Italeris Leopard 1 kit was good, same with their Pz IV F1/F2/G at the time when it was released.
Ruining ones own reputation is one thing, sticking to the previous track record is another. That is why I wrote that we should be grateful for the Black Label warning sticker
Maybe Dragon could go one step further and add black-yellow warning stripes to the corners of the boxes?

I have bought the Saladin and the MBT-70 since the issues with those were within reasonable limits but I'll probably stay away from the others since there are so many other interesting kits

/ Robin

I built most of Italeri's line when they were reboxed as Testor's when I was a kid and it wasn't until much later that I realized how bad they were. The best one at time was the Sherman M4A1. In fact I got 3 old Testors kits in my stash. The Sherman, PZ IV H and the M47. But Dragon has been all over the map, good then bad, bad then worse, a string of good kits then a few bad ones. All the while the prices go up.

Because Italeri was the best around in 1980. Unfortunately they're still designing kits as if it's the 1980s. The M47, Leopard, M4A1 were head and shoulders above everything out there in 1980. Filled sponsons, no motorization holes, the tiny details that Tamiya didn't feel were necessary for motorized hulks. Even correct shape... Compare their Pzkpfw IV F,G to the Tamiya Pzkpfw IV D. It's light years ahead. In fact it's one of my favorite builds. I fell in love with it in 1982 and the world has passed it by but it's still my favorite Pzkpfw IV kit.

But it's not 1982 anymore. The industry has matured and Italeri didn't.

Conversely, Revell Germany does armor kits you buy in the drug store. That's what they market for. Their main European market is People who buy models while out picking up their groceries. Updated a little from 1982 to the mid 1990s maybe even 2000, but nowhere near 2017. You walk into a craft store in the USA and you're not going to find Dragon. You'll find a Monogram M48A2. For the great majority of people that's just fine.

We're spoiled. We're an exception not the rule. More than 85% of the model building market is just fine with an Italeri or Revell kit. We're the exception that Dragon marketed to and then they raised the bar so high. Now they are doing the limbo "how low can you go" rather than jumping.

Sometimes you have to realize that the world isn't the problem. It's not wrong. You are. You have to look in the mirror and realize that you are the problem. Your thinking is skewed and riddled with unrealistic expectations. Sorry, I'm getting philosophical. Too many years of therapy.

Well said (or rather written) Stephen

/ Robin