Tamiya has announced a new 1/35th scale Panther Ausf.D. According to the provided information this is a new tooling from Tamiya of this model.

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One piece molded barrel, poly caps, belt type tracks...takes me back to 1980. However, quickly brings me back to the present at 60 bucks.

HLJ has it for about $32.00. Shipping for that is about $14.00. Still a pretty good deal. Wicked fast, too!

:o ANOTHER Panther ??

I'll have to wait and see a review of this. I need a panther D to complete my 'Panther Evolution' display on the shelf but I'm not sure which to buy since I plan on depicting one of the very first fresh out of the factory.

Just what we need...ANOTHER Panther...!!

Well......I pre-ordered it from HLJ along with the AM barrel. The "belt type tracks" in the newer Tamiya kits can not be compared to the old ones from the 70s. They aren't nearly as stiff and can be glued together by regular glue. I like this release.

As far as I know, It is a matter of choice. Tamiya kits could be compatible with other company kits including super ultra high tech detailed kits. It has to do with multiple needs for various modeling kits IMHO.

Most people buying this kit will be do so in Japan where the RRP is about $34.

It should be remembered that the price indicated is the Tamiya recommended price and I have yet to see someone trying to sell a tamiya kit at those prices.

True...rarely does the MSRP hold up. Makes you wonder why they start out there to begin with!

CMOT sorry but most of the Hobby Shops at least in my home town sell the kits for over the MSRP. Which is why many are closing down I think. This kit with the tracks, barrel, Photo etch. and shipping will come to about $95 CND shipped from one of the on-line shops from Japan. The Taska/Tamiya reboxes of the Firefly and E8 were $99 at my LHS. MSRP in Japan is 4200 yen(appox $42 CDN.). Can't tell me that it costs $18.00 a kit to ship.

When you factor in the thousands of kilometres to travel in order to get from Japan to Canada and the mindless import fees most Governments charge, then yes, it does cost quite a lot of money to ship a kit from HLJ etc in a reasonabley fast time.

I have ordered from HLJ dozens of times. The postage HLJ charges for orders from Japan to Florida, per mile, has been cheaper than any other country I've ever ordered from.

While I empathize with the LHS, they must be aware the competition is aggressive for your modeling dollar (money).

Why else would I be buying from Japan (or any other country for that matter) unless the price of the kit, the import taxes, and the postage, is still cheaper than the kit on the shelf 10 miles from my home??

And add to all this...EBay...thousands of kits, from all over the world, all scales, for pennies on the dollar.

My modeling money is readily available, yet being taught the value of a dollar and finding a bargain still reigns with me.

No amount of peer pressure, or being shamed into supporting this shop or that shop, works here. To 'earn' my business...translation: get my money...is to prove to me you have the superior product that your competition has as well, yet willing to provide me the best deal so we both 'win'.

We all do this when shopping for an automobile...so why is this line of financial thinking lost on the modeling hobby? Or is it?

My 2 cents!

Nothing wrong with a nice solid Tamiya release.They definitly fill a need for those who fine the Dragon kits too complicated.