At the time of writing this, the annual Shizuoka Trade Fair is being held in Japan. Understandably, Tamiya is there - with a couple of New Armor-Related Releases which can be seen:

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

flat paneled hull is a step backwards

How so?
If you can get more detail (eg. rivets) on a flat piece wouldn't it be better? I think with Tamiya's engineering we don't need to worry. I'd say the BT-5/7 hulls lend themselves well to flat panel construction, the way the suspension is trapped in between the hull plates.

Jim

This is the second person I've seen post this comment. I just don't get it, as pointed out on another forum, the Tamiya Marder III & III M both were done this way, and they are excellent kits. (never heard any complaints about the hull construction). Also the very recent Matilda, (of which I've heard nothing but good) is done the same. I know nothing about the BT-7, but judging by the built up pics I'd say Tamiya did their usual solid job.

Mike

I'm just happy to see a better kit for this subject, I have built a couple of the E. European offerings and the builds were kind of a beast... , can imagine the AM guys going nuts over this release. I like the 1/16 figure too, nice to see a Russian subject in this scale, as popular as these figures seem to be I have always been a little surprised at the lack of Russian subjects in this scale. I would love to see a Russian infantryman in this scale, with helmet and weapon choice of either the PPSH or Mosin Nagant rifle.

The obvious answer is that there is more of a risk the hull assembly won't be true. Not sure the inner hull detail couldn't have been cast whole without losing any visible detail either.

No worries that Tamiya will actually provide a difficult to assemble kit, but I did have to do a double take to make sure this wasn't a Zvezda or EE kit with some new tooled sprues.

By flat paneled hull, are you referring to the hull as being separate panels you have to glue together? If so, all of Tasca Sherman offerings have this type of construction and it quite literally falls together; no gaps, perfect fit.

I guess everyone is used to DML and their slide-molded technology?

Slide molded technology is not technology, it's only more work, design and money involved and not a Dragon's invention ... all tanks made by Italeri in the 80's used slide molds in hulls and turrets, as M40/75, M13/40, PzIV, 38(t), Pz I, etc., and now Italeri don't make moulds this way only for economical reasons.

I built Tamiya's new Matilda recently, the flat hull panels went together brilliantly, so I can't foresee any problems with the build of this kit, also a subject that was used in a variety of locations, so plenty of potential! Now, for a T-26?!?

Looks like a cracking little kit.

Al