wilbert D. “Doug” Pearson, flying the “Celestial Eagle” F-15A 76-0084 launched an ASM-135 ASAT about 320 kilometres (200 mi) west of Vandenberg Air Force Base and destroyed the Solwind P78-1 satellite flying at an altitude of 555 kilometres (345 mi). Prior to the launch, the F-15 – flying at Mach 1.22 – executed a 3.8 g0 (37 m/s2) zoom climb at an angle of 65 degrees. The ASM-135 ASAT was automatically launched at 11,600 metres (38,100 ft) while the F-15 was flying at Mach 0.934 (992.2 km/h; 616.5 mph). The 14 kilograms (30 lb) MHV collided with the 910 kilograms (2,000 lb) Solwind P78-1 satellite at closing velocity of 24,000 kilometres per hour (15,000 mph; 6.7 km/s).
NASA learned of U.S. Air Force plans for the Solwind ASAT test in July 1985. NASA modeled the effects of the test. This model determined that debris produced would still be in orbit in the 1990s. It would force NASA to enhance debris shielding for its planned space station.
Earlier the U.S. Air Force and NASA had worked together to develop a Scout-launched target vehicle for ASAT experiments. NASA advised the U.S. Air Force on how to conduct the ASAT test to avoid producing long-lived debris. However, congressional restrictions on ASAT tests intervened.
In order to complete an ASAT test before an expected Congressional ban took effect (as it did in October 1985), the DoD chose to use the existing Solwind astrophysics satellite as a target.
NASA worked with the DoD to monitor the effects of the tests using two orbital debris telescopes and a reentry radar deployed to Alaska.
NASA assumed the torn metal would be bright. Surprisingly, the Solwind pieces turned out to appear so dark as to be almost undetectable. Only two pieces were seen. NASA Scientists theorized that the unexpected Solwind darkening was due to carbonization of organic compounds in the target satellite; that is, when the kinetic energy of the projectile became heat energy on impact, the plastics inside Solwind vaporized and condensed on the metal pieces as soot.
NASA used U.S. Air Force infrared telescopes to show that the pieces were warm with heat absorbed from the Sun. This added weight to the contention that they were dark with soot and not reflective. The pieces decayed quickly from orbit, implying a large area-to-mass ratio. According to NASA, as of January 1998, 8 of 285 trackable pieces remained in orbit. The last piece of debris, COSPAR 1979-017GX, SATCAT 16564, deorbited May 9th, 2004, according to SATCAT.
Look for Hobby Master’s rendition of the Celestial Eagle sometime in October.
No sooner than we post information concerning their latest product announcements comes an important addendum – the roll out of the YF-23. Built by the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas consortium in the 1980s and flown in a run off against the YF-22 in 1990, the YF-23 is an American single-seat, twin-engine, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The design team was a finalist in the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) demonstration/validation competition, battling the YF-22 team for full-scale development and production. Two YF-23 prototypes were built.
While we applaud the decision to tackle the YF-23, it does come with a measure of moribund curiosity given Hobby Master’s penchant for choosing subjects that has “legs” — meaning several liveries or operators are available to justify the exorbitant cost of producing the mold. With only two demonstrators ever being built, and the aircraft never seeing service with either the USAF or any other user nation, we wonder what spurred them to give the YF-23 the green light.
Frankly, given the number of collectors who would give their right arm for a fully built-up replica of the YF-23, we think it’s a good choice, and hope this signals that Hobby Master is willing to bet on other short-run aircraft that haven’t been addressed by other model makers. While no price point has been established as yet, the YF-23 will likely fetch somewhere on the order of $150 US; possibly more as they await the initial reaction to the announcement. Production forecasts could be “up-in-the-air” too, perhaps numbering several thousand examples in an effort to earn back the costs of making and researching the mold. So, while we will list the model on our web site and continue to follow-up on the announcement, we’ll hold off on listing a price for now, at least until we hear back from either the manufacturer or distributor.
Update: After speaking privately with William Liu at Hobby Master he indicated that no one museum, distributor or entity commissioned a YF-23 replica and that it was undertaken purely at the behest of Hobby Master. Some collectors have speculated that it must have been an outsider, such as either the National Museum of the United States Air Force or the Western Museum of Flight — where the YF-23s are on display — who saw an opportunity in promoting and selling a replica of the YF-23. While a joint venture would surely have made sense given the economies of scale and risk spreading a collaborative undertaking would have created, Hobby Master saw an opportunity, likely based upon collector interest, and went for it. No doubt these models will likely be shown and offered to both Museum’s gift shops but for now, the YF-23 venture is being funded and hawked solely by Hobby Master.
No price point was discussed so we are awaiting word from our distributor to determine its ultimate cost. The “Black Widow”, or all-black version of the prototype YF-23 will almost certainly follow up on the “Gray Ghost” although no details were discussed. We also brought to their attention that a naval version of the YF-23 was considered at the time so its conceivable that a notional take on a navalized version of the YF=23 could one day see the light of day.
Interestingly, there is a possibility that Hobby Master will produce a Japanese version of the YF-23. According to sources, the Japanese have long sought to build an advanced next generation aircraft that can compete against several adversarial aircraft, particularly the PRC’s fifth generation Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon” fighter. Several options have been looked at over the years including an upgraded version of the YF-23. As the National Interest points out, the Japanese have had a continued interest in resurrecting the YF-23, perhaps adding thrust vectoring to the aircraft to make it a more agile dogfighter. While this would make the aircraft heavier and likely less speedy, newer and more capable engines could offset the weight increase.
In other news, Hobby Master indicated that other new toolings were in the works although we are not at liberty to discuss them as yet. This marks a departure for the company, who had relied upon some older toolings to see them through in recent years. So expect some other product announcements shortly, many of which will come as welcome news to collectors.
Over the weekend, Hobby Master announced a bevy of new products slated for a Winter 2025 release. While no new toolings were shown in their latest promotional leaflet, several important additions to their lineup were made, including an F-22 currently undergoing testing at Edwards AFB that is fitted with a pair of “stealth pods”, or as the military likes to call them, Low Drag Tank and Pylon (LDTP) pods. The LDTP pods could be used on the upcoming NGAD platform, as a means of increasing its range and maintaining a stealthy profile capable of defeating the latest IRST efforts being put forward by Russia and China. Each of their F-22s routinely sell well as soon as they are introduced, so the latest Raptor will no doubt help to build momentum and spur sales even after the holidays have come and gone.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale Israeli Defense Force Dassault-Breuget Mirage IIICJ “Shahak” Fighter – Yoram Agmon, 101 Squadron, Hatzor Air Base, Israel, July 1966
The Mirages which landed in Israel in April 1962 inaugurated the Mach-2 era in the IAF. In the hands of Israel’s pilots, the Mirages would achieve fame – and the reputation of the entire French aircraft industry would be greatly enhanced. The Mirages were virtually unassailable in the skies during the Six Day War. The successful interceptor also participated in the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War, and scored hundreds of kills.
It was July 14th, 1966, when Cpt. Yoram Agmon gave the French another cause for celebration (besides Bastille Day), by shooting down a MiG-21 – the first MiG-21 ever to be shot down.
The Israeli-Syrian confrontation over Syrian attempts to divert the waters of the Jordan River’s sources had escalated in the period preceding the incident. The IDF decided to put an end to Syria’s project. Brig. Gen. Yoram Agmon, then a young instructor in the IAF Flight School, recalls:
“I was summoned to the Mirage squadron in which I served in times of emergency. I was assigned the Number Four position in the quartet that was about to go up. We were scrambled in the direction of the Golan Heights, where we were to take over for another quartet than had come back from a patrol assignment. All that morning, Mirages had been making sure that the Vautours and Mysteres could carry out their attack assignments unmolested. We carried out a patrol. Smoke was billowing up from the targets that had been attacked by our planes. Suddenly we received instructions from the controller to head westward with the engines at full throttle. It was clear that something was about to happen.
“We turned westward and the leader turned on the afterburner. I decided to conserve fuel and continued flying west without the afterburner. At a certain point the controller told us to turn east. We turned around and headed towards the Golan Heights, with the aim of returning to the original patrol route.
“Then I noticed a shimmering dot at very low altitude, on my left. The dot was advancing in a southeasterly direction, toward the spot where the Syrian Yarmuk River meets the Sea of Galilee. I informed the leader that I had established eye contact with the enemy, I pointed my nose downward and threw off the detachable fuel tanks. I dove down sharply, doing my best to maintain eye contact with the plane. I did everything without taking my eyes off the glistening dot.
“I flew at a low altitude, 500 feet, at high speed, and at a range of about 2,000 meters I identified a pair of MiG-21s. The distance between us narrowed, and they received word of my presence. They swerved left. I had known the MiG-21 was good at sharp turns, but still, I was surprised by the sharp angle at which they turned. I lost sight of the right-hand MiG, and pulled sharply upward, in order to slow down and close in on the left-hand MiG.
“At a range of 350 meters I homed in on him for an attack run. I shot off a short burst, with no result. I immediately executed a second maneuver and narrowed the distance between us to 250 meters. I aimed the second burst carefully, and immediately saw a powerful explosion in the MiG’s right wing. The wing was torn off the plane, which went into a rightward spin. I passed him to his left, and saw the pilot bail out. I went westward and joined my quartet near the Sea of Galilee.
“The other planes were short on fuel, and had to land at Ramat David. Thanks to the fact that I hadn’t turned on the afterburner, I had enough fuel to return to the mother base. I wanted to return home after the victory… home, and nowhere else. I executed a buzz and a roll, and landed. There was a big commotion in the hangar… everyone was overjoyed. It later turned out that that day also marked the end of the Syrian water-diversion project. We had achieved our goal – and then some”.
Agmon’s Mirage, No. 59, would go on to become the IAF’s Ace of Aces, with a whopping 13 kills to its credit.
Look for Agmon’s Mirage to become a stark reality this June.
Earlier this week, Hobby Master elected to alter its MAP guidelines by extending it to nine months. Previously retailers and distributors could lower the price of a Hobby Master product six months after its release. The change was brought on to prevent certain parties from dumping their excess inventory at or below their wholesale costs once the MAP guidelines were lifted. To remain in compliance, we will adjust our own Hobby Master selling policy on our web site along with our marketplace sites to reflect this change in stance.
Robin Olds was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the United States Air Force (USAF). He was a “triple ace”, with a combined total of 17 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general, after 30 years of service.
The son of US Army Air Forces Major General Robert Olds, educated at West Point, and the product of an upbringing in the early years of the US Army Air Corps, Olds epitomized the youthful World War II fighter pilot. He remained in the service as it became the United States Air Force, despite often being at odds with its leadership, and was one of its pioneer jet pilots. Rising to the command of two fighter wings, Olds is regarded among aviation historians, and his peers, as the best wing commander of the Vietnam War, for both his air-fighting skills, and his reputation as a combat leader.
Olds was promoted to brigadier general after returning from Vietnam but did not hold another major command. The remainder of his career was spent in non-operational positions, as Commandant of Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy and as an official in the Air Force Inspector General’s Office. His inability to rise higher as a general officer is attributed to both his maverick views and his penchant for drinking.
Olds had a highly publicized career and life, including marriage to Hollywood actress Ella Raines. As a young man he was also recognized for his athletic prowess in both high school and college, being named an All-American as a lineman in college football.
Olds became commander of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Bentwaters, England, a McDonnell F-101 Voodoo fighter-bomber wing, on September 8th, 1963. The 81st TFW was a major combat unit in United States Air Force Europe, having both a tactical nuclear and conventional bombing role supporting NATO. Olds commanded the wing until July 26th, 1965. As his Deputy Commander of Operations Olds brought with him Colonel Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., whom he had met during his Pentagon assignment and who would go on to become the first African-American 4-star Air Force general. James and Olds worked closely together for a year as a command team and developed both a professional and social relationship which was later renewed in combat.
Olds formed a demonstration team for the F-101 using pilots of his wing, without command authorization, and performed at an Air Force open house at Bentwaters. He asserted that his superior at Third Air Force attempted to have him court-martialed, but the commander of USAFE, General Gabriel P. Disosway, instead authorized his removal from command of the 81st TFW, cancellation of a recommended Legion of Merit award, and transfer to the headquarters of the Ninth Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
In September 1966, Olds was tapped to command an McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom wing in Southeast Asia. En route he arranged with the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing, David-Montham Air Force Base, Arizona, (where Col. James was now Deputy Commander of Operations) to be checked out in the Phantom, completing the 14-step syllabus in just five days. His instructor was Major William L. Kirk, the 4453rd CCTW’s Standardization and Evaluation officer, who had been one of Olds’ pilots at RAF Bentwaters, and who later commanded the United States Air Forces Europe as a full general. Kirk accompanied Olds for practice firing of AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the Point Mugu missile range while Olds was en route to Travis Air Force Base for his charter flight overseas. Olds rewarded Kirk by granting him a transfer to his command in Thailand in March 1967.
Look for Olds’ USAF McDonnell F-101C Voodoo fighter to land both on our doorstep and hopefully yours some time in July.
Hobby Master’s 1:48 scale USAAF North American P-51B Mustang Fighter – Lieutenant Steve Pisanos, 334th Fighter Squadron “Fighting Eagles”, 4th Fighter Group, Essex, England, May 1944
Per Hobby Master’s MAP guidelines, we will be removing any price restrictions on all of the August 2023 Hobby Master arrivals. The price for each item has been reduced to their regular selling price and you may now apply any discounts we offer towards the purchase of these items. This process will recur on the first of every month in compliance with their updated MAP pricing program. You can tell if an item is no longer MAP protected if the blue MAP seal that appears alongside its image and just below its price has been removed. In effect, a retailer is no longer bound by the 6-month introductory MAP restriction policy and can sell the item for whatever price they deem appropriate.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale US Navy McDonnell F-4B Phantom II Fighter-Bomber – VF-143 “Pukin Dogs”, USS Constellation (CV-64), 1967
USS Constellation was launched on October 8th, 1960, and she was delivered to the Navy a year later on October 1st, 1961. She was commissioned on October 27th, 1961, with Captain T. J. Walker in command. Another fire occurred aboard Constellation on November 7th, 1961, while she was being tested at sea, killing four and injuring nine others.
Following fitting out and acceptance trials, Constellation departed her home port of Norfolk, Virginia, on February 7th, 1962, for initial air operations off the Virginia Capes. She conducted her first catapult launch and arrested landing the same day with Commander George C. Watkins, air group (CVG) 13 commander, at the controls of an A4D-2 Skyhawk of Attack Squadron 34. After a month of operating locally, Connie (as the carrier became known) conducted a two-month shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea.
In the summer of 1962, Constellation was transferred to the U.S. Pacific Fleet and CVG-13 was disestablished. For the two-month trip around Cape Horn to her new home port of San Diego, California, Constellation embarked elements of CVG-5 and departed Mayport, Florida, on July 25th. In November Constellation, with CVG-14 on board, commenced workup exercises for her upcoming maiden deployment to the western Pacific as a component of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. The uneventful cruise took place from February to September 1963.
Constellation‘s second deployment began on May 5th, 1964. She relieved Kitty Hawk on station in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam on June 8th, embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 (air groups had been redesignated air wings on December 20th, 1963) and flew armed photo reconnaissance missions over Laos until July 13th. Following an upkeep period at Subic Bay, Philippines, Constellation reached Hong Kong for a port visit on July 27th, but within a few days was called back into action.
As a result of orders received during the first day of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 2nd, 1964), Constellation got underway and headed toward the Gulf of Tonkin. On August 4th, Constellation launched F-4B Phantom IIs to join aircraft from Ticonderoga in providing air cover over the destroyers which were alleged by the Johnson administration to have been attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats. On August 5th, both carriers launched Operation Pierce Arrow, a series of air strikes on a North Vietnamese oil facility and naval vessels. CVW-14 lost two aircraft, an A-1 Skyraider, piloted by Lieutenant (junior grade) Richard C. Sather, who was killed in action (KIA), and an A-4 Skyhawk flown by Lieutenant (junior grade) Everett Alvarez Jr., who became one of the United States’ first prisoners of war (POW) of the Vietnam War. Operations returned to a more normal cycle for the remainder of the deployment, and Constellation returned to San Diego on February 1st, 1965, ending a nearly nine-month cruise. Connie and CVW-14 were awarded a Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) for the early August operations. During the deployment, Constellation appears to have been under the direction of Commander Carrier Division 9.
A first shipyard period for Constellation followed, lasting eight months; then workups commenced for her first full-blown war cruise. The carrier, with CVW-15 on board, was underway for operations off Vietnam in May 1966. During 111 days on station, aircraft from Constellation pounded roads, bridges and other targets, attempting to impede the flow of men and war materials south. The F-4B aircrew of pilot Lieutenant William M. McGunigan and radar intercept officer Lieutenant (junior grade) Robert M. Fowler from Fighter Squadron 161 (VF-161) shot down a MiG-17 fighter jet on July 13th, marking the ship’s first MiG kill of the war. Constellation returned to San Diego in December after her seven-month combat cruise, having lost 16 aircrewmen and 15 aircraft. Subsequently, both Constellation and CVW-15 were awarded a NUC for this deployment.
After a short workup cycle, Constellation‘s third combat deployment commenced in April 1967. With CVW-14 embarked, the carrier operated first on Dixie Station (a patrol area about 60 miles (97 km) off South Vietnam) with strikes in the Iron Triangle region, and then moved north to Yankee Station (a patrol area about 50 miles (80 km) off North Vietnam) for a total of 121 days on the line. Reflecting the intensive nature of air operations, F-4Bs of VF-142 and VF-143 accounted for four MiG kills. The eight-month deployment ended in December, having totaled losses of 16 aircraft and 20 personnel, including seven KIAs and eight POWs. Both the carrier and CVW-14 received a NUC.
Constellation began her fourth deployment to the western Pacific and Vietnam on May 29th, 1968. During this deployment, the Constellation/CVW-14 team was restricted to strikes below the 20th parallel of North Vietnam as a result of a March Presidential order. On November 1st, as directed by President Johnson, all bombing of North Vietnam was halted at 21:00 Saigon time. The last Navy mission over the restricted area was flown earlier in the day by Cmdr. Kenneth E. Enney in an A-7 Corsair II. Constellation returned to home port to on January 31st, 1969, after flying more than 11,000 combat and support missions and dropping almost 20,000 tons of ordnance. Fifteen aircraft were destroyed, nine due to enemy action. Six aircrew members perished, five were listed as KIAs and three were taken as POW.
By August, it was time for Constellation to return to Vietnam for a fifth combat deployment, again with CVW-14. Following an initial 20-day period of supporting strikes in South Vietnam as well as Laos, Constellation sailed to Defender Station in the Sea of Japan, which had been created as a result of increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On October 2nd, 1969, there was an accident caused when the tail rotor came off of a helicopter just before landing on the flight deck. Nine men went down with the chopper and were never recovered. A return to Yankee Station on November 1st also produced a major milestone in the carrier’s life when the F-4J aircrew of air wing skipper Commander R. K. Billings and Lieutenant (junior grade) Jeff Taylor of VF-143 conducted Connie‘s 100,000th arrested landing. During a mission on March 28th, 1970, the VF-142 F-4 crew of Lieutenant Jerome E. Beaulier and Lieutenant Steven J. Barkley downed a North Vietnamese MiG-21 jet fighter. Following a total of 128 days on the line, Constellation‘s nine-month deployment ended in May, with CVW-14 suffering the loss of seven total aircraft, five to enemy action. One member of the aircrew was taken as a POW, but there were no fatalities.
