Happy 2018! The Year of the Panther, apparently...
http://mmzone.co.kr/mms_tool/mt_view.php?mms_db_name=mmz_media&mms_cat=[기획]&no=2734
Hosted by Darren Baker
Academy 1/35 Panther G
system
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 364 posts
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 04:18 PM UTC
Bravo1102
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 04:32 PM UTC
Well that decides me. For some reason I like Academy kits. Probably because everyone bashes them so much. 
barkingdigger
Associate Editor
#013
Joined: June 20, 2008
KitMaker: 3,981 posts
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 04:36 PM UTC
I'll wait for the experts to look it over, but from the CAD it appears to offer plastic (link & length?) tracks and wire tow cables - definite plusses in my book. And the tools appear to have clamps, so another upgrade task eliminated...
Bravo1102
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 04:40 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I'll wait for the experts to look it over, but from the CAD it appears to offer plastic (link & length?) tracks and wire tow cables - definite plusses in my book. And the tools appear to have clamps, so another upgrade task eliminated...
Just the Academy logo on the box dooms it in the eyes of most of the experts.
barkingdigger
Associate Editor#013
Joined: June 20, 2008
KitMaker: 3,981 posts
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 04:51 PM UTC
True - but that's mostly because their other kits started as copies of older Tamiya ones. This looks good based on my rather limited knowledge of Panther G so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.
Byrden
Joined: July 12, 2005
KitMaker: 2,233 posts
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 06:08 PM UTC
They definitely improved their Tiger 1 game.
David
David
system
Joined: November 24, 2008
KitMaker: 364 posts
Armorama: 363 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 06:09 PM UTC
Academy's older kits were largely based either on copies of Tamiya models or of resin kits. But for the last decade or so they've mostly put out new toolings, and their latest output like the M1A2 or K2 are absolutely excellent. I think a lot of Academy-bashing comes from modellers who haven't tried their latest kits.
Trumpeter and Zvezda are two companies who also suffer from the same thing.
Trumpeter and Zvezda are two companies who also suffer from the same thing.
Bravo1102
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 06:28 PM UTC
Almost all Asian companies started out making copies of other companies' kits. Tamiya's first T-34/85 was a copy of Revell's 1/40 abomination. Any number of Japanese companies did copies of Monogram armor in the 1960s. It's somehow fitting that Tamiya's early 1970s kits be copied by Academy when they were starting out.
And the blatant copies where only the scales were changed ran rampant once upon a time with the Chinese only the most recent culprits. Every Esci(though not an Asian company) 1/72 kit was a copy of a larger scale kit with all the errors and omissions (and even figures!) intact.
And the blatant copies where only the scales were changed ran rampant once upon a time with the Chinese only the most recent culprits. Every Esci(though not an Asian company) 1/72 kit was a copy of a larger scale kit with all the errors and omissions (and even figures!) intact.
Mongo13
Joined: December 02, 2012
KitMaker: 130 posts
Armorama: 57 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 08:39 PM UTC
Well this is good news for me. I mainly build late war what if's based on the Panther G late chassis. Can not find Tamiya's for a reasonable price so hopefully these will be priced fairly decent.
KruppCake
Joined: July 13, 2015
KitMaker: 401 posts
Armorama: 387 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 08:50 PM UTC
I wish there were more companies out there making more variants of the panther
davejr
Joined: October 30, 2005
KitMaker: 91 posts
Armorama: 80 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 11:04 PM UTC
Academy has stepped up their game in the past few years . Their t 34 85 , Hetzer and m114 kits are very much up to today’s standards and when you consider cost of their kits being reasonable compared to others is also a plus.
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 - 03:27 AM UTC
Their Hetzer is quite nice, and comes with paint stencils.
TopSmith
Joined: August 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,742 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 - 05:14 AM UTC
A quandary arises. I had planned on ordering Dragons Panther G. But... maybe I should wait. How does Academy's latest kits compare to Dragons in detail and quality?
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 - 01:37 PM UTC
Quoted Text
A quandary arises. I had planned on ordering Dragons Panther G. But... maybe I should wait. How does Academy's latest kits compare to Dragons in detail and quality?
I can't speak to the accuracy of the Academy kit as it isn't quite available yet. However the Dragon Late G with add-on armour is only $39.99 at Dragon USA. The roof and vent armour is PE and there are options for mufflers, etc. It does come with DS tracks though. But for $40 you'd be hard pressed to find a better kitty.
Bravo1102
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 - 01:46 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextA quandary arises. I had planned on ordering Dragons Panther G. But... maybe I should wait. How does Academy's latest kits compare to Dragons in detail and quality?
I can't speak to the accuracy of the Academy kit as it isn't quite available yet. However the Dragon Late G with add-on armour is only $39.99 at Dragon USA. The roof and vent armour is PE and there are options for mufflers, etc. It does come with DS tracks though. But for $40 you'd be hard pressed to find a better kitty.
I'd second. That Dragon Panther G late also has a lot of options in the box. A lot of the G production variations are in the box among the parts so it's a lot more than what it says it is.
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 01:18 AM UTC
How is Academy plastic these days. That is what I did not like on the few kits I built years ago.
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 05:03 AM UTC
Quoted Text
How is Academy plastic these days. That is what I did not like on the few kits I built years ago.
I have the Hetzer and it reminds me of Tamiya plastic. I like it.
hanb7323
Joined: October 06, 2014
KitMaker: 408 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 05:09 AM UTC
Does Academy has experience of developing 1/35 scale Panther kits? Or Any Panther experts are involving in this projects? Funny
hanb7323
Joined: October 06, 2014
KitMaker: 408 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 05:11 AM UTC
The Panther is very well known subject in the scale model.But not so easy subject to make model kit IMO.
hanb7323
Joined: October 06, 2014
KitMaker: 408 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 05:20 AM UTC
And they would mix main body of Tamiya Panther G late kit with the details of Dragon Panther G late kit. Then they probably follow the Tamiya Panther kit errors like recently released their Pz.iv h kit. Funny
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 06:50 AM UTC
Quoted Text
And they would mix main body of Tamiya Panther G late kit with the details of Dragon Panther G late kit. Then they probably follow the Tamiya Panther kit errors like recently released their Pz.iv h kit. Funny
It is well known Academy copied the Panzer IVH kit. That was a long time ago; and based on the poor 1975 Tamiya mold. There is no reason to believe Academy will copy Dragon or Tamiya with their Panther. Wouldn't they have done this with their Hetzer, which is totally different in parts breakdown and sprue layout if we used your logic? Why bash a kit before it's out, unless you have an agenda over there.
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 06:59 AM UTC
[quote]Does Academy has experience of developing 1/35 scale Panther kits? Or Any Panther experts are involving in this projects? Funny[/quote
Nor did Dragon. They sent people to museums and used well known publications but were far from expert, as evidenced by small errors in some of the Panther line ie: road wheel bolt pattern timelines, late and early features mixed in the "D" kits, and in the kits with indy tracks you only get right handed tracks., etc. Niggling details perhaps but errors nonetheless.
Nor did Dragon. They sent people to museums and used well known publications but were far from expert, as evidenced by small errors in some of the Panther line ie: road wheel bolt pattern timelines, late and early features mixed in the "D" kits, and in the kits with indy tracks you only get right handed tracks., etc. Niggling details perhaps but errors nonetheless.
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 07:33 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextHow is Academy plastic these days. That is what I did not like on the few kits I built years ago.
I have the Hetzer and it reminds me of Tamiya plastic. I like it.
Thanks. I might give this one a try if the price is right.
hanb7323
Joined: October 06, 2014
KitMaker: 408 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 07:51 AM UTC
http://mmzone.co.kr/mms_tool/mt_view.php?mms_db_name=mmz_media&mms_cat=[리뷰]&no=2373&keyword=&where=&mode=&start_page=0
Please look at the Academy new pz.iv kit. Its upper schurzen hanger arms length is almost same as the lower. Then the schurzen is errecting almost vertically to the ground. This is the same error of Tamiya pz.iv kit in 1970s and 1990s. Why academy does not correct this problem? This is not a small detail error but important design error IMO.
Please look at the Academy new pz.iv kit. Its upper schurzen hanger arms length is almost same as the lower. Then the schurzen is errecting almost vertically to the ground. This is the same error of Tamiya pz.iv kit in 1970s and 1990s. Why academy does not correct this problem? This is not a small detail error but important design error IMO.
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 02, 2018 - 09:42 AM UTC
The zimmerit decals actually look quite nice. I can see the kit appears to be a reworked H. The spare track is the same as the old panzer IV Tamiya clones except you can add teeth. It looks like they tried to thin down the schurzen arms a bit. The tracks look the same. The road wheels are a bit more to scale. The newer sprues with the multi-piece tub...an odd approach.If they are looking to get more than $35 for this "I'll have what they're smoking"...
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