Oh, the kit is totally buildable as is, and it'll even look like what it's supposed to, if you don't know any better. The problem I have is that, in this day and time, there is absolutely no reason for a company not to get the major details right on a kit of new design. The information is obviously out there. All they need to do follow it. Even as long as I've been waiting for these early marques to be released, I flatly refuse rewarding a company for "shoddy" work by buying one of them. [/quote] I didn't say that I wouldn't buy any of the MINIART Pz.III kits. Read my entry again. I DID say that I will probably buy one of them eventually, but I'm also hoping that some after-market company will someday offer a resin "correction" set for the Engine Deck. I agree that there is certainly enough info and reference material out there for model companies to "get it right" the first time, whatever the subject may be. Also, it is my opinion that if certain model companies only want to produce what THEY WANT, and not what WE WANT, eventually, we will get tired of the same old wares, and WE WILL SHOP ELSEWHERE for what WE WANT. DRAGON has yet again announced a "NEW" TIGER: the TIGER I "131 s.Pz.Abt.504 Tunisia". OOOOH!!! This is a classic example of the same old thing with a few "new" parts and decals, in a new box, commanding a higher price, which I think is un-deserved..... How many of these "TUNISIA" TIGER Is were actually built? I'd MUCH RATHER see an entirely new M8 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage or a Dodge WC-54 Ambulance from some enterprising plastic kit manufacturer...

bill_c ..when you compare Dragon to Tamiya...the main thing to consider is..how complex a build do you want.

I have the DML kit in my stash, is the Tamiya one better? If so, in what way(s)?[/quote] Hi Bill Hope you don't mind a link to another site but Terry over on PMMS did a direct comparison of the two kits a while back. Although the DML one is also reboxed and sold as a Italeri it's the same kit, even down to the boxart. They just added the Italeri logo http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/misc/stug3b/stug3b.htm I had the Italeri/DML one and the Tamiya one but sold on the Italeri/DML one as I didn't want to mess about with correcting the stepped detail leading up to the sighting hole. Tamiya got it right. The DML one doesn't fair that bad considering its age, but read the article to make your own decision. Alan

Thanks, Alan. Turns out I have the "other" Stug, the C/D. Looks like I would get the Tamiya A/B #35281 if anyone wants to sell me theirs.

HI, Bill- Let me check my inventory; I MAY still have an un-built example of TAMIYA's #35281. No, I don't own a Hobby Shop, LOL! I'll let you know, either way. $20.00 + shipping, IF I have it. I use PayPal, THANKS...

PS- I've got A LOT (hundreds, actually) of other 1/35 armor & soft skins, and 1/48 aircraft kits that I'd like to sell- I'll NEVER get to build them all, anyway...

Never said the MINIART kits are un-buildable- I concentrate on US/Allied stuff in my 1/35 efforts, and I don't just build in 1/35... I'm a big 1/48 aircraft fan, 1/24 & 1/25 Classic Automobiles of the 1920s-1950s, and "high-end" HO Steam-era (mostly brass) passenger locomotives and the "Limited" trains that they pulled, such as the "20th Century Limited" and quite a few others... I also said that I'll probably buy one of the MINIART early Pz.IIIs and also one of the up-comong BRONCO Pz.III Ausf.As...

Joe from Tiger Models announced, he is working on an engine deck for the MiniArt kit. My knowledge on the early types is limeted, so Idon´t know, if the deck will be suitable for the B, C and D. Thomas

IIRC, the hulls should be identical, so the fix should work for all three models.