Tamiya has announced a new model, the British SPG Archer.

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Thanks!

err.... wow.

retreat!!! err ... no advance I mean. Must buy for me! valentine 17pdr from Tamiya, happy!

Need this for my valentine variants collection!

I was semi-dreading having to go with the Bronco version, after the excellent but time consuming and fiddly Bishop.

So Tamiya isn't producing new stuff.Another interesting addition to their new kit line.

Looks interesting . I have the bronco version and it was not a very pleasant kit to build ! As a matter of fact I never finished it !! I hope this one is better , Tamiya usually is .

I have the Bronco one, with Fruils, PE etc..estimated completion time 90 days. Tamiya version 9 days!

hope that tamiya will release 17 pdr. anti gun in the future,so they can replace the ancient 6 pdr. Anti tank with out dated crews.

So now the modelling consensus is for simplified builds, and no PE? There seems to be more input against multi-part, multi-media kits than for them. If model manufacturers pay attention to these threads (which I doubt!) we could expect a lot more simplified kits (early '90's) with complicated prices. And then the griping would start all over again.

I think that is to black and white Biggles2. Tamiya kits are more easy to construct but overall I think it is likely that this kit will catch the shape of the valentine 17 pdr more accurately then the Bronco Version. Allthough very many parts in Bronco kits they usually seem to my eye always a slight fraction of a mm off here and half mm there and then it is allthough made of out of super many parts still not as accurate as Tamiya. Tamiya to my eye always seems to be so capable of that. Sure we will have a few solid grab handles etc. but if so inclined these can be replaced. I llove Bronco kits by the way. I do feel Bronco also moved a but into the tamiy adirection with the new A10 cruiser tank.

A must have. I was pricing the Broncos and even looking at the hideous Maquette mess.

And as for the driver, he's off having a cup of tea and any resin after market figure could be used.

Hmm, I might even replace one of my Miniart Valentines with the Tamiya one.

must have this....ugg

Bronco used the Miniart Valentine chassis withs its well documented accuracy isues to make their Archer IIRC.

Strange story about that. I have a selection of Miniart and Bronco Valentines. Bronco's kits are different molds but the parts were all from the same CAD diagrams. So the same mistaken shapes are in both but the sprues are different and some parts are subtly different.

the driver acted as a supernumery munitions handler when the Archer was in firing mode, because the Full-Sized(*) 17pdr's recoil would take his head off!

(*) SFAIK, the Archer was an interim design, used the Full-Sized towed 17pdr, untill it could be re-engineered, shorter barrel, re-engineered breech & recoil mecanism, & used a shorter cartridge.

Now where are my Bronco Archer, towed 17pdr & Airfix 17pdr....

If the driver was an extra ammo handler, where was he located? There's not much room in the other locations - it's such a cramped vehicle. Not to mention the commander. Was he located on the outside of the vehicle, as pictured by Tamiya? All in firing mode, of course.

This looks like a nice small kit to make an easy action Diorama.

I like how the figures are locked into action with the vehicle and thumbs up for Tamiya to take this into account.

Look forward to getting this. There are some Dragon commonweath figures which will work well with the Archer.

The driver ducked. Looking at a cross section of the vehicle if the driver crouched the recoil would go over his head and he could then pass up the rounds buried in the bottom of the vehicle. It carried 39 rounds if Ellis and Chamberlain are to be believed. Looking at the cross section they would have had to have been stacked along the bottom of the hull giving the driver the job of digging them out and passing them up.

Adding him in would result in a little toad of a figure buried inside somewhere. The things one must do for his country.

As an M60 tanker it reminds me of the contortions one made to pass up rounds from the hull storage racks up into the turret.

I've wanted to build an Archer and now I'll get a chance.

I'm not a big fan of Tamiya (and not Dragon anymore, either), but I do like them including a dedicated crew that is actually designed to fit into cramped quarters. Same with their M10 and SU 76. Quite nice figures, too. Tired of trying to make Franken-figures to fit, and ending up with a ridiculous mess!

Was wondering when someone would finally offer a kit of this odd duck. Thrilled that it was Tamiya, though I thought that Miniart would have done so first. The inclusion of the crew is a much-appreciated touch!

Egypt fielded it too, so it could be modeled as a middle east variant.

Really looking forward to this one. Wanted an Archer since I first found out that it existed.
And knowing Tamiya it will be an easy no fuss build.

It should be easier to build than the BRONCO version!

Any idea when it will be out ?