Could not resist the temptation to post this:

http://www.academy.co.kr/eng/6q/frmBoardView.asp?pMenuId=BOARD00012&pCode=1598

Two main comments:

1) it has antislip coating molded on
2) from the boxart it seems they have also fixed the idler wheel, now with the holes.

Still waiting for the Hobbyboss one to come out, though this one may come even sooner...decisionsdecisions.

Wow, it looks GREAT! Comes with a tanker figure and infantry man?! I agree- this may hit the market before HB one does. Academy is stepping up.

I am no expert, but this looks like a great release... Been awaiting to see if Academy or HB would be the first to announce/release an LIC version.

Looks like a real winner and as much as I love Hobby Boss offerings, this one will probably be significantly cheaper...can't always afford the best/most expensive kit, especially in this economy! And despite some annoying accuracy issues, I do believe that Academy kits provide great value for the money.

No doubt, Hobby Boss will follow up with an LIC Merk IV at some point soon as well.

It's a great problem to have: too many choices!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.

Hello every one., frist I'm glad you posted this info M8. Ok about the hole fixing, I realy don't think they added them. On the old box art the rear idler wheel shows the holes. An the kit didn't.
Non of the photos of the built model show the rear idler wheels. So we will have to wate till one of us get's the kit and post's photos of the kit (idler wheel). Now the over all look of the kit is much like that of the old kit with newly added items: Belly armor, LIC photo etch kit,Heavy sideskirt armor, 2 new figures.

Now with these new things I only see one thing rong and it's not with the tank. The one israeli infantry soldier has on the rong helmit. Thats a Soviet infantry helmit. Use Warriors Scale Models: Israeli Soldier head Set to fix the one figuer. LOL a set I have.
Othere than that I like this kit and I would buy is. Thanks again for posting M8.

No prob. for posting the info.

Yeah, I do agree that maybe there won't be too many improvements over the past kit (save for the extra bits to make it a LIC), which was also not the best engineered kit for sure (sink marks everywhere!!!) but I shall commend Academy if turns out that they indeed have added anti-slip on the old kit.

I am no expert of plastic kit molding technology, but given that it is a surface feature, it means they had to come with something on the old molds to give it this effect and the advantage of styrene (from a company point of view) should be that of making the molds and then shoot out a billion kits and sell them for 30-40$ without worrying. If, to make a new variant, not only you add a couple of sprues but you change most of the old molds also, it means you actually "listened" to the comments / complaints that the modelling community may have have made to your first relaese and you work more like a small "garage" company (e.g. resin), and to me this deserves an A+ by itself.
[Much like Trumpeter has done with their Chally 2 over time up to the latest release: with Slat AND with anti-slip!].

Let's wait and see when it comes out and also let's see what the HB kit will look like (BTW WHEN is it coming out???)

Ciao,
Nicola

ok, it's on pre-order at hobbyeasy:

http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/iu1zlpcq6tqtqiaxuxat.html

And yes: with more pictures, especially of the anti-slip both painted and "natural" as it comes on the sprue!!

Up to the experts to judge (still not clear on the holes on the idler wheel)