All to all, looks like solid B kit, though turret looks narrow.
review

Squadron has it listed now. $35.96

Hi Gary. By far, this kit doesn't cost its MSRP, photo-etch turned aout to be a bad joke, road wheels are too narrow and no indi tracks put it into $18-25 category at best. Besides, that turret looks fishy to me too. As a matter of fact, Trumpeter's earlier models in the same scale like KVs or SAM-6 are actually better in both overall accuracy and value. If Trumpeter thinks they can charge same price that DML does for their kits, while theirs remains on same level of detail fidelity and accuracy, they are down right foolish. I've pre-ordered mine and I know it will be sitting on shelf for a good while. Hopefully, their decision to start designing BMP-3s and MAZ haulers, 145$? they better reproduce undercarriage detail to the fullest, from scratch won't lead them to same results as in 2006 test shots. I just had to say the above things after comparing sprue shots with this walk-around at dishmodels.ru:
part 1
part 2
part 3

Yeah, I saw the price and gulped. I'll have to see what Lucky Model will sell it for.

Hehe, that's why one of part of my new year resolution will be scratch building only

Trumpeter MSRP's reflect:

1. Higher transport costs. Really

2. Higher costs in raw materials AND LABOR. Yup.

3. The effect of the sucky US Dollar on import costs.

4. A healthy bump up for the importer, Steven's Intl.

Because almost all of the kits we build are imports AND the dollar sucks, it is just going to be expensive, period.

As to the technical aspects of the PT-76, we will have to see. However, it seems that Trumpeter pushed this kit out pretty fast, so I would not be surprised that there are a few mistakes.

I just hope the marketing department does not use this as a excuse to nix eatern european stuff. "Gee, we gave them a kit and it just didn't sell. We lost money. Well, It was not very accurate, and it was expensive, but still, we should have made money..." I want the kits, and I will pay the price, so long as they GET IT RIGHT.

As someone who primarily builds aircraft, I am amazed at how cheap the Trumpeter armor kits are. How is it that twice the plastic costs half as much for tanks? To charge $35 MSRP, maybe Trumpeter has figured out that they can charge something closer to aircraft prices for their armor.

John

a 1/35 scale tank is roughly 1/3 to 1/2 less "stuff" than a 1/32 aircraft (roughly, roughly...)

however, there is more than just plastic...research, cost to cut molds, etc.. my guess is that the flat plates of a armor kit may make things easier to machine, but that is a WAG.

I should have been more specific. I build 1/48 and am amazed that I can get a Trumpeter Sea Hawk for $40+

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=TR02826

and a nice KV-1 for $22+

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=TR35359

Maybe aircraft builders are just willing to pay more so it's supply and demand or maybe the aircraft just costs more to produce. Like you said, it might be harder to cut aircraft molds.

John

Correct me if I am wrong, but the Sea Hawk is a more recent release? Most of Trumpeter's new releases are in the $30-$40 range for a new Tank...like the PT-76, E-10, E-25, and LAV-R. The KV series are from a older release time-frame.

They are comparably priced, it is just that 1/35 is so freaking cool.

I meant grade, but only when considering molding and accuracy