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For discussions on tanks, artillery, jeeps, etc.
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New tamiya AFV announcements! Jan 2018
ericadeane
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 28, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 06:48 PM UTC
Over on track-link, Paul Owen shared some exciting announcements:

1/35:

35360 M3 Stuart, Late Production (based on catalog number, I assume this is new tooled)

35358 German Sd.Kfz. 124 Wespe Italian Front (I assume their excellent Wespe with some new sprues)

1/48:
32594 Churchill Mk VII Crocodile

*****By the way, please resist the urge to post "Why hasn't Tamiya produced X or Y" -- many of us are ecstatic with the prospect of a newly tooled M3 Light tank.
sgtreef
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Oklahoma, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 06:58 PM UTC
I built that original M3 way back still have it, looked good back in the day, tracks are wrong as end connectors are not right but sure looked good once painted. At least I think they were wrong, in that gray hard plastic.


Cheers

Jeff
jimc101
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United Kingdom
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 07:08 PM UTC
Much as that's great news, esp the M3A1, I do find Tamiya to be the worst models company out there, at the same time as probably being the best, The Wespe released back in 1996 had parts for future variats, yet it has taken 20+ years to get anything!

Things do seem to be changing, they have been using the Panzer IV tools pretty effectively, and suspect we will see a StuG IV by the end of this year, and maybe a M3A1 early?
Bricksy1969
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England - North West, United Kingdom
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 07:21 PM UTC
Looking forward to doing this...

Bravo1102
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New Jersey, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 07:23 PM UTC
Domo arigato Tamiya-san.

A new tool M3! The gods heard my prayers!
Tojo72
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North Carolina, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 08:01 PM UTC
I would be interested in the Stuart
rfbaer
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Texas, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 08:07 PM UTC
I would too: I could build it in a reasonable amount of time and enjoy the build as well.
Vodnik
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Warszawa, Poland
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 08:46 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Looking forward to doing this...


But that's M5, not M3.
ReluctantRenegade
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Wien, Austria
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 08:53 PM UTC

Quoted Text

35360 M3 Stuart, Late Production (based on catalog number, I assume this is new tooled)


This announcement should make quiet many AR members happy as the M3 Stuart is apparently one of the most wanted WW2 era kits.
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 09:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looking forward to doing this...


But that's M5, not M3.


You could do that very well with AFV and Bronco. It's not like good kits are not already out there.
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 09:58 PM UTC
I would be happy with a new Wespe; one not missing a bunch of parts from the crew fighting compartment. I mean, you can see the alignment marks on the side panels but there is nothing to go on them.

I was hoping someone else would do a new tool of such an important vehicle, but we know importance doesn't matter.

And isn't Takom doing a bunch of M3s?
Vodnik
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Warszawa, Poland
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 10:10 PM UTC

Quoted Text



And isn't Takom doing a bunch of M3s?

Takom make Mediums. This is Light.
27-1025
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North Carolina, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 10:11 PM UTC
A new tool Stuart will be awesome. Great news.
Bravo1102
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 10:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I would be happy with a new Wespe; one not missing a bunch of parts from the crew fighting compartment. I mean, you can see the alignment marks on the side panels but there is nothing to go on them.

I was hoping someone else would do a new tool of such an important vehicle, but we know importance doesn't matter.

And isn't Takom doing a bunch of M3s?


Takom is doing M3 Medium as in Lee/Grant, not M3 Light as in Stuart. And I'm happy and will.shut up about Stuarts.

And why Dragon never did a Wespe is beyond me.
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 10:34 PM UTC
Yeah, I wasn't sure about the Takom kits as I only build German and was too lazy to check Takom's site.
RLlockie
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 10:47 PM UTC
M3 or M3A1?

The latter would be very welcome after the hash Academy made of it.
GaryKato
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California, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 11:45 PM UTC
I don't think the Academy kits of the Stuart are that bad, but I'm not a rivet counter. Hopefully, they will update their M5A1 and M8 offerings. The AFV Club has a great M5A1 but Tamiya shouldn't roll over and ignore their older kits.

It's good that Tamiya updates their older kits with newer ones on general principles to keep from losing market share.


Grauwolf
#084
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 11:52 PM UTC
Well, I am happy about the 1/48 Churchill Mk VII Crocodile.
Cheers,
trickymissfit
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Posted: Friday, January 26, 2018 - 12:24 AM UTC
I bought the original Tamiya Stewarts (M3 & M5). They were not even close to being OK. Later I bought the samething from AFV, and honestly can't see Tamiya doing a better kit.

Have always liked their Wespe, and have been wanting another kit for quite awhile. This is good news as long as they don't go over the top with the price tag.
gary
ericadeane
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Posted: Friday, January 26, 2018 - 02:09 AM UTC
You're correct Gary: I don't see an improvement over the AFV Club M5A1 Light tanks (or their M3A3). That's why it was smart of Tamiya to go for an M3 Light since it's understood that both the earlier Tamiya M3 and the Academy M3 Honey are quite dated now. I would say I doubt that the Wespe is a re-tool -- it's 1990s version is quite good and the "Italian Front" thing may be some figs or an additional sprue of equipment/stowage and new decals.
Garrand
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 27, 2009
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Posted: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 03:40 AM UTC
There's plenty that Tamiya could improve over AFV Club M5A1 series. I built one several months ago, and found the AFV club more challenging to assemble. Not anything that a little modeling skill or experience can overcome. But that's not where Tamiya's market is. A Tamiya kit would have decent detail, but a lot more simple to assemble, especially where it came to fit. Did the market need another Jpz IV or Brummbar (I understand the latter is a variant that has not been kitted before, but its also not that different from other kits of that type either). That being said, I'm gearing up to crosskit the Tamiya M8 HMC with another AFV Club M5A1, so...

Damon.
MrCompletely
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Saitama-ken, Japan / 日本
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Posted: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 05:07 AM UTC
The Stuart is going to have to be a complete new kit (different model number : old is 35042, new is 35360) which is great news and hopefully means a new M 8 is in the pipeline. I'll be grabbing at least one for sure. As for the Wespe; again different number; though I suspect this will probably just have an updated/added sprue or two.
KurtLaughlin
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Posted: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 05:57 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The Stuart is going to have to be a complete new kit (different model number : old is 35042, new is 35360)


A 35xxx number merely indicates that it is a Tamiya mold, not a new Tamiya mold - an important distinction. They have released a number of their older kits with new parts in the 35xxx series, albeit with some descriptor like "Awaiting Orders" in the title. They didn't in this case, so it's very likely that this is a new Tamiya mold.


Quoted Text

. . . hopefully means a new M 8 is in the pipeline.


The M8 is based on a completely different hull than the M3, so there's no reason to think anything about an M8. Assuming that the M3 and M5/M8 were the same hull is what ruined their kits the last time.

KL

Bravo1102
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Posted: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 02:55 PM UTC

Quoted Text

M3 or M3A1?

The latter would be very welcome after the hash Academy made of it.

It says M3 Late. There are approximately three production variants of the straight M3: slab turret, horseshoe with cupola and the so-called "hybrid".

The Academy missed being an M3A1 but was okay as an M3 Hybrid.

Tamiya is saying "late" which is kind of ambiguous and could be anything depending on what is considered late. Im betting on a horseshoe turret like their previous but maybe a hybrid so they can do Russian markings like their Valentine and Matilda.

Here's a wild, way out there hypothesis. About three years ago Tamiya reissued their original M3. It sold quickly. And now a new one is announced. Some years before that they reissued their "classic" M10 and followed it up with an all new one. So are the reissues of ancient early 1970s kits an indicator of what they're planning to do as all new kits? (Centurion III)

Just food for thought.
KurtLaughlin
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Posted: Monday, January 29, 2018 - 04:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

It says M3 Late. There are approximately three production variants of the straight M3: slab turret, horseshoe with cupola and the so-called "hybrid".



The M3 Hybrid and M3A1 were only different on the inside, so I'm thinking it may be a welded hull with the curved rear plate. I'd have to do some figgerin' to see if that configuration could truly be an M3, but that's my guess as to what they are thinking.

KL
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