http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=DML6469
I’m leaning towards the Tristar
Tristar has established a reputation with thier PzIV kit and styrene figures. Dragon has the 38t thing down, since they offer so many variations. The Tristar is probably the more expensive of the two, but it will have better instructions…IMHO it’s a toss up.
Steve
Hi Steve: the scuttlebutt is actually the Tristar Pz 38 (t) series if much more superior to the recent DML Pz 38(t) kits. The knock on the recent DML ones is that it seems clear it was rushed to counter the Tristar releases. In head to head comparison reviews of same tanks (Pz 38 (t), Marder III ausf H), Tristar is the clear winner.
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/misc/marder3h/marder3h.htm
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6290.html The main fault is a funky fender and some bolt details
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/tristar/tri35022.htm
Given this, the chat has been that unless DML makes corrections, Tristar’s proven kits will be better in terms of accuracy. As a matter of fact, the Tristart Marder IIIH has appeared on lists of “best kit of 2007”
Oh no Roy! You have publically directed folks to not only Perth (aka Foster’s Sensei’s website), but to chose the Tristar kit (aka 3-star). You will now draw the wrath of Dragon’s Blogger-Hiroshi (aka the Dragon Shill or Sake Sensei).
He will now post unkind things about you in the Mighty Dragon Fan Club forum (that only a select few can view, and no one can post besides Dragon employees) using his faked Pidgin English and obscure references to eating ramen.
Holy Cow Rob, what does this mean? I’m sorry but I’m not following?
regards,
Steve
In a nutshell: Tristar is more accurate, Dragon is easier to put together. This according to Perth. Costs are going to be similar.
Steve,
Rob’s referring a “Blogger Hiroshi”, an online persona that DML has created for their online fan club who posts a “blog” about upcoming releases and such. The short version is that over the past year or so “blogger Hiroshi” has been conducting a one-on-one feud with Terry Ashley over his reviews on PMMS via his “blog”. Since he’s a mouthpiece for DML via the forums, it creates a propaganda-like feel to it with the war of words continuing anytime Terry reviews a side-by-side of Tristar and DML offerings. Terry’s providing an objective review and, due to the competitive nature between DML and Tristar, DML doesn’t like it.
I tend to believe that the Tristar offering will be as Roy suggests unless DML corrects the errors from the previous 38(t) G chassis.
Ahhh… maybe Hiroshi wasn’t allowed to play in any reindeer games as a kid.
Oh, I see. Thanks for taking the time Bill. I think I’ll go back to building models now.
Steve
He’s sort of like Axis Sally for Dragon. He has begun to belittle Missing Lynx because people at the ‘English speaking’ forum consistantly direct members to PMMS reviews. He uses thinly veiled insults:
Foster’s Sensei=Terry Ashley (TA is Austrailian and Foster is ‘Austrailian for beer’)
3-Star=Tristar
Bugler=Trumpeter
Although he ignores PMMS reviews that sing Dragon’s praises, he will jump all over a review if it even mentions some sort of error, especially if the “3-Star” or “Bugler” kit is better in that respect.
hmmmm…interesting–I need to adjust my pre-order based on the info. I have discovered…
I’d say none of the above, I’ll just build the Alan offering I got a few years ago…
… with improvements [;)]
GT, it can be done but it takes a lot. One of the best places to start is with the Azimut update set since that corrects the upper deck and hood problem as well as some of the interior fighting compartment layout for the base and ammo compartments. I built one up last year and depending on how far you want to go with the improvements, it can get to be pricey. At the time it was the only game in town but most of the areas of weakness on the Alan kit will be corrected on the DML/Tristar items judging by the information that’s been released so far.