Sabot,

Thanks for clearing that up about the ESCI BMP-1. Now that you mention it what I had heard was that the same mold maker did both kits (in fact they did all styrene BMP kits on the market except for the Skif BMP-3) and I assumed that this meant that it was the same kit. Once again, never assume.

There are newer Sdkfz 251s out there? Are they made by Tamiya? The one I've got is model number, uh... 35020. There's something about halftracks that I like. A certain 'coolness' factor to them.

YodaMan

YodaMan,

Yep. The kit you have (which I also have) is the 251/1 Ausf C Hanomag. Tamiya also makes #35147 251/9 Kanonwagen, #35151 251/1 Ausf D, and #35195 251/1 Ausf D Hanomag. They are all suppossedly nice kits, but I've never seen them.

Can someone let us know if these are good kits or not?

YodaMan,

I forgot to mention that #35151 comes with the 'Stuka Zu Fuss' rockets. You can see pictures of all of these kits at http://www.greatmodels.com. I agree with you about the "coolness" factor. I like half-tracks because they look old (i.e. you don't see them in operation today).

#35020 was the SdKfz. 251 I was talking about, I can get it locally for about $9 and just wanted to make sure it was worth the while. I agree that nothing says cool like half-track! They're serious go anywhere trucks on steroids, and just scream World War II.

So are you saying that the ESCI BMP with the hatches molded shut is the better kit as long as you're not going to use PE? It came with some really cheesy vinyl Spetsnaz figs, so I always considered it more toy than serious model. I happened to get one for cheap a couple of years ago, and just wondered if it would be another good kit to cut my armor-building teeth on.

-Paul

I have both the ESCI BMP-1 and BMP-2. There were some fit problems with getting the rear plate attached to the hull top. I had the BMP-1 completed then the rear hull joint popped loose. Have neither completed the BMP-2 or repaired the BMP-1. Overall, I liked both kits. Of course, when they came out, they were all there was.

Between the Esci and DML BMPs (each manufacturer's -1 and -2 are basically the same kit), the DML BMPs are better.

The Tamiya Panther A was notorious for being out of scale in both hull and turret -- trouble was both were different scales. I built one way back when and can't remember any fit problems, but it wouldn't surprise me. The Nichimo Panther G was considered a much better model, scale wise, and I have to say that with hotknife-zimmerit, it looked pretty good "back in the day" before all the stuff that's out now.

MESSAGE TO YODAMAN: Ever heard of yodeling? Sing "Yodalady Who" out loud in a loud voice a few times and it might come to you. It's what 1950s and 60s Americans considered yodeling. Think of the RIccola commercial guys ...

HAAA HAAA HAAAAAAA!!!!!
HOOO MAN!!! I GET IT NOW.... HEH HEH....
LOL!

YodaMan

Aw Hollowpoint,
Ya gave it away, I thought we could keep Yodaman in suspense for months yet : )

Well... I haven't built too many kits lately. The Tamiya M41 and M42. I do, however have quite a collection of unbuilts. I have many built up armor kits that I did a few years ago. I build almost exclusively US armor. I would have to say that the Tamiya Dragon Wagon is my favorite kit. I am partial to halftracks and SP guns.
Don

My three favorite kits so far...
1. DML Firefly Vc - a great kit that restored my faith in DML
2. Tamiya Panzer III M/N - this old kit was a blast to build and I managed to get the sandgelb-over-panzer-grey paint scheme just perfect.
3. Tamiya M-41 Walker Bulldog - I'd heartily reccomend this $12 kit. It is ripe for superdetailing, but can build into a great model even OOB.

I built the Tamiya Panther A a while back and was pretty disapointed. I don't know about the scale or accuracy, and the only part I had trouble fitting was the rear turret plate. What I was disapointed in was the paltry number of parts for $20. This kit is NOT worth $20, maybe $12 like the M-41. Heck, I'd pay $20 for the M-41!

Haven't built that many kits yet...

But I find half-tracks pretty fascinating.. gotta build em all :-)

dragon and tamiya kubelwagens.

i'm a proud buckethead

being a fan of german armor i would have to say my fav. is the tiger 1

My favorites :

1)Panther G
2) Hetzer
3) Stug III
4) Tigers
5) King Tigers

Can you say a german fan?
Anders

My favourit is :

1) Jagdpanzer IV
2) Nashorn
3) Stug IV
4) Panzer IV
5) Panzer III
6) Tiger 1

Another German fan I guess....

For me they are:
1. M551A1 Sheridan--- Go figure
2. C-47 Diorama depicting 82nd ABN Jumpers on Day- again, go figure
3. Scratchbuilt anything.... lol The wierder the better.. "Q"

plus there is also the Dragon Panther late G and the StuG lV late

Chris Pig no.1

I must be a lucky man! My wife acually bought me the Tamiya Famo and trailer, maybe I wilkl keep her after all! :-)

I really like the Tamiya M113. I know that it's ancient by today's standards, but I've built a few of them in the past, and with PE and AM bits added on, I could build a few more in the future. Probably will too.

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe
Mortars in Miniature

MY 3 FAVORITES WOULD HAVE TO BE
1.TAMIYA KING TIGER
2.DML PANTHER (BACKDATED WITH A CMD TURRET)
3 MINICRAFT TIGER 1 -EVEN WITH ALL OF IT'S INACCURACIES ITS STILL AN AWESOME BUILD

PS ACADEMY'S 1/25 SCALE JUST FOR A HOOT HAVE DONE THREE AND I HAVE FUN DRIVING THEM IN THE SNOW LOL :-)

Tam Dragon Wagon, FAMO w/ sdkfz 116, and Academy Tiger I mid w/ interior

Ahh, the beautiful curves of WWII Italian armour

Well, they don't look so graceful, and they weren't even that effective, but the Italians made some rather interesting tanks. The L3, L6, M13/40, P40, plus the Semovente designs....... I don't know what I like about them (it could just be the desert camouflage), but they strike me as looking pretty cool........and they're fun to build too, though admittedly, I have only built the M13/40 thus far

For the Germans, I am becoming somewhat of a King Tiger fan (finished one and starting on another), but I also like early-war models like the StuGIIIB, sIG 33, Panzerjager I, and Panzer IVD (the only one I have got my hands on and built has been the StuG).

For the Brits, my favorite tank has always been the Matilda II, but the Tamiya model of it isn't that good. My Cromwell and Churchill look quite nice though.

To list the tanks I have built in the order I like them (the models) most:
1. M13/40
2. King Tiger
3. Cromwell
4. Churchill
5. StuGIIIB

Nic

I have Built 7 ot 8 Tamiya Kits, Challenger, 2 1/2 ton Truck, Kubavagen, M1a1 Abrams and Others. My Favorite Kits to build are from AFV Club. All 1/35 scale armor from, these guys go together almost by shaking the box and the detail they include in my humble opinion surpases any kit from Tamiya. Long Tom, 105 Howetzer, and the Duce and Half Fuel truck are butiful kits.