Intersting rumbles from Tamiya

[Andy in Cheltenham]

My brother mentioned this and I took a look on the Net.
http://www.hlj.com/product/TAM36207" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like Tamiya has stirred it self awake and something has come along. Yes it is a Static kit but I'm wandering what the spec is. It mentions a metal hull and torsion bar suspension.

Andy

[fleshpedler]

The day we get something new will be just great..........and not a rehash .........
Fleshy...................

[Abo]

Its quite well priced if we could get it at the same cost as the rest of the world (as it has to be bought outside the UK ). Works out at about £257 at todays exchange rate. Dunno if it has any internals though, its cheaper than Trumpeter's KT's ( my porsche KT arrived today with a delivery man with a hernia) but it costs more than Trumpeters T34's with full internals. will be interesting to see.

[Andy in Cheltenham]

The main thing that concerns me is that it has a fair few errors. And for it's size there aren't a lot of parts. I could buy one and start over again using the new gearbox and a few other parts from mine, but it's just not worth it. I feel sad for saying that. Perhaps we are about to see a new wave of interest in 1/16 stuff from Tamiya. I hope so...

[BigPanzer]

Hhmmmmmm........Interesting. For some reason I've only just seen this thread. I wonder if it will be made from the old, worn out moulds or whether they have done some work on them to improve the fit & detail and to get rid of some of the sink holes etc.

It does make me think though - are they testing the market for a limited range of R/C-able armour knowing that many who build a full function model fit it with different bits anyway.

Will they shortly announce an R/C pack including electronics and gearboxes for it - no doubt at a hugely inflated price so they can make more dosh than they would if they sold the whole thing as a full option kit in the first place?

I suspect Andy is quite right about errors - the Geppy certainly has a few. I've just been looking at some photos of their Super Sherman and there are bits of that needing re-working too.

In case you haven't guessed, I am rather cynical about Tamiya - largely because of inflated prices charged for their products, particularly "sub versions". For example, if I buy a KV1 I expect to pay for development and tooling costs. But for the KV2 much of this work has already been done and paid for. This saving could be spread across the whole tank range to keep their prices affordable.

Rant over! Guess I'm just a grumpy old git really!

Whatever we think of Tamiya, our world is a better place for having their tanks in it.

Peter

[Saxondog]

In the early 80's(High School) I lived in California,excellent hobby shops and really large model shows. The American vendor/manufacturers were to busy bashing Tamiya when they should of been designing great products. Now their kits are all measured against Tamiya products, and they still fall short.

I believe this is one of the reason's Tamiya is not progressing with their 1.16 scale RC Tanks. Why should they? Even with H/L and VS selling running tanks for a fraction everything is still compared to Tamiya products and their sales are stable if not growing.

And let's face it, their cars are very much in demand, every other Sunday the local shop sets up a track in the side parking lot complete with elevated driver stand and more cars than can be raced at one time. But I don't see other Tankers, they all look at my stuff and say that's cool but why is it so slow? 50 different Tamiya cars in 10 years, in 20 years 10 tanks? Go Figure.....

Saxondog

[Andy in Cheltenham]

Ah yes but you have to look at the people buying tanks, they are a different bread to the fast car brigade. OK I've had a fair amount of cars mostly Tamiya. Tankers are a bit more interested in an accurate scale representation. It is the option of taking things back to a less hectic/frantic form of RC. I don't think there is a form of RC that is any slower. As for Tamiya just floging out plastic from an old mold, I don't think that really is the case. The Leopard is not the most hard wearing of tank kits. the road wheels give up after a while and get floppy. the gearbox is not the best. But for all its failings it is still a Tamiya tank and that gives it some prestige.

[Abo]

According to this months Model Military International magazine "the 1/16th scale Leopard is also tentatively scheduled for re-release in December as a static display model". No further information than that.

[mcevoyi]

just thought i would add

that i mentioned this in march ... and also the geppard will follow ....

[Abo]

Be nice if the tiger 1 with full interior would crop up again, I missed it last time and now I have a T34 and KT it would be nice to add another shelf queen with some detail.

Having said that, something new like a churchill would really hit the spot.

While I'm at it I'd like to win big on the premium bonds too please.