Trumpeter/Hobby Boss shows a sneak preview on Facebook of the new catalog. Among the announcemants is the M1120 HEMTT LHS with 20´ Container and CHU. More pleasant, they work on a SLT 50-2 Tanktransporter a.k.a. Elefant.

There is a sh*tload of other news as well
Things we could only dream about a few years ago.
The first Trumpeter kits I saw were more like toys, real crap, and now they are bringing us these incredible kits ...
/ Robin

Robin would you care to include a link to that announcement? I'm sure Gino and myself would love to see that, as would others.

Many moons ago Trumpeter made a teaser announcement that showed the M1120 w/CHU and container. Then to everyone's disappointment the kit was released WITHOUT the CHU.

If they are releasing it now they really should offer it as an AM accessory set so that all us poor suckers who bought the first $100+ kit can retro this onto their existing vehicles.

(As you no doubt know, adding the CHU by itself is not enough as there are also folding rear end loading guides that need to be added to the vehicle itself.)

Here is the original Trumpeter teaser image.

The "CONTAINER HANDLING UNIT" (CHU).

Part of the rear end loading guide arrangement that must be added to any vehicle before it can make use of the CHU.

https://www.facebook.com/TrumpeterModel/

Facebook ................sigh ................

Anyway: Second post down is a sneak preview of the new issue of the Trumpeter catalogue, photographed sideways with the pages not quite opened, the focus depth set to five inches behind the catalogue and the camera lens "cleaned" by the left index finger of someone who had eaten dumplings with fish sauce just before and not washed his/her hands afterwards ...
OK, maybe I am exaggerating but not by very much ...

/ Robin

Got it, that's more like it. - Now you're talking!

Interesting that the photo/drawing is of the entire vehicle but the title mentions only the CHU. This COULD possibly indicate this is be just such an After Market kit!

Also interesting that two pages later they do an over-sized listing of the original M1120 LHS as originally introduced. A further indication the CHU may be after market.

As a side note: I am somewhat saddened to see that Trumpeter plans to offer that big Russian fire truck based on the MAZ 8x8 chassis. Michael, I told you, you should have finished your scratch conversion sooner!

Mike,
It's not that you did your conversion work too slowly,
it's the Chinese being so dang fast .....

I wonder how long it will take them to put all the new announcements to the LHS shelves? And still no sign of M1095 trailer and LTAS cab for FMTV.

Oh, I hate to admit it but that project has been languishing FOR YEARS!

I could'a beat the Chinese - I could'a been a contender!

Could be interesting, esp. if it is just the CHU. We shall see.

According Scalemates website it will be the SLT 50-3.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/1187244-trumpeter-01070-faun-slt-50-3-elefant

I could be wrong but I think that the original for the image used in the catalogue, and shown on the scalemates site in the link above, looks very much like this one:


View from the other end:

But the website owning these images says it is a 50-2 ...
https://www.sindorf.nl/trailers/kruppkssbohrer-slt-502/108/121/ even if the image links themselves have "50-3" in them. I can't tell the visual difference between a 50-2 and 50-3 either ....dang...
The image links also contain the string "MK11-2"

I REALLY hope that we will be getting the four-axle trailer
instead of a re-use of the trailer from the previous Franziska (not Elefant) kit. Reusing molds makes economic sense so I would understand if Trumpeter did it.

Making the four axle trailer would dramatically increase the visual differences between the old and the now kit. Such a differentiation might just possibly have a positive effect on sales but it is not me making the calls ......
The fact that the trailer is blurred out in the catalogue image is not a good sign but on the other hand there are plenty of images of SLT-50-3 towing the six-axle trailer.
Maybe they wanted to blur out the load only but there are other images ....



50-3 with the six-axle trailer

Oh well, time will tell ...
/ Robin

Found this:

"SLT-50-3 is an upgraded version of the SLT-50-2 that can haul more payload. Between 1993 and 2000 all German army SLT-50-2 tank transporters were upgraded to improved SLT-50-3 standard as a part of major maintenance cycle. It is powered by a more modern and more fuel efficient 22-liter Deutz MWM TBD 234 turbocharged diesel engine, developing 734 hp. It also has upgraded winches. The upgraded SLT-50-3 could coupe with the increased weight of the Leopard 2A4 and Leopard 2A5 tanks. Originally it was planned that the SLT-50-3 tank transporters will operate until 2015."

Different engine and upgraded winches. The four-axle trailer was also strengthened during overhauls.

Scalemates' now showing the M1120 with CHU

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/1187328-trumpeter-01064-hemtt-m1120-container-handling-unit

But, is it me or is this image actually a PLS (M1074) and not the M1120 ? As in 10X10 versus 8x8 ( Note !!! : See Edit below !!!)

So many HEMTT's out there, can't keep track of what is what anymore.

Oh, and Trumpy's also releasing the M1142 Firefighting variant.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/1187334-trumpeter-01067-m1142-hemtt-tfft

I also hope a new M978 (Fuel) and M984 (wrecker) are in the pipeline.

Great stuff for sure.


Edit :

2 minutes after this post, Scalemates changed the image. Only the front page listing on the Scalemates site shows the 10x10 PLS. If you click it, the item page shows the teaser image of the 8X8 M1120 again.

Hey Richard, quiet! Don't get Gino all excited, openly talking about a PLS that way.

That would be nice but I believe it is unfortunately still showing the 8x8 and not the 10x10. (The CHU and associated equipment WOULD work on either vehicle.)

Trumpeter/Hobbyboss have published better images of the new catalogue on their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/TrumpeterModel/
AND
the image of the SLT-50 shows the 52-ton trailer, the one with the larger off-road tyres. Kit nr 01070
Yee-Haa!
/ Robin

Darn Robin and here I thought I was going to see better photos of the HEMTT LHS and the CHU. For now Trumpeter is still showing just the same line drawing as before.

Apparently, about 18 mos.

The Trumpeter M1120 LHS w/CHU is now available. It is showing up for sale on eBay.

It has been in Seoul for about 2/3 the price. That's why I always take an extra aviator kit bag with me.

Great News (Finally)

Looking at the directions for this on the Hobby Search website, I noticed an interesting part. They show the external compressor unit for an A/C system in the cab being installed.



If you are to make it out of the box, this should be left off as these are (usually) only mounted on HEMTTs with armored cabs since the windows do not roll down. It is the black box on the left side fender behind the cab.


It is correctly left off the boxart image.


If you want to built one with the cab armor, Real Model and MK Models make PE sets for the CPK (Cab Protection Kit).



To complete the system, you need the internal A/C unit that mounts on the back wall of the cab.


You can get one designed by our own Michael Goldberg (MikeyBugs95) from Shapeways. Click here to order. Take a look at his store while you are there too. He has lots of other great sets.

I have tried in the past to encourage Mike to make the outside condenser to go along with the internal A/C unit though I admit it would be rather easy to scratch.

His interior A/C unit was, I believe. an early design intended to retro into Hummers but the Hummer had a much differently designed dual fan condenser.

Plenty of room in the newer A4 for built in A/C since the cab is longer and that huge center console/tunnel is no longer needed to cool the engine radiator.

I don't think the A4 has an A/C unit standard. The Army doesn't usually have A/C in a vehicle unless the windows don't roll down (armored cab) or it is needed for the electronics (M1A2 SEP). When it does have A/C, it is usually an add-on piece like we have seen on HMMWVs and HEMTTs as well. The issue is not space, but cost. It is cheaper to add the A/C unit when needed as opposed to design it into the vehicle.