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REVIEW
Tiger 1 Mid Version
CMOT
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 08:48 AM UTC
David Foster takes a look at Academy's Tiger I Mid Version (D-Day 70th Anniversary) in 1/35th scale.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
Byrden
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 12:50 PM UTC
>> "The hull...has an open hole in the bottom for the escape hatch."

I wonder what Academy were thinking about, when they put that hole in the bottom of the hull? And they provided a part to fill it. What did they base it on?

Because a Tiger didn't have an escape hatch there. A Tiger didn't have anything there.

I believe that this "hatch" appeared first in Academy's previous "Mid" kit, the one with interior parts. But that doesn't explain it, because when you build that kit, you can see that the hatch would be unusable.

Anyway, the other details on the hull bottom are also wrong. The two round hatches under the engine would be OK for an Early Tiger, but the Mids were different. The smaller raised details should be sunken details.

I don't have a copy of this kit so I can't evaluate all of it.

David
easyco69
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 02:14 PM UTC
I put together the Academy - Early version w/interior - it was fun. So, there new parts in this kit? Will have to check it out, in fact , I plan on buying all the new Academy kits. I will be replacing tools & stuff with Dragon parts.
easyco69
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 02:17 PM UTC
I don't know why they didn't just add their zimmerit parts to this kit instead of asking the modeller to do it with putty!?
russamotto
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 07:21 PM UTC
Seems like an good kit for a fun build. I wish other manufacturers would match the number of marking options Academy provide. It looks like far more than 11 marking options, though better photo reference would be needed for accuracy. Price seems high, but lately all kit prices have been high. This isn't a Dragon detail and accuracy kit, but for a modeler who wants a Tiger and doesn't have the skill/time/money this would be a good fit.
Bravo1102
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 08:11 PM UTC
Actually the hole in the bottom is to make the molding of the bottom hull easier with some kind of center flow for the single slide molded piece.


Pity Academy didn't include the link to link track they made for the Tiger. Honestly for my money this will probably be the mid version Tiger I will get. I really like Academy's early tiger and really don't care about all the tiny production differences. That's just not why I build kits any more. And I used to.


Damn wives and psychologists having concern for my mental stability.


Even mass produced tanks like US M60's have tiny variations vehicle to vehicle so a line up of ten vehicles will show differences that a modeler with references in hand would say shouldn't be there.
Biggles2
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 08:30 PM UTC
AM zimmerit (for in-scale zimmerit - DIY is not easy!) + AM turned barrel (seems to be a neccessity here) + AM tracks + kit price seems to be a lot more than the already better Dragon 3-in-1 Tiger l. The only advantage is the interior parts - most of which are barely visible. Some shops still have stocks of the original DML 3-in-1 Tiger 1 with the original price of around $65 - a real bargain!
CMOT
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 08:35 PM UTC
Where have you seen the original DML tigers for sale as they change hands for silly money.
Biggles2
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 08:58 PM UTC
My LHS. The have at least one 3-in-1 Tiger l on the shelf, as well as many other DML kits dating from 2000 - 2010 (the kits with aluminum barrels and LOTS of PE!). They also have some Shanghai, and Imperial Dragon kits...but these are best left unmentioned! The reason for so many older unsold kits is because the shop sells mostly model RR's.
Byrden
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 09:45 PM UTC
I found out that the hull bottom in this kit is the same one from Academy's old "Early Tiger with interior"...the central hatch was there too.

It's really curious. I can see why a model company would use the wrong version of a part, or leave something off...but how did they invent such a large hatch out of nothing?

Sorry, but I don't buy the explanation of it providing a central flow for the molten plastic; you get that from sprue gates, not from holes.

David
ericadeane
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 09:47 PM UTC
Academy did this with the M3 Lee Medium tank hulls too. A huge oval hole with an insert plug.


It has nothing to do with trying to be accurate at anything. It must be for some production reason that they do this.
barkingdigger
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 10:07 PM UTC
They did the same with the new M10 - added a whacking big hole in the floor of a previously OK hull tub! It even cuts across some of the raised detail - go figure. I suspect it is a sop to some kind of potential motorisation for the "toy" market, but haven't seen any motorised kits for sale...
Bravo1102
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Posted: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 - 11:51 PM UTC
Academy has those holes in most of their single piece hulls and often with a sprue gate in the middle of it or the tabs where it was cut off by somebody in the factory.

This hole would make sense for a motorized model. Most of Academy's 1/35 kits exist in motorized versions in South Korea. I've seen them on eBay from time to time.

There are tiny flow spikes in the middle of the undersides of most makers solid hulls. It's a little spike like that on a soft ice cream cone. It's an obvious flow feed point.


I did a quick search on eBay and the cheapest Dragon 3 in 1 is around $45-50 and the cheapest Academy is less than $40 ($38)

Nah I'll go for the recent Italeri one which is around $41.
Biggles2
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Posted: Thursday, April 02, 2015 - 01:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text




I did a quick search on eBay and the cheapest Dragon 3 in 1 is around $45-50 and the cheapest Academy is less than $40 ($38)


Nice price, but how much did the seller want for shipping, $20+ dollars??
Bravo1102
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Posted: Thursday, April 02, 2015 - 06:55 PM UTC
I included postage in the prices. When you're poor got to be savvy shopper.
Biggles2
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Posted: Thursday, April 02, 2015 - 07:26 PM UTC
That's an amazing price for DML Tiger!!
CMOT
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Posted: Thursday, April 02, 2015 - 07:51 PM UTC
You said the original 3 in 1 Tigers not the recent kits. I have a few of these and when people sell them they are not charging £45.
Biggles2
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Posted: Thursday, April 02, 2015 - 08:00 PM UTC
Are we talking about Pounds Sterling or US Dollars? Big difference, and it's confusing!
Bravo1102
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Posted: Thursday, April 02, 2015 - 08:32 PM UTC
This is the listing:

#6406 Dragon Late 3 in 1. If there is another one I apologize for my error.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311316610883?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIThttp://put.url.here


(Edit yest there are two kits 6406 versus 6253 which is the super expensive and HTF one. For me the difference is negligible.)


For the record here is the new Academy mid:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191365180673?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


Since I want a mid version not a late it'll be the Academy kit as soon as ... well Academy kits seemingly have larger production runs (or lower demand) than Dragon as they are typically available for cheaper for a longer time.

M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 - 11:19 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Where have you seen the original DML tigers for sale as they change hands for silly money.



Agreed, most EMPHATICALLY!!! I for one don't need an example of EVERY Tiger I that has only the number of bolts or screws changed on the Commander's Map-reading Light!!! Getting RIDICULOUS, now. How MANY times has DRAGON, or for that matter, ACADEMY changed their various 1/35 Tiger I kits? OK, shutting up now...
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 - 11:42 PM UTC

Quoted Text

You said the original 3 in 1 Tigers not the recent kits. I have a few of these and when people sell them they are not charging £45.



Darren's RIGHT!!! Just TRY to go ahead and buy an original "Witmann" Tiger I for less than $199.00 US Dollars! Not that I would... It's SO much easier and MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE to buy one of the other (HOW MANY are there?) Tiger I (Mid?) kits and change the stinking DECALS or DRY TRANSFERS!!! Hey, I've got this GREAT BRIDGE I'd like to sell you- It runs between Brooklyn and Manhattan- Great Real Estate Value!!!
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 - 11:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text




I did a quick search on eBay and the cheapest Dragon 3 in 1 is around $45-50 and the cheapest Academy is less than $40 ($38)


Nice price, but how much did the seller want for shipping, $20+ dollars??



Depends on WHO and WHERE you're buying from...
CMOT
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Posted: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 - 11:48 PM UTC
£45 is about $60 these days.
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 - 11:56 PM UTC

Quoted Text

£45 is about $60 these days.



THANKS, Darren! That's a good formula to go by...
Byrden
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Posted: Wednesday, April 08, 2015 - 12:29 PM UTC

Quoted Text

It's SO much easier and MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE to buy one of the other (HOW MANY are there?) Tiger I (Mid?) kits



Yes, but there are some people who know that Wittman didn't command a Mid Tiger at Kursk, and they actually care about that, and they are the people that Dragon is selling to.

David
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