World War I

WWI Tugs at Our Heart Strings and Our Wallets


Wings of the Great War’s 1:72 scale French Saint Chamond Heavy Tank – “Chantecoq,” As31, Laffaux, France, 1917

Apparently, last week’s 100-year commemoration marking the end of World War I has had a profound impact on both marketing strategies and sales for several manufacturers. Take, for instance, the 1:72 scale Saint Chamond tank (WW10207) from Wings of the Great War, which is currently en route to us just in time for the holiday season. According to our distributor, it is already sold out at both the factory and distributor level, meaning we will only have a handful of pieces available for general sale once we have filled all of our existing pre-orders. Frankly, once people read this blog post, we may not even have any pieces available for general sale either.


Corgi’s 1:48 scale German Fokker D VII Fighter – 4649/18 “Seven Swabians” Wilhelm Scheutzel, Jasta 65, September 1918

In the air, Corgi has launched a new sub brand dubbed World War I 1914-1918 Centenary Series, which includes several of their soon-to-be-released 1:48 scale WWI-era fliers. We’ve grouped the recently released cherry-red Dridecker flown by Manfred von Richtofen in with these aircraft for obvious reasons but the first true Centenary warbird is called “Seven Swabians”, another Dridecker piloted by Wilhelm Scheutzel, who was attached to Jasta 65 during September 1918 (AA38906). While his mount laid claim to only two enemy aircraft in its brief tenure over the Western Front, the “Seven Swabians” is perhaps better remembered for its intricate artwork adorning both sides of its fuselage. For the uninitiated, “Seven Swabians” draws its title from a famous Brothers Grimm German Fairy Tale. Brandishing an oversized spear, which required all seven of the Swabians to carry, the story tells the farcical tale of this hapless group and their futile attempts to achieve greatness through performing great deeds. Look for the “Seven Swabians” to rise high over the diecast trenches some time before the end of the holiday season.


Corgi’s 1:48 scale RNAS Sopwith Camel Fighter – Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner, No.3 Squadron, Bray Dunes Aerodrome, France, 1918

Likely expected in league with the Dridecker is a Royal Naval Air Service Sopwith Camel fighter, which was flown by Flight Lieutenant Lloyd S Breadner (AA38109)

Canadian ace Lloyd Samuel Breadner can surely claim to have flown one of the most distinctive Sopwith Camels on the Western Front. Featuring two large circles on the top wing, his aircraft also included King of Diamonds playing cards on the top of the lower wings, the badge of the Canadian Expeditionary Force carried behind the cockpit and a striking red and white ‘rising sun’ on the tail and elevators – there can be no doubting that Flight Lieutenant Breadner wanted his German opponents to see him coming.

Corgi’s all-new WWI 1914-1918 Centenary Series banner

Joining No.3 Squadron RNAS in 1917, Breadner initially flew the Sopwith Pup scout, in which he managed to score seven aerial victories, one of which was a mighty German Gotha bomber on April 23rd, 1917, the first time a British fighter had brought down one of these behemoth’s over the Western Front.

When his unit converted to the new Sopwith Camel, he went on to score a further three victories during September 1917, all of which were against Luftstreitkrafte Albatros D.V fighters. Surviving the war, Breadner became Air Officer Commanding-in Chief RCAF Overseas during WWII and on his retirement, was promoted to Air Chief Marshal – the first Canadian to hold this rank.

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World War I: A Hundred Years Hence

November 11th marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. All of the remaining survivors have now left us, joining their brethren on the battlefield who paid the ultimate price some five generations ago. In its aftermath, there were upwards of 20 million souls that died during the so-called “War to end all Wars,” thus earning it the moniker of being one of the costliest conflagrations of all times.

As a purveyor of military memorabilia, it is sometimes difficult to separate the scale tributes we promote and sell from the actual carnage of war, particularly as it relates to the first World War, where men were mowed down by the thousands feebly attempting to cross “no-man’s land”, dogfighting overhead without so much as a parachute to save them, or braving the ocean’s depths when submarine warfare was still in its primordial infancy. The First World War was a cruel war to be sure – virtually annihilating an entire generation, ending several European monarchies, and redrawing the map of Europe in such a way that it almost guaranteed that a second war would eventually replace it in terms of death and destruction.

So, as you admire your collections or contemplate making your next purchase, we ask that you remember the true cost of war. Take a moment to reflect on the lives spent on both sides of the conflict, many of whom were snuffed out long before they could enjoy the dividends of peace and benefits of being born long after the conflict ended.

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