A US M26 Pershing tank turret set atop a quadraped chassis
Never one to shy away from a challenging project which some are saying has led to long-promised projects being left on the back burner, ModelCollect seems to be devoting more and more of its energy and resources into its sci-fi series, Fist of War.
Say hello to Helblar and Kaiserkafer, two 1:35 scale fighting mechs that seem to draw inspiration from the Battletech Universe
In fact, the Company announced recently that they plan to dabble in the 1:35 scale market, meaning some of the monstrosities they are dreaming up are going to be rather large and some what incredible when everything is said and done. Its not clear if the 1:35 scale projects will be offered as pre-assembled models given their size and no doubt higher price tag, so the jury is out for now to determine their fit within our product portfolio. Still, its always nice to think outside the box and applaud their efforts at taking things to new heights, depths and fields of battle.
And lest we forget Wotan, an ungainly 1:72 scale six-legged warrior ready to do the Nazi’s bidding, whatever that might be
Four new 1:72 scale US 8-wheeled vehicles will join the Fist of War franchise
Never one to shy away from an intimidating project while simultaneously looking to build out its pseudo sci-fi military series, Modelcollect unveiled the first Allied vehicles in its Fist of War franchise. Based upon an eight-wheeled armored car, the Company debuted a family of four different 1:72 scale combat vehicles, each utilizing a different turret type and weapons system. Its not clear when these vehicles will hit the streets and whether they will be made available in both kit form and as pre-assembled models.
In other news, Modelcollect acknowledged on Facebook that they will soon be producing a range of 1:35 scale military vehicles, although no further details were made public. If true, this could not only mark a major departure from this prolific modelmaker but also become an important development for the pre-assembled market, who have been without a viable supplier of larger scale military vehicles for several years running. Both Minichamps and Dragon Models were heavily invested in the sector years ago, but have since withdrawn their support in favor of other pursuits. And with the resurrection of the Forces of Valor brand, larger scale military vehicle collectors could have lots to crow about this holiday season.
An M26 “Lobster”, whatever that is, has been added to the Allies’ Order of Battle
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale US MAN M1001 Tractor and Pershing II Tactical Missile – 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, Wiley Barracks, Neu Ulm, Germany, 1988
During the height of the Cold War, both sides developed mobile missile launchers that could transport nuclear-capable theater-level weapons to different launch points, making them nearly invulnerable to counter battery fire.
The U.S. Army replaced the Pershing 1a with the Pershing II Weapon System in 1983 while the German Air Force retained the Pershing 1a until all Pershings were eliminated in 1991. The U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) managed the development and improvements while the Field Artillery Branch deployed the systems and developed tactical doctrine.
Because of SALT II agreements, no new launchers could be built, therefore the Pershing 1a M790 launchers were modified into the Pershing II M1003 launchers. The functions of the vehicle mounted programmer test station needed for the older systems were consolidated into the Launch Control Assembly (LCA) in the Ground Integrated Electronics Unit (GIEU) on the side of the launcher. The warhead and radar sections were carried as an assembly on a pallet that rotated to mate with the main missile.
There were two prime movers for the launcher, both with a crane used for missile assembly and a generator to provide power for the launcher and missile. The U.S units used the M983 HEMTT with a Hiab 8001 crane and a 30 KW generator. Tactical units in Germany used the M1001 MAN tractor with an Atlas Maschinen GmbH AK4300 M5 crane and a 30 KW generator. Since the new guidance system was self-orienting, the launcher could be emplaced on any surveyed site and the missile launched within minutes of initial set up.
Never one to shy away from the more obsequious subjects, Modelcollect has developed a sharp-looking replica of the Pershing II mobile missile launcher, one that is ferried around using the M1001 MAN tractor (AS72101). The manufacturer will likely offer a similar system using the US-built M983 HEMTT, so there may be several versions to choose from, thus turning the Cold War hot this summer, at least from a diecast viewpoint.
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale Fist of War German WWII E-75 Heavy Panzer – 1946 (1:72 Scale)
April is notorious for being a dry month as far as new products go simply because of the effects of Chinese New Year, and its overall impact on the supply chain. That said, Modelcollect seems to have filled the hole nicely, with nine new vehicles expected to arrive mid month. The grouping includes:
AS72086 – T-80U Main Battle Tank – Russian Army, Biathlon, 2013
AS72087 – 128mm FLaK 40 with Kreuzlafette Mount – Germany, 1944, Grey
AS72088 – Set of Two Rheintochter Mobile Surface-to-Air Missiles – Germany, 1946
AS72089 – T-72AV Main Battle Tank – Soviet Army, 1980s
AS72090 – “Fist of War” German E-75 Ausf.Vierfuessler Heavy Panzer
AS72092 – T-90A Main Battle Tank – 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division “Tamanskaya,” Russian Army, Victory Day Parade, Moscow, 2010
AS72093 – E-100 Super Heavy Tank with Krupp Turret – German Army, 1946, Three-Tone Camouflage
AS72094 – T-80UK Main Battle Tank – 4th Guards “Kantemirovskaya” Tank Division, Russian Army, Open Day, 2017
Modelcollect’s German E-100 Heavy Tank with Krupp Turret and 128mm Gun – Ambush Camouflage, 1946
Of note is the first item in the Company’s Fist of War series, a pseudo-scientific proprietary range that seems to meld off-the-shelf military technology with strange futuristic applications. As usual, the cache also contains more derivatives of the T-72/T-80/T-90 main battle tanks, a category that seems to remain at the heart of Modelcollect’s model building passion. And, rounding out the cache are three more WWII-era items: an E-100 super heavy tank, a German 128mm FlaK 40 anti-aircraft gun and finally a pair of Rheintochter Mobile Surface-to-Air Missiles. Great value at great prices!
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale Russian T-90A Main Battle Tank – 2nd Guards “Tamanskaya” Division, Victory Day Parade Red Square in Moscow, May 9th, 2010
If the world works in mysterious ways, why would you expect anything less from its smaller inanimate cousin? Case in point, Modelcollect, and their soon-to-be-released take on the German Landkreuzer, an outlandishly proposed project that took form towards the latter stages of World War II and was intended to be the “be-all and end-all” of armored fighting vehicles. Going well beyond the idea of a so-called “land battleship”, the Landkreuzer was, nevertheless, a foolish idea that never got beyond the sketch book stage. It called for two and perhaps three main guns that rivaled anything on a warship, as well as a series of secondary armament designed to protect the vehicle from both aerial and ground attack. The reality was that the vehicle would never be able traverse the battlefield, could not transit bridges, roads or railways, and would need a battery of high-powered engines to get it to run fed by fuel reserves the Wehrmacht no longer possessed. Likewise, the Landkreuzer would have required an inordinate number of men to operate, all of which could have been better suited in other roles.
Despite its massive size and misguided aim, model company Modelcollect has been feverishly working on a 1:72 scale replica of what the Landkrezuer might have looked like had it been completed. In the accompanying image, they even posed their finished project alongside two other fairly large 1:72 scale vehicles, just to give everyone an idea as to its size, perspective and finished appearance. As you can see, the Landkreuzer is absolutely huge, requiring a vast amount of shelf space to properly display. Its still not clear if the Company will offer a pre-assembled or even partially assembled version of this build to the diecast collector market or consign it to the model kit sector. If they do, it will be costly, not just in terms of price but in terms of shipping, likely weighing in along the lines of a 1:16 scale Extreme Metal tank previously made available by Unimax. Keep all of this in mind should you decide to chase this replica down later this year.
While Modelcollect is hard at work developing all sorts of diecast military vehicles, they have also been diligently creating their own off-beat franchise known as Fist of War. Thus far, few details have emerged concerning the back story and its impact on the post WWII-themed world, although a a handful of vehicles have been shown to the public, which melds parts from their WWII range with spider-like leggings.
Earlier this week, the Company posted an interesting cache of blueprints which takes the series in a new direction, one which seems to tear a page out of the Mechwarrior universe as well as the “paper panzer” saga. Its not clear if all of the items published will be offered as pre-assembled replicas due to their size, complexity and likely higher cost vis a vis their traditional military range. Still, its nice to know that they are demonstrating their prowess as model builders and stoking the fires of ingenuity.
Modelcollect’s German Jagdpanzer E-100 Heavy Tank Destroyer with 170mm gun – Grey, 1946
Lately, I’m getting the feeling that the only two diecast modelmakers willing to throw the dice and take a chance in this day and age are Hobby Master and Modelcollect. While some of the other leading manufacturers seem to be making the same old, same old, month after month, it seems like these two companies recognize the need for new blood in the hobby and are willing to put their money where their mouth is.
Take Modelcollect. Late last week they announced a bunch of new 1:72 scale diecast military vehicles due out this spring, which will include, among other things, a pair of Jagdpanzer E-100 heavy tank destroyers. Mounting an utterly fearsome 170mm main gun that likely would have outclassed anything the Allies could have fielded late in the war, the latest two heavy tank destroyers will come in a feldgrau (field grey) and a summer camouflage pattern (AS72096 and AS72099 respectively). As part of the same announcement, Modelcollect showed off a new Waffentrager (weapons carrier); this one mounting, of all things, a V-1 buzz bomb (AS72100). Whether or not a V-1 could have been launched from a mobile gun platform is anyone’s guess, seeing as how it needed a launch ramp in the Low Countries to get airborne.
German Jagdpanzer E-100 Heavy Tank Destroyer with 170mm gun – Camouflage, 1946
Now lets get back to the new Jagdpanzers. With such a huge main gun, the vehicle’s superstructure had to be moved aft, located behind both the engine block and driver’s compartment, largely to balance out the weight of the gun and provide some support to it while in transit. From a modelling stand point, therefore, we are going to assume that the vehicle will come with a travel lock for the gun, otherwise it will likely suffer from persistent barrel droop and do no one any good.
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale M1014 Man Tractor and BGM-109G ground launched cruise missile set, locked, loaded and ready to bear against any would-be opponents.
Perhaps taking a page from today’s headlines, Modelcollect has decided to add several of its multi-vehicle missile launcher kits to its pre-assembled range. Two sets will make the initial cut – a NATO-operated MAN M1014 tractor hauling a BGM-109G missile launcher and a US M983 HEMTT tractor carrying a Pershing II intercontinental missile and its accompanying stand and launcher. No word on pricing or dates of availability just yet but if they succeed at retail, collectors will likely be able to nab other over-sized modern vehicles in the coming months. While other companies are still making the standard fare 1:72 scale vehicles, you can’t help but congratulate Modelcollect for at least thinking outside of the box and offering something a wee bit different.
Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale US M983 Hemtt Tractor With Pershing II Missile Erector Launcher
Modelcollect’s P.300 mega tank developed for its Fist of War series
Looking to get as much mileage out of their molds as possible, Modecollect plans to port its soon-to-be-released Landkreuzer P.1000 Ratte mega tank to its Fist of War series. Dubbed “Grendel”, the Panzkampfwagen Ausf A P.300 mega tank is designed to work in conjunction with some of the other recently announced Fist of War sci-fi vehicles, many of which are already available in kit form and likely to be developed as pre-built models. Still no price has been assigned to either the P.1000 or P.300 mega tanks, so the jury is still out concerning where they will end up on the retail price point spectrum.
A second take on their upcoming P.300 mega tank, this one boasting over-sized Schurzen side skirts.
Modelcollect’s Railway Series rides the rails in 2018.
Collecting diecast military vehicles and building model railroads seem to have a synergy all their own – two pursuits that go hand-in-hand, year-after-year, much to the delight of hobbyists world over. So, it makes sense that in 2018 Modelcollect will attempt to combine the two hobbies by offering a line-up of military rail cars dubbed the Railway Series. Thus far, only a couple of flat bed rail cars are being shown on the Modecollect web site, but we’re inclined to believe that a lot more are planned for the balance of the new year. In fact, we’ve asked them to produce, what we believe, would be a number of sought after sets that would include Adolf Hitler’s personal train, Amerika, along with several WWII-era armored trains, offered in multiple configurations, liveries and nationalities. Its a grand request, but given the popularity of their vehicles thus far, we think these sets would do exceptionally well at retail, particularly if they were produced in conjunction with a number of different figure sets.
