Frankly, I've lost faith in Dragon.

I think the entire point of this Black Label line was simply to get these kits out there to take up the market share and ensure no other company can put to market any of the subject at a similar price.

I really hope Trumpeter takes a hard look at these subjects and starts putting out these kits that Dragon screwed us on.

I think the decisions Dragon is making with the Black Label line is going to come around and bite them.

And personally I kind of hope so. For the prices we pay we should be getting at least a mostly-accurate, mostly-buildable kit.

We should all boycot Dragon

Perhaps. I think there are other indicators that the company is hurting, however.

Chris---I had a construction question. Do the grey turret pieces join each other or do the top and bottom pieces rest on the beige vinyl cover? Looks like a nightmare either way.

Best wishes,

Ian

I really think that if I trim the base plate that connects the turret to the turret ring, it won't be too difficult of a fix. As it is, the base plate is the same shape as the oblong turret. If this were round to match the turret ring (round), might come out all right. I just don't know yet if the overhang that is created by doing this will be at the correct dimensions.

No, I was not trying to be funny. While it may not look good out of the box, with some work and aftermarket parts, it might build into a some what decent model. Sometimes modeling is not just assembly the kit out of the box, it means do a little extra work. And while it may not end up 100% accurate, a lot of modelers would be ok with that.

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No, I was not trying to be funny. While it may not look good out of the box, with some work and aftermarket parts, it might build into a some what decent model. Sometimes modeling is not just assembly the kit out of the box, it means do a little extra work. And while it may not end up 100% accurate, a lot of modelers would be ok with that.

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Lipstick on a pig...

Just wait for Voyager to do a photo-etched set, and it will make the the world good again. Currently working on the Conqueror, Aber barrel, Voyager photo-etched, and Master Club tracks.

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No, I was not trying to be funny. While it may not look good out of the box, with some work and aftermarket parts, it might build into a some what decent model. Sometimes modeling is not just assembly the kit out of the box, it means do a little extra work. And while it may not end up 100% accurate, a lot of modelers would be ok with that.

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Lipstick on a pig...

Dragon set the bar so high with previous releases that they shot themselves in the foot. These kits appear to have been on tighter development budgets and schedules (judging from what Ron Volstad and a few others who have tried to help have said) So they skimped on things.

But looking back Dragon has always done real "dud" kits.
*The first issue Nashorn and Hummel and Panzer IV L/70 disasters.
> I know a guy who nearly gave up armor because of that
first issue Panzer IV L/70.
*Remember their first Pzkpfw IV ausf E?
*Or how many times it took them to get the M4A4/Sherman V hull right? Did they ever?
*The Sherman final drive shape issue?
*The T-34 "almost but not quite" variation? They'd always miss something no matter what.
>In fact that last one is endemic in all their kits. They'd always miss a few annoying differences because they kit so many variants with the same basic sprues, and then add so many other parts and sprues that they'd often put in details they'd delete in the next incarnation.

And now they seem to cutting resources on their armor kits to pursue other projects. Or even if all the other new Asian companies are stealing their best people and they're stuck with the C-team? Or budgets and timetables are so tight they do the best they can with limited resources and the consumer suffers. It's like that all over.

Anyone remember when Tamiya went R/C crazy and the kits slowed to a seep and were often lackluster half-hearted "one new sprue" variations? We've been here before.

But nowadays there are so many other companies around that Dragon has been left behind in the dust of competition. They can't do everything so they pick and choose the high priority projects. The new Stug III early variants seem to have been high priority. The T54E1 just wasn't.

And we should all be thankful that we don't have to labor through Alan kits or try to convert Tamiya's ancient Pzkpfw III and IV or M48 to all the variants we have thanks to Dragon.

Chris in step 10 it lists the turret "cradle" as part B4, but in step 13 it lists the turret cradle BOTTOM as part B4. Could you please show a photo of those two parts, especially the bottom part (the part that sits in the hull) showing them side by side, (from above) will give an idea of how much material can be removed to try and fix the shape issue.

That is what modeling is! Look at some of the very early kits and what modelers did to make them look decent. An AMPS convention I attend has a category for kits that are over 25 years old,(and you have to have the instructions to prove it and it has to be out of the box), and some of the work done is amazing. A good modeler can take almost any kit, regardless of the issues, and make it a model that most of us would be more then happy to display front and center on our shelves.

It is a fact of life that model companies are going to put out duds once in a while. Well instead of complaining, think of it as a challenge. Have fun, after all it is a hobby to enjoy your own way.

And from some of the threads on this site, some people enjoy the hobby by complaining about one company or another. Well if that is the way you like it, then fill you boots, but don't get upset when other people want to share their opinion as well.

Now back to the Dragon Black Label Conqueror, because as a modeler, I will conquer it. With some help from Aber, Voyager, Master Club, and some skill.