Future Force of Valor (FOV) releases (1 Viewer)

[desk11desk12]

Hey guys,

Have you seen these promo shots of new and repaint FOV vehicles and artillery. Yes, artillery!

It appears the new Flak 88 is superior to 21stCentury and great for dioramas.

Scheduled availability: April 2006

U.S. M105 Howitzer with three man crew

Scheduled availability: July 2006

German SD Kfz. 7/1

Scheduled availability: June 2006

U.S. M4A3 Sherman with tank riders

Scheduled availability: March 2006

U.K. M3 Grant (El Alamein)

Scheduled availability: April 2006

I'm excited. FOV stuff is always great for my dioramas.

Carlos

 

[Eazy]

The new Flak 88 is a great looking piece and looks to have a well posed crew. It's an absolute must buy for me.

The US Howitzer and the flak wagon also will be on my to buy list.

The Sherman though is essentially just another repaint with the tank riders added and new stowage. It does look good though and is certainly the best FOV Sherman so far. I can see me buying it in a moment of weakness though i will try to resist.

The Grant is a straight repaint, complete with tank commander with extraordinarily long neck. I'll give this one a miss because i already have the original.


I wonder if there will be anymore new vehicles added for release later in the year? I'd also like to see some new FOV dioramas. Their farmhouse, desert and city diorama are excellent value.

 

[OzDigger]

Hey Easy, was your Grant the 'Monty' command tank version, which is the one I have complete with a very dark looking Monty.

I've seen online pics of a FOV Grant with sort of jungle camo colors and wondered if they released different version in different markets.

 

[Eazy]

Hey OzDigger,

Yep yours is the same as mine. I hadn't realised that figure was meant to be Montgomery.

If that's who it's meant to be then it's a twisted, deformed, mutant version of Monty that exists only in Louis Badolato's worst nightmares!

As for the other paint scheme you mentioned it's possible that it was the "Action " grade version that toy chains in the U.S get as opposed to the "Enthusiast" version that the specialty shops and the rest of the world get.

 

[OzDigger]

I just assumed it was Monty as it's supposed to be his command tank. Although as I understand he mostly travelled in an armoured van but who knows. Anyway I'll certainly be getting the other four FOV items pictured.

 

[Eazy]

Yepi think maybe the tank was just called Monty which is why the figure was assumed to be Monty himself. I think it's just a tank commander with a really dark sun tan and a very long thin neck.

 

[jazzeum]

Here's an image from the Imperial War Museum of a Grant with the words "Monty" on it. Don't know if it was just ceremonial or not.

 

[ucla1967]

These look great! I hope someone will have them at the West Coaster in March.

By the way, I seem to remember reading that Monty used a captured 4.5 ton Bussing NAG truck for his command vehicle in North Africa. I believe it had a "house" on the truck body with windows that the Germans had used as a mobile workshop.

 

[OzDigger]

Thanks Brad, that is the actual Grant that Monty used as his forward command vehicle at El Alamein. The 37 mm gun in the turret was actually a wooden dummy to give him more room for maps.

As for the figure, it certainly doesn't look much like Monty, or anyone else for that matter FOV figs are usually ok for the price but they crapped that one.

Mike, Monty used a variety of command vehicles, which were based on large truck chassis. Of course for a time he might have borrowed the German vehicle you mentioned as well. He usually used a Humber Super Snipe (“Old Faithful”) as his personal staff car, which Airfix issued as a 1/32 scale kit years ago - but no doubt have/will re-issue it together with Rommel's 'Greif' Halftrack - now I wonder if K & C based their version on that kit

 

[Eazy]

The FOV figures really improved, i felt, with last year's releases.

Notably the 2 Russians with the T34, the 2 tank riders with the Panther, The Normandy Hanomag figures, the Wirbelwind crew and, my favourites, the German paras in the Zundapp.

A question for the other FOV buyers here.

Do you feel more inclined to buy a repainted vehicle if it has new figures in it?

I would say yes. I had no intention of buying the repaint of the Zundapp until i saw how the new figures had transformed it into a new piece.

 

[desk11desk12]

The FOV figures really improved, i felt, with last year's releases.

Notably the 2 Russians with the T34, the 2 tank riders with the Panther, The Normandy Hanomag figures, the Wirbelwind crew and, my favourites, the German paras in the Zundapp.

A question for the other FOV buyers here.

Do you feel more inclined to buy a repainted vehicle if it has new figures in it?

I would say yes. I had no intention of buying the repaint of the Zundapp until i saw how the new figures had transformed it into a new piece.

Good question Easy,

Simply...yes

FOV is still the best value for the price in my opinion. I buy FOV not for the collectible value but for the experience of creating my own WWII dioramas without fear of dropping a KC figure.

Also, most of us aren't expert painters and for the price rather have FOV do work for us. Additionally, most repaints have exciting new posed figures like the new "German Sd. Kfz. 251/1 Hanomag - Normandy" which came out a few months ago. Please make sure you get FOV "ENTHUSIAST" versions and NOT the "ACTION SERIES" editions found in retail stores (Wallmart, Target, etc.).

Now the 21st Century is a totally different matter. I've had these professionally painted (thanks Mark V) and weathered and they've turned out great (see Treefrog Photo Gallery); especially their PAK40, FLAK 88, and the 8-Ton Mover.

I must say these vehicle repaints look very nicely with KC, what do you think?

Carlos

 

[Eazy]

There has been loads of new FOV repaints announced. Some of their vehicles are now on their 4th paint scheme which seems a bit over the top.

The half tracks have been previewed with new figures. The crew of the Hanomag look basically the same except the one figure is now firing an MP40 rather than just pointing.

 

[desk11desk12]

There has been loads of new FOV repaints announced. Some of their vehicles are now on their 4th paint scheme which seems a bit over the top.

The half tracks have been previewed with new figures. The crew of the Hanomag look basically the same except the one figure is now firing an MP40 rather than just pointing.

Thanks Easy,

Those are great shoots. Were did you get them? Are they already available? Clever scheme of FOV, not just repaints but additional action figures. The detail, nice painted plastic figures and the pricing makes them very attractive, especially for dioramas.

Carlos

 

[maddadicus]

I ask this all the time, only because each mfg. representation of a particular scale is in the eye of the beholder. I am guessing that these vehicles will not match up even close to K/C ? Those that collect both, I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, Maddadicus

 

[Steven Chong]

I ask this all the time, only because each mfg. representation of a particular scale is in the eye of the beholder. I am guessing that these vehicles will not match up even close to K/C ? Those that collect both, I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, Maddadicus

Dear Maddadicus,
FOV is 1/32 scale and the figures are 54mm, so they look small when matched up with K&C. It is in the "eye of the beholder" or a subjective thing. I display FOV and K&C on different shelves. Other collectors put the FOV in the background with K&C in front to have a forced perspective effect.

 

[desk11desk12]

Dear Maddadicus,
FOV is 1/32 scale and the figures are 54mm, so they look small when matched up with K&C. It is in the "eye of the beholder" or a subjective thing. I display FOV and K&C on different shelves. Other collectors put the FOV in the background with K&C in front to have a forced perspective effect.

maddadicus,

Is it perfect? Nope, but I used them all of the time together. Yes I'm not a perfectionist. Check these out:

View attachment 393





Sorry for the picture quality but I was in a hurry and there's a file size limit.

All figures in these pictures are KC and there is one Del Prado. Oh yeah, the 8-Ton Mover is a painted 21stCentury model. All vechicles are 1/32 scale except of course the KC figures.

Carlos

 

[sceic2]

I enjoy the FOV, repaints and all. I like to have masses of vehicles and the repaints allows for multiples without having to modify at least some of them.

I have found that Archers Fine Transfers make a couple of great numbering series that can make a different version of the same model. I have six of the early Stug III's that I have renumbered so that it looks like a battery of six traveling (added some Woodland Scenic tree parts and some German flags as aircraft id markers and some other Verlinden accessories). They look pretty sharp lined up in a column moving through the K&C Normandy village set. I have a five of the Tiger I's first edition that I did the same thing with. These are set up as if in a refitting area, getting fuel and ammo, etc.

FOV vehicles, to me, just seem to be the best deal for the money. They look very realistic and seem to go with the K&C figures, even though some think they are too small they work for me and that's what counts.

I hope FOV keeps doing the fantastic job they have done and keep making new models and/or remakes. Michael

 

[maddadicus]

Thank you, Carlos. As long as one does not display two similar vehicles from the different mfgs. I can see that the mix can work...Since I can not afford the K/C retired pieces, my thought was to find a detailed, inexpensive substitute for those vehicles I love ,but will not ever have in K/C. It may work..Maddadicus

 

[desk11desk12]

I enjoy the FOV, repaints and all. I like to have masses of vehicles and the repaints allows for multiples without having to modify at least some of them.

I have found that Archers Fine Transfers make a couple of great numbering series that can make a different version of the same model. I have six of the early Stug III's that I have renumbered so that it looks like a battery of six traveling (added some Woodland Scenic tree parts and some German flags as aircraft id markers and some other Verlinden accessories). They look pretty sharp lined up in a column moving through the K&C Normandy village set. I have a five of the Tiger I's first edition that I did the same thing with. These are set up as if in a refitting area, getting fuel and ammo, etc.

FOV vehicles, to me, just seem to be the best deal for the money. They look very realistic and seem to go with the K&C figures, even though some think they are too small they work for me and that's what counts.

I hope FOV keeps doing the fantastic job they have done and keep making new models and/or remakes. Michael

Sounds cool Michael,

How about some pictures...LOL.

Carlos

 

[sceic2]

Carlos, look on the Treefrog Photo Gallery page under the name Michael Haynes, I think some of them are shown. Michael