_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV
For discussions on tanks, artillery, jeeps, etc.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Mario Matijasic
News
Trumpeter: Acquires Tristar Molds
SgtRam
Staff MemberContributing Writer
AEROSCALE
#197
Visit this Community
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
Armorama: 2,859 posts
Posted: Friday, January 16, 2015 - 08:52 PM UTC


Some news out of Trumpeter is the acquisition of the Tristar molds with plans for releases in the future.

Read the Full News Story

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
Thudius
Visit this Community
Uusimaa, Finland
Joined: October 22, 2012
KitMaker: 1,194 posts
Armorama: 1,077 posts
Posted: Friday, January 16, 2015 - 09:35 PM UTC
6 thumbs up.

Kimmo
Wierdy
Visit this Community
Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
Armorama: 553 posts
Posted: Friday, January 16, 2015 - 09:58 PM UTC
So Tristar is gone? Sad news indeed.
Let's hope the new owner will make the whole line of items available at an affordable price. Tristar's early Panzer IV variants are far better than the ones from DML and their figures are some of the best in styrene (especially sculpted by Yoshitaka Hirano).
Youngun
Visit this Community
Ontario, Canada
Joined: November 10, 2010
KitMaker: 587 posts
Armorama: 550 posts
Posted: Friday, January 16, 2015 - 10:31 PM UTC
Seems like a good way for Trumpeter to continue to work on their 1/35 Soviet line while competing with Dragon's 1/35 German releases.I built a few Tristar kits before I made the switch to Modern vehicles and I thought that they were excellent. May have to pick some up if trumpeter offers them at a decent price.
warreni
Visit this Community
South Australia, Australia
Joined: August 14, 2007
KitMaker: 5,926 posts
Armorama: 712 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 12:22 AM UTC
But their Panzer IVs suck as far as fit etc is concerned.
Vemmadave
Visit this Community
Alberta, Canada
Joined: April 17, 2013
KitMaker: 44 posts
Armorama: 40 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 01:40 AM UTC
thumbs up on that one!
retiredyank
Visit this Community
Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 01:48 AM UTC
Maybe, Trumpeter will start a "value" line.
jagd654
Visit this Community
Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: July 14, 2008
KitMaker: 296 posts
Armorama: 280 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 02:17 AM UTC
Awesome! Good news indeed!
C_JACQUEMONT
Visit this Community
Loire-Atlantique, France
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
Armorama: 2,325 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 02:49 AM UTC
That is good news indeed. Thanks!

I hope they rebox the Panzer III/IV indi tracks, those are great.



Cheers,

Christophe
TerancekW
Visit this Community
Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: November 13, 2014
KitMaker: 36 posts
Armorama: 36 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 07:11 AM UTC

Quoted Text

So Tristar is gone? Sad news indeed.
Let's hope the new owner will make the whole line of items available at an affordable price. Tristar's early Panzer IV variants are far better than the ones from DML and their figures are some of the best in styrene (especially sculpted by Yoshitaka Hirano).


Gone already. The original owner had sold the company to another guy in 2009. It is just another deal.

Biggles2
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 08:48 PM UTC
I hope Trumpeter re-releases figure set #007 - one of Tristar's best sets!
M4A1Sherman
Visit this Community
New York, United States
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
Armorama: 4,078 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 09:51 PM UTC

Quoted Text

That is good news indeed. Thanks!

I hope they rebox the Panzer III/IV indi tracks, those are great.



Cheers,

Christophe


Didn't TRISTAR use MODELKASTEN's Track Sets, or am I confusing TRISTAR with some of TASCA's Special Edition kits, Example: Pz.II "Luchs" (Lynx)..?
alanmac
Visit this Community
United Kingdom
Joined: February 25, 2007
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,953 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 11:05 PM UTC

Quoted Text

But their Panzer IVs suck as far as fit etc is concerned.


Hi

This is the first I've heard of it.
Care to elaborate?

Alan
easyco69
Visit this Community
Ontario, Canada
Joined: November 03, 2012
KitMaker: 2,275 posts
Armorama: 2,233 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 12:07 AM UTC
hurray!!!
Biggles2
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 03:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

But their Panzer IVs suck as far as fit etc is concerned.


Hi

This is the first I've heard of it.
Care to elaborate?

Alan


Some modellers have difficulty constructing and squaring-up the lower hull, which is in several pieces. Also the mating edges are bevelled at 45 degrees,instead of nice square butt-joints. Just takes more care!
alanmac
Visit this Community
United Kingdom
Joined: February 25, 2007
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,953 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 05:10 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

But their Panzer IVs suck as far as fit etc is concerned.


Hi

This is the first I've heard of it.
Care to elaborate?

Alan


Some modellers have difficulty constructing and squaring-up the lower hull, which is in several pieces. Also the mating edges are bevelled at 45 degrees,instead of nice square butt-joints. Just takes more care!


Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. So really the thing that "sucks" is actually not fit etc. of the Tristar kits but the lack of modelling capability of the modeller building them
TerancekW
Visit this Community
Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: November 13, 2014
KitMaker: 36 posts
Armorama: 36 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 07:12 AM UTC
TRISTAR use MODELKASTEN's Track Sets once and only one in the old Panzer 1A. It is an oversized tracks to Tristar becuase MK track was for other firms.
KurtLaughlin
Visit this Community
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: January 18, 2003
KitMaker: 2,402 posts
Armorama: 2,377 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 08:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. So really the thing that "sucks" is actually not fit etc. of the Tristar kits but the lack of modelling capability of the modeller building them


Now, now.

I'm not going to jump in about Tristar kits as I have no experience, but I have seen a number of build logs, gallery entries, and reviews where the author mentioned poor fit, but the photos showed unremoved sprue nubs and edge flash as well as massive applications of putty and filler. I have to wonder in those cases if spending a little time on cleaning up the parts properly and test-fitting wouldn't have magically cured the kit's "poor engineering". That's also why reviews and articles that show how a kit is built are much more valuable for making buying decisions than ones that spend 75% of the text describing painting and weathering.

KL
RECON22
Visit this Community
Queensland, Australia
Joined: February 10, 2012
KitMaker: 665 posts
Armorama: 652 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 04:28 PM UTC
Tristar figures are excellent.......hope Trumpeter re-releases all the kits. Maybe Trumpeter could get a hold of Warriors molds too😜
RobinNilsson
Staff MemberTOS Moderator
KITMAKER NETWORK
Visit this Community
Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 04:38 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. So really the thing that "sucks" is actually not fit etc. of the Tristar kits but the lack of modelling capability of the modeller building them


Now, now.

I'm not going to jump in about Tristar kits as I have no experience, but I have seen a number of build logs, gallery entries, and reviews where the author mentioned poor fit, but the photos showed unremoved sprue nubs and edge flash as well as massive applications of putty and filler. I have to wonder in those cases if spending a little time on cleaning up the parts properly and test-fitting wouldn't have magically cured the kit's "poor engineering". That's also why reviews and articles that show how a kit is built are much more valuable for making buying decisions than ones that spend 75% of the text describing painting and weathering.

KL


Agree to 100% The painting and weathering is the authors
skills and not a property of the kit so if/when I buy the
same kit it is my painting skills (or lack of skills) that
come into play. Poor or good fit is something that comes in
the box .... / Robin
nng-nng
Visit this Community
Bayern, Germany
Joined: October 22, 2013
KitMaker: 380 posts
Armorama: 376 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 05:07 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Poor or good fit is something that comes in
the box .... / Robin


Yes and no. Most Tristar kits have a 4 pice lower hull, which can cuase problems. But they might fit fine if you take the time, if you´re rushing through you might end up with a problem later on.
Shure, that couldn´t happen with a single pice hull, but if you don´t have the patience and "fail" on this critical step, none of the rest wil be fun for you...

But back to the topic: Finally someone can again take upon Drgaon in it´s home terretory, will bee interresting what we will see in the futrure. Last time there was competition in the market we got some great kits from both sides.
Biggles2
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 09:18 PM UTC

Quoted Text



Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. So really the thing that "sucks" is actually not fit etc. of the Tristar kits but the lack of modelling capability of the modeller building them


Not so much 'modeling capability', but care and attention. And as Kurt says - careful cleanup of parts is also neccessary. A small molding nub left here or there will cause 'poor fit'. Therefore - "This model should be avoided because of poor fit!".
TerancekW
Visit this Community
Hong Kong S.A.R. / 繁體
Joined: November 13, 2014
KitMaker: 36 posts
Armorama: 36 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 09:31 PM UTC
/quote]

Yes and no. Most Tristar kits have a 4 pice lower hull, which can cuase problems. [/quote]

The designer did it on purpose. If the plastic is in low quality, the hull will become _/ shape instead of I_I . That will cause you more trouble.

Youngun
Visit this Community
Ontario, Canada
Joined: November 10, 2010
KitMaker: 587 posts
Armorama: 550 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 09:36 PM UTC
I remember building Tristar's Sturmpanzer IV (Early) Sd.Kfz.166 and it came with a one piece hull tub and superstructure.
GaryKato
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: December 06, 2004
KitMaker: 3,694 posts
Armorama: 2,693 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015 - 11:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I remember building Tristar's Sturmpanzer IV (Early) Sd.Kfz.166 and it came with a one piece hull tub and superstructure.


I believe the Sturmpanzer was one of their last kits.

I seem to recall Tristar had quite a few Panzer 38(t) kits.
 _GOTOTOP