Terry Ashley has posted a comprehensive and objective comparison of the 2 K5 Leopold kits on PMMS which I copied a link to below. For those of us interested in these huge kits this article could be helpful in deciding which one to purchase. (unless you plan on purchasing both )

Mike

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/misc/k5.htm

thanks for the link, found it very interesting. I think i'd go for the trumpeter version but really hope that dragon release the figures seperately. This is a model that needs the figures with it in my opinion.

Clearly Trumpeter is the way to go, and If I had an extra $150 dollars, and an unused room in the house, I'd get one since it is just about the ideal mantle decoration for any modelers house. After reading the review, I really don't know why anyone would buy the Dragon kit. Clearly if you're going to invest that much money and time on a kit that will definitely be the centerpoint of your collection, you would want the most detailed example you could get.

Reading reviews like this does tend to reinforce the kit choice frustrations common to a lot of modelers though. ie: If the industry will support 2 different kits of the K5, and one's detailed down to the embossed lettering on the wheel hubs, then why the heck don't we have decent and accurate kits of some much more common military equipment?

A summary of whats above ...
I have been waiting for this kit to be released since it was firts announced. I had just read the review before coming here tonight and thought much the same as previously posted. Apart from Dragons engine panel with the open doors and the figure set, Trumpeter seems the way to go! If Dragon release their figure set as an independant item .. I for one will have no hesitation in buying the trumpeter set ...... dont have none anyway ... as theres loads of guys around who build kits but never use the figures.
Im surprised at dragon actually ... its a big set-back for them to have a new rival beat them at their own game .. and now tristar putting pressure on them in figure market as well.
Great for trumpeter though ... just looking at their cataloge makes one itchy. The more new companies the better!!

Hi, Well I don't think we're going to get a better overall review of these two kits than this.

Guess it all boils down to how much money you want to, or can afford to, lay out. Personally, like the rest here, I'd go with the Trumpeter kit, but it sure would be nice to have one of each. Ha!

Talk about a long, drawn out project! It would take some time just to become familiar with all these parts on either kit, plus trying to figure out the painting sequences involved as well.

Now I wonder what the after-market people are thinking for both of these kits?

I'll keep my eye open and my plastic warm. It would be very hard to turn down either one of these kits if a person would happen to find them at a real good price someplace or other. And that's a fact.

Xmas is on the way! And this year I'm going to get something I want for a change, even if I have to get it myself. Ha!

Take care, sgirty

I still have to say that DML got my money. I'm still feeling the burn of trumpeter's early releases!!!though at the time of DML's release trumpeter had photos available of their sprues and for me it was DML all the way. I for one Wanted the figs, and of course the one peice lower hull is nice and to seems to help in construction. Aside from this those wanting to do 2 K5's for an Anzio dio need to look closly at their references as ROBERT had a distinctly different shape to the hull. Sorry just a grip with PMMS as again he does good pointing out problems but yet again we still wait and see on finished products. I think a construction reveiw of both would have been better. Grips about sprues and detail on unassembled parts have never done anyone any good on wisly deciding which to buy!!!!
STUG

Stug,
I'm going to have to disagree with you here. I went back to take another look at Terry's article and I can't find anywhere in it where he was griping about anything. In fact at the beginning he states "both of the K5 kits will build into an impressive model". He does say in the end he would pick the Trumpeter kit for himself because of the added detail, but he also says for someone looking for maybe a simpler build or to save money the Dragon kit would be the way to go. I could not find anyplace where I felt he was griping about anything, he just gave a good description of what you would find in the boxes. As far as a build review goes, with the amount of kits and accessories T.A. reviews if everyone of them was a build review we would never get half of what he writes up probobly. For me personally, I have always found Terry's reviews to be objective and helpful.

My 2 cents,
Mike

I'm trying to find a way to justify the $30 + cost of Tamiya's new Hummer. And, I really can't.

When you consider the size of these two new models, the cost isn't that bad for what you will end up with compared to a tiny little Hummer...

If I was interested in building one of these, I'd have no place to display it!

Really, think how increadible it is that two companies are making models like this. Now, if they will only give me a new M4A Sherman, or re-release the existing kit!

Steve

Check on ebay before you buy. You are sure to save a nice chunk of change. I've seen the Dragon kit listed, don't know about the Trumpeter, as I don't have an interest in purchasing this monster.

Wow! Thanks for the info!

Martin and Plasticbattle,

Here's some first hand good news. I am at the moment comissioned by Trumpeter to sculpt a separate set of crews for the Leopold. It will be my first sculpting project for Trumpeter ( which more will follow and actually I painted the Leopold boxart too ) and consisted of 8 figures. For anyone interested to know more about my work and style can click on the my gallery link to see my sculpting work at the Armorama gallery.

The figures are half-way finished and I am sure you guys will find them an attractive addition to the already impressive Leopold from Trumpeter. Maybe I can post some pictures of the figures here once I 'd finish sculpting them. I had a test-shot set of the Leopold for testing the positioning of the crews and had assembled the main body ( I wished to assemble the whole kit but just don't have enough time ) and I dared to say the fitness of the parts are really very good.

Usually I am in the neighbouring block ( at the figure forum ) and this is my second posting here Hope to talk to guys here in the future.

vince

Kelly, yet again, I've been taken the wrong way! I posted similar veiws with PMMS reveiw of the Karl Gerat 600mm Mortar by DML. T.A. still has yet to realize that on that DML is still the only one with a kit of this impressive peice of artilery. If that help you go through the proces then thats good for you, but for some like myself when I see the words comparison I think OK he had someone build the kits and compare the construction of both! Kriky, he doens't have to build it himself to post a reveiw. Other people can do that!!! It seems to me that its a CLUB web site. The grips are definatly there as well. But while I still use PMMS I think there are some major things that need to be fixed as the site progresses. I wish that more members of that would participate in the reveiw process. That would improve the sites reveiw process. STUG

Although im tempted to go for the trumpeter kit, another concern, be it a minor one, is the difference in track size. it would be nice to pick up a dml engine or flatbed car to attach to the trumpeter leopold but wont be possible due to the track differences.
vince - looking forward to seeing those figures.

Hi, Just glancing through the Great Models Web site and saw the Trumpeter K5E for $107.10. Just thought I would pass this on to anybody looking for a price on this model.

Take care, sgirty.

ok, does anyone know which kit has the CORRECT rail width, or is it variable for the K5? (Specially laid track)

This may make for a good deciding point.

And I would say Terry's points are more for the "how does it look in the store". Instead of having to go to the local shop, see if they have the kits in stock and then try to get the owner to let you cross-examine both, Terry has fondled them for you already. (Yes, I believe the word fondle is correctly applied here! ) I never had the impression that Terry was going to build them as well...that woudl atek forever. Maybe that is why only a few members of the club have made the page...it takes a lot to do this sort of thing for the web in a professional manner.

Prior to anything being known about the kits, I pre-ordered the Trumpeter..even though it was more expensive. I have purchased three recent Trumpeter releases...the Strv 103C, the type 83 152 mm Howitzer, and the Chinese tank transporter. All of them have turned out to be incredible value of the money. The 103B was purchased for 15 bucks, and fell together...mind you not Tamiya-like quality and detail, but also not Tamiya-like cost. The type 83 I got for 16 bucks and has great detail...including a basic interior! Then the transporter which cost me 60 bucks...but again great detail, and value for money.

Given this, I decided to give Trumpeter the nod. These guys have come a long way in a very short amount of time. I am looking forward to getting this monster in the mail.

BTW, did you guys check out the instruction sheet scans that Terry posted? This bad boy is gonna take awhile to make!

I took a scale rule to my assembled Dragon Leopold track.
It scaled out to 4' 9",just a 1/2 " wide from "standard " rail gauge.
Has anyone measured Trumpeteers? (++) (++)