A friend of mine needed computer help. A few years back he collected a bunch of models... well, more than a few years... and he gave me a bunch of them. Three are very interesting:

Aurora Type97 "Chi-Ha" Japanese tank 1/48th (1976 date on hull)
Bandai Jagdpanzer "Hetzer" 1/48th, with "full interior" (it includes the engine, transmission, breach, etc, but I'm not sure about "full" interior)
Bandai German 8 wheeled Armored Car (sdkfz232) 1/48th, with "full interior" (again, engine, transmission, detailed gun, etc. It also indludes the turret floor.)

Question, should I build these or are they "collector's" quality kits? They look cool and I have not build a 1/48th scale vehicle... ever. Any comments?

I urge you not to build 1/48 models. Rather send them to me for analysis
DJ

Yes, build them.. :-)

Years ago I was addicted to Bandai 1/48 scale kits. They are very nice. I remember the 232 and the Hetzer. They are a joy to build. Jump in and have fun. And when you finish one, post some pics for us old guys. :-)

Okay, you can build them. I have enough....

I think more appropriately the question should be "Why should I not build it". Go for it!
Lets see em when they're finnished.

If nothing esle build them for testing new things. You might want to try out something new and not try it on a $40 model. try new painting ideas or something. I got a 1/72 scale sherman for about $3 and tried oils on it before I used them on a good model. That little $3 model has been used several times for testing different things, its nice to have around for I read things here I want to try.

I had this image of building them and then finding out they are worth $50 each... well, they ARE selling on Ebay for over $20, but they look cool... so build them I will.

As for test kits I have a Tamiya Sherman, the first one I built when I started building again... and two M-60 turrets that I am using for testing new painting ideas, etc... they are a great testbed...

Thanks for the encouragment... I will get on them as soon as I finish my M48A5K.

it seems to me that the money they would bring would not be worth not building them

FYI, the Bandai kits were reissued by Frog/Fuman recently (within the last few years). I have the Hetzer, a very nice bantam kit and at 1:48 scale, is just about pocket-sized. I would build them, heck I've been building "rare" kits for a while. The Aurora molds still exist in Monogram's hands (now Revell-Monogram). They've reissued the Panther and Sherman within the past 25 years (along with a Monogram P-51 or Fw 190) in a diorama.

I'm just waiting for the MBT70 to make a reappearance...need 1 more.

I would love to get an MBT-70. I remember building it with my dad, way back in the day. it had a sort of plastic spring inside so you could replicate the 'kneeling' feature of the real thing. As I recall it was a pretty simple kit, low on bells/whistles and extra pieces. In later years my memory of it is of a kind of blank slate, waiting for AM, PE and scratch parts...Am I sick, or what?!

If anyone hears of a re-release of this, let us know. I'm gonna get one when they do.

Aurora put out two different MBT70s, the original one with a vacuum-formed base and one in a smaller box minus the base that had "texture" added to the upper hull and turret surfaces as well as some additional molded on detailing. They made similar changes to the M109 howitzer too, I have one of each of the howitzers, one has the option of a long and short barrel. As far as the MBT70, I have two of each type.