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Tamiya Elefant
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
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Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 07:28 PM UTC
Just saw over on HLJ that Tamiya are to announce an Elefant in 1/35 at the shizuoka show
PantherF
Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
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Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 07:52 PM UTC
Can't wait to hear more. That is something that is badly needed! 
~ Jeff
~ Jeff
mag135
Joined: July 08, 2006
KitMaker: 146 posts
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Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 08:09 PM UTC
We don't need another elefant. If this is the 50th anniversary surprise, I am really surprised... 
C_JACQUEMONT
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
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Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 08:40 PM UTC
If it has zimmerit moulded in (doubt it given Tamiya's track record), I'll buy it. Otherwise I'll probably get the Dragon zimmerited version.
Cheers,
Christophe
Cheers,
Christophe
Spiderfrommars
Joined: July 13, 2010
KitMaker: 3,845 posts
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Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 09:14 PM UTC
Will be the kit provided with PE parts? what about a metal gun barrel?
Anyway, that seems to be the Tamiya marketing policy about the AFVs. A pair of good kits a year, nothing more
Cheers
Anyway, that seems to be the Tamiya marketing policy about the AFVs. A pair of good kits a year, nothing more
Cheers
airborne1
Joined: April 15, 2006
KitMaker: 915 posts
Armorama: 797 posts
Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 09:21 PM UTC
bugger 
And here was I hoping for a
Tamiya Scammell
Michael
And here was I hoping for a
Tamiya Scammell
Michael
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Monday, April 16, 2012 - 11:42 PM UTC
It was in a sneak preview of what they will announce at the Shizuoka show which isn't til May so we'll have to wait for more info til then. I think it's an odd choice for Tamiya given that the Dragon kits are generally well thought of.
PantherF
Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
Armorama: 5,960 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 12:10 AM UTC
i just think it's a chance to build an Elefant WITHOUT having to sweat over poorly designed instructions. That's all I meant.
There are Tamiya fans out there that are celebrating a tiny victory!
~ Jeff
There are Tamiya fans out there that are celebrating a tiny victory!
~ Jeff
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 12:47 AM UTC
Quoted Text
i just think it's a chance to build an Elefant WITHOUT having to sweat over poorly designed instructions. That's all I meant.
There are Tamiya fans out there that are celebrating a tiny victory!
~ Jeff
I'm with you on that
not a huge fan of the Elefant but might build one at some stageHere is what the HLJ website says:
Quoted Text
1/35 Elefant The 653rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion
"The Elefant joins the MM kit series!
This is an ALL-NEW TOOLING of the Elefant! Tamiya based this kit on the Elefant on display at the Aberdeen Tank Museum. Tracks are injection-molded assemblies with nice sag molded in. Includes three figures. Again, this is an all-new tooling by Tamiya, not a reboxing of any other company's kit. All new, all Tamiya!"
PantherF
Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
Armorama: 5,960 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 12:54 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Here is what the HLJ website says:Quoted Text1/35 Elefant The 653rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion
"The Elefant joins the MM kit series!
This is an ALL-NEW TOOLING of the Elefant! Tamiya based this kit on the Elefant on display at the Aberdeen Tank Museum. Tracks are injection-molded assemblies with nice sag molded in. Includes three figures. Again, this is an all-new tooling by Tamiya, not a reboxing of any other company's kit. All new, all Tamiya!"
Cool.
~ Jeff
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 01:12 AM UTC
I built the DML offering with the molded on zimm,and it was a pleasure to build,no issues at all,metal barrel and some PE and it came out great for me.So I won't be getting this one.
But that being said,I snapped up the new Tamiya Jagdtiger and JSU-152 and they too were a dream to build.No doubt that the Tamiya Elefant will be nice to build,but with less extras.
But that being said,I snapped up the new Tamiya Jagdtiger and JSU-152 and they too were a dream to build.No doubt that the Tamiya Elefant will be nice to build,but with less extras.
SdAufKla
Joined: May 07, 2010
KitMaker: 2,238 posts
Armorama: 2,158 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 03:29 AM UTC
Quite disappointing, really.
So many important AFV's that have not been kitted, and Tamiya releases yet another Elefant.
Sorry, Mr. T, but all I can say is "big whoop."
I'm sure that if it actually is "all new tooling" (and not a rehash-mish-mash of the Italeri kit), then it will be well-engineered, simple, with nice instructions. But that's not near enough to make me excited or even particularly interested.
Like I said, a big disapointment if that's all that Tamiya's got for this year. Where's the innovation and daring of releases like the "Char B1 bis" or the "French Carrier UE"?
All in all, pretty blase` news from the industry "leader."
So many important AFV's that have not been kitted, and Tamiya releases yet another Elefant.
Sorry, Mr. T, but all I can say is "big whoop."
I'm sure that if it actually is "all new tooling" (and not a rehash-mish-mash of the Italeri kit), then it will be well-engineered, simple, with nice instructions. But that's not near enough to make me excited or even particularly interested.
Like I said, a big disapointment if that's all that Tamiya's got for this year. Where's the innovation and daring of releases like the "Char B1 bis" or the "French Carrier UE"?
All in all, pretty blase` news from the industry "leader."
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 04:48 AM UTC
I kinda look at this way: Why??? There's already a couple good ones out there as I write this, and I seriously doubt that Tamiya could improve on them much. Dragon also does the rare Tiger version and I think somebody as a "bergtiger" conversion as well.
Had Tamiya reinvented the PzKw III series with a really serious hi tech approach the masses would be lined up to lay their hands on them. Their Stug IIIB is a very fine kit, but they really have not taken that bull by the horns and ran with it. I could make a list of kits from several eras that if Tamiya had done they'd be lined up to buy them
gary
Had Tamiya reinvented the PzKw III series with a really serious hi tech approach the masses would be lined up to lay their hands on them. Their Stug IIIB is a very fine kit, but they really have not taken that bull by the horns and ran with it. I could make a list of kits from several eras that if Tamiya had done they'd be lined up to buy them
gary
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
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KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 04:55 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I built the DML offering with the molded on zimm,and it was a pleasure to build,no issues at all,metal barrel and some PE and it came out great for me.So I won't be getting this one.
But that being said,I snapped up the new Tamiya Jagdtiger and JSU-152 and they too were a dream to build.No doubt that the Tamiya Elefant will be nice to build,but with less extras.
I too bought the JagedTiger in a 50% off sale at the LHS. I already had two Dragon Jagedtigers, and simply couldn't resist the price tag. I glad you said the JSU-152 was a good kit as there's one of them gathering dust on the sale shelf! The Jagedtiger is at least the equale of the Dragon kit in most areas (no zimerit, and was not impressed with the tracks). I personally would much rather have seen a new tool Jagedpanther series than the Elephant!! But also know it's their business to run.
gary
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 05:42 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextI built the DML offering with the molded on zimm,and it was a pleasure to build,no issues at all,metal barrel and some PE and it came out great for me.So I won't be getting this one.
But that being said,I snapped up the new Tamiya Jagdtiger and JSU-152 and they too were a dream to build.No doubt that the Tamiya Elefant will be nice to build,but with less extras.
I too bought the JagedTiger in a 50% off sale at the LHS. I already had two Dragon Jagedtigers, and simply couldn't resist the price tag. I glad you said the JSU-152 was a good kit as there's one of them gathering dust on the sale shelf! The Jagedtiger is at least the equale of the Dragon kit in most areas (no zimerit, and was not impressed with the tracks). I personally would much rather have seen a new tool Jagedpanther series than the Elephant!! But also know it's their business to run.
gary
You know your right about the tracks,I actually did spring for fruils On both of them,couldn't resist especially on the Soviet
PantherF
Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
Armorama: 5,960 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 06:00 AM UTC
It's all about business ... really. Not improving one over the other.
~ Jeff
~ Jeff
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 06:36 AM UTC
[/quote]I kinda look at this way: Why??? There's already a couple good ones out there as I write this, and I seriously doubt that Tamiya could improve on them much.
gary
[/quote]
Quoted Text
It's all about business ... really. Not improving one over the other.
~ Jeff
Exactly -they're making it because they expect to shift a lot of them to people who either won't or can't buy the dragon kit.
I know that at least here in Ireland a lot of "toy" shops stock Tamiya but don't stock Dragon.
Plus there are a lot of modelers who who appreciate the ease with which a Tamiya kit goes together
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,357 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 09:56 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I kinda look at this way: Why??? There's already a couple good ones out there as I write this, and I seriously doubt that Tamiya could improve on them much.gary
[/quote]
Quoted Text
It's all about business ... really. Not improving one over the other.
~ Jeff
Exactly -they're making it because they expect to shift a lot of them to people who either won't or can't buy the dragon kit.
I know that at least here in Ireland a lot of "toy" shops stock Tamiya but don't stock Dragon.
Plus there are a lot of modelers who who appreciate the ease with which a Tamiya kit goes together[/quote]
Tamiya kits are not selling around here even when they are cut 25%. Nobody even picks the box up to look at it anymore. They go strait to the Dragon area. Trumpeter has really put a serious hold in the Stryker / LAV families. Yet nobody really makes a near perfect Stryker right now. Tamiya could have jumped onto that band wagon with an accurate shaped one, and probably done very well. They made many kits that have accuracey issues, yet have sold fairly well in the past (I'm talking about old stuff) I recently compaired a Tamiya Marder IIIH with the Tristar, and was completely shocked! Then I compaired them with a couple Dragon kits (one was a II and the other a III). The Dragons were both better. The Tamiya "M" was better than the other Tamiya kits, but still liked the Tristar better.
Then there are kits that folks have lusted over for a generation. Try the M56 Scorpion or a new tool M110 / M107!!
Heck just do a generic M37 truck!! You'll have all the market to yourself! Maybe Dragon will tool those kits.
gary
Spiderfrommars
Joined: July 13, 2010
KitMaker: 3,845 posts
Armorama: 3,543 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 11:30 AM UTC
I personally think that we can't compare DML with Tamiya.
They have different approaches and defferent marketing policies.
So for example no one seems to know or to remember that Tamiya in Japan sells their kits mostly to kids or very young people , so that's the reason why their products MUST be very simple to assemble and this philosophy can sometime penalize the accuracy. Furthermore a kid on average isn't interested to have a complete collection of PZ IV versions. He is most likely interested to assemble a tank kit just for fun or maybe he wants to collect a tank series with little thought about accuracy and details. That's the reason why Tamiya makes on average a few quite good subjects but in contrast to DML, doesn't make versions, sub versions or sub-sub-sub-sub-versions of the same tank
... some DML kits depict tanks which actually has been produced only in a single exemplar...
We can also notice that Tamiya deals with several kind of products, AFV kits is one of them, but it doesn't seem to be the most important. We shouldn't forget for example that Tamiya has recently produced the BEST Spitfire and the BEST P-51 in 1/32 scale and these kits are awesome indeed!
Anyway some of their tanks are very nice, for example they have made a great T-55 and a great Bt-7, and these kits are incredibly easy to assemble, but if you're interested in "professional kits" 100% accurate, well you'd better choice DML AFV kits
Just my opinion anyway
cheers
They have different approaches and defferent marketing policies.
So for example no one seems to know or to remember that Tamiya in Japan sells their kits mostly to kids or very young people , so that's the reason why their products MUST be very simple to assemble and this philosophy can sometime penalize the accuracy. Furthermore a kid on average isn't interested to have a complete collection of PZ IV versions. He is most likely interested to assemble a tank kit just for fun or maybe he wants to collect a tank series with little thought about accuracy and details. That's the reason why Tamiya makes on average a few quite good subjects but in contrast to DML, doesn't make versions, sub versions or sub-sub-sub-sub-versions of the same tank
... some DML kits depict tanks which actually has been produced only in a single exemplar...We can also notice that Tamiya deals with several kind of products, AFV kits is one of them, but it doesn't seem to be the most important. We shouldn't forget for example that Tamiya has recently produced the BEST Spitfire and the BEST P-51 in 1/32 scale and these kits are awesome indeed!
Anyway some of their tanks are very nice, for example they have made a great T-55 and a great Bt-7, and these kits are incredibly easy to assemble, but if you're interested in "professional kits" 100% accurate, well you'd better choice DML AFV kits
Just my opinion anyway
cheers
SdAufKla
Joined: May 07, 2010
KitMaker: 2,238 posts
Armorama: 2,158 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 12:55 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I personally think that we can't compare DML with Tamiya.
They have different approaches and defferent marketing policies.
So for example no one seems to know or to remember that Tamiya in Japan sells their kits mostly to kids or very young people , so that's the reason why their products MUST be very simple ...
I don't know that we can actually say with certainty that Tamiya's Japanese customers are that much different than their Western customers, Mauro. I've never actually seen any real data on the differences between the two markets.
Just look at some of Tamiya's other kits, like ships and aircraft, and you will see that those models are easily as complicated and detailed as any other kit makers'. Those kits are also sold in the Japanese market.
But, even if the two markets are that radically different, in the West Tamiya armor kits are direct competitors with DML, Trumpeter, HobbyBoss, etc, etc, etc. At least here in the US, the kits all sit on hobby shop shelves right next to each other, and when it comes to purchases, Western customers are comparing all of the different kits.
I know that some of my model-building friends are very "brand loyal" to Tamiya, but most are not. To most of the armor modelers that I know, it's not the manufactuerer's name on the box that matters, but it's what's inside that counts.
In the case of this Tamiya Elefant release, I just don't see enough room for improvement or expectations of inexpensive pricing, to justify any enthusiasm for it.
As I said a few posts above, this release is just a disappointment to me if this is the best that Tamiya can offer armor modelers.
kampfy
Joined: December 19, 2010
KitMaker: 198 posts
Armorama: 161 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 03:28 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quite disappointing, really.
So many important AFV's that have not been kitted, and Tamiya releases yet another Elefant.
Sorry, Mr. T, but all I can say is "big whoop."
I'm sure that if it actually is "all new tooling" (and not a rehash-mish-mash of the Italeri kit), then it will be well-engineered, simple, with nice instructions. But that's not near enough to make me excited or even particularly interested.
Like I said, a big disapointment if that's all that Tamiya's got for this year. Where's the innovation and daring of releases like the "Char B1 bis" or the "French Carrier UE"?
All in all, pretty blase` news from the industry "leader."
I'm definitely with you on this. Come on Tamiya, I at least want a BT7 model 1937, you are just a new turret away. early war Soviet armor in general (aside from the KV and T34 series) is in bad need of quality kits and nobody it seems is interested in making them. WW2 French and Early British subjects are also included in this.
Eloranta
Joined: November 30, 2008
KitMaker: 286 posts
Armorama: 195 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 02:14 AM UTC
If this release is really all Tamiya and not just Italeri reboxing with some new sprues, I'm definitely going to get it even though I have two Dragon kits in my stash. Granted, not the most original subject from big T but still I find it interesting enough, after all Elefant is one of my favorite tanks.
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 04:40 AM UTC
Quoted Text
If this release is really all Tamiya and not just Italeri reboxing with some new sprues, I'm definitely going to get it .......
Quoted Text
Here is what the HLJ website says:
1/35 Elefant The 653rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion
"The Elefant joins the MM kit series!
This is an ALL-NEW TOOLING of the Elefant! Tamiya based this kit on the Elefant on display at the Aberdeen Tank Museum. Tracks are injection-molded assemblies with nice sag molded in. Includes three figures. Again, this is an all-new tooling by Tamiya, not a reboxing of any other company's kit. All new, all Tamiya!"
Do you not believe them?
BigfootV
Joined: December 24, 2005
KitMaker: 1,624 posts
Armorama: 994 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 05:22 AM UTC
Hey Pat,
"Very interesting, but it would never make it as series." Lol.
Anyways, sorry about that. Hmmm, not sure about the "New tooling" from them on this. Sounds like a re-box to me. But then again I've been out the loop for a year.
I did check Tamiya's websites however and if this is a new kit, they ain't talking. I did find a "Coming soon" feature on the website. Kit #35316- BSA M20 Motorcycle, M.P. version, Kit #35095 Japanese Type 1, S.P. Gun.
If the Type 1 is already out, my bad, like I said, It's been awhile.
See ya in the funnies!
"Very interesting, but it would never make it as series." Lol.
Anyways, sorry about that. Hmmm, not sure about the "New tooling" from them on this. Sounds like a re-box to me. But then again I've been out the loop for a year.
I did check Tamiya's websites however and if this is a new kit, they ain't talking. I did find a "Coming soon" feature on the website. Kit #35316- BSA M20 Motorcycle, M.P. version, Kit #35095 Japanese Type 1, S.P. Gun.
If the Type 1 is already out, my bad, like I said, It's been awhile.
See ya in the funnies!
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 05:37 AM UTC
"New Molding" why not ?? it wouldn't be the first time ,the Jagdtiger,JSU-152,M-1 Super Sherman,and Isherman are all brand new kits,so why not this one ? They have been producing 1-2 new ones a year,not a lot,but they have been new molds.
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