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Tiger Model Pantsir - should I get it?
RicardoH
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Lisboa, Portugal
Joined: May 10, 2014
KitMaker: 54 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 08:13 PM UTC
Hi guys,

my local hobby store has the Tiger Model Pantsir S1 in stock at a discounted price for a limited time. AFAIK, this is the first Pantsir to be available in stores, while Meng, Trumpeter and Zvezda should be releasing theirs soon.

I've seen a review of the Tiger Model kit and it looks good on the sprues, but I know very little about the real vehicle and cannot tell how accurate it is. Also, I've never built a Tiger Model kit before, so I have no idea about parts fit, plastic quality, etc. From what I've seen on the Internet, TM plastic looks a bit like Meng's, but I could be wrong.

For those of you that had the chance to view the kit and compare it to the photos that have been published by the other manufacturers (the Meng kit looks very good, it seems it can be built with either radar dishes, but it should also be more expensive), and from what you know about Tiger Model, should I go ahead and get it (at discount price) or wait for other manufacturers to release theirs, don't get the discount on the Tiger Model kit but at least have the chance to pick the one I find more accurate?


RobinNilsson
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Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 09:07 PM UTC
Not a direct answer to your question but ...
I the other kits are not out yet there is most likely no comparison reviews yet either.
The Pantsir from Tiger Model could have inaccuracies that someone who is knowledgeable might point out. The other kits, which whe have not seen yet, could also have issues. These issues could be smaller than Tiger Models or they could be worse. We don't know ....

Your options:
1. Buy Tiger Models now and hope for the best
2. Wait and hope that one of the others is better and that the better accuracy is worth the higher price. Zvezda might possibly be cheaper than Tiger Models.
3. Buy Tiger Models, put it in the stash and sell it again if you decide that you really need of the others instead.
4. Get Tiger Models now and then get another variant (radar dishes or whatever) when the other models turn up.
5. Wait for someone else to choose option 3 and get one from ebay when someone is selling off kits he/she realised that they didn't really need. Sometimes the manufacturers/distributors lower the prices after a year or so to clear out stock that is moving too slow ...

An answer based strictly on accuracy can only be given when someone who knows the Pantsir can do a comparison review.

/ Robin
RicardoH
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Lisboa, Portugal
Joined: May 10, 2014
KitMaker: 54 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 09:23 PM UTC
Hi Robin,

those are pretty much my options, indeed.

I think I'll probably go with option 1
RobinNilsson
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Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 10:05 PM UTC
My favourite plastic pusher didn't have a reduced pre-order price so I don't have your dilemma
/ Robin
ivanhoe6
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: April 05, 2007
KitMaker: 2,023 posts
Armorama: 1,234 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 11:00 PM UTC
I don't know anything about the Pantsir but I have built Tiger Model's Nagmachon and their Leopard II Revolution I kits. Both were much like a new Tamiya kit for ease of assembly but with a higher parts count and PE. I would build another TM kit in a heartbeat !

Accuracy, I can't comment about. Just the images(my two kits) I could find on the internet. They looked fine to me but I'm not a rivet counter.
If it's a real good deal get it ! you can always re-sell it at a later date probably close to the bargain price that you paid for it.

Good Luck !
Armorsmith
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 09, 2015
KitMaker: 1,063 posts
Armorama: 1,000 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 12:28 AM UTC
Tiger Model kits are indeed Tamiya like. A look at the instructions immediately reminds you of Tamiya. I built their AMX30 Bernus and it went together well. Good fit little fuss. Only gripe was the individual track links. They did not seem to fit together well and gave me some problems. Other than that there were no issues. I would certainly buy another Tiger Models kit if there was a subject that interested me.
davcon5
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United States
Joined: November 09, 2008
KitMaker: 49 posts
Armorama: 41 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 12:43 AM UTC
The upcoming Trumpeter release looks to be considerably cheaper than both Tiger and Meng's offering. Trumpeter's doing this on purpose to undercut the the competitors, I think. I'm waiting for Trumpeter.
pgb3476
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Texas, United States
Joined: March 11, 2007
KitMaker: 977 posts
Armorama: 976 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 01:41 AM UTC
Terry Ashley has the Meng kit and has posted some photo's on FB.
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
Armorama: 553 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 04:41 AM UTC
Have a look at the kit contents here:
http://www.moxing.net/2019/0619/9952.html
RicardoH
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Lisboa, Portugal
Joined: May 10, 2014
KitMaker: 54 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 06:24 AM UTC
Knowing Trumpeter, it'll probably have tons of PE parts(I hate PE parts), most of which could have been done in plastic with no bit loss in detail.

Meng should be the most expensive of them all (according to the pre-order prices shown on Scalemates).

I have no information about the Zvezda one, but, as usual, should be cheap, generally accurate but lacking a bit in detail compared to the other offerings.
andymacrae
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: September 01, 2005
KitMaker: 409 posts
Armorama: 402 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 03:23 AM UTC
I'm going to wait till they are all out, read as many reviews as possible and then decide. I can only afford to buy one so it will be whichever is most accurate.

I should add that I've looked at review on Moxing and the first thing that jumped out at me was the pattern of the mesh for the fold-down walkways doesn't match what I see in photos?
jfeenstra
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: April 24, 2014
KitMaker: 342 posts
Armorama: 342 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 04:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I should add that I've looked at review on Moxing and the first thing that jumped out at me was the pattern of the mesh for the fold-down walkways doesn't match what I see in photos?


From the pictures I've looked at, there are a few different patterns (maybe based on the exact upgrade/series) and the Tiger square pattern is seen so it appears accurate. However, as you know, this isn't really a mesh on top of a frame, the entire panel is the open grid. The only way to replicate this properly is either 3D printing or laser cut card/sheet plastic (similar to what has been done for the Sdkfz 7 halftracks and Sdkfz 222 armored cars by a few Japanese aftermarket companies like Kamizukuri).
andymacrae
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: September 01, 2005
KitMaker: 409 posts
Armorama: 402 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 09:02 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I should add that I've looked at review on Moxing and the first thing that jumped out at me was the pattern of the mesh for the fold-down walkways doesn't match what I see in photos?


From the pictures I've looked at, there are a few different patterns (maybe based on the exact upgrade/series) and the Tiger square pattern is seen so it appears accurate. However, as you know, this isn't really a mesh on top of a frame, the entire panel is the open grid. The only way to replicate this properly is either 3D printing or laser cut card/sheet plastic (similar to what has been done for the Sdkfz 7 halftracks and Sdkfz 222 armored cars by a few Japanese aftermarket companies like Kamizukuri).


Yes most of the pics I’v been looking at, and walkrounds, show latest versions. I have wondered what would be best way to show these panels, especially the latest diamond shaped grid, would 3D printing or the laser cut sheet have the required resolution?
jfeenstra
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: April 24, 2014
KitMaker: 342 posts
Armorama: 342 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 09:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I should add that I've looked at review on Moxing and the first thing that jumped out at me was the pattern of the mesh for the fold-down walkways doesn't match what I see in photos?


From the pictures I've looked at, there are a few different patterns (maybe based on the exact upgrade/series) and the Tiger square pattern is seen so it appears accurate. However, as you know, this isn't really a mesh on top of a frame, the entire panel is the open grid. The only way to replicate this properly is either 3D printing or laser cut card/sheet plastic (similar to what has been done for the Sdkfz 7 halftracks and Sdkfz 222 armored cars by a few Japanese aftermarket companies like Kamizukuri).


Yes most of the pics I’v been looking at, and walkrounds, show latest versions. I have wondered what would be best way to show these panels, especially the latest diamond shaped grid, would 3D printing or the laser cut sheet have the required resolution?


I'm not sure about the diamond shaped grid (although I'm sure it would be the same), but the square grid could be easily done in laser cut card. Again, take a look at the ones Kamizukuri do for the Sdkfz 7/2, which are very similar to those seen on the Pantsir. passionmodels.jp
panzerbob01
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Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 03:04 PM UTC
FWIW:

ALL of the kits WILL HAVE some inaccuracies, and all will offer some details that are not done well or even at all on some other kits.

As the Tiger Model, Trumpeter, and Meng kits are all actually out and in at least a few hands, we should soon be hearing if there are any really glaring errors or snafus.

Barring revelation about some really big problem, I would expect all of these kits will be pretty good - all are coming from well-established companies whose more-recent products are usually quite well done and usually pretty accurate about most of the key parts and proportions. They will be pretty complex, big, parts-rich builds, and all will have some fiddly glitches and a couple instructional errors and confusions to deal with. All will have pretty much state-of-art molding, and, I'm willing to bet, all will provide a lot of modeling pleasure for the modeling money.

I've built kits from all 3 makers, and have no real complaints about any. I might get one of these Pantsir kits - probably the Trumpeter item, as it's the cheapest on eBay right now - but I wouldn't hesitate to buy any of the 3. Given as it's pretty much a sure thing that the Zvezda kit will come in cheaper, but with somewhat less, and probably softer, detail, I'll skip that - mostly because I want as much crisp detail as the makers will provide in the box (means less need to add more! ).

Just my opinion, of course!

Bob
laikneth
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Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: September 24, 2013
KitMaker: 75 posts
Armorama: 63 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 04:21 PM UTC
i saw the meng build photos. they have 2 versions of radar for pantsir

i'll wait for the meng one
panzerbob01
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Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Friday, June 21, 2019 - 06:08 PM UTC

Quoted Text

i saw the meng build photos. they have 2 versions of radar for pantsir

i'll wait for the meng one


The Meng kits - like those from Trumpeter and Tiger Model - are currently available from eBay vendors - from reliable and known Chinese vendors who have history. No need to wait!

Bob
ruzzaa
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England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: October 17, 2007
KitMaker: 197 posts
Armorama: 189 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 26, 2019 - 08:00 AM UTC
I have both kits
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235057019-meng-135-96k6-pantsir-s1/
timjake78
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Colorado, United States
Joined: December 14, 2018
KitMaker: 15 posts
Armorama: 15 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 28, 2019 - 03:12 PM UTC
I'm building the Tiger Model kit now. I finished building up the chassis tonight. The only real pain in the backside was getting all the drive shaft segments and U-joints to go into the gear boxes without bending/breaking something.

I'm not a rivet counter, so can't address down to brass tacks how accurate the Tiger kit is.
sauron
Joined: September 18, 2007
KitMaker: 134 posts
Armorama: 132 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 01, 2019 - 09:57 AM UTC
For what it's worth, The Meng and Tiger shipping weights are the same - 1195 grams. The Trumpeter is 1400 grams or about 7.25 ounces more. What you get for that extra .45 pounds is the question.
mika14
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Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: January 23, 2016
KitMaker: 85 posts
Armorama: 17 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2020 - 12:16 AM UTC
Between Meng's & Tiger's Pantsir S1, which is more accurate & easy to build OOB?

Thanks!
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