Greetings everyone,

Cyberhobby (Spin off of Dragon) just announced today their first modern Armor kit packaged in value "Orange Box" to be released in December.



Features:
- Bonus four modern U.S. tank crewmen
- Delicate Magic Tracks included

Orange Box has gone modern! For the first time, Orange Box has released an armored fighting vehicle from the modern era. The subject is the M1A1 Abrams, the USA’s current third-generation tank. Since its introduction in 1980, the Abrams has made an enviable name for itself, and combat in places like Kuwait and Iraq have proved beyond a doubt that it is a highly successful design. Weighing nearly 68 tons, the tank is powered by a gas turbine engine. It serves within the army ranks of Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and, of course, the USA. In the USA it is used by both the US Army and the US Marine Corps (USMC). Indeed, it is a version used by the USMC that is depicted in this Orange Box kit. The actual variant is an M1A1HA (Heavy Armor), which is a version distinguished by the addition of first-generation depleted uranium armor mesh within its composite armor package. The USMC currently operates 403 M1A1 Abrams tanks, and this kit would be ideal for depicting a scene involving Marines from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

The original kit has been enhanced with updated Magic Tracks taken from Dragon’s latest M1A1 AIM kit. These track links are highly detailed, and will be of great benefit to modelers since they’re extremely easy to assemble and to fit onto the running gear. As with other sets in the Orange Box series, the impressive kit comes with figures, in this case four well-sculpted modern US tank crewmen to populate the vehicle. Thus, modelers can create an instant vignette or diorama straight from the box contents. Modelers can now get up to date with this modern release, and naturally, this Orange Box item comes at a very attractive price too!



All the best,
Brian

nice! I have never built the older Dragon Abrams- only the AIM. Is it a decent kit?

I was thinking that this was actually the M1A1 AIM, and not the older Dragon M1A1HA kit. Too bad as the AIM is leaps and bounds better than the old HA kit. Decent price though.

As I understand it there is a problem with the Magic tracks for the M1 and the DS tracks with seperate guide horns are much better, it is a reasonable offer though.

I'm hoping its just like the AIM with the necessary parts. EXCITED

I am skeptical about this one. The price is too low for it to contain the AIM + USMC specific parts + the figures.. I am afraid that it's a rebox of the old M1A1 kit...
The box art does not even show Missile Countermeasures Device (MCD).. My guess is that it won't have newer USMC parts like troop telephone and EPLRS antenna... Hmmmm...

Im sorry but this is a total waste of time and frankly a massive disappointment.


The old Dragon Abrams kits are a pig compared to the new SEP and AIM and I see no reason why an serious modern armor fan would by this. Dragons Abrams magic tracks were junk in my opinion and there is nothing 'magic' about them, they require extensive clean up and you'd be better off just buying the new Bronco ones. The kit itself requires so much detail and extras that in the end buying the new AIM kit would be cheaper and give you a far better model.

I would say this is a good release for younger and new modelers, but in the UK these orange box kits retail at around the rip off price of £35.00. These old Abrams kits can be bought on ebay for next to nothing-I just sold the M1A1HA with a ton of eduard etch on ebay and only got £20 for it.

Agree with rob the early HA from dragon is a dog(compared with the aim and sep) and in the uk orange means 'they see you coming mate'.

Thank you gentlemen for the clarifications on this release. Now, I won't bother wasting time running it as a News report as it had initially confused me.

Useful comments!

I'm confused. The ENTIRE point of the Orange box series is to take out of date models that for the most part have been superseded by new, add some nice little bonuses, and then sell them inexpensively. "no reason why an serious modern armor fan" Well, you are NOT the target audience.

The dragon magic tracks from the AIM kit do require some sanding, but they aren't horrible. I used them on my Abrams build, and they look fine when done up properly.

As for Orange box kits being expensive.... plenty of online dealers have more reasonable prices, and many offer free shipping during sales, or if you accumulate a big enough order.

Jesse I believe it was the person who did the research for the DML M1 who said he would never use the Magic tracks for it.

Glad I asked. I probably would have bought this one.

I have purchased several of the Orange Box kits. They are not the most modern, most detailed kits. They are not for the rivet-counter who is willing to spends months or years making a perfect tiny replica. They are for blokes like me who want a model they can build in a weekend that will still look nice, that doesn't cost more than $30 (I have paid as little as $16 for some of my OB kits and never more than $25) and thanks to the included figures can be used in a simple and quick diorama.

If you are a rivet-counter and have bookshelves full of reference material that you pour over for every little detail as you build then the Orange Box line is not and never was for you and you can move on. But there is absolutely a market for this type of product and I for one am glad Dragon have decided to fill it.

Definitely a "no thank you" and "pass" for me. Without USMC parts like Missile Countermeasures Device, troop telephone and EPLRS antenna, you can get a much better deal on older DML M1A1 kits off of ebay.

Thinking that you can get the M1A1 AIM through DragonUsa for $42.95, or get it through Spuebrothers for about the same money or maybe less, I don't consider this one a good offer.
The old M1 kits from Dragon were not as easy to build as someone may believe. I strongly suggest to visit Pavel Vodnik's page to take a look at their details.
The rear turret basket was particularly a pain in the %$#....
I should go for another AIM kit, hands down.

Exactly my point and the reason I hate orange box kits. Its got nothing to do with being a 'rivet counter', in the UK OB kits cost the same as better detailed more modern kits.

cant wait

As posted earlier, the AIM kit sells at Spruebrothers for les than $40, being light-years ahead of the earlier M1 kits from Dragon...
I really can't see the deal with this release

I'm not going to argue the merits or otherwise of this particular kit. I simply don't know enough about it.

However, the Orange Box idea isn't, IMO, a bad concept at all. It makes sense for DML to use existing (older) moulds and get a bit of a return on them. Nor does everyone want the latest all-singing, all-dancing hyper-accurate kit. Why do older Tamiya kits still sell?

It is though, IMO, pretty confusing marketing - I, in my ignorance, thought it was a re-boxing of their recent Abrams. Not TOO (or very astute) clever on the part of DML...