Well, my last blog caused quite a commotion.

There were a few people who were disturbed enough by my comments to actually contact us for an explanation. Apparently the thought of being eaten alive by a carnivorous carpet induced such fear fear into certain readers that they simply had to call to make sure that it was dead!

I was stunned!

I didn't think anybody actually read this crap!!! For shame people!- don't you have anything better to do with yourselves???

For the record- this is a blog. It is a meaningless ramble about nothing in particular.

Some [all?] of what I write is total hogwash, and NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!!!

To think people actually believed that our former lobby was a death-trap infested by meat-eating rugs is preposterous! The last such carpet was shot in Newfoundland way back in 1897 and there have been no known sightings since.

Anyway, Steve felt I needed to get my head examined & sent me off to our staff retreat in Karelia where stocky, unshaven tribesmen pounded me with planks of cedar until I came to my senses! I tell ya, there is nothing that screams "exhileration" like being dragged through the steppe on the end of a rope tied to a maddened team of reindeer! Next year I will return for another dose, and I will bring the Accounts Department with me - they're fairly wound up and need to relax. A couple of weeks in the peat-bog should do them a world of good. 

Yes Adrian, I'm looking at you!

For one reason or another, I have not been able to service the kit dept. as much as I would like over the last month, but this is now being addressed. We have just received and processed an order from Squadron that has filled almost all customer requirements from this source.  If something has arrived with your name on it, my minions should have contacted you by now to inform you that your item is in. 

We can only use the phone numbers/emails that you supply us with, naturally, so if your significant other intercepts our calls and proceeds to beat the crap out of you for wasting the family income on bits of plastic, metal or resin, we can not be held responsible!!!

Although we exercise all the caution at our disposal when making our calls, we urge you to direct us to 'safe' routes of contact, such as work numbers or emails that we can contact you with.

When time allows, I will address the issue of how to safely sneak stuff into the house without him or her knowing! I have been doing this successfully for about 11 years now, and have only been beaten up twice!

I am now about to unleash my order to the UK Model Gods. The Accounts Department has been warned and the credit card polished and primed. The goods should arrive near the beginning of June [ballpark], and I will probably be out of the public eye for close to a week pricing and disseminating the myriad treasures within.

In a nutshell, when you see the AN124 land on 24 right [depending on the weather], you'll know this order has arrived. Make out your 'Last Will & Testament' and come over ready to shop!

Finally, even though we received a stack of Hobbymaster F22's a few days ago, you wouldn't know it! They're being inhaled, with some enthusiasts buying several copies! Hobbymaster has captured the hearts and minds of the collector, and no matter how good their competitor's product is, everyone wants Hobbymaster!!!  It is imperative you check out their website, take note of what they are releasing, and reserve those items from your favourite zinc dealer [ahem].

Even though we are constantly increasing our orders, upon arrival they sell out faster than we have anticipated. We only get one kick at the can, we generally cannot re-stock pieces once they have sold out. Do not take a chance; if there is something you want, reserve it!

- M

Ladies & Gentlemen,

It is now safe for you to enter the store.We have renovated the lobby and it is no longer the death trap it used to be.The old carpet that used to lay there had degraded to the point that it had become quite the obstacle course, and I'm sure we had lost several customers recently trying to navigate their way through it and into the store.Their bodies are still to be found.

Worse still, this carpet had taken on a life of it's own and had begun crawling around the store and attacking some of our smaller customers, enveloping them within it's folds like a cruddy manta-ray and choking them with it's dust.

Something had to be done and quickly! At the dead of night, while the beast slept, it's guttural snoring reverberating within the lobby, Gary and Steve leapt upon it armed with carpet-knives! A terrible struggle ensued, far too gory and brutal to describe in the confined space of this blog! As the carpet reared up to defend itself, it revealed it's soft underbelly, into which Len pumped about six shots from his old Lebel rifle which he still has from his days with the French Foreign Legion.

With the threat of the killer-carpet extinguished, the renovation could proceed.

As I write, the lobby is bright and welcoming, a far cry from the brooding lair it was for the past seventeen years.Although there are still some finishing touches to be applied,we no longer have to listen to the screams of the poor souls being devoured right outside our door and that really helps us sleep better at night!

Other than the renovation and subduing a carnivorous carpet, it has been a quiet week here in the trenches.  With only a few shipments having arrived, I have been able to spend some time building my next round of orders from my favourite kit distributors,and checking out current and future releases. If you haven't seen Hannants new website, I suggest you get to it immediately.It is sure to keep you up into the wee hours, softly weeping at the realisation that you simply can't afford everything that you'd like to buy from them.

What a great hobby!

Although I have never had problems searching for stuff on their site, their new search function is fool-proof and their individual listings even tell you what quantity of any given item they have in stock!Hannants simply has to be one of the best distributors in the world, and it is thanks to businesses like them that our hobby can thrive.

Three cheers, mates! Cor,Blimey!!!

Eduard is hitting me in the gut with some new announcements.I really should stop looking at their site, as I am biting my nails down to the pink! Although I've been a fan of First World War aircraft as far as I can remember, it is the immediate post-war period that has dominated my focus for the past few years. As many of you know, even though the war ended in November 1918, hostilities didn't cease in many parts of Europe, particularly the former Eastern Front.The collapse of four major empires left much of Europe in turmoil, and conflict raged until well into the 1920's amongst countries determined to attain independence and reclaim lost territory. Imagine my surprise that Eduard has announced a new 2-pack Fokker DVII combo in 1:48 that gives you ELEVEN decal options for aircraft operated by the Czechoslovak, Romanian and Red-Hungarian airforces during this fascinating period! This kind of material has not been covered since Blue Rider closed it's doors close to 10 years ago, and then mostly in 1:72 scale.  Someone has guts at Eduard and I laud their eforts. This model will be available soon and I will be amongst the first to get one!

Also announced is an OEFFAG Albatros DIII Series 253 in 1:48 scale, although this piece will be issued further down the road. No decal options have yet been discussed, but the possibilities are endless, with Austro-Hungarian through to many post-war colorations being possible.It is a shame that there so very few decal manufacturers catering to the first world war period, as this field appears to be enjoying a rennaissance and there are so many marking possibilities. With major manufacturers like WINGNUTS throwing fuel on the fire, there should be no excuse to further explore this field!

Hot on the heels of the Su7 in 1:48, Eduard is now announcing a SU22 in 1:48. Both kits are based on the KOPRO kits from a few years back,which were good for their time but will no doubt be made even better with the addition of sheets of photo-etch and other doo-dads as only Eduard can muster.Russian aircraft from the cold-war period are another hot commodity and I am surprised that so few manufacturers want to dive in and expand the range of available model kits.For those of you die-hard diecast collectors, we may be able to help you sooner than later. Keep watching this space for news of a new diecast manufacturer called RED FALCON. They specialize in Russian cold-war aircraft and they may be coming your way real soon......

On a final note, It somehow escaped my mind the last time I blogged to mention to you all to check out the new AFV Club F5E kit in 1:48 scale.The few we had were quickly lapped up by all who cracked open the box and took a look within. AFV Club has been known to produce some fine armour over the last few years, but are now showing they are quite adept at airframes too. I have corrected my previous error of ordering too few, and have put in an order for the soon to be issued RF5E as well. Grab one while you can, as AFV's production run may not be all that large.  

We have added a number of South American resin kits to our website. Although not new, they are the very last copies we have of these excellent kits, and once they are gone, cannot be replaced.  Production runs were about 200+ copies.

Grab 'em if ya needs 'em.

-M

Ladies & Gents, a matter of grave importance leads this weeks mumble.

It is not often that I will have information of such shocking magnitude to impart upon your fevered brains, so please pay attention as it may save your lives! Because we like you all so much, we would really prefer that you be alive and enjoying your hobbies! Thus, read on anon, & act accordingly...

The situation that prompts me to sit and write these very words is this: In a few short weeks we will be receiving a  shipment of an item so steeped in glory & legend,mystery & controversy, that few dared to
believe it would ever be made. 

In fact, there is a fear that it may go 'missing' in transit, never to be found. 

This item has been over FIFTY YEARS in the making! Fifty years since the prototype was murdered in cold blood and it's corpse ripped apart and discarded.Fifty years gone, but not forgotten, it's name kept alive in the hearts and minds of a nation.

"What the heck are you talking about? Spit it out!", I hear you say.

Fellow zinc collectors, enthusiasts & assorted madmen,I am talking about - the world's first dedicated 1:72 scale diecast model of the one and only...

CF-105 AVRO ARROW!!!

I hear a great silence from our brothers and sisters in the USA, but all of us here in the Great White North bow our heads in reverence to this name. The polar bears growl their homage in the bowels of the great forests and the wolves howl mournfully in the wilderness.  Somewhere, a loon cackles insanely - Oops, that was only one of our politicians thinking up another tax for us to pay!

My mistake.

With this aircraft we could have ruled the world, but alas, it was not to be. Since its' inglourious (Tarantino spelling) end fifty years ago, no one has dared to cast metal in the image of this powerful bird.  We have been deluged with scores of F14's,F15's,F16's,F18's and other symbols of American might, but nothing of our own attempt at aviation supremacy. 

Until now.

We have had metal toys, a couple of model kits, even some limited cast-metal models in 1:100 scale about 15 years ago, but not a cutting edge large scale masterpiece such as the one that is now about to grace our presence!

This is the nub of my grist!!! Yes, you have read that sentence correctly! There are only 3000 copies of this model being made.  Even though this number is about twice as high as the typical HOBBYMASTER or CORGI production run, it is important to note that unlike a typical CORGIMASTER mold, this item will not be repainted umpteen times! One or two releases only, I'll bet, then gone forever.

Looking at our records, I can clearly say we have pre-sold about 85% of our allotment, and we are getting in a huge number of pieces! We have people signing up for their copy of the model every day. With every minute, our stock of available models shrinks further, leaving YOU less of a chance to obtain one!

This will be the single largest diecast shipment in our forty year history, but it is going FAST!

This model should be available for sale near the end of March and is only available through a handful of brick-and-mortar stores in Canada, such as ours. It will not be sold online except through those same stores, or by parties who have acquired copies through devious means. Many collectors will find out about this model after it has sold out, and will have to pay outrageous prices for it online.

Do yourselves a favour & check out this model on our website - search "Avro Arrow".  Better still, if possible drop into our YYZ store and check it out in person - we have a production sample on display that will blow you away!

Although not branded as such, the model clearly mimics the production quality of a HOBBYMASTER model, the current industry standard.  Very recently, this model sat side by side with the CORGI TSR2 in 1:72 scale, another aircraft that shared a similar fate to our beloved ARROW, and it too has just about sold out. The Arrow model will be a complete sell-out within weeks of it's issue. 

Don't let the 3000 piece run fool you into a false sense of security.

Reserve your copy now!

PS. If this model does well (what are the chances?), we may see other models issued down the road of a distinctly Canadian flavour,eh? Jetliners,Voodoos,Tutors, even Cf100's!!! We can only hope.
Me, I'm waiting for a BOMARC missile. Why not,eh?!

  After what seems an eternity (but is actually closer to a few weeks since the last shipment) we have received some diecast product from Corgi & Hobbymaster.

  Both companies continue to excel with their new releases, new molds and re-paints, and this latest round of models was well met with eager enthusiasts snapping up their prizes with hungry alacrity! I guess the delays due to the Chinese New Year seemed longer than normal this year, such that when our shipment of painted zinc finally arrived it was inhaled in a heartbeat, leaving very few survivors on the shelves!

  In spite of us constantly increasing our orders on the key pieces, and actually receiving those higher quantities from our suppliers, we are finding that they take less time with each shipment to find homes.There is so much interest in this field that we are continuously struggling to keep up with the demand.

  Hobbymaster is arguably the manufacturer whose product is in most demand.

  Quality moldings, attention to detail and a fair price, not to mention subject matter that hits you in the gut, are a deadly mixture [ to our wallets!].  We usually get one kick at the can to order their models; there is little chance to get restock on key pieces as the production runs are usually pre-sold 100% within a few weeks of being announced! We have to get the order right the first time, but with demand ever escalating this becomes a guessing game that we can't always win.

  What this means to you, eager collectors, is that you have to live your life in front of the all seeing eye, the internet! As soon as a piece is announced that you MUST HAVE in your collection, you MUST contact your favourite retailer [preferably us] and put in your bid. We have been quite successful in getting enthusiasts their Hobbymaster requirements providing they have pre-ordered their models within a reasonable timeframe.

  Hobbymaster usually announces their next wave a few months before it is delivered to the distributors, giving everyone plenty of time to put in their requests. The internet is the most reliable of sources for new release information, so bookmark your favourite sites, leave the computer on 24/7 and do not go to sleep, do not ever go to sleep as you may miss that key announcement that could forever change your life! Could you possibly live with yourself if you had missed the new A1H Skyraider? I think not! Do not sleep, drink lots of coffee and stare at that monitor!!!
 
    Corgi, although popular, does not quite command the same frenzy as Hobbymaster does. We are able to restock many pieces long after their initial shipment has arrived, even though their production runs are similar to Hobbymaster's.  Corgi models are more expensive per piece, and more daunting to collect as they have such a huge back-catalog of releases. Try to track down some of their oldies on ebay - it is quite a challenge!

  We have to respect this venerable British manufacturer as he kick started this field of interest over 10 years ago. Yes, there were other manufacturers making diecast military aircraft when Corgi released it's first AVIATION ARCHIVE selections, but no-one was making them like Corgi, with the same dedication and quality. They set a benchmark which manufacturers like Hobbymaster, Century Wings and others have only recently begun to surpass.

  Without Corgi, we'd still be collecting toys. 

  Their Dornier Do17, just issued, is the equal to anything Hobbymaster has just issued, and shows that they are quite capable of keeping up with the Jone's. If only they could reduce their prices a shade, they would truly give Hobbymaster a fight!

  If you learn anything from the above ramble, it is that production runs of models are low and demand is high. If you see something advertised that you must have, get your order in to your favoured supplier ASAP, or forever be damned to chase those things down on ebay! Good Luck!

  Although I have tackled the subject of military diecast in this 'mumble', civil diecast models are being issued in much the same manner, and the same rules apply to achieve success in receiving your wants. I will try to shed some light on the intricacies of civil diecast model collecting in a future blog.  There are differences in that the runs on many civil models are smaller than the runs of military models, probably due to the use of trademarked or copyrighted Airline Liveries, and this fact has made the issue of certain pieces very 'interesting', to say the least.
   
  Finally, no matter how beautiful your models look, you should not eat them! 

  Yes, we all know that zinc is the primary ingredient of the mix from which our models are made, and zinc is actually a very beneficial mineral, a key ingredient to good health. Zinc deficiency can cause diarrhea, infection susceptibility, growth retardation and delayed sexual maturation, especially amongst kids, so don't feed your excess or broken models to your family! The various spiky bits on your models could actually puncture your stomach and cause further harm. If you need more zinc in your diet, you may find beans, nuts, almonds, whole grains & other seeds to be more useful.

- Be smart, eat healthy!!!

Ladies & Gents,

        The Thing on the Receiving Table.

The inspiration for this weeks ramble was presented to me a few days ago with the appearance of an item of immense power and beauty, a thing so utterly stunning that all activity stopped & a reverential silence fell upon the store, as the staff gazed in wonder & awe at the thing that lay before them. Devastating in it's majesty, a terrible energy coursing, thrumming through it's myriad components, this creation reared up and roared

"I AM HERE!".

Trembling in terror, our fearful staff cowered before an immense tower of gigantic orange boxes, and they knew immediately that doom was upon them. Mark had been at work-our shipment of 1:24 scale AIRFIX Mosquitos had just arrived!!!

As I sit here basking in the glow of over 12,000 mostly plastic parts [each kit has 617 pieces] ,I am content in the knowledge that our beloved hobby is hale and healthy. Far be it to make such a statement on the strength of one world-class release such as this, I am referring more to the spate of high profile releases we have been treated to in the last few months. From 1:32 scale TAMIYA Spitfire IX's to 1:32 scale PACIFIC COAST Hurricane 1's to 1:32 scale REVELL-GERMANY Eurofighters, we are being spoiled by choice and quality! The market is exploding in all scales, but did you notice I wrote '1:32 scale' 3 times in that last sentence?

There is a trend to go huge in the last few years amongst the model manufacturers. Obviously there is an interest as the stuff continues to sell but where the heck are we supposed to put these gargantuan models, built or unbuilt?  Don't know
about you guys, but my basement is stuffed! Am having trouble finding room for 1:72 scale figures let alone 1:24 scale aircraft!

Thankfully we are still getting our share of 1:48 scale joy, but 1:72 seems to be sliding further & further into specialty manufacturing. This is a shame as there is so much interest in that scale, so much unfilled potential. To all the modelers who are trying to escape 1:72 scale and the strain those tiny parts put on their aging eyes and fingers, I say 1:32 or larger scales are not an easy answer! There is simply so much more detail that can be seen in a larger model, so much more visual punch,and that punch comes in a myriad of tiny parts.

Again, the Airfix Mossie has 617 parts, many of them microscopic - so how are you winning by scaling up from a 1:72 scale Mossie with maybe 60 parts? My friends, you has to make yer own choices. You do what the little man [or woman] inside of you tells you what to do. As for my 'little woman' [I think the term is 'petite], she will slaughter me if I bring home another kit the size of this mammoth Mosquito, or any kit for that matter. I will have to stick to the smaller scales as they are easier to sneak into the house! She has to sleep some time...

Check out the Airfix Mossie on our website, taking care to see the Airfix animation at the bottom of the page showing you how all 617 parts go together. It's way cool! Be advised that Airfix has made one change to the kit since it was originally announced- it no longer has the decals for the 418SQN RCAF machine- it now has markings for a RNZAF 487SQN bird that took
part in the famous 'Operation Jericho' raid in February,1944.If you must build a Canadian Mossie, our Pal Terry from AVIAEOLOGY has produced a killer decal with 4 RCAF options, including the version originally announced in the Airfix kit.This decal should be on our site too: it is our part #66595 RCAF Mosquito Intruders 1:24, and the manufacturers' part # is AOD24005. At the price, it is well worth it. Like so much good stuff nowadays, this decal is a limited run item so if you wannit, go get it before she is gone!

Also gone from the kit is the Tim Horton's coffee cup holder which all RCAF aircraft had in their cockpits. Sigh, I guess you'll have to scratch-build your own if you're using the AVIAEOLOGY decals......

Yes, we have very few models on the site so far. This is a new website and we are building up the kit section from scratch. Stuff will be appearing shortly.If there is something you are looking for, feel free to call me at the store or email me at mark@aviationworld.net . I am able to bring in most stuff fairly quickly. The only people I cannot help are those who are in an ungodly rush & who must have their stuff yesterday. Remember that we are a retail store and must order from our suppliers within certain parameters- I cannot stop what I'm doing and order one decal sheet for you from Poland just because you want it. if you need it in a hurry, get out your card & order it direct from the source.

End of rant.

As with every hobby, there are those who sit on the sidelines and scream " The hobby is dying! Prepare for the inevitable!!!" Yet the inevitable has not happened. There has been much change in the manner the hobby is enjoyed thanks to the internet, and we have benefited from a thermonuclear explosion of product that has appeared as a direct result of people talking to each other and the evolution of new technology to enable the manufacture of these products. Gone are the old model Ma & Pa hobby stores who got all their models & products from one or two local suppliers for decades on end. We are
now buying globally from an unlimited number of sources and the world is our oyster. I can't think of a single enthusiast nowadays who would want to go to the same venue week after week and see the same stuff every time.

The internet has enabled us to enjoy our interests to the fullest- if we want to build a 1920's Polish armoured car in 1:72 scale, we can probably find it on the net; If we want to buy models of South American Civil airliners in 1:400 scale, we
can find them on the net. The only drawback is that much of this production is very limited, such that you must get it when you see it or forever lose it. Ebay is not going to be able to bail you out every time you miss something the first time around. Some of the stuff we see selling out just vanishes, never to be seen again!

It is beyond the scope of this blog to try to explain why the manufacturers are making such small production runs, but I will say I am impressed with Revell-Germany and their prolific output of quality mainstream models, for incredibly affordable prices. They are leaving Hasegawa, Trumpeter & Hobby Boss far behind in their wake (amongst others).

How they can keep their prices down and their quality up when others can not is a modern mystery. Keep it boys, I'll always make room in my basement for your stuff!

On a final note, I will say that this space will encompass diecast models and books in due time. We have just received a small batch of Corgi models which includes the new Dornier Do17 model, and are awaiting Hobbymaster which should have the A1
Skyraider model in the mix. Shipments are currently messed up due to the Chinese New Year, so if you're expecting a particular model from us please be patient-we'll call you when it arrives. Maybe more so than with model kits, diecast production runs have slid to never before seen levels-there is a ton of stuff being issued, but of every individual piece there may be only a couple hundred units made. Makes for a challenging if not frustrating hunt if you're trying to collect a particular run of models,as distribution on an item that exists in a batch of only 120 pieces globally, gives every interested retailer only a handful of copies to sell! If you dearly want a particular item, please contact us preferably before it is issued and put in your bid. Waiting for us to get stock and hoping we have enough stock to go around is a strategy that rarely works nowadays.

Thanks much for reading. Toodles & Pip

        -  maRk.

Hello Ladies & Hobbyists,

I am going to melt your brains. But first....

By way of introduction, let me introduce myself- I am Mark & I look after the Hobby end of things here at Aviation World.
Although I am surrounded by enthusiasts, I have left the other members of the staff far behind in the pursuit of my hobbies. In fact, they consider me insane,unstable & am surprised they have given me a means with which I can spread my disease to an unsuspecting public!
Good lord! The damage I will inflict upon your soft, pink brains will be irreversible!
You will soon be in my power, a horde of model mad zombies under my command. You will not be able to resist the power that commands you, commands you to scour the earth in search of rare & exotic limited run models and to buy them, TO BUY THEM AND COLLECT THEM, NOT BUILD THEM!
Just put them in your basement and let them sit while you go off on your next hunt to get more stuff to put on the pile.
Yes, you must feed the pile, you can not stop feeding the maw of the collection because it will have a ravenous appetite!
Yes my pets, I will have you building a collection so big it will push you out of your house and into the street.
You will become a slave to your collection. I tremble at the thought, but I must control myself. I am beginning to ramble!
I cannot scare you away. I must work slowly,slowly hypnotizing you with my words, mesmerizing you, lulling you, until you are in my power, then.....I WILL STRIKE!!!!!......

...but, until then, I will witter harmlessly away on little things that interest me about the hobby. There is so much going on, it's hard to figure out where to start. To those who say the Model Hobby is dying, I say it is entering a Golden Age. We've never had it so good. My glass is half full, not half empty, and that is the slant I will take in my MODEL MUMBLINGS.
This will not be a column bitching about what is wrong with the hobby or what is wrong with the latest TAMIGAWA kit, this will be a column written by a genuine enthusiast enthusing about his hobby.
Hopefully you will find something of interest amongst my musings, enough to come back week after week and drink up another dose of my peculiar brew, as that is the only way I can take over your brain, take over your mind...and then......when you least expect it........    I WILL STRIKE!!!

Please read this column, or they'll put me back into my cage. It's really dark down in the catacombs......

            OOO-ooohhhh Lordy!...

                                               -mArk.

ps. http://www.aviationworld.net/de-havilland-mosquito-nf-1-24-scale-plastic-kit-from-airfix.html