This is an excerpt of our live video streaming session on Twitch (my first!) showing off the new 1/16 Tamiya M1A2 Abrams. Apologies on the live format, but I am going to be attempting daily build sessions for this kit on Twitch weekdays at 12PM PST.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Disappointing level of detail, especially when compared to Tamiya's own Type 10, and even the 15+ year-old Leopard 2A6!

I understand Tamiya has built its reputation on designing models that are an easy build with sharp detail. That said, the detail is sharp, but VERY simplified for a 1/16th scale model. There should be many more parts for some of the assemblies and I just looked at a few of the photos. As far as breakdown goes, it looks like they just scaled up their 1/35th scale kit. I find it kind of sad they cut so many corners.

Regards,

Eric

Agree - plus they chose a very minor variant (A2 vs. A2 SEP [.v1 or v.2]), for both their 1/48 & 1/16 kits.

The Flyhawk 1/72 Abrams (A2 SEP) is better detailed than this! Beautifully buildable, too.

I wonder whether Tamiya will release crewmen for the Abrams in 1/16, like they did with the Type 10 & Leopard 2A6?

Any idea on pricing?

Average listing is like $640.

Joe

The problem with the 1/16th scale concept is manufacturers are looking at these kits as R/C vehicles or toys and not as models. When the 1/35th scale kits have more detail than 1/16th scale it is fail.

When the Flyhawk 1/72 scale kit has more details, it's a fail! The accuracy issues also annoy me - APU conduit that leads to nowhere, bustle rack lacking the APU exhaust, no EPLRS antenna mount....then the omissions. If Tamiya had based the configuration off their TUSK or OIF kits, it would've been so much better. Same for their 1/48 kit. Plus, it's competing with the Trumpeter kit (which has some issues), but is half the price.

I hope not, Trumpeter 1/16 M1A1 is about $200. I hope Tamiya does price themselves out.

Link to Trumpter M1A1 at HLJ:
https://hlj.com/product/TRP00926

I am sure this will be a magnificent build experience but in big 1/16 and given the 'block' style shapes of the vehicle itself, other than in the hands of a master modeller and/or effects artist, I just don't see how the end result will be anything other than toy-like?

That's not a criticism of Tamiya's kit design or engineering and for RC it will be great; however as a static model, this simply looks like an old 1970's 1/35 AFV kit scaled up to 1/16 in terms of external plastic details. It has none of the finesse of a modern 1/35 AFV model and I think this will only be more nakedly obvious once some paint starts to go down.

Gary

Very disappointing. For the cost, it is crazy expensive for a static kit. The details are very weak and in some cases incorrect.

I hate to say this...Can't help but wonder why does Tamiya's 1/16th scale M1A1 looks exactly like Henglong's Remote Controlled 1/16h scale M1A2? Minus a few things here and there, like the improved lower metal hull that Tamiya supplied or purchased from an aftermarket company that makes metal parts AND tracks for Henglong's M1 RC tank. Or how about the upper lower hull that looks just like Henglong's. Also.... the exact same decals. Here's a pic to show. And if need be I can point out other certain details that the research team "missed" but left on just like the Henglong version. Also, the Henglong version has been out for a considerable amount of time. I guess what I'm getting at is, if this is a "re-pop" of Henglong's please state it on the box or in the advertising and not as a "NEW" release. Otherwise this just a Henglong RC tank with a Tamiya touch. I'll say it again. Henglong's M1 has been out for at least 4 years. http://www.rc-panzer-shop.de/RC-battle-tank-M1A2-abrams-heng-long-24ghz

I don't have Heng Long's model, but from looking at photos of it it appears to be a scaled-up version of Tamiya's 1/35 OIF M1A2 MM35269. Heng Long copied the same errors Tamiya made on their model. To be fair to Tamiya they do seem to have fixed some of those errors on their own 1/16 kit. So while the Heng Long and Tamiya 1/16 models look to share a common ancestor, I don't think they're the same.

At that price, they don't deserve to sell any.