This must have been discussed on here before but I thought I’d start a new thread anyway. We’ve had Tamiya and Eduard doing Hetzers recently (and I think Dragon). Strykers in 1/35 from different manufacturers and now a new JS-2 from Tamiya even though Dragon also announced a premium edition JS-2 in 1/35 a while back. I’m not really complaining but with so many other tanks (such as World War 1 tanks and between the wars) yet to be done, I wish manufacturers would branch out a bit and do some of the more unusual tanks, that haven’t been done with state of the art tooling before - as well as the more well known WW2 tanks.
Right on, brother.
Of course, you have to remember that they’re in business to sell kits, and sometimes the more obscure kits might not sell as well (based on the fact that fewer people know what they are). So it’s gonna be in Dragon’s best interest, for example, to produce yet another variant of Tiger or Panzer III than, say, some French infantry tank from 1925. Although it would be cool.
A much talked about topic, but i agree. Why can’t we have variety. How many Shermans and Tigers can one build? It is the same with aircraft. How many Mustangs and Spitfires can one build? I like to build diifferent subjects. Why can’t the manufacturers hear our sentiments?[banghead]
It almost makes me get bored with models and stop buying kits…
LIKE A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL!!!..[(-D][(-D][(-D]…[#toast]
BOOMER…
It’s something Trumpeter appears to have figured out. I have some pretty obscure kits of theirs on the shelves. Type 89 Chinese Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun and the Brasilian EE-T1 Osorio, for example. Talk about off-the-wall. All credit to them for doing it.
We have the two Stryker kits out now as well, don’t forget. Does anyone make a Pirhana III?
NTM
Agreed guys! It’s great to have competition with the big manufacturers driving quality upwards but if Dragon are supposed to be bringing out a premium edition JS-2 then surely that will be hard to beat. It’s as if the Japanese and Chinese manufacturers are playing a game of cat and mouse with each other. Dragon seemed to have virtually taken over from Tamiya in the 1/35 department for the last few years and now Tamiya seem to have decided to try and catch up.
Type 89 Chinese Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun and the Brasilian EE-T1 Osorio???
…okay, now we’re getting TOO obscure!!! LOL…can’t satisfy us modelers, can they?
Don’t get me started on mustangs! I like the mustang but I don’t think it’s half as visually interesting as other US fighters such as the corsair or thunderbolt yet whenever a new model company start up it seems they have to do a mustang. Millions of those suckas everywhere!
I’m just happy to see there is something new coming out, Italeri took the plunge and brought us the 231 6 rad, AB41 and Saharini (even with the faults I’m glad to see them), now other companies are bringing out the Comet and a couple of British Armored cars. If the companies have to bring us another Tiger to fund these less common vehicles oh, well.
Now just be sure to buy the weird stuff so they make more, I’m still waiting for my plastic Vickers Mk VIB. [:D]
Softskins and artillery are even more neglected. Alot of dio opportunities are being missed.
Honestly? I’m all for some more Tiger kits…unless one of you fellas can find me a DML6252 or 6253 for $40 or less… [;)] …and even that’s pushing it, really. I mean, how much is a Tamiya Tiger? Any of them? $40? $50? Maybe I haven’t looked around enough or have too much brand bias (probably fairly likely!), but I know I only have one Tiger in my stash I managed to get off Ebay. I’d love to build a whole slew of them…so many different paint schemes on such an awesome looking beast.
I just can’t help thinking that the first one–Tamiya or DML–to come out with a WELL-DONE Mk I, MK IV, St Chamont or A7v WWI tanks with interior is gonna break sales records at this point!
[:D]…We modelers are the winners in these wars. Let’um keep on fight’n it out![:D]
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. I read somewhere recently that when Emhar initially brought out their 1/35 WW1 Male it was in the top 10 selling models of the time (or something similar to that). Then sales dropped off because it wasn’t as accurate as people were hoping for. I’ll be buying a JS-2 from Tamiya or Dragon (possibly both) but I hope the big manufacturers don’t just end up bringing too much of the same tanks etc out.
I agree, I was sure with the war in Iraq we would see a M198 155mm towed in plastic. Except for resin or OOP Ilateri kits, there is very little artillery (either towed or SP) on the market. AFV club has become the leader in artillery from Ilateri, but the other manufacurers don’t seem to go there.
Would love to see Tamiya combine the old 75mm pack howitzer and M3A2 half track to make the T30 HMC. They would not need to make a complete new mold set so the cost to initially produce should be low.
AFV could very simply make an M43 SP kit by combining their barrel from the M115 with their current M40 kit. No tooling just a new box. But how well would it sell?? Would it dig into M40 sales?? May have to wait or buy an M40 and see if you can order a M115 8" barrel from AFV.
Also as stated before in this thread, we are our own best enemy. The companies are going to make what will sell. Right now that is HMMUVs, Strykers etc due to the war keeping them in our eye and WWII German equipment because of their popularity. The old OD green is not popular (except with me) and not in the headlines.
Then again, we are modelers, we are supposed to be creative. You may have to combine parts from multiple kits and scratch make some others but I think that is some of what this hobby is about.
For those who want the OOB build its tough!
Rounds Complete!!
They’ve been doing this to one another for a while. When Tamiya released an M4A3E2 Jumbo in the late 80s, Italeri tried to trump them by issuing an M4A2 Jumbo (which was neither a Jumbo, nor an M4A2).
When Skybow announced an M41A3 Bulldog, AFV Club produced one and greater quantity and more readily available. That one just about killed Skybow. Tamiya rolled out their old M41 with updated motorization components to try to grab some of the market.
A similar thing happened with the M18 Hellcat, this time with Academy and AFV Club. When Academy released their M36 Jackson, Tamiya brought out their ancient M36 kit to try get people to buy it.
[#ditto][#ditto]
I’d pay $60-70 for a well done Mark IV (or Mark I) in 1/35 (with interior) and another $30-40 for eduard PE. I’d pay my fun budget away for high quality kits of my desired subjects. The Emhar Mk IV looks nice upon completion but it lacks a little something. Tauro’s A7V is a nightmare. Someone built a really nice one on this forum with an interior filled with scratchbuilt parts. It was awesome.
Call me crazy, but I think people would buy WWI kits. Most people that know about Shermans and Tigers also know about the first generation of AFV’s. Such kits would allow builders to branch out a little from the more common subjects. Maybe we’d see as many Mk IV’s posted on these forums as Panthers and T34’s. Maybe I am crazy, but I think they’d sell. I think this because they’re so interestingly weird.
Semper Fi,
Chris
I just wish someone would come out with a model of the AC 1, 3 and 4 cruiser tanks. Cromwells resin one looks the goods, but its a bit pricey after converting from pounds then adding postage
I find it a little encouraging that Tamiya, at the same time they produce the oft-kitted Hetzer, also choose to do the French UE armored carrier. And they produced the Char bis last year. So there is some hope.
There’s always hope! Sometimes I get overwhelmed at the sheer volume of truly excellent kits in my stash. And to think, I used to have a serious Jones on for a decent 1/35 Sherman…
I agree with you. In the modern british arsenal alone, there are a number of vehicle that I have been dying to build but manufacturing is confined to a very few models. At least one manufacturer, Bronco has started something. The last time I built a high speed tractor was when I was in grade school and now I’m 60 years old and I think I will see another one again hopfully. I hope they (manufacturers) ran out of tigers, panthers and shermans and start looking at other models in the arsenal of the world