Dragon Models have traditionally used the annual Shizuoka Show in Japan to make major announcements of future releases. This year is no exception, with three pretty unusual ones - two in armor and a third in a very unusual figure set. The full story can be seen:

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

There was a hint by Blogger hiroshi that a Brummbar was coming when he started pointing out mistakes in Tristars test shots. The Italian figures are very welcome but the DV M4A1 is something modellers have prayed for for years.

Worth adding that Pawel ''Vodnik'' Krupowicz who advises Dragon has put out a call for pics and references for the DV M4A1 here on Armorama, so get those references in to him and there'll be no moaning when the kit appears

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/119021&page=1

All I can say is that I was so surprised by the Bersaglieri figure announcement that you could have knocked me over with a feather!

And that's nothing to grouse about.

-YL

The DV Sherman II is particularly great news for anyone who builds early British and Commonwealth Shermans!
Here's hoping someone will soon do DV versions of the Sherman I (M4), Sherman IV (M4A3) and Sherman V (M4A4) too !
Cheers Jim and Pat

jjumbo

One of the Bersaglieri looks like he's wearing a paratrooper steel helmet

But anything is better than the Italeri figures.....

David

Great news! Especially the Brummbar and the Italian Infantry. A decent Italian troop kit has been lacking for years.

Thanks for the update

Its good that they are making Italians, especially the Bersaglieri. italians have always been neglected and even downgraded. The designs all come from the osprey book on the Italian army in North africa. the war in North africa was mainly between the british and the Italians the DAK were always fewer in numbers. my suggestion is that they use photo etched parts for the bersaglieri feathers, this may capture better the feathers. one italian is a paratrooper. Good move away from the seemingly unlimited german sets of figures.

Thanks Dilip for pointing out that not all of the Italians are Bersaglieri - the two in the front are wearing different collar patches, as well as lacking cock's feather plumes.

David

Chritmas is coming early again this year

Excellent news on the Sherman and the Italian figures look pretty good too.

Al

What? Not more rare, obscure, weird scenario-specific German troops? I keep wondering when DML is going to have the Hitlerjugend volunteers from the 1930s Party Rallies....

Am I mistaken, or don't one of the resin makers have some Italian heads to improve these figures???

OK, another Sherman is nice, but what about their Marines Sherman that's been promised for awhile? Does this one jump the queue??

Finaly!!!!!
Dragon really hits the spot there.
Well done!


Frank.

the Brummbär is a very nice one, a Smart Kit so that is very very nice!

But even more important, that fact it uses the Pz IV H/J chassis MUST indicate these 2 are hot on the heels of the Brummbär!

Wonder why no zimm on the brummbar?
Would have been handy but I am not complaining.
Shaun

This Sherman is only in development you won't see it in the shops for a long time whereas the Marine Sherman should be out in the near future.

Gee another Sherman kit and another version of a small production German vehicle. Italian troops are a nice surprise though. I am glad I have shifted most of my interest into large scale (350) ship building. The hit of the show is the Fujimi Hybrid BB/ AC Ise. As to Armor, I am eagarly awaiting the Bronco Land Wasser Schlepper....now that is cool!!! I think the only armor kit sorely lacking is a decent T-62, but it isn't WW2 and cetainly NOT German (unless you count the East German's using them) so I'll probably be long retired and have wall to wall big ships as they are in their heyday right now as the arena for them is just being touched

Yeah Steve, only 298 Brummbär were built, really limited production run vehicle.

I guess in that light, the Tiger-B should never have been kitted at all, with only 87 built.

Sorry, but are you talking about a particular Koenigstiger? My source shows 487 units produced overall.

[quote]Am I mistaken, or don't one of the resin makers have some Italian heads to improve these figures???quote]

You aren't mistaken. Model Victora makes resin head sets for Italian infantry. Two actually:
http://www.modelvictoria.it/accessories.htm

Jim

[quote]

Hornet also make two Italian headsets

Whew! It's nice to know the Altzheimer's isn't setting in yet.

Bill, I think Herbert is confusing Tiger II production with the number of Jagdtigers manufactured. I'm sure he knows this, probably just typing too fast.

Mike

Yeah, never re-read the post.

It's just that comments like that, "Oh, another Brummbär which doesn't deserve a kit" just shows how incredibly spoilt we as modellers have become.

There was a time, when all there was were a Panther, a Tiger, a Tiger-B, a JagdTiger, a pair of Pz IV, 2 SturmGeschutz, a pair of 250 and a 251, a Flak 88, a Pak 40 and several other vehicles on wheels and bikes, plus some sets of figures.

Nowadays, with the current abundance of different marks and versions of much of the regular field, companies who want to sell, must venture into the more obscure areas, like the Brummbär (which ISN'T obscure) and singular ones like the Heuschrecke for instance.

Andthose complaining, this is still a commercial market in which demand and supply rule.

The demand for German armour still far outranks ANY other subject range, par perhaps modern US armour and Vietnam.

It may also reflect how frustrated some of us have become.

Granted, DML only has one previous Brummbär kit - one hopes that this will be a significantly upgraded version. But it has been done before.

Meanwhile, here's a list of all the Sherman variants that have been done over the years:

Achilles Mk II.c
Kangaroo Personnel Carrier
M 3 Grant
M 4 (Early Production)
M 4 USMC
M 4A1 (76)W
M 4A1 75mm Early Version
M 4A1
M 4A1 (Late Production)
M 4A1 (Mid production)
M 4A2 (76) Red Army
M 4A2(W) U.S.M.C.
M 4A3 (76)W VVSS
M 4A3 105mm HVSS
M 4A3 (76)
M 4A3
M 4A3 105mm Howitzer (Assault Support)
M 4A3 105mm w/M1 Dozer Blade
M 4A3 75mm Gun Late
M 4A3 75mm Gun
M 4A3 Calliope
M 4A3E2 Jumbo
M 4A3E8
M 4A4
M 4A4 w/60lb Rocket
M 7 Priest
M 10 Wolverine (Late Production)
M 10 Wolverine Tank Destroyer
M 32 Armored Recovery Vehicle
M 35 Prime Mover
M 36 Jackson Tank Destroyer
M 40 155mm Gun Motor Carriage Big Shot
M 50 Super Sherman
M 51 Isherman
M 51 Super Sherman
Firefly Ic
Firefly Ic Hybrid-Hull
Firefly Vc
Firefly Vc w/Cast Cheek-armour Turret
Mk. III
Mk. III Mid Production Sicily

Somebody please tell me how this new version fits in?

My frustration over announcements like these is that neither kit represents anything significantly new. As far as I'm concerned, Wake me up if someone ever does an MBT-70 or a T-28.

But hey - if you Shermaholics and Germanophiles are happy, more power to ya.

Personally I am happy with the announcements, but I am hoping that the Italian figure set will not be the only one. Also, is there a place set up yet with pics from the show?