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Review
Tamiya: German SPG Wespe
SgtRam
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#197
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 01:30 AM UTC


Tamiya has re-released their German Wespe with some new parts, and here Kevin Brant has a look in the box.

Read the Review

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
Biggles2
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 03:15 AM UTC
I've had the original release sitting in my stash for 15+ yrs. Some day I should get around to buying a PE set for it. The rubber-band tracks really have to go. And with the addition of some Dragon, or resin, figures, and AFV's 105mm ammo, it would make a nice little dio.
brekinapez
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 03:57 AM UTC
I would have actually bought another Tamiya kit IF they had retooled this. I am more than capable of providing the details they forgot on the fighting compartment interior (did it on the original) and finally got around to including in this rebox. This is an iconic vehicle and deserves to be produced with modern techniques and levels of detail.

Is this the Tamiya version of jumbling sprues together to make a new kit, a la Dragon?
Biggles2
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 04:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I am more than capable of providing the details they forgot on the fighting compartment interior (did it on the original) and finally got around to including in this rebox.


Review doesn't state any revision of major parts - just a couple of new sprues for L&L tracks, and some ammo. Same old same old!
brekinapez
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 06:02 AM UTC
Some of the pics shown of the "new" a while ago showed new pieces going on the interior sides of the compartment. You know, where those alignments marks are that made it clear SOMETHING was supposed to be there this whole time?

To me this whole release is an "Oops, we forgot some things" situation, just 20-odd years late.
SgtRam
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 06:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I am more than capable of providing the details they forgot on the fighting compartment interior (did it on the original) and finally got around to including in this rebox.


Review doesn't state any revision of major parts - just a couple of new sprues for L&L tracks, and some ammo. Same old same old!


That is true, nothing new on the original kit sprues, only new sprues are the figures and tracks. As stated, same old kit.
brekinapez
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 06:39 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I am more than capable of providing the details they forgot on the fighting compartment interior (did it on the original) and finally got around to including in this rebox.


Review doesn't state any revision of major parts - just a couple of new sprues for L&L tracks, and some ammo. Same old same old!


That is true, nothing new on the original kit sprues, only new sprues are the figures and tracks. As stated, same old kit.


Several of the missing interior parts are on the new sprues, such as the ammo boxes and MG34 that go on the right wall, as well as the junction box that sits to the left of the radio.
SgtRam
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#197
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 07:16 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Several of the missing interior parts are on the new sprues, such as the ammo boxes and MG34 that go on the right wall, as well as the junction box that sits to the left of the radio.


Are we talking the same kit? There is was no MG34 included in my review sample, and the ammo boxes where included in the original kit, as I have built the original. I even did an instruction comparison, and the kit is exact, except for the track step, all other steps are identical.
Kevlar06
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 07:41 AM UTC
I wonder-- would the new "link and length" tracks in this kit fit thier old Panzer II kit?
VR, Russ
reteip9
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 07:47 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Several of the missing interior parts are on the new sprues, such as the ammo boxes and MG34 that go on the right wall, as well as the junction box that sits to the left of the radio.


Are we talking the same kit? There is was no MG34 included in my review sample, and the ammo boxes where included in the original kit, as I have built the original. I even did an instruction comparison, and the kit is exact, except for the track step, all other steps are identical.


Kevin, image 30 of 35 clearly shows 2 Mg 34s on the sprues with the tracks (1 each) along with what appears to be junction boxes and Mg 34 ammo boxes.
brekinapez
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 08:02 AM UTC
I built the original kit as well, and it sits on a shelf maybe 8 feet from the back of my head. That kit came with one MG34 ammo tin that fit in the rack on the right-hand wall.

There was no MG34 (E6) on sprue E? The one with the link'n'length track sections? There are also supposed to be a pair of boxes (E10 x2) attached to the wall above the canister stowage and two more MG ammo tins (E7 x2) below those laying sideways atop the canisters, but they still forgot a fire extinguisher (the alignment mark is still on the wall). There should still be a piece (E12) that fits to the left of the radio, that was some sort of junction box since several wires from the radio routed though it. Plus another junction box (E13) next to the MP40.

Perhaps they made some changes between your promo and the final product?
Taeuss
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 10:10 AM UTC
Another nice kit from Tamiya but alas without the modern retooling that we all were expecting, and adding new tracks and a few figures does not a new kit make. Some extra touches like PE would have gone a long way to correcting a few things, and for Pete's sake, what, they couldn't include a fire extinguisher? Love the kit for nostalgia reasons but I expect more, especially in light of the new and outrageous prices that all new kits command!
SgtRam
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 11:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I built the original kit as well, and it sits on a shelf maybe 8 feet from the back of my head. That kit came with one MG34 ammo tin that fit in the rack on the right-hand wall.

There was no MG34 (E6) on sprue E? The one with the link'n'length track sections? There are also supposed to be a pair of boxes (E10 x2) attached to the wall above the canister stowage and two more MG ammo tins (E7 x2) below those laying sideways atop the canisters, but they still forgot a fire extinguisher (the alignment mark is still on the wall). There should still be a piece (E12) that fits to the left of the radio, that was some sort of junction box since several wires from the radio routed though it. Plus another junction box (E13) next to the MP40.

Perhaps they made some changes between your promo and the final product?


Sorry about that, don't know how I missed those on the sprue. But also for my build, I used photo-etched parts for a lot of the interior, thus the ammo containers are there. Sorry.
tatbaqui
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ARMORAMA
#040
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 11:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I wonder-- would the new "link and length" tracks in this kit fit thier old Panzer II kit?
VR, Russ


Yeah, that would be nice.
firstcircle
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Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 09:10 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I wonder-- would the new "link and length" tracks in this kit fit thier old Panzer II kit?
VR, Russ


Yeah, that would be nice.

The Wespe hull is a stretched version of the Pzkpfw II hull, therefore there should be more than the required overall length that might be adapted. However it had only three return rollers, so the track sags will be in the wrong places. Surely you wouldn't buy this kit in order to just use the tracks anyway?
Kevlar06
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Posted: Sunday, July 01, 2018 - 05:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I wonder-- would the new "link and length" tracks in this kit fit thier old Panzer II kit?
VR, Russ


Yeah, that would be nice.

The Wespe hull is a stretched version of the Pzkpfw II hull, therefore there should be more than the required overall length that might be adapted. However it had only three return rollers, so the track sags will be in the wrong places. Surely you wouldn't buy this kit in order to just use the tracks anyway?


No-- but my thought is if they've done this for the Wespe, maybe they'll do it for their Panzer II. They seem be improving many of thier existing products lately. It really doesn't matter to me that much, as I have a Dragon Panzer II in the stash with the full interior and magic tracks, but I might be tempted on some of Tamiya's earlier kits if thier tracks were improved.
VR, Russ
MrCompletely
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Posted: Sunday, July 01, 2018 - 06:02 PM UTC
Even though the improvements are only cosmetic, I'll be getting at least one anyway. For me, living in Japan, Tamiya is easily available and often much cheaper than any of the other companies (which are rapidly pricing themselves out of consideration for me, unless I win Loto soon). I was scratching the missing details for the one I bought back in Australia before I came here so I don't mind doing that again.
Hohenstaufen
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Posted: Sunday, July 01, 2018 - 10:20 PM UTC
Correct me if I'm wrong, but no one else at the moment does a Wespe? So this is the only game in town (no I don't include the horrid old Alan one). Dragon don't, I think, otherwise there would be one sitting in my stash! So, since it's such an important vehicle I'm a bit surprised by the reaction. I made this kit 20 years ago and at that time I thought it was a good kit, and I think it still stands up overall (I've succumbed and bought the new one). Yes, it does need some additions and a bit of tweaking, but nothing a competent modeller can't easily achieve. OK, fire extinguisher form the spares box, yes it's a pain that one isn't included, but that's not as bad as German staff cars with the swastikas blanked out on the flags - not an easy fix. The crew will fit any campaign, not just Italy, although I quite liked the original crew figures. This is a small vehicle, with four crew in it you aren't going to see much of the missing detail anyway! Many photos show locally made stowage boxes attached to the front armour, this would have been a worthwhile inclusion I think.
Bravo1102
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Posted: Monday, July 02, 2018 - 02:29 AM UTC
The Tamiya Panzer II ausf A/B/C French campaign and Panzer II ausf c Polish campaign both have link and length track. The ancient ausf F/G really is not worth having except for nostalgia.

But the track from the ausf A/B/C can be made to fit the ausf F/G as it's a standard Panzer II suspension not the stretched one of a Wespe.

Both of the early Panzer II are totally new and have no parts in common with the ancient F/G.
Iraqiwildman
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Posted: Monday, July 02, 2018 - 09:36 AM UTC
I built this a couple months ago for an IPMS review. The figures look very good and the extra interior details is fine. With the figures, most of the interior is filled up.





Biggles2
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Posted: Tuesday, July 03, 2018 - 02:40 AM UTC
The helmet swastika decals are questionable at this stage of the war (post '43), but very nice OOB build.
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