Corgi models galore with new range announcement
Welcome to the latest edition of Corgi Die-cast Diaries, your regular blog review of all the news, updates and topical stories from the captivating world of Corgi die-cast model collecting.
This edition of Die-cast Diaries was originally scheduled to be published a couple of Fridays ago, however, for obvious reasons, we took the decision that publication at that time would not be appropriate.
In a week that witnessed the third and final Corgi model range launch for 2022 (at the time of writing), the content of our latest Die-cast Diaries blog is pretty much set in stone (that really should be metal, shouldn't it?), as we take a look at the latest crop of new model announcements added to the Corgi website. For this update, we will be looking specifically at three models which feature on a Corgi blog for the very first time and by way of an extra treat, will be including a selection of final signed sample model images for your inspection, the first time these images have been published anywhere. In addition to this, we will be looking at the interesting stories behind each model, details which ultimately convinced us that they needed to take their respective places within the Corgi range.
Although a little early as yet, we still intend to bring you an update on the early pace setters from the latest range announcement from a collector pre-ordering perspective, just for fun and will be pointing you in the direction of a couple of recent additions to the Corgi website which you may find both enlightening and something of a collector's aide-memoire. Without further ado, let's go and take a look at some appealing new die-cast models.
Three's up for Corgi in 2022
How time flies when you’re having fun in the world of die-cast model collecting. It only seems to have been a few weeks' ago that we were informing Corgi collectors about a change in format for the way future Corgi ranges would be announced, changing from our traditional annual range announced in early January, to three separate announcements in January, May and September each year. In truth, few people really like change and particularly because this one initially resulted in the announcement of a smaller range of models, there were some initial concerns within the collector world, but everything has settled down now and most people seem to be more than happy with the new arrangement.
One major benefit of this change is from a development perspective, as it allows the Corgi team to be more accurate with their expectations for new tooling project timings and only allowing these models into catalogues when there is more than a reasonable chance they will be available within that catalogue period. As has already been demonstrated, this doesn't mean that we are going to be keeping our collectors in the dark when it comes to informing them about the latest projects we are currently working on, just the opposite in fact, it's just that people won't find a dedicated product page for the model on the Corgi website and they won't be able to pre-order it until a more appropriate time. It's just a more sensible way of going about things.
From the collector's perspective, instead of being inundated and overwhelmed with a massive selection of new models to consider right at the beginning of every New Year, things are much more civilised now and we can all make our selections with a minimum of fuss and hassle. Perhaps of even greater appeal, whilst other brands have already shown their hands for the entire year and are busy working through their respective lists, we Corgi fans have two further opportunities to get excited about seeing a new selection of models for our consideration, times when Corgi have the collector world almost to themselves.
In relation to this change, we really would like to thank our loyal collectors for staying with us on this journey and for giving us the benefit of the doubt when details were first announced. We would also like to thank all those blog readers who kindly took the time to contact us and share their opinions on the matter, many actually seeming to prefer the change, but obviously not all of you. The system is now in place and appears to be working well, so we hope this will soon be considered the norm and even those who are not keen at present will come to not mind it so much in the future. Remember, three range launches means three times the Corgi fun!
As with our two previous range launches this year, our Brand Executive, David Mather, has been hard at work producing his range overview video, which is now awaiting your inspection over on the official Corgi YouTube channel and includes all the new models announced earlier this week, in addition to a few die-cast favourites. This range now boast the inclusion of the new Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX in the colours of famous RAF ace Johnnie Johnson and the striking new Ford Focus Mk.3 RS in Nitrous Blue, both of which can now be pre-ordered by those looking to add them to their collections. For those who like to keep a record of each Corgi catalogue released, this latest edition can now be downloaded using THIS LINK, a modern and convenient way to gain all the information you might need regarding all the latest Corgi models. As usual though, a number of printed catalogues are available in our warehouse and will be added to current orders received via the Corgi website whilst stocks last.
With all the above being said, surely the best thing you could do now is to head over to the Corgi website and take a look at the latest selection of models for yourself. We think we have some beauties in there, but don't take our word for it, please go and inspect our latest model range for yourselves.
Luftwaffe Eagles under the sun
Our latest Luftwaffe related releases both benefit from striking new WWII War under the Sun packaging.
The world of Aviation Archive has been presenting collectors with beautifully finished scale die-cast representations of classic aeroplanes since the first model appeared back in 1998 and from those first humble beginnings, has grown into one of the largest and most popular model ranges in our recent history. With regard to subject matter, we will all no doubt have our own particular favourites, but one sub-range which has always found favour with large numbers of collectors has been models of aircraft types operated in the distinctive markings of the Luftwaffe during WWII and with that in mind, we are pleased to inform our readers that the new September to December range includes a pair of 'desert crackers'.
The incredible popularity of Luftwaffe related subject matter within the Aviation Archive range is not that difficult to understand and may just simply be down to the fact that many of these aircraft types just look that much more sinister than their Allied aviation counterparts. It might also be the colours used to camouflage these aircraft, or the markings and unit badges applied to them, or it could simply be the fact that very few remained intact after the war and as a consequence, few of us have actually seen one in the flesh, so to speak. Whatever the reason, there is something of an enigma about WWII Luftwaffe aircraft and Aviation Archive collectors have always found spaces in their collections for Messerschmitts, Junkers and Heinkels, just to add a little aviation balance to any a wartime aviation collection.
Anyone who has already taken the opportunity to inspect the latest Corgi model range will have no doubt noticed that it includes a pair of Messerschmitt fighters which plied their trade under Mediterranean skies within its ranks and we think they both look rather spectacular. Both machines were tasked with patrolling the clear blue skies above Greece and North Africa and both are examples of two of the most famous aircraft types of the Second World War, Messerschmitts which both retained their Bayerische Flugzeugwerke denotations throughout their service. Let's take a closer look at each one of them in turn now.
One of the most important fighter aircraft in the history of aviation, when the prototype Messerschmitt Bf 109 made its first flight in May 1935, the aircraft’s appearance was radically different to the front line fighter types which were in service with most of the world’s major air forces at that time. With fast and manoeuvrable biplane fighters very much being the order of the day at that time, Messerschmitt’s sleek monoplane was a completely new direction for aviation, possessing exceptional speed and manoeuvrability, designed from the outset to outfly anything it encountered in the skies.
Entering Luftwaffe service in February 1937, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 made its combat introduction during the Spanish Civil War and whilst it certainly showed itself to be an exceptional fighting aeroplane during this conflict, reviewing the early combat experiences of Bf 109 pilots allowed designers to make modifications and improvements to the fighter, which were incorporated in all newly manufactured aircraft prior to the start of the Second World War. Placing the Messerschmitt’s dramatic introduction into aviation context, in the same month the Messerschmitt Bf 109 entered service with Luftwaffe units, the Royal Air Force were also introducing their latest fighter aircraft type to front line squadrons, the Gloster Gladiator biplane.
As the most heavily produced fighter aircraft in the history of flight, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was also the aviation mount of many of the world’s most prolific air aces, with some of their individual tallies being nothing short of astonishing. With the top scoring American and British aces being credited with 40 and 38 victories respectively, the most successful Luftwaffe ace of WWII boasted no fewer than 352 aerial combat victories and in addition to this, at least 104 Luftwaffe airmen would be credited with 100 aerial victories or more - sobering statistics indeed.
The latest release from our popular Messerschmitt Bf 109G tooling is a real beauty, in the markings of an aircraft flown by Luftwaffe ace Werner Schröer during his time operating from the Greek island of Rhodes.
For German pilot Werner Schröer, his own combat journey towards future inclusion in this 100 plus victory list would actually begin relatively modestly. Posted to 2./JG27 on the Channel Front, Schröer would not be credited with any victories during the Battle of Britain, even though he himself always maintained that he accounted for at least three RAF fighters during this dramatic period in history. His later transfer to North Africa and air operations in support of the Afrika Korps would result in a change in these fortunes and a steadily increasing victory tally which would soon make him one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful pilots. By the time III./JG27 relocated to the Aegean Islands in late 1942, Schröer has 61 confirmed victories to his name, making him the second most successful ‘Desert Eagle’ flying at that time, with only the famous Hans-Joachim Marseille ahead of him.
It would be accurate to say that German personnel loved their time stationed on the Greek Islands, particularly as this time of relative calm came immediately after their chastening experience at the hands of the Allies in North Africa. For a time, Schröer and the rest of 8./JG27 enjoyed great success flying fighter cover for strike aircraft targeting British shipping in the Mediterranean, but unfortunately, this success proved to be short-lived, as the Allies were now advancing on all fronts and their time on the island of Rhodes would soon be at an end. With Germany now coming under incessant bombing attack by day and night, as many fighters as could be spared were pulled back to defend the Reich from what was becoming an increasingly desperate situation. Werner Schröer would ultimately survive the war with 114 aerial victories to his name, having flown just 197 operational missions. Of this number, 102 victories were achieved on the Western Front and included 26 four-engined heavy bombers.
Werner Schröer’s beautiful Rhodes based Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 (Trop) ‘Red 1’ is the subject of this latest release , an aircraft which must have made for an impressive sight when taking off from its coastal base and heading out over the intense blue of the Mediterranean Sea. During the late 1990s, a Hispano Buchon fighter under restoration with the Real Aeroplane Company in Yorkshire was finished in the colours of Schröer’s WWII Rhodes based Messerschmitt and would go on to become a firm favourite with enthusiasts at Airshows across the UK.
With its inability to overcome the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain and plans for the invasion of the Soviet Union at an advanced stage during the winter of 1940, Luftwaffe units were both fully committed and still re-equipping at that stage of the war. Thankfully, the German High Command had no intention of sending men and equipment to support Italian military operations in North Africa, as they saw this as something of a peripheral theatre of the war and one which held little strategic importance for them. Unfortunately, a series of embarrassing defeats in the region for their Italian allies would force Hitler’s hand somewhat and he would have to send much needed assets first to Sicily and then on to North Africa to help prevent the total capitulation of the Italian forces.
This initial small expeditionary force would later be joined by more men and equipment, as the Luftwaffe in North Africa would now be required to protect and support the operations of Rommel’s Afrika Korps. Amongst the first aircraft deployed to theatre were the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters of ZG.26, sent to support Italian Army operations in North Africa, but these aircraft would soon be joined by the single seat fighters of JG.27 and future ace pilots such as Eduard Neumann, Werner Schröer and Hans-Joachim Marseille. Flying over the desert and under deep blue skies, the aircraft may have arrived in theatre wearing their standard western splinter camouflage schemes, but were quickly repainted into very different desert schemes, often utilising available Regia Aeronautica paint stocks, until official RLM (Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium) supplies could be sent to airfields in North Africa from Germany.
A series of exclusive product images showing an advanced production sample model from this beautiful new 'Desert Destroyer and the second of our new WWII War under the Sun releases.
With combat operations against the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain proving to be close to catastrophic for Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter units, you could be forgiven for thinking that the months which followed the fighting over the UK might be a time spent licking wounds and making good those losses. In actual fact, even though the Luftwaffe were at the advanced stages of testing a replacement twin engined design by then (the not so successful Me 210), combat operations from 1941 onwards would actually prove to be much better suited to the fighting strengths of Goering’s Bf 110 Destroyer force. With the ability to fly long patrols and possessing impressive firepower, the Bf 110 proved to be an excellent long range fighter, maritime patrol and light strike attack platform, ensuring the type would remain in service for the majority of WWII.
When the Luftwaffe were forced to send aircraft to support faltering Italian Army operations in North Africa, the Messerschmitt Bf 110s of Zerstörergeschwader 26 were amongst the first to be sent to this theatre, initially tasked with providing fighter protection for Stuka units engaged in halting Allied ground advances. The aircraft’s desert deployment would also prove significant for another operational reason, its first use in a role at which it would prove to be incredibly successful, that of nightfighter. On the night of 22nd/23rd May 1941, the Messerschmitt Bf 110 was pressed into the night interception role over the desert and over the course of the next week, ace pilot Oberleutnant Alfred Wehmeyer would score three nocturnal victories against Allied raiders. Messerschmitt’s ‘Destroyer’ had just found its fighting niche.
The product images used to illustrate both Messerschmitt model reviews above are being shown for the first time and feature advanced production sample models of both, highlighting the advanced nature of both projects. In fact, as of this week, the Schröer Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2(Trop) is now available and already on the way to those collectors who pre-ordered it and should also be with your usual Corgi stockist. Both will make attractive additions to any Aviation Archive collection.
Rhapsody in Hawaiian Blue
When talking about model subjects which have found favour with Corgi collectors, the name Ford is not only inextricably linked with popular and successful motoring, but also their representation as faithful scale models in our Vanguards range. The Ford Motor Company has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the British motoring public, one which stretches right back to 1903 and the import of the first ‘Model A’ motor cars. Following on from this, in 1911, a new car assembly plant was opened in Trafford Park, Manchester, employing around 60 people and assembling the new ‘Model T’ from imported component parts. Since those humble beginnings, the Ford name has been associated with the mass-production of quality motor vehicles for the general population, with many iconic car types going on to wear the famous Ford badge over the years and many people gaining great affection for this brand.
One thing which has always been associated with the Ford brand over the years has been how their design and marketing departments cleverly produced stylish and affordable cars which appealed to large sections of the population, not only because of their good looks, but also because of their links to success in the motorsport arena. And then there are the model names, names which would go on to be associated with some of the most popular cars to be found on British roads and names which are still familiar to many millions of people throughout Britain and across Europe.
The first time this stunning new model has featured in a Die-cast Diaries blog, this stunning Mk4 Cortina 2.0 Ghia is a little beauty and already proving to be a hit with Vanguards collectors.
One of those model names was the Cortina, a medium sized family car which was designed from the outset to have huge sales potential and to appeal to a great many families throughout the country, getting the nation on the move, so to speak. During a twenty year production run, the Cortina was produced in five different marks/styles and significantly during the 1970s, actually had the distinction of being Britain's best-selling car. A vehicle which proved to be as popular with British families as it was with fleet and rental operators, the Cortina range encompassed everything from the basic entry model, which just got people on the road, to the top of the range Ghia, which was the high-spec option for the style conscious motorist, but all which continued the motoring success story that was Ford.
The Mk4 Cortina was based on the previous Mk3 platform but sported a totally new body, which was crisper and less American influenced than the Mk3 had been. It was styled under the leadership of Uwe Bahnsen at Ford in Germany and was at that time almost fully integrated with the European Taunus range. Our latest addition to the Vanguards range of Mk4 Ford Cortinas is a real beauty and marks the latest in a long line of blog exclusives, as this is the first time this new model is being featured within Die-cast Diaries.
VA11916 - Ford Cortina Mk4 - Hawaiian Blue 2.0 Ghia.
Ford offered Hawaiian Blue as an option on most models in their UK range for just under three years between 1977 and 1979. It wasn’t particularly popular on the fleet-market focused Cortina range though meaning survivors in this attractive period hue are very rare. The car modelled is the only Ghia known to have survived in this colour. It was built at Dagenham, despatched to Ford dealers Eastbourne Motors, and first registered on January 20th, 1978, to local man Mr Robert J Noble. He retained it for five years and it was then purchased by Mr Bertram Alfred Coot who lived very close to London Bridge. He cherished the car, keeping it in a garage and using it regularly, but sparingly, until 2019.
This remarkable survivor was purchased by Cortina enthusiast and collector, Dorset-based Bruce McDermott, in 2019 and at that point had covered only 46,000 miles. He couldn’t resist it because of its rare colour and outstanding original condition. The bodyshell was completely rust free and the engine bay, interior and underside were all perfect, perhaps partly as a result of only being used in an urban environment. The paint, however, had faded in a number of areas so, feeling that such a unique time warp example deserved to be perfect, Bruce had the car totally resprayed in 2020 but was able to retain the original vinyl roof which only needed a thorough clean.
Now added to the Corgi website, this attractive Ford Cortina Mk4 2.0 Ghia is available for pre-order now and should be available in our warehouse early next month.
And they’re off!
It is somehow fitting that the most popular new model in these very early days is presented in such a spectacular colour.
As we currently find ourselves within just a few days of the announcement of the latest Corgi model range, we know that looking at a list of the most popular models at this early stage is probably a little pointless, but in the name of fun and general interest, we are going to do it anyway. It's always interesting to see which new models manage to get collectors hitting the pre-order button almost before they can stop themselves and whilst we feel sure that most blog readers will easily be able to identify which are going to be the most popular, or fastest selling models from the latest collection, let’s take a look at the current front runners anyway.
With almost four days of ordering activity now behind us, there are no prizes for guessing which model is currently at the head of the pack, but if you do need a clue, it comes in Nitrous Blue. Its not really a surprize to learn that the new Ford Focus Mk3 RS exclusively reviewed in the previous edition of our blog is out in front of this pre-order race by some distance at this early stage, however, there are some powerful performers already coming up on the rails and it will be interesting to see how the positionings alter over the next few editions of our blog. The current early running has the Ford Focus Mk3 out in front, closely followed by:
AA29101 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX W/Cdr. J.E. Johnson
VA11510 Triumph TR5 - Signal Red
OM46635 New Routemaster - West Yorkshire
AA34114 Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.2B, RAF No.16 Sqn
We are sure the running order is going to change in the weeks to come, but at this early stage, it is interesting to see quite a broad spread of model subjects making it into the list and how Aviation Archive isn't having it all its own way at the moment. We will re-visit this fascinating race in a couple of blogs' time to see which models if any have moved up the list, or indeed may have been replaced by an even stronger finisher.
Great Corgi rewards to come
We end this latest edition of our blog with news of an interesting future development for Corgi collectors everywhere - our new Hobby Rewards. A brand new initiative which is scheduled to go live soon, Corgi Hobby Rewards is a new loyalty program available to everyone and for those who join, they will benefit from 10% back on every £1 spent at corgi.co.uk (and other Hornby Hobbies websites), in addition to a host of other exciting benefits, all of which may increase in number over time.
This is intended to be a real benefit for our loyal collectors and somewhere where we can make the Corgi family feel both at home and rewarded - we very much look forward to bringing you further details in the weeks to come, so please keep an eye out for more news regarding this exciting new benefit.
That's another edition in the can, but we will be back as usual in two weeks' time with a further look at all the latest Corgi model developments and project updates. Between editions, we are always interested to hear your views on all things Corgi, so if you feel like dropping us a line to comment on anything blog or Corgi model related, or indeed to suggest a topic you would like us to include in a future edition, please feel free to do so at diecastdiaries@corgi.co.uk.
If you can’t wait for the next blog, you will find plenty of Corgi model collecting discussions taking place on our official social media channels, access to which can be obtained by clicking on the respective links at the foot of the Corgi website homepage.
Link access to Corgi social media sites.
Thank you for continuing to support our Die-cast Diaries blog. Our next edition is scheduled for publication on Friday 8th October.
Related Products
Further Reading
Related Products
Discontinued
Messerschmitt Bf 110E-2 (Trop) ‘Horst Wessel’ – Zerstörergeschwader 26
AA38511 |
1:72 Scale
Further Reading
Defiant addition and prototype Raptors
Famous 'Milk Wagon' Fortress and Vanguards Screen Stars
