lol, I hope you exclain this sarcasstically. Personally, I think the whole “finished model” thing is just a very bad gimmick, and never understand people who actually buy into it.j
As for the 1/48th stuff, well what can I say. It HAS been done before, and it didn’t really…um…fly with the AC guys, so we’ll see if Tamiya can do anything differently. I had allready posted about my dislike of this scale to a strong backlash, but whatever. What REALLY irritates me is that 1/48 has been around for a while, but NO one here said a damn thing about it, praised it, nor encouraged it, until Tamiya got into the game.
As for me, I’m very happy, and fully satisfied with the 1/35 scale, and will not be going the 1/48 route.
In regards to the finished models that Tamiya is marketing, it’s clear that the buyers are a niche market that probably doesn’t cross into many people who would frequent this and other modelling DGs. Probably readers/posters here and other sites like ML, TL and Armorama are serious builders/historians and not necessarily wanting other builders’ projects.
Case in point, I rec’d four very expensive and nice diecast 1/35 kits made by Minichamps one Christmas. I’d never put down $80 for each of them (I’d rather buy the kit plus accessories) but to the gift giver, he thought that they would be perfect for me. They’re nice, have some detail and “look” the part (although I can see immediately what the inaccuracies are with each of them) and sit on my modelling book shelves as nice decoration. They don’t sit in my modelling case with my model collection, though.
Most people would enjoy a 1/35 pre-painted Tiger I or T34/76 in their office or library yet don’t have the time/ability/inclination to go the the LHS and buy a kit plus tools and paint. The pre-built and pre-painted kits serve a market (like well-detailed 1/48 kits) but maybe just not yours or mine.
In regards to supporting 1/48 armor, there was always interest, but the group was small due to lack of current inventory. Look at a site like track48.com, been around for a while, or the quaterscaleamror group in Yahoo. The reason a lot of talk now is appearing is that Tamiya is a big company, and they are putting out lots of kits in a relatively short time. Contrast this with existing old Bandai kits, or limited run resin kits from small manufacturers and their correspondingly high costs.
It’s painfully obvious that the current controversy isn’t really about a scale at all, but about the modeller’s love/hate relationship with Tamiya.
So obvious, in fact, that this post is totally unneeded…
So I’ll give my post some value by saying I’m glad Tamiya has released some armor in 1/48, because I was able to steal some parts from their Sherman to add to my old 1/48 Aurora MBT70! [:D]
Thanks, Tamiya!
Would be nice to have a Panther G,early or late,or perhaps a cast hull
76MM Sherman…BTW,in 1:16!!! I prefer 1:16,yet so little available.
1:35 is the current mainstay,& so much is out there that I doubt that
an enthusiast could ever begin to address it all.I think Tamiya has
made a good move w. the 1:48 idea,& maybe they’ll remember us
who like the Big Stuff soon,at least I hope so!!!
I was under the impression that this thread was supposed to be a “heads-up” for those who have interest in the scale mentioned. I cannot find any indication whatsoever that the thread starter wanted opinion on the scale itself. And I cannot understand why there is a need for us to reply (IF we are not interested) negatively just to indicate our being not interested.
As far as I am concerned…THIS IS the ARMOR forum (NOT the 1/72, 1/76, 1/16 and 1/35 ONLY ARMOR Forum) and CERTAINLY those who have interest in 1/48 Armor have every right posting in here about announcements such as this. As long as posts are not inviting a debate on whether or not it is appropriate to have 1/48 for an armor scale, I guess we can and should just let them be.
I for one cannot see myself doing 1/48 in the near future but I can’t find a valid and rational (as a modeler) reason to jump on every 1/48 armor thread just to show my being not interested.
1/48 is just another scale and the person who likes it is just another modeler…I can’t see the reason why the scale and the modeler should be treated this way.
There…I said what I have been wanting to say…and I am not sorry. Things such as these (including this post of mine) do not do the forum any good.
You’re right Dwight, but as you know that is never the case in the forums. That is what has lead to much fallout here. I could have and probably should have left this thread alone, but I must say as I did in another 1/48 thread that Skybow’s Tiger w/zimmerit has piqued my interest. So I do have a least a blip on the radar for the new scale. I have been watching the reports from people whom have build them so far i.e Sherman and Stug. The Hetzer is also one to keep an eye on. Hey as much as would like to see Tamiya continue 1/35, I realize that this might not be the case and have at least explored this newer scale to see if I would really want to dive into it. If they come out with great subjects, who knows.
Will do! Hopefully they’ll have kits for sale at the show, but if not, I’ll at least get some pix of the prototype.
That, and the new 1/35 Leclerc!!
All kinds of good stuff coming out, in all scales!
Hopefully there’ll be some news about those Bronco 1/16 Panthers, too!
Plastic is made from oil. Kit prices are rising because oil prices are rising. Unless oil prices drop, substantially, kit prices will continue to increase.
I think people really need to think again about these negative responses to posted news, because they might not realize how rude and selfish they seem. Of course it is fine not to like something, and to be disturbed by some trend in a hobby.
There are some things I don’t like, and some things in this hobby I personally find very disturbing. But I don’t bring it up unless someone invites the discussion, and I certainly wouldn’t poop my negativity all over someone else’s enthusiasm about something they obviously like.
What’s next, “who cares, I don’t like the scale” responses to posted pictures of 48th build-ups? How about if I posted, “who cares, I think the Nazi fetish is very creepy” to every post of news about a new German kit?
I think this statement sums it up for many (maybe only myself [:D]). Had I started out today rather than 2 years ago, I might be buying up lots of 1/48. Tamiya has tapped a new frontier and have come out with some nice subjects and have the advantage of getting an early start so to speak. I’m curious to see if the other big guns follow suit. It’s a great day for the new modeler and those looking for a more managable scale. The A/C builders must also be rejoicing. I do think that the armor and A/C dios is overrated. I mean I think there is some limitations there. Anyway maybe this new scale will encourage more of the A/C builders to come over to the Dark Side. [}:)]
Hmmm…I wonder. The recent posting of my 1/48 Aurora MBT70 build did not elicit any such negative responses. I think someone posted some great pix of their 1/48 Tamiya Sherman build recently, too…I haven’t seen all the replies, but the ones I did see were all favorable (it was indeed a great build!).
As mentioned before, I think the animosity is primarily toward Tamiya and its perceived shift away from everyone’s “favorite scale,” 1/35. Modellers feel threatened and abondoned, and naturally lash out at that perceived threat.
Hey, didn’t I promise I wouldn’t talk about this controversy in this thread anymore??
Ah, I’m sooo weak…[;)]
Anyway, the Shizuoka Hobby Show is exactly on month away (egad! I MUST finish my MBT70!), so I’m sure I’ll have tons of 1/48 and other scale modelling news to tell ya’ll about.
You folks do recall that modelling in ANY scale is fun, right? RIGHT?
Thought so![;)][:D]
Yes, that’s certainly been true so far. I’m a little worried that as more and more of the quarter scale stuff is released by Tamiya, especially the vehicles they didn’t do in 35th, the number of negative responses will increase, and I wouldn’t want to see that, as that would put a dampener on the festivities here.