Today’s news from Mr. Toshinobu Aki posted over on Track-Link:
Today (May 1) Tamiya has officially announced 1/35 Hetzer as additional
new item at Shizuoka Hobby Show.
35285 Hetzer
July release
Retail 3200JPY
More details will be announced later.
Aki
Let’s just hope it is a new one, and not the old Italeri kit reboxed…
Jan [:)]
Look at the stock number and price. And also it was an announcement at the Shizuoka Hobby show — a premier event. Probably took the research from their 1/48 Hetzer and made it larger – like the StuG IIIB kits, eh?
Hmmm, that would be very nice indeed! [:D]
Jan [:)]
That’s a kit I wanted them to build right after their Marder III. Even though I just got Dragon’s recently, this will go on my list. Never fails does it?
BTW, what does that translate to in US dollars?
Oh Boy!!! [V][banghead]
That makes a Hetzer by just about every model company out there now.
How about some more modern stuff, or softskins, or modern figures, not another recycled WWII vehicle.
How about some originality? It’s the same tired offerings - Tiger, Panthers, Stugs - Hetzer…[xx(][xx(]
Actually Tamiya’s next “announced” 1/35 offering is something completely different: a Renault UE tractor w/trailer. Definately not a Tiger. As for the Hetzer, only Dragon, Italeri and Eduard have one in 1/35 right now. So definately not overdone.
I agree that more softskins and artillery are needed, but at least Dragon is releasing the long wanted US halftracks.
Depends on what you consider overdone.
Even you have to admit that there are more M1’s in 1/35th than Hetzers. [;)]
I guess we’ll never be satisfied with what we like. The best thing about more choices of an overdone product is to hopefully find the one manufacturer that is the most accurate.
I’ll agree with you there. Now compare the # of different WWII German models (X10 for different versions of the same vehicle) and the total # of post-WWII models and see which is more heavily represented. I’m just sick of just about every new release being a German WWII or other WWII model, especially when it has been done already by 3 other companies. I think they have been done enough. To each their own though.
Would love to see more vehicles from Korean War and up. Perhaps more artillery pieces, modern figure and weapon sets, engineering and support vehicles and so on and on and on.
Feel pity for the WW I buffs out there. It would be nice to see some hit the mainstream.
No need for one after eduard’s and dragon’s, but it should be an excellent kit.
Has no one noticed that there are no T-90/T-80 kits out on the market??? (The dragon/skif T-80’s are pieces of crap.)
3200 yen is about USD $26.90 at current exchange rates. That’s the domestic Japanese retail price, of course…overseas prices will of course vary. At that price, it will be much, much cheaper than any of the other available Hetzer kits…for example, the Eduard Hetzers retail here at 9800 yen (USD $82.35)!! Full interior, sure, but…
Do I need another Hetzer? Nope…not a Hetzer fan at all. Built the Italeri kit eons ago, and that’s been enough for me ever since.
Does the hobby need another Hetzer kit? Sure, why not? Particularly if it’s going to be of typical Tamiya quality, and at that very low price (here in Japan, anyway). While it’s certainly not one of my favorite subjects, I don’t think it’s been overdone. I mean, come on…there are no less than three 1/35 Stryker kits being released nearly simultaneously (Trumpeter, Dragon, AFV Club)…is that instant “overdone-ness?” For me, yeah…because I have no interest in the Stryker…but puh-lenty of modern armor fans do, so I bet those guys are happy to have the choice.
As has been alluded to, I too would REALLY like to see Tamiya or Dragon do a magnificent Mark IV or Mark V from WWI…or an FT-17…or a Tadpole…or an A7V…you get the picture!
i would like to build an m-113 like the one i commanded in 84,with a complete interior and driveline,you torsion bars ,transmission the whole ten yards.it seems i have been building german ww2 armor forever,and will probably continue to do so.we can hope can’t we.
Couldn’t agree more with you both. I would have thought Tamiya might have been more adventurous after there B1 Bis which as far as I’m aware has been very successful. Especially as Eduard haven’t long released a good Hetzer. The only WW1 tank kits knocking around are the Emhar or RPM ones which aren’t state of the art. Plus there’s no tanks like the MkVIII International even.
I bet people used to say that WW1 aircraft wouldn’t sell before the likes of Eduard and Roden started making them. I’m also surprised that Eduard haven’t tooled up some state of the art WW1 tanks with individual styrene links seeing as they do loads of WW1 aircraft.
Never say never. Perhaps the Hetzer was on the drawing board before they realized how successful the Char B would become. Perhaps the Hetzer in 1/35 was inspired by their 1/48 release. One can hope that Tamiya will take a look at WW I and no doubt it would be successful if they released it.
So, I guess you missed the Tamiya 1/35 French Army UE Tractor announcement (already mentioned in this thread)? I’d say that’s pretty darned adventurous of Tamiya!
It’s funny…Tamiya releases something nobody expects (UE Tractor), and modellers gripe…Tamiya releases a popular subject many modellers apparently want (Hetzer), and people suggest they should be “more adventurous”…to stay away from “overdone” subjects…obviously, no matter what Tamiya releases, people are going to gripe! Which is fine, I guess…we all have our own opinions, wants, and desires. Just strikes me as kind of funny.
More WWI stuff? Oh yes, please! How about a new AMX-30? Yes, please! Definitely! And where’s my 1/35 MBT70? Come on, Tamiya! NO ONE makes one of those! Do I expect Tamiya to ever make one? Nope…well, MAYBE an AMX-30, some day…hopefully!
Personally, I won’t buy either of Tamiya’s recently announced 1/35 kits…not because they’re not “adventurous” enough or have been “overdone,” but simply because I’m just not interested in either subject. I certainly hold no ill will towards Tamiya (or any company, for that matter) for releasing something that’s not my particular cup of tea.
*Please note that I’m not trying to call out particular individuals when I use the terms “more adventurous” and “overdone subject.” Those are just very common themes that are often applied to new releases by many people, which I felt needed addressing.
The announcements of the UE Tractor and the Hetzer have really gotten some funny responses.
Mike Tittel over on TL posted this illuminating post about the “venom” Tamiya engenders:
I don’t think there’ll be that many WW2 armour fanatics griping about Tamiya doing a Renault UE tractor at all. My only gripe is that I would have preferred a Renault FT.17 as I think it’s a better looking and much more interesting tank [ and more important historically ] and it was used in both WW1 and WW2. The B1 Bis had a WW1 look about it and Tamiya could surely have tested the waters for WW1 tanks with an FT.17!