As we head into the all-important holiday season, several recent developments have surfaced which bears some immediate attention. A couple of new manufacturers have popped up on the radar, which require a closer look by everyone involved. Artitec (http://www.artitec.nl/) is a Netherlands-based manufacturer of kits and pre-built scale models in multiple scales. They have a rather intriguing set of military vehicles offered in both 1:72 and 1:87 scales, many of which have never been seen before. We hope to have more information on their line-up in the weeks to come. In the air, Calibre Wings (http://www.calibrewings.com/) is a new, Singapore-headquartered operation that is currently developing a slew of modern aerobatics replicas as well as a 1:72 scale take on the Grumman F-14 Fleet Defender. Again, more information will follow soon.
On the downside, several eagerly awaited models seem to have slipped in the release schedule. Luft-X is reporting that their next trio of secret weapons of the Luftwaffe have been delayed until February. Likewise, it appears as if Air Force 1’s 1:72 scale B-25 and B-17 may not make it under the Christmas tree, since neither aircraft has yet to be photographed and shown to the public. If anything changes, we will certainly let you know, but right now it appears as if these should be crossed off your holiday wish list.
Lastly, we have altered our shipping model, in an effort to better serve our collecting audience, particularly those customers in the central and western parts of the United States. We are now offering a flat rate shipping cost of just $4.99 to customers residing within the lower 48 states. So, you can order as a few or as many items as you like for only $4.99, and no longer have to worry if your order meets or exceeds the $150 free shipping threshold. This change has already been implemented and we will be updating our shipping graphic shortly. Keep in mind, that orders will be shipped out via the most economical means available to us, so please do not contact us to indicate you need your order to arrive by such-and-such date. The Post Office still offers faster means of shipping, particularly during the hectic holiday season, priced in accordance with their speed-of-delivery. Hopefully, this new shipping model will alleviate back orders, and enable us to ship out product quickly and as cheaply as possible. Note, customers residing outside the Continental US will still have to pay regular shipping rates, based in accordance with live rates provided by the USPS. Also, we have dropped UPS from our carrier options since we no longer use them due to their excessive dimensional rates business model.