RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi
I am new to this so apologies if you have had this question before. I am hoping to purchase a 1/16 tank kit in the near future and therefore doing some online research, and so far everyone has been very helpful.
It would seem to be that there is the option of a Tamiya kit - which look amazing but pretty pricey OR a Taigen ready built kit which can then be modified. Am I correct in this?
I would reallly like to build a full kit, so are there any other kits out there other than tamiya?
Appreciate any opinions on best way to start.
Mark

The Tamiya's are straight up model kits that you can make in an R/C tank, not saying this is bad as they have the best detail of any of the tanks out there the trade off is cost as they are also the most expensive out there for the most part. You can get a Taigen tank and then get all the detail goodies and upgrade it at your own pace as your skills and money allows. Taigen tanks are at a lower price point then the Tamiya thats for sure but as a trade off for cost savings they are not as finely detailed.

If you want a kit I have found this 3 in 1 Tiger tank kit from Imex that is a Taigen tank .... http://www.imex-model.com/category/171/Tank-Kit.html Had I known about it this would have been the Tiger I had got instead of the Heng Long that I did.

Another option would be Heng Long they are the least expensive by far allowing you to buy more upgrade goodies and do more work but they being the cheapest tanks out there means they are the furthest from a Tamiya there is. Not saying they are bad just that they require more work to get to the level of a Tamiya.

If I were you and money was no issue I'd get a Tamiya.
However if maybe money isn't a real issue but you don't have a money tree growing in your back yard I'd get the Taigen kit I linked from Imex.
If money IS an issue and you just can't see spending $500 for your first R/C tank then look at Heng Long as a starting place and you can upgrade it as you wish with after market parts.

I hope this helps but feel free to ask anything else you may need.

If you've build and painted kits before then the Tamiya is a good option and the Tiger and King Tigers are relatively cheap if you shop around and ship in from Germany or the Far East.

But if this is your first model kit I'd consider a ready to run HL or a Taigan as there is nothing to do save get it out the box. Live with it for a while and then see if you want to get something else. Just beware that some Taigans can come in very expensive so shop around, some are at much if not more than the comparative Tamiya.

Jackalope
Cheers for very helpful reply - I have found people in this hobby to be helpful, which is a good sign.
As the money tree doesn't seem to be sprouting currenlty the option of Taigen kit and then upgrading as I go appeals, currently.


Billpe
Thank you also, have done kits and painting of various things through out my many many years, however I have never really bought anything from Germany and far east, could you suggest any decent sites?

Will keep tank/day dreaming and value anyones opinions.

Hello Rangie... welcome to the board.... as everyone has already said... Taigen and Tamiya are the only ones who actually have "kits" ...there are some other obscure brands...but they are even more pricey than Tamiyas and those don't have internals..
A lot of good advice already given...so I will just add ...set a budget for yourself...especially since this is your first tank...then go from there

ALPHA

Rangie81 wrote: Thank you also, have done kits and painting of various things through out my many many years, however I have never really bought anything from Germany and far east, could you suggest any decent sites?

Will keep tank/day dreaming and value anyones opinions.

Are you in the UK, US, Canada? There tends to be lots of German sites for either general modelling or RC specifically, these are probably the best for generic stuff:
http://www.axels-modellbau-shop.de/katalog/ - Lots of stuff here but general modelling and 1:16 tank stuff.
http://www.rctank.de/ - One of the best suppliers of RC tanks for Taigan and HL. Lots of nice stuff there.

The far eastern places tend to be for Tamiya parts/upgrade parts
http://mitosal.com/ - they do lots of upgrades from the Impact brand, mostly Tamiya upgrades but fits some others.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/jr-rc?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 - Generic Tamiya related RC parts from Japan so very cheap.

There is also a section in these forums with recommended suppliers. Remember if you go for a Tamiya shop around, you can get them for very little more than a Taigan these days, depending on the model. Sometimes you can pick one up on ebay for half the price of a new kit.

Good Morning Rangie,
Welcome to the Forum. Lots of good advice already given so I will only add a request for pictures of your tank once you decide on one and have it home.
regards,
Painless

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Morning Rangie,
Welcome to the Forum. Lots of good advice already given so I will only add a request for pictures of your tank once you decide on one and have it home.
regards,
Painless

OH yeah... what Painless said




ALPHA

Alpha, there you go again scaring off new recruits... Let them in gently please.

Rangie welcome to the forum.

I sense you want a 'build' and, if so, go for Tamiya. Any of their kits will give you everything you need in the box to get up and running and then you can see what 'levels of madness' you want to descend to next...

Do you have any particular tanks in mind?

Tanks

Again thanks to all.

tanks for memory (brilliant name) - you are spot on, it is the build that intersts me. I think saving up for the Tamiya is the way forward. I think currently a Tiger (I can hear all the sighs as I don't mention a specific one)

I am curently reading my way through some relevant WW2 history to get an idea of the tanks and which grab my interest.

Billpe - cheers for the links etc, I am from UK and had some good responses from Uk suppliers. Will start looking for Ebay bargains.

Alpha - you seem to be the man with the knowledge, so I look forward to having some more in depth questions for you

Its been a long time since I have been called 'a recruit' but enjoying it so far.

Cheers guys