It's not a tank but can I throw in a Tamiya Scammel Tank transporter to take all the British tanks and some German ones too

Michael

I've got to admit I do like Tamiiya's kits. While they lack detail they're a stress free build. I've just built their Sdkfz 251D which I've ended up using a lot of DML 251 bits on to bring it up to a reasonable degree of accuracy as there was a lot of stuff missing internally. Pretty much everything thinking about it. While Tamiya once sat at the top of the hill modelling has changed over the last 15 years from my observations in that modellers expect more from a kit so they've slid down the pile now there are so many new companies elbowing their way forwards. Naturally modellers expect accuracy and everything to be there rather than have to scratch build or dig into the spares box to finish a kit. I think the demographic's changed as well as I think it would be fair to say most of us are 35+ these days as opposed to spotty teenagers building their first Sherman. Kits are no longer pocket money prices although Tamiya are still competitive.
Tamiya does fill an important gap in the market these days as they're an in-between manufacturer. By that I mean straightforward builds that can be drastically improved with a bit of time and care rather than buying something with 600 parts and hating building it. I usually build a Tamiya kit after a DML one to relax and remind myself that I do enjoy this hobby after all.
What does annoy me is the reboxings of other peoples kits and sticking a couple of extra bits in to make it look different. I noticed that they've done that with the Italeri Field Workshop. Same kit but either two German or American figures so two new releases which aren't new afer all.

As has already been mentioned some manufacturers are getting lazy with their releases. The way DML are releasing Tigers one after another. In ten years there'll be an individual kit for every Tiger ever produced. Surely they can't release anymore? I realise that they choose things that will sell but how many Tigers does one person need? There's only 4 versions really as we know. Early,mid, late and hybrid so why a dozen plus kits? A slightly different gun mantlet doesn't justify a new release! I can understand Tamiya releasing a Valentine as Bronco tend to be a bit over engineered to my liking. I've not built any Miniart vehicles yet so can't comment on them. Nice but lots of really tiny bits you struggle to see let alone fit. It's giving the less confident or more laid back modeller who isn't too worried about 100% accuracy an option.
It would be nice if sometimes the big companies surveyed the people who buy. Some obviously pay attention to sites like this hence we've had a lot of British softskins over the last few years as there was a huge gap in the market. Masterbox and Miniart obviously picked up on the comments about DML's "pointing Germans" as they consistently release interestingly posed figures but straightforward subjects ie German infantry, US infantry.
Tamiya can really surprise us sometimes like with their Char B which got rave reviews and was completely out of the blue. There wasn't another one available. It would be nice if they could perhaps put out two vehicles a year that no-one else has done. There are hundreds of WW2 vehicles missing that they could do. They could even go down the lines of figures as when they do release sets these days they're not bad at all (apart from the tiny pinheads) and very useful. I've got 5 boxes of the "German MG team on manouver" for an infantry column. I can't think of another box of figures where I'd buy five of the same to multipose them. Same with their British infantry on patrol. They can do figures quite well when they bother. Sorry I've gone off on a tangent slightly but I think any release from Tamiya's a good thing as they are still a very relevant company who most of us cut our modelling teeth on even if they do release something someone has already done.

A better idea would be to do one of the "slick" M4A1E8. They have already tooled the parts specific for the large-hatched A1 for their M1 kit.

No, I was talking about combining the basic large hatch upper hull and engine parts of the M1 with everything else from the M4A3E8. No need for an new 75MM turret when the wet A1s used only the 76MM gun.

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No, I was talking about combining the basic large hatch upper hull and engine parts of the M1 with everything else from the M4A3E8. No need for an new 75MM turret when the wet A1s used only the 76MM gun.

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OK, but which M1 are you talking about? Do you mean the -A1?

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No, I was talking about combining the basic large hatch upper hull and engine parts of the M1 with everything else from the M4A3E8. No need for an new 75MM turret when the wet A1s used only the 76MM gun.

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OK, but which M1 are you talking about? Do you mean the -A1?

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The Israeli M4A1 76mm Sherman Tamiya did was released under the title M1 Super Sherman.

Dennis,

I grabbed an F-14 real fast,some of those video reviews were outstanding,can't wait to start it.Also going to pre order their new M-40

It's already been discussed. It's a direct swap of the two lower hulls and I think one fender support would be longer.

It would leave you with a proper M4A3 76mm VVSS too.

I would be up for a new 1/35 Tamiya SAS jeep as well

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No, I was talking about combining the basic large hatch upper hull and engine parts of the M1 with everything else from the M4A3E8. No need for an new 75MM turret when the wet A1s used only the 76MM gun.

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OK, but which M1 are you talking about? Do you mean the -A1?

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The Israeli M4A1 76mm Sherman Tamiya did was released under the title M1 Super Sherman.

So the Crusader is an Italeri rebox or?