I was just looking at the posting about a new T-34/76 from AFV Club and noticed what looks like a new E100 kit from Trumpeter.
It's posted on a Japanese website.

http://happy.ap.teacup.com/applet/runchickens/200710/archive

The E100 has what looks like a "King Tiger" type turret.
If it's true, it looks great!!
Cheers

jjumbo

Edit p.s. sorry, my attempt at an active link didn't work

This looks like a copy of Mike Rinaldi's turret. I hope he knew about it... Dmitry

Wow thats awesome , i am so buying a couple of them as i missed out on the Dragon one and it goes for silly money over here.

Looks like this kit won't be out soon, surface detail an texture are too basic, guess early test shot or even a model of a model Downside, yet another E project panzer which has nothing to do with 'Red' section.

Sorry about that Nick & George.

I don't know why that happened.

Cheers

jjumbo

He does now, check the thread on ML

David

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47207/message/1192136764/Message+for+Michael+Rinaldi

Anyone want to help me out on this? It's something that's well beyond my experience and i've been contacted by Micheal as well...

Gary is correct. Unlike music or literature where defined notes or words are considered the property of the artist, whoever "copied" Rinaldi's E100 turret simply used the original as inspiration to build their own pattern. A few years ago, another company used my original 1/32 F4U Corsair cockpit I built for KMC as the basis for their own release. They simply used my dimensions and design, embellishing it here and there, and called it their own. Nothing I could do about it but be flattered that this "big-hitter" in the industry felt my work was worthy of copying! Now, if someone had physically knocked-off Mike's E100 - as in used his turret to create master molds - that's another story completely.

My 2-cents
Kirchoff

Hi guys -

I was flattered to be honest, but unlike Mike K's situation re. the Corsair cockpit, which existed in real life and wasn't his intellectual property to begin with even though he made a master that was copied (thus his fight is of a different nature) -- in my case the Ausf B turret didn't exist until I came up with it. Also, there is no historical ref. from a paper panzer point of view for Trumpeter to justify this idea (I have asked them to provide proof in this regards).

Trumpeter stands to gain from my idea and efforts without any due notice, compensation or credit to the original idea, or to the authenticity of the historical background behind this turret and armament combination, which is completely hypothetical.

The idea and design are copyrighted the moment I came up with it, plus there is also a written copyright on my online photo album, and on Missing Lynx. This copyirght is applicable regardless if Trumpeter is a big fish and I am just one guy. There is no "getting over it" on this one and frankly why should there be?

Best,

Mike

ps - Jim I will send you an email soon with a further update, thanks for your support again.

Not to stifle anyones creativity or to lend any credence to an alleged wrong-doing but...

...what is to prevent Trumpy from saying they asked a engineer/developer to sit down and speculate on what a E-100B or some such was and thus turned it into a kit, kinda like the "reverse-engineering" that gets done in the software industry? While many of your specific "artistic" elements are unique, it is not too hard to scale up a KT-II turret, add a 120mm gun, think out that a 20mm coax is more realistic, and make sure that periscopes and hatches are in proper places? And dump it on a E-100 chassis.

Your added weld-on armour, split even, is more unique and not on the Trumpy kit. Is it at all possible that they simply came up with a similar idea?

(Yeah, I know, the cynic in me says no way, but I am trying to be generous...)

Hi Jacques -

That is there position, as a matter of fact, and one I'm not too surprised with honestly - its the obvious thing to say - "well I happened to think of it too". However, if that was truly what they did, the similarities are far too close to be listened to as fact. While I can't divulge them here, they sent me the photos of the master pattern turret and I feel they actually made my case for me. It is a near identical copy to the turret I made (I was stunned again), minus some very minor details. What was added where and how is almost step for step how I built mine as shown on my online photo album.

The cupola placement with the side bulge, the front angles and general overall proportion, the mantlet and barrel including the rain gutter, the location of the welds, the rear plate angle and sloping undercut, the range finders, the top gunner's periscope, the IR gear mounted to the cupola, plus a few others are all as I did, they did not even attempt to be different. There have been quite a few guys who have built similar models since then and all exihibit more unique features from mine than the Trumpeter turret. It was by far the closet to what I did. Like I said to them re. the Tiger II turret, which they also said there's is basically - if one were to put the turrets side-by-side then it not would be a topic in the conversation. They are fundementally different other than using a similar cupola.

There is also the matter of precedent. The Chinese have a long documented history of making knock-offs and unauthorized copies in multiple industries, so that goes a long way toward what is happening here and should not be underestimated. They also would have the burden of proof to show how they developed "their" hypothetical turret design.

I'm sympathetic to Trumpeter's position and have made several offers of service and help to quickly alleviate the problem. What I am asking is exceptionally minor and not out of line, but I am being firm about my position. Responses on the net have been overwhelming positive towards this situation so I am hopeful for a quick resolution. I too would like to see this kit hit the shelves, just not under the current circumstances.

Best,

Mike

Believe me, I understand what the Asian market can be like...I knew the owner of Geometric and all the headaches he had with knock-offs of his stuff. I do sympathize.

My point was that Trumpy saw what you did and then took a guy and said, "Hey, we know it can be done. Build us a tank based on the E-100 chassis that has a logical follow on Tiger-II type turret, with all the optics and fittings in the most logical places." Knowing it has already been done, they could then look at the work being done and probably say " Ok, but is that really where that would go?" etc. This is a VERY common practice in the software field (comment Jim?) that apparently passes the copyright test.

I also understand that you are probably not asking for much from Trumpy, so I do NOT want to look like a apologist for them, but it may be less that they intentionally trample others intellectual rights so much as they have a different concept of what constitutes said rights. Clash of cultures thing. Yes, i am sure that Trumpy Execs know what our social laws are, it may just be that they do not want to respect them, much as many other cultures have insulted others through time immemorable.

Now look, you made me get all philisophical...

Fight the good fight, but I do not think this is a war that you can win.

Is one not supposed to abide by the laws of the country in which the product is sold? Cultural differences aside, this is the heart of the copyright issue that faces many Chinese companies going down this road. Whether this is something I can win is irrelevant. Remember the American kid who was cainned for a very minor offense in China? His offense is looked at totally different under US law. It's a two-way street that we all drive on, big offenses or small.

Best,

Mike

He was actually caned in Singapore for vandalizing a Mercedes.

Well, I am DEFINATELY not trying to stick up for Trumpy...maybe I should make the argument this way:

Say I saw your build on the internet and decided to not only make my own version, with minor changes, but to show it to a mjor manufacturer like Trumpeter. Assume they took me up on it and decided to run with my build based on anothers work, (and who may not have been known by me when I saw the pictures as "unmarked" pics of models float around all over). In the end Trumpy took the design of a legit builder, me, but not a copy of your work. If I do not mention my inspiration, your work, I am showing at least a lack of "professional" courtesy if nothing else.

I guess the biggest thing that sticks in my craw is that your design is too good...it all uses real WWII german parts, maybe in slightly different scales. The Turret says redesigned Tiger II, not totally new turret design. The armament and turret hardware are all based on late war parts. The hull is a E-100. The most unique pieces you added are not on their kit.

I also hate how cutthroat chinese capitalism can be, it sucks the joy out of everything...I guess we American's taught them to well? I would rather be singing the praises of how a modeller was able to inspire a company to build a sci-fi paper panzer than dealing with this hair-splitting. Sigh.

I am inspired that you are willing to stand up for yourself, so my hat is off to you there...

I really hope you get some satisfaction but I am not optimistic. Hell, they could have consulted you and at least given you a hat tip on the directions as a consultant.
It is worth mentioning that an estimated 90-96% of all software sold in China is pirated and it costs that industry an estimated 1.6 billion dollars a year.

Shaun

/Cultural differences?
//Bah