Corgi WWII
Corgi page 4

Very detailed, nicely done models of WWII vintage

Part of Corgi's "Premiere Collection", these very well done 1/50 diecast military vehicles come in four series:
Operation Barbarossa,
Italy: The Race to Messina and Beyond,
War Across the Western Front
Desert Campaigns of North Africa , and
D-Day 60th Anniversary
The Push Through Holland and Germany
Battle of the Bulge

Discussion/listing

Dioramas
Corgi 50th Anniversary
Corgi Skirmish

Corgi/History Channel WWII series

Operation Barbarossa

Churchill, Soviet, 1:50 5th Guard, 1943 Operation Barbarossa #1426 of 5300	Churchill, Soviet, 1:50 5th Guard, 1943 Operation Barbarossa #1426 of 5300	Churchill, Soviet, 1:50 5th Guard, 1943 Operation Barbarossa #1426 of 5300
T34/76D 1:50 Operation Barbarossa, 1943 #4082 of 6500	T34/76D 1:50 Operation Barbarossa, 1943 #4082 of 6500	T34/76D 1:50 Operation Barbarossa, 1943 #4082 of 6500
Sd.Kfz 7, 1:50 2 cm AA Operation Barbarossa #2181 of 5500	Corgi Panther Ausf. D Operation Barbarossa, 1:50 No. 4388 of 6400	Panther, Ausf. A Operation Barbarossa Eastern Front, 1943-1944 #3368 of 4200
Panther, Ausf. A Operation Barbarossa Eastern Front, 1943-1944 #3368 of 4200	Panther, Ausf. A Operation Barbarossa Eastern Front, 1943-1944 #3368 of 4200

"Operation Barbarossa" commemorates the war on the Eastern front. This series includes a T34/76, a German halftrack with antiaircraft gun, two Panthers, and a lend/lease Soviet Churchill.

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Italy, The Race to Messina and Beyond

Corgi Panther Ausf. A Italy, The Race to Messina and Beyond 1:50, No. 2430 of 6000	Sherman, M4A3, 1:50 Royal Scots Greys, 1943 Italian Theater #981 of 5400	Sherman, M4A3, 1:50 US Army, 2nd Armored, 1943 Italian Theater #3008 of 6500
Churchill, NA75 'A' squadron, 51 RTR Gothic Line Italian Theater, 1944 #3169 of 4100	Churchill, NA75 'A' squadron, 51 RTR Gothic Line Italian Theater, 1944 #3169 of 4100	Churchill, NA75 'A' squadron, 51 RTR Gothic Line Italian Theater, 1944 #3169 of 4100
Sherman M4A3 USMC C Company Amphib Corp Tank Battalion Tarawa, 1943 US51009 #273 of 3800	Sherman M4A3 2nd Armored, Sicily, 1943 CC51006 #3516 of 6500	Sherman M4A3 2nd Armored, Sicily, 1943 CC51006 #3516 of 6500
Sherman M4A3 2nd Armored, Sicily, 1943 CC51006 #3516 of 6500	Sherman M4A3 2nd Armored, Sicily, 1943 CC51006 #3516 of 6500	Sherman M4A3 2nd Armored, Sicily, 1943 CC51006 #3516 of 6500

"Italy, The Race to Messina and Beyond" showcases vehicles seeing service in the Italian theater. It includes Two Sherman M4A3's (one British, one US), a Panther, a Churchill, a German 1/2 track troop carrier, and a Jeep.

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War Across the Western Front

Churchill, Canadian, 1:50 Raid on Dieppe, 1942 War Across the Western Front #281 of 5500	Churchill, Canadian, 1:50 Raid on Dieppe, 1942 War Across the Western Front #281 of 5500	Churchill, Canadian, 1:50 Raid on Dieppe, 1942 War Across the Western Front #281 of 5500
Sherman, M4A2, 1:50 French Army, 1944 War Across the Western Front #3358 of 5000	WC51 Command Car US Army Liberation de Paris CC51707 #3959 of 4200	WC51 Command Car US Army Liberation de Paris CC51707 #3959 of 4200

"War across the Western Front" commemorates.... the Western Front :-). Models include a Sherman M4A2, German 1/2 track, Dodge Weapons Carrier, Churchill tank (Canadian, raid on Dieppe), tank transporter, and two British trucks.

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Desert Campaigns of North Africa

Diamond T transporter Royal Army Service Corp, and M4 Sherman CC55108 #1395 of 2800	Diamond T transporter Royal Army Service Corp, and M4 Sherman CC55108 #1395 of 2800	Diamond T transporter Royal Army Service Corp CC55108 #1395 of 2800
M4 Sherman 2nd Battalion, 1st Armoured Reg. 1st Armoured Division CC55108 #1395 of 2800	M4 Sherman 2nd Battalion, 1st Armoured Reg. 1st Armoured Division CC55108 #1395 of 2800	Churchill MK III "Kingforce" El Alamein, 1942 CC60104 #2096 of 2700
Churchill MK III "Kingforce" El Alamein, 1942 CC60104 #2096 of 2700	Churchill MK III Duke of Wellington's Regiment Tunisia, 1943 CC66105 #1852 of 2700	Sherman M2A2 "Trowbridge" 9th Armoured Brigade Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Syria, 1943 #409 of 3100
Sherman M2A2 "Trowbridge" 9th Armoured Brigade Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Syria, 1943 #409 of 3100	SdKfz 7 Krauss Maffie 1/2 track Troop Carrier Tripoli, Libya, 1941 CC60004A.jpg #252 of 3100	SdKfz 7 Krauss Maffie 1/2 track Troop Carrier Tripoli, Libya, 1941 CC60004A.jpg #252 of 3100

"North Africa" features one Sherman, two Churchills, Diamond T tank transporter with Sherman tank, British truck, and a German 1/2 track and will be a limited release.

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D-Day 60th Anniversary

Panther Ausf. A 2nd SS Panzer Regiment US60204 #1497 of 4000	Panther Ausf. A 2nd SS Panzer Regiment US60204 #1497 of 4000	Panther Ausf. A 2nd SS Panzer Regiment US60204 #1497 of 4000	Panther Ausf. A 2nd SS Panzer Regiment US60204 #1497 of 4000
M4A3 Sherman with exhaust stacks Omaha Beach, Company A, 741st Tank Battalion US51011 #2000 of 4500	M4A3 Sherman with exhaust stacks Omaha Beach, Company A, 741st Tank Battalion US51011 #2000 of 4500	M4A3 Sherman with exhaust stacks Omaha Beach, Company A, 741st Tank Battalion US51011 #2000 of 4500	M4A3 Sherman with exhaust stacks Omaha Beach, Company A, 741st Tank Battalion US51011 #2000 of 4500z
Cruiser Tank MK VIII Cantaur (95mm), Sword Beach Royal Marine Armored Support CC60603 #2163 of 4200	Cruiser Tank MK VIII Cantaur (95mm), Sword Beach Royal Marine Armored Support CC60603 #2163 of 4200	Cruiser Tank MK VIII Cantaur (95mm), Sword Beach Royal Marine Armored Support CC60603 #2163 of 4200
	Sherman M4A3 Thunderbolt 37th tank battalion, 4th armored US51010 #3022 of 3900	Sherman M4A3 Thunderbolt 37th tank battalion, 4th armored US51010 #3022 of 3900	Sherman M4A3 Thunderbolt 37th tank battalion, 4th armored US51010 #3022 of 3900
Tiger I, SS Panzer Abeitlung 101 Michael Wittman US60501 #785 of 4200	Tiger I, SS Panzer Abeitlung 101 Michael Wittman US60501 #785 of 4200	Tiger I, SS Panzer Abeitlung 101 Michael Wittman US60501 #785 of 4200	Corgi D-Day Box.

The latest in Corgi's WWII lineup, these represent the first in the Corgi Premier Collection. They feature not only weathering, but additional accessories and specialization. The Panther, for example has camo netting, fuel cans, and other items. The Sherman (#51011) has the exhaust stacks to allow wading during an amphibious assault, as well as extra tracks, wheels, and even logs(?) strapped to the side. All in all, definite upgrades, even from the previous "top of the line". These also carry a 'top of the line' price: $39.99 and up.

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The Push Through Holland and Germany

Cruiser Tank A34 Comet MK I 11th Armoured, Germany, 1945 CC60605 #1009 of 1800	Cruiser Tank A34 Comet MK I 11th Armoured, Germany, 1945 CC60605 #1009 of 1800
Cruiser Tank MK VII A27M Cromwell MK VI 7th Armoured, Holland, 1945 CC60604 #1090 of 2100	Cruiser Tank MK VII A27M Cromwell MK VI 7th Armoured, Holland, 1945 CC60604 #1090 of 2100	Cruiser Tank MK VII A27M Cromwell MK VI 7th Armoured, Holland, 1945 CC60604 #1090 of 2100
Sherman M4A4 V Observation Post Tank 147 Essex Yeomanry #1176 of 1900 #CC51015	Sherman M4A4 V Observation Post Tank 147 Essex Yeomanry #1176 of 1900 #CC51015	Sherman M4A4 V Observation Post Tank 147 Essex Yeomanry #1176 of 1900 #CC51015
Tiger Ausf E. #169 of 2400 CC60505	Tiger Ausf E. #169 of 2400 CC60505	Tiger Ausf E. #169 of 2400 CC60505

Bedford Wireless truck 21st Army, NW Europe, 1945 #581 0f 1700 CC60306	Bedford Wireless truck 21st Army, NW Europe, 1945 #581 0f 1700 CC60306	Bedford Wireless truck 21st Army, NW Europe, 1945 #581 0f 1700 CC60306
Bedford Wireless truck 21st Army, NW Europe, 1945 #581 0f 1700 CC60306	Bedford Wireless truck 21st Army, NW Europe, 1945 #581 0f 1700 CC60306	Kraus Maddei 8 ton SDKFZ.7 halftrack 22 SS tank Div, Holland, 1944 #232 of 2100 CC60008
Kraus Maddei 8 ton SDKFZ.7 halftrack 22 SS tank Div, Holland, 1944 #232 of 2100 CC60008	Kraus Maddei 8 ton SDKFZ.7 halftrack 22 SS tank Div, Holland, 1944 #232 of 2100 CC60008	Kraus Maddei 8 ton SDKFZ.7 halftrack 22 SS tank Div, Holland, 1944 #232 of 2100 CC60008

Very nice, and quite detailed, although the wash on the Cromwell is slightly overdone. The foliage on the Comet is a little sub-par, but it does not distract from the model too much. The Krauss-Maffei is pretty cool, however!

Battle of the Bulge

Panther Ausf G. Kampfgruppe Peiper 1st SS Panzer Division CC60208 #1080 of 2100	Panther Ausf G. Kampfgruppe Peiper 1st SS Panzer Division CC60208 #1080 of 2100	Panther Ausf G. Kampfgruppe Peiper 1st SS Panzer Division CC60208 #1080 of 2100
	Sherman M4A3E8 Blockbuster 3D 35th Tank Batt.,4th Armoured #219 of 2300 CC51017	Sherman M4A3E8 Blockbuster 3D 35th Tank Batt.,4th Armoured #219 of 2300 CC51017	Sherman M4A3E8 Blockbuster 3D 35th Tank Batt.,4th Armoured #219 of 2300 CC51017
Tiger Ausf.  E 2 Kompanie SS Panzer Abeitlung 101 Sgt. Kurt Sowa #1354 of 2700 CC60504	Tiger Ausf.  E 2 Kompanie SS Panzer Abeitlung 101 Sgt. Kurt Sowa #1354 of 2700 CC60504	Tiger Ausf.  E 2 Kompanie SS Panzer Abeitlung 101 Sgt. Kurt Sowa #1354 of 2700 CC60504

The Easy 8 is very nice. I especially like the winter camo!

Discussion/Listing

Interestingly, the first three series I mentioned above come in light colored boxes. Operation Barbarossa comes in a tan, fading to green, box. War across the Western Front comes in a tan, fading to blue, box. North Africa comes in a light tan fading to lavender. The "Italy" pieces, however, come in a black box. They also contain a nice brochure (in addition to the certificate of authenticity) that the other series do not have. These boxes are labeled "WWII series I" an some bear the label "allies", others "heroes". They are a stark contrast to the other three series.

Prices range from $28.95 to $39.95. Watch out for shipping costs!

How much metal?

Corgi models tend to be very heavy, implying a large metal content. Below is a picture of two unpainted models, giving a nice visual indication of the metal to plastic ratio.

Corgi WWII listing - partial, emphasizing the armour
2004 first half releases are listed in RED
2004 2nd half releases in Green
For a listing of the new History Channel WWII releases, go to my Corgi/History Channel WWII series page

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Dioramas

"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011	"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011	"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011	"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011
"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011	"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011	"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011	"D-Day Surrender" Set 1, Vierville, Normandy US610011

In late 2005, Corgi released the first two Dioramas. The theme is D-Day surrender. Set one features a Sherman, and Set 2 features a German halftrack.
I own the first D-Day set, featuring a Sherman tank and 3 soldiers. I am fairly impressed. The quality of the building, figures, and the vehicle is pretty good. My only complaint is common for almost all of the WWII lineup - the quality and placement of the accessories (sandbags, gas cans, etc.) on the vehicles could be better. Overall though, thumbs up!
The second release was planned to be Arnhem Bridge. Set 1 will be a Panther, set 2 will be a Tiger. This set was canceled, however.

Corgi Diorama US61001	Corgi Diorama US61002
Corgi Diorama US61003	Corgi Diorama US61004

Corgi 50th Anniversary

Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman - Thunderbolt	Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman M4A3E8- Thunderbolt VII 4th Armored, Germany, 1945 #1166 of 1956	Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman - Thunderbolt	Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman - Thunderbolt
Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman - Thunderbolt	Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman - Thunderbolt	Corgi 50th Anniversary Sherman - Thunderbolt	Corgi version front Minichamps, rear
Gold Version	Gold Version

For it's 50th anniversary, Corgi  featured 2 military releases.. Both are Shermans: a gold plated version,  and a standard version of "Thunderbolt". Both are in special boxes with the 50th anniversary noted on the outside and gold cloth lining the interior. Of the standard (non gold) versions, 1956 were produced, commemorating the year "1956", and the 50 years of Corgi.

Corgi Skirmish

The skirmish series features tanks and figures together in one package.

Corgi Skirmish Cromwell D-Day - Normandy, 1944 CC60610	Corgi Skirmish Cromwell D-Day - Normandy, 1944 CC60610	Corgi Skirmish Cromwell D-Day - Normandy, 1944 CC60610
Corgi Skirmish Sherman Battle of the Bulge, 1945 CC51028	Corgi Skirmish Sherman Battle of the Bulge, 1945 CC51028	Rear of package

 

Tank	Description	Characters	Number
Churchill	Holland, 1944	3 paratroopers	CC60109
Cromwell Centaur Mk IV	D-Day, 1944	3 paratroopers	CC60610
Panther Ausf. G	Ardennes 1944	3 German infantry	CC60213
Tiger	?	6 German infantry	US60511
M4A3 Sherman	Battle of the Bulge, 1945	3 US infantry	CC51028
M16 Quad .50 halftrack	France, 1944	3 US infantry	CC60416
SdKfz 7/1 with quad AA gun	Holland, 1944	3 German infantry	CC60011
Sherman	?	6 US infantry	US51026

Other Corgi Pages at Mike's Diecast Tanks and Armour
other pages

Corgi - Older Models pre-1990s

Corgi Showcase: small scale

Corgi - Recent - Viet Nam and Korea

Corgi Tactical Strike: 1/64 Modern Armor

Corgi/History Channel WWII series

Corgi currently offers four 'level's of diecast at four different 'pricing points'

Showcase Collection, rebranded Corgi Collection/Corgi Wheelz in 2006

Corgi's entry-level price point range. Scale is ROUGHLY 1/87 or 1/72.   Three series are currently made: Emergency, Fighting Machines and 100 Years of Flight collections.  Models come in themed 4 packs, 2 packs (with figures) and single vehicles. Prices range from $4.00 - $6.00. A great value!

Tactical Strike

      New for 2004, this collection of models will become a second entry-level price point range and should also prove to popular for collectors both young and old. Each Tactical Strike model is produced in 1:64 scale and is a reproduction of today's American military power.  Each diecast model has a battle-hardened look - weathered and war weary, with mud, armaments and equipment on each vehicle.  Also available are U.S. infantry sets for both the Army and Marines made of highly detailed, fully-painted plastic. Pricing: $9.95 to $14.95

The History Channel

      Corgi and The History Channel gotten together to create a new mid-price point range.  Production runs are not limited (re: mass produced). Detailing will not be as elaborate as on previous models or as extensive as the detailing in the new Premiere Collections.  The look to be quite nice, however! Pricing: $25

Premier Collections

    In 2004, Corgi redefined its top-level price range. Models will be produced in very limited production runs offered in special packaging in order to enhance the value. Additional features and accessories will be released for various models. Many of the WWII series releases will be in the Premiere Collection. Pricing: $39.95 and up.

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