Just wondering how many of my fellow modelers will be getting Tamiya’s new Char B1 Bis tank when it comes out. I just got Great models news letter and They should have them in stock in about a week. Great models is saying that this model will be available in the U.S. before it’s available in Japan. It sounds like it’s going to be a great kit.
I’m definately gonna’ be buyin’ it! The kit gives you options to make a few different versions, and an interestin’ camouflage scheme. I hope to see more variants and different toolings of this tank from different manufacturers, too!
They come out here in Japan officially on June 8th. Tamiya World here in Osaka sometimes has new releases in a week or so ahead of the announced dates, so we’ll see.
It does look like a very charismatic vehicle, with plenty of really good dio potential. I’ve just never been much of a fan of French armour. I won’t be getting one now, or any time soon, but perhaps in a year or so, once current projects have weaned off.
I’m not a big fan of French tanks either, but I am a bit intrigued by Char B1 Bis. It seems like a missing link between WWI tank designs and WWII. I will definately pick one up when it comes out. [8D]
Same here, at least 1. Been waiting on an affordable plastic Char B forvever. Now I’m down to waiting on a 1/16th Renault R35, and affordable plastic Type89 and M11/39.
Hadn’t heard about this one – it’s great news. This tank had great potential to rough up the Germans but the French crews hadn’t had time to really get accustomed to the vehicle when the invasion started, and their armour formations had a very hard time moving around because, unlike the Germans, they had to fight against the refugee tide (this is something people often forget when they wonder why the French armour wasn’t more mobile and aggressive – there were hundreds of thousands of fleeing civilians on the roads).
For those who prefer to model German subjects, this is definitely one. In fact, the SS unit Prinz Eugen used this vehicle in Yugoslavia.
I’m not a fan of French armor either, but it’s funny how everyone can hype it up and get you interested. I’ll pass for now, but after looking at the early shots of it, it may change my mind after I build all my German tanks. LOL