Budget-minded collectors have come to appreciate the value Oxford builds into their diecast line.  While corners are cut on these pieces by permanently retracting the landing gear and non-spinning propellers, the solid focus on surface details make these pieces able to fit in nicely with more pricey members of one's collection.  And while I'd never trade an Oxford Diecast for something mainstream made by Corgi or Hobby Master, like an F4U, Oxford is quite capable of producing a nice piece whose subject is well off the beaten path.

Their latest releases fall squarely into the niche Oxford has built for themselves with the release of the He-162A and Arado 196.  The Heinkel 162 was the fastest of the first generation of Axis and Allied jets.  The plane was built for rapid and cheap production at the end of the war and, more importantly, was to be used by the Hitler Youth after minimal training.  The plane naturally proved too complicated for anything but the best, most experienced pilots to fly and it had a host of teething problems.  However, a number of these planes did see action in 1945.

The Arado 196 was loved by its pilots as it handled well both on the water and in the air.  It was used mostly as a coastal patrol aircraft.  The Germans and Fins used the aircraft to land on small lakes to resupply troops, too.  The Ar-196 is considered by most aviation experts as the best single engine seaplane produced during the war.