That would be the cats meow and I do bet it will happen.

I mean, we do after-all have the T-28.





Jeff

I'm hoping. I took about 500 photos of the T29 family at Knox a decade ago but have just never gotten around to scratchbuilding the darned thing. it would be nice if my sloth was rewarded with a lovely kit!

Matt

They have umpteen versions/kits of the Abrams and you cry? If you want a SEP or AIM go on ebay, but we sure don't NEED more new kits of them. Kinda getting like the Tiger next version one with teh left handed bolts and a smoke shifter.

Good dont buy this kit helps insure I get one.

Also look at this
http://www.dragon-models.com/d-m-item.asp?pid=DRA3550

You are a week late.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/215376&page=1

The Dragon Black Label M103 is up for pre-order on the Dragon USA site!

http://www.dragonusaonline.com/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=DRA3548

This line gets me "What is Black Label? It’s a whole new line being marketed independently of Dragon or Cyber-Hobby kits. The result will be reduced prices for big items in this new line."

If they're touting $70 as a reduced price I'd hate to see what it would cost as a "Dragon" kit.


Erik

Looking at the Dragon CAD images, it seems that someone might want to consider adding seperate toolbox handles from AM sources. These in the kit appear to be molded to the lids. Kinda like the new Tamiya M151 kits that STILL can't seem to comprehend what a hood latch looks like.....

But hey, it's better than buying the whole resin Commander kit.

Some new promo info/pics Defo getting myself one, loving this era heavy tanks. Now T29 please!!






Barcode: 0 89195 83548 2
Case Pack: 12 pieces per master carton
Box Size: 9.6" x 15" x 3.5"
Features:

Turret possesses irregular shape w/appropriate cast texture as per original
Authentic .50-cal MG w/photo-etched detail
Brand new M103A1 Heavy Tank rendered
Mantlet accurately detailed and shaped
One-piece slide-molded gun barrel
Upper hull produced w/correct shape
Lower hull molded w/cast pattern
Newly designed gun travel lock present
Jerry cans included
Well-defined turret w/antenna mounts and crisply detailed handrails
M14 coincidence rangefinders mounted on turret sides
Fenders feature excellent detail
Glacis rendered w/correct profile and shape
Headlights w/subtle detail realistically produced
Engine deck and exhaust pipes produced w/highly intricate detail
Tow cable and photo-etched guard for tool storage
Cupola hatch can be assembled open/closed
Excellent detail on hull rear plate
Highly detailed suspension system, including accurate sprockets, idler wheels and road wheels
Outlet pipes for crew compartment heater and bilge pump
Loader's hatch on turret is accurately depicted
Periscope is well represented
Intricately detailed OVM
Newly tooled one-piece DS tacks

First Black Label Release!!

What is Black Label? It’s a whole new line being marketed independently of Dragon or Cyber-Hobby kits. The result will be reduced prices for big items in this new line.

The first Black Label item is the 65-ton M103 Heavy Tank that served with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC) during the height of the Cold War from 1957-1974. Its whole design was predicated on the need to counter Soviet heavy tanks, and thus it boasted a rifled 120mm M58 cannon for long-distance engagements. This gun fired a separate-loading round, which required two loaders, thus giving five men in the crew. The armor was up to 180mm thick on the front of the turret. Some 300 T43E1 tanks were built, of which 219 were later converted to M103A1 standard, and 153 rebuilt into M103A2 s.

Dragon’s kit is a brand new item and practically every part in the cram-packed box is a new tooling. The only exception is the wheels, which are derived from a previous release. The irregular form of the turret is accurately shaped, and it has just the right degree of a subtle cast texture. The cast texture on the hull is also beautifully recreated. This tank has been produced with modeling convenience in mind too, with such features as easy-fitting DS tracks. With Dragon’s know how and technological skills from its WWII range being applied to this more modern subject, this M103A1 Heavy Tank sets high standards. It’s truly a heavyweight in modern armor kits!

Dragon’s 1/35 scale WWII plastic kits are legendary worldwide in terms of the range’s scope, accuracy and technical quality. Utilizing that expertise and experience, a brand new line called Black Label is going to offer some exciting subjects to eager modelers. What is Black Label? It’s a whole new line being marketed independently of Dragon or Cyber-Hobby kits. The result will be reduced prices for big items in this new line.

It looks really nice. I might just have to get one. Now we just need some Cold War figures (tankers and infanrtymen) to go with it.

Is it me or are there some of the parts on the sprues to build a A2?I see air filters and parts of rear deck and another set of track guards. Means an A2to come.
Dave
This could be a borrowed sprue from their Patton?

Yes, that would be great! I've been asking and wishing for this for a long time. Maybe, just maybe with all of the Cold War vehicles coming out now the figures will soon follow. But on the positive side, I'm getting better at converting existing figures to meet my Cold War needs.

Dave

I've got one of these ordered and am patiently awaiting it's arrival. Hopefully not too much longer.

Roy

The more posts I see of this kit, the more I want to get the thing!

i've been looking at the Commanders kit for years, but it's WAY out of my price range.

Gents,

Yes, it certainly looks like an A2 is close on the heels of this kit. I think the empty space on teh lower left sprue might be for an A2 engine deck. I certainly looks like it includes the A2 fenders, which were different than the A1's.

One minor thing to watch out for (and Dragon may fix this before production) is that the A1/A2 gun sight bulge is actually an added casting added to the A1 during the upgrade from base M103. As such it needs several rather heavy weld beads all around it and a more defined joint than the rather nicely smoothed interface shown in the CAD images. Not a big thing, just something to watch out for.

Paul

You don't mean Christmas of 2014 do you ?

You are right Paul.it appears that it is missing that one piece to make it an A2. Once the A1 is out we shall see the A2 right quick I think. Huge space left on that sprue.
Dave

Therre might be a few other details missing to make it an A2, in addition to the engine deck, but with a few M60 kits in the scrap heap and having scratchbuilt an M103A2 master 20 years ago, I think I can probably handle the missing stuff.

Paul

Really looking forwards to building this beast! Loved this era, the last heavies. I can see plenty of Dio's with the Trumpy IS4 vs this beast

A question to you lads in the know... What were the differences between the A1 and the A2? Too many to list or were there only a few?

and...

What is the M103 in the Bovington Museum, an A1 or A2?

Haha I was being optimistic.


Erik

When I did some research to convert our A2 to an A1, besides the fenders, engine deck and rear plate, our A2 turret did not match the A1 turret in the drawings we were planning to use (official drawings we acquired in the 1990's). I seem to remember that the A2 turret was redesigned to incorporate a different fire control system and rearranged for the loader and gunner positions. It'll take more than an M48A3 sprue to make this tank an A2.

Jon

Thanks very much Jon. Looks like this one will be an out of the box build for me then!

No, the turret shells were the same. M103A2s were made from M103A1s which were made from M103s. The 103A1 turret was cut to add the fire control sight bulge instead of the conincidence rangefinder of the M103. The A2 had the outlet and fittings for the searchlight added and few other small details, but that's it.

The interiors, now, _they_ were different. the exterior shells were the same parts from one variant to the next.

Paul

As I said Paul, the A1 and A2 turrets don't match. There are differences in the details. Another difference is the bustle, and (this is from memory) the mantlet may have also been redesigned. The shell isn't what I was talking about since the A2's were just upgraded A1's.

Sorry, Jon, your post read to me as if you were saying the basic turret shape ahd been modified, sorry about that.

The bustle shape was the same, but the A2 lost the heat shield under the back of the bustle that the A1 had. The heat from the A1 vents blew straight up under teh bustle and overheated the turret. The new IR surpression engine deck for the AVDS engine eliminated the heat so they removed the heat shield.

The mantlet was modified to add the three pick-up points for the search light which then resulted in a modified mantlet cover.

The mounts for the search lights were actually three standard trailer hitches! And the modification to the mantlet was to add the three hitch balls in the right place on brackets.

Paul