Yes i'm asking me what kind a joke the new resin figures from tank model are??


just take a look at the new item 35108 from Tank Model
http://tank-model.ru/catalogT6.htm





and now look at this box from miniart
http://miniart-models.com/35003.htm





you get it ?? Yeah it's the same and it's simply overcast.... and of course overtaxed !

For the other news like the scouts it seems to be simply old parts mix together differently...

That's truly a pity to do this

The beginning of the end?

What if: "Suddenly; TANK model is Miniart."? (゜д゜)

It's funny that you post this because I made the Miniart winter tank crew set, but replaced the heads with TANK Model ones and they looked suspiciously the same. Maybe they make the figures for Miniart.

Highly doubt that TAHK and Miniart are the same company.

TAHK is run pretty much by a single guy, who is generally not all that reliable (how do I know? Because I used to buy his product for my shop) Miniart on the other had will bend over backwards for their dealers and customers!

Somewhere along the line, one is a copy of the other, or the figure sculptor sold the design to both companies!

The 'Russian tank crew escaping' looks very similar to the Masterbox 'Bail Out' set!!!

another one








it's crazy... i will contact miniart to have more informations

I seem to recall reading that both companies use the same sculptor.

Speaking from a personal point of view I'd rather buy the resin figures - apart from 1 set, most of the MA figure sets I've seen (first hand and from photographs) tend to the soft, undefined side.

As Rudi says ... same sculpter .. but its no joke ... and nobody is getting ripped off.

Injected figures have to be built up from lots of pieces, fit and overall quality is depending on the quality of tool makers that transform the initial master to a metal form and the injection process. Its a mass production technique, hence the prices are cheaper. Modern technology is allowing for way higher quality today (slide molding ala Dragon) but I don´t think MiniArt are as modernised.
Resin figures are made from moulds from the masters, have better defination and don´t need to be in as many pieces .. as moulds can have under-cuts. Its a more labour intensive method and suited to small scale runs. The overall quality is generally much higher, but is reflected in the price.
You the buyer ... can choose which best fits your needs and wallet.

Yes i now it's the same sculptor but we never see same item by tank and by miniart.


About the quality of the new resin figures for the panzer you can see that the hands seem to be very bad and look like the one that we find on plastic figures... that's why i'm doubtfull

for miniart i have all the boxes in my shop and the quality is rising every days. The first boxes were not very good but the last ones are beautifull, less than dragon it's true

I too have both Miniart and Masterbox in my shop.....for the money, they can't be beat IMO.

While the Dragon figures are nice.....they are all the same for poses and such. Mini-Art and Masterbox especially are at least thinking outside the box and doing figures that are more interactive as opposed to just standing around.....and pointing!

I have a good few sets of the three brands mentioned at home ... and built/painted a few as well. I agree Masterbox and MiniArt are getting better all the time and their ... but I still prefer Dragon ... (who are still a shake behind Tristar IMO for qaulity). The folds and creases on the Masterbox and MiniArt figures are quite big and sometimes not realistic, which make them harder to paint. Dragons latest figures are a dream in the same department. The finer details are much sharper on the dragon figures as well.

I thought I'd edited my post right after posting... I guess I forgot to click submit... so to paraphrase...

The first (MA) set you show is amongst the first figure sets MA released (I think the product ID is 35003?). Frankly I'd not touch these. I've a couple of the later (but still early) sets , and even these are lacking. And I think there is a general consensus, even amongst the MA/MB cheerleaders, that their early products were not terrific - they have come leaps and bounds in the past few years.

Obviously everyone is going to differ in opinion when it comes to plastic vs. resin. For example, Scott gets more bang for his buck from Miniart and Masterbox ("for the money, they can't be beat IMO"), but personally I personally prefer the resin offerings.

From a consumer point of view, I think it's almost fantastic to know that I can choose these figures in either plastic or resin.

I am a bit disturbed by what I can read here. The issue is not to have a choice between a plastic or a resin figure.
All models are copyrighted, and therefore no other commercial company can use them without a written permission by the owner of copyright.
In the present case, may be a permission was granted by Miniart to TAHK but it will be strange because all of these model makers are in competition.
So, an answer from Miniart would be welcomed to be sure this is not a breach of copyright !

I agree. Call me a miniart cheerleader if you like I build Soviet armor so the release of so many Red Army Miniart figures have been a huge factor for me the last few years. It is true the early sets take a LOT of work to make them look good. The later ones are generally excellent. As with any plastic figures, I usually replace the heads.

Oh, and not to pour gas on the fire, but there is a figure set from ICM that also closely matches the TANK figures. Look for the set called "NKVD Troops" (the exact same figures are also marketed as "Stalin's Cossacks") which replicate resin figures from TANK. They're really good figures though

Yeah you are right Danny

I think you will find that it may be one or two cases.

Either MA has stopped making that set (35003) which then allows TAHK to produce them.

Or the sculptor has an agreement when he sells his figures to MA that after a certain period of time, he can then sell it to another company.

Given that the MA set came out what? 2 yrs ago or more, and TAHK is just coming out with it now....there is probably some agreement set up that allows the sculptor to do that.

Being that TAHK produces their stuff in Resin, it probably isn't going to eat into MA's sales too much, as you are going to have people that will buy nothing but resin, and people that will buy nothing but plastic.

Having said that, since this is an early MA set, and not really up to snuff of the stuff they put out today....how good really is the resin TAHK versions going to be?

What's with the large format pictures of the Alladin DVD's? Is Miniart or Tahk doing a version of Alladin? I'm so confused.
:)
C.

Not sure why I would pay top dollar for three resin crew when I can get all 5 for a quarter of the price. Like the others have mentioned, all they really need are "head replacements".

Here is the answer from Miniart

it seems to be a misunderstanding between the two brands


"Dear Mr.Daniel Roh

Thank You very much for your e-mail . It is pleasant to see that You are still interesting to our products.

As for the figures of company "Tank Model", we have seen them. I should say that is not the illegal copy , it is some kind of misunderstanding. We connected with them and discuss this.

best regards,
Svetlana Dubchak
MIniart "

When TANK initially started out several of the figure sets where labeled under the 'Alanger' brand, as resin figures. However it seem from there TANK was born and they went their own way, and nothing more came of Alanger (they just have a few sets of very poor injection plastic figures) There is no doubt that the guy who sculpts Tank, Alanger and mini art figures is the same person, its no secret and ive seen it mentioned on forums before. Im pretty sure they involvement in a number of other companies too but who knows.

i dont really see what the problem with this is. Buy the figures from Tank and you get high quality, crisply molded figures at a high price, buy them from miniart and you get lesser detail and softer molded figures for a cheaper price, id go for the Tank ones but thats just my preference, this is just catering for different modellers needs. Many will go the resin route cos they are easier to paint and look better.
Of course a problem does arise if Tank dont have permission to market the figures.

Hi

Unless they are directly cast from the Miniart figures then there is nothing that can be done really.
In any case we don't know the contract under which the Sculptor works. It could well be that whilst he cannot sell the masters on to another plastic figure maker, as he did the sculpting he may have retained ownership of the sculptors and Miniart paid for second masters to scan and produce moulds from, but that's all conjecture, and as Rob says what does it matter to us, we have a choice and it's not comparable to some low life on ebay selling ripped off resin recasts.

I've also seen, as Rob pointed out, many of the TANK figures sold under the Alanger label, still do.
For example

Alan

Some picture of unpainted Tank Model news

does it looks like usual resin quality item of the brand? for me clearly not

Hmm those do look poor Daniel! The shirts on the two pzkpfw IV crew look particularly bad and undefined. This is a shame because most other TANK figures are really good, their modern Russians are simply superb. I guess everyones looking at ways to cut corners in these tough economic times.......

These look somewhat inconsistent in quality. The folds and the hands, in particularly look badly defined, but some of the details like belt buckles, map cases, and pistol holders look really nice. Maybe these were taken from other, original Tank sets.