I have an extreme fear of Dragon models. I know they look great, appear very accurate, and are loaded with features. Problem is most have 5, 6, or even 700 or more parts. I don’t like taking months on just one model. Are there fit issues with Dragon kits? As long as there is a Tamiya like fit maybe they wouldn’t be so hard to do. I have a King Tiger, and armored car, a Panzer I, and a SDKFZ 7 that I bought on the expressed order of Field Marshall Von Manstein. I have yet to even take the plastic wrap off any of them. Please help. P.S. Yes I am the ultimate shake and baker.
For what it’s worth, I have Dragon’s 1/35 M270 MLRS about 40% completed. I put it away because it was taking so long. Only because I bought some aftermarktet PE sets for it. The detail is good as is the fit. There is a high parts count but they all seem to fit where they are supposed to without any trouble. I haven’t built many armor models for the same reasons you proclaim.
I plan on finishing the MLRS as soon as I finish a couple of the GB commitments on the forum.
It depends… putting the kit together is my favorite part of modeling so I had fun putting DML kits together for a week or two. I am working on Tamiya Stug IIIB right now and I was disappointed that it only took me two nights to assembly. Jeez! Too few parts for my taste…
If the kits are produced recently (within the last few years), they will go together VERY well. You should read some reviews of the kits before you start, so you can determine which kit is the best. I can go through 700 plastic parts in a week (or less if I’m really cookin), but it’s the photo etched parts that take me longer. So don’t let it intimidate you.
If you decide to become really serious, you must think outside the Tamiya box. Tamiya kits are made for ease of construction, and few parts- not intricacy and accuracy- and it can really show.
I understand if you’re a shake-and-baker. That and as you mentioned, parts count, has limited me to just 3 completed Dragon kits. They all went together well, and are older kits. I’ve got many of the newer Smart and Premium editions, but have waffled, because of the indie tracks. I’m not a big fan of them, but realize that with tanks with sag, you need it. Many of the best subjects IMO, are being built by Dragon. I, like you, just need to take a deep breath and dive on in.
Tamiya still makes some great kits. I have many of their newer releases and they’re a nice diversion from the Dragon super-count kits. One thing DRagon does well, is give a lot of bang for the buck with all the added goodies.
I’m not an expert builder, I do it for myself and they end up mixed in among my books on the shelf. I do like Dragon but you have a point, they over complicate some parts. 3 parts in a Panther drivers catch lock in a part smaller than an enemic grain of rice is a little rediculous, plus loose a part from this lock and it’s all over. It would be nice if they included a less complicated small part with the addition of the three piece for the masochists. Kind like of the “magic tracks”, where’s the magic to plastic track you weld togather with glue into a copy of link and length? I know it’s better than the original Dragon individuals, but hey that much work for something that ends up totally ridged/non working, again I guess some enjoy the pain, lol. I toss them and buy Frulimodels, their DS tracks are pretty nice and I’m glad to see them, work just fine until I can afford the working tracks and for Shermans I leave them on.
I like Dragon’s armor, but they do seem to make parts just for a parts count and overly complicate a simple assembly that when assembled has no more detail than what would have been made by a single piece.
Jusy my VHO [:(DD]
You and I are on the same side of the fence.
No the newer ones are not that bad,I mean i can handle them and i’m no expert.Some of those high parts counts include the individual track links.As was mentioned read the reviews to see how they build up,but I can say that the T-34’s were not so tough,the Panthers and Tigers went together fairly easily.I say if you want to,give one a try.
No way dude!
I’ll always go for the Dragon kit’s now-some Tamiya kits have been so simple I’ve assembled them in a weekend. My favourite part of modelling is the assembly just like another poster has said so I like to be challenged!
I understand some of their older kits were inaccurate with fit problems and dodgy instructions but I’m inthe middle of building the Dragon Panther G and I can’t recall and problems whatsoever. It’s been a joy to build!
You should try a more basic kit and see what you think? I reckon you should give one of the Panthers a whirl, the part count isn’t massive and they build up very easily-just concentrate on the cleanup and they look stunning.
Amongst other Dragon kits I have also built the StuG III Ausf A. That was a great kit, an older one but superb and WBill has an excellent blog which I’m sure he’ll pass onto you to help out.
Finally, Dragon figures are sooo much betterthan the Tamiya efforts-plus they are actually in scale!
If you like a simple quick build stick with Tamiya but I’d give a Dragon kit a whirl-you won’t be dissapointed, just go for a newer kit without interior detail and use Fruils or DS tracks if supplied. I chuck their indy tracks too and save the magic tracks in my spares box.
ATVB
Ben [Y]
This will help:
Open a kit and on the first page of the instructions is a sprue diagram with all unused parts highlighted in blue. Remove these and store in spares box. This alone will drop the parts count by 1/4. Next pick out the version you intend to build. Remove all parts that are optional or not applicable to the version you are working on. Also a lot of the PE has a plastic part option. Once all the extras, optional and parts for different versions are gone it will drop the overall count by up to 1/3!
‘Magic tracks’ add about 94-98 links per side! The idea behind them is no seam clean up or sprue frame removal. ‘Click, fit & glue’ Now you have only about 250 parts to work on.
I won a Jagpanther as a door prize at a contest recently, 1/3 of the parts are for a later version and not for the one in the box, with the rubber band tracks I estimate there is less than 100 parts total.
Earlier kits, particularly in the 9000 series can be real stinkers, as are some of the early 6000 series. But by the time you are in the 6100’s and higher the kits are pretty good, lots of parts but better fit. As an example the kit #6001 Nashorn in my opinion is unbuildable but kit # 6166 is far better. The biggest problem I have with Dragon kits is the errors they have in the instructions. I just finished their ZSU-23 and other than the usual filling and sanding had no major problems. Just if at all possible don’t build over carpet, or have the hand vac at the ready.
Mike
Masochists… lol! What about a 78-piece cupola?: /themes/fsm/forums/thread.aspx?ThreadID=124769&PageIndex=5
haha… Even if Dragon does occasionally overcomplicate things, pushing the limits of your miniscule parts skills is important to improving your model construction techniques in general. It increases your accuracy at glue application and part clean-up. And it seems to me that it usually increases the accuracy of the model substantially. Also worth noting- Dragon kits often have a ton of spare parts that they do include in the initial parts count, so in the end, they might not have nearly the number of parts originally included. Suit yourself, though. I presonally find that the more plastic pieces there are, the more I enjoy the build. The reason I model is, after all, becasue I always enjoy gluing numerous bits of plastic- so more bits of plastic for the same price = more fun.
As the others have mentioned, there’s a variety of factors that contribute to the parts count on various DML kits. Some also include interiors (full or partial) in addition to the magic-tracks which can drive up the parts count but which you may not have an interest in. Check out each kit and judge them on their individual merits as DML has a pretty broad catalog available now of various vehicles/gear that isn’t available from anyone else.
The overwhelming majority of kits in my stash are DML since I specialize in WW2 German stuff. If that’s where your interest lies, you’ll need to overcome your phobia sooner or later! [:D]
I can understand your dracophobia. After all dragons are one of the most powerful creatures an adventuring party can face. If you’re not prepared…
Um, yeah (shakes head) sorry, I feel better now…
I’ve recently built Dragon’s T34 with the bedspring armour and their SU100. Both were ‘Smart Kits’ and went together quite well. I agree the age of the kit does play a big factor. In fact personally I think the more recent Tamiya kits have been excellent in the detail department- my biggest problem is the higher price than the Dragon line. And yes, about 1/3 of the parts in most Dragon kits seem to be extra- no big deal since I’m throwing mine in a box where some day they’ll be turned into a kit-bashed SF spacecraft.
And I picked up AFV Club’s Churchill AVRE a few months ago. Just glancing over the instructions the suspension system alone looks like it will a far bigger headache than any Dragon kit.
Only three things wrong with Dragon armor… Over-engineered, Over-priced, and Over here…
Just can’t bring m’self to pay over 35.00 for ANY 1/35th armor kit…
Thanks to all of you for the helpful hints and encouragement. I’ll tackle one ASAP. On the bench right now are two kits that have been no picnic. Tamiya 1/4th Fairey Swordfish and an Academy 1/35th Tiger I. The latter is not so bad but some of the minisscule parts have been maddening.
I just got back on Dragon’s M4A2 76 and I now remember why I shelved it. Not that there are so many parts, but that some of them are SO SMALL! I mean, individual lenses for the cupola periscopes? I know some people appreciate them, but they’re just too small for me to enjoy.
Vision blocks in the coup? I didn’t see any stinkin’ vision blocks [:O] yep they are small and I usually crack at least one of them can we say white glue. I got my Medicare card and a lot of those oarts are hard to find lol.
can’t see the keys either that’s parts not oarts [:^)]
Then, frankly, what the hell do you buy? Dragon’s kits are definitely the most reasonably priced kits. Compare any dragon kit to a comparable Tamiya, Italeri or Trumpeter (or any other) kit of the same year, and Dragon is by far the cheapest. Most dragon kits can be had for under $35 anyway- and and moreover, recent Tamiya kits are usually $50-$80- Psychotic.