Firstly, this is a serious question. It's not a debate about the relative merits of 1:48th vs. 1:35th, nor is it a thread of those tedious Allied vs Axis models...

I have been noticing, in the last week or two, that more and more product lines are coming out for 1/48th scale Armor, and I feel that the News Section should begin to expand its coverage to cater for this development. Or not...

Is there a demand for more coverage for 1/48th products (kits, accessory sets and decals) or not?.

Now is your chance to participate...Thanks, Jim

More news is almost always a good thing. While I haven't made the plunge into 48th armor yet, I probably will before much longer, and I prefer to make informed choices when I can.

I think any new 1/48 scale (armor) product should received similar coverage to a comparable 1/35 or 1/72 scale product. Some 1/35 scale kits receive a lot of "buzz" (i.e. new DML 3 in 1 Tiger I), others get hardly a nod (AFV Club Tiger I). It all depends.

The new 1/48 product lines are in response to Tamiya restarting their 1/48 scale armor line with brand new kits. Aftermarket companies like Eduard and LionRoar are producing detail sets for the new kits. The appearance of AM sets does not necessarily mean the line will survive. Eduard did several 1/48 scale sets for the Frog/Fuman reissues of the old Bandai kits. Both disappeared rather quickly.

There has to be some viable market out there for the 1/48 scale armor. Tamiya's Kettenkraftrad that originally came with the Me-262 was pulling some bucks on the secondary market by aircraft builders who didn't need them.

I've just started my third Tamiya 1/48 scale armor kit, the Tiger I with LionRoar PE. So far it is a nice build.

Rob, this is how I feel about the subject as well. Which is why I raised it in a thread. There has been a 'virtual' explosion in the last few weeks, particularly in AM. It's simply we haven't been seeing much within the forums. As we don't see nearly enough 1/72nd either, though there are a number of 1/72nd modellers, perhaps this is another area which should be encouraged...Jim

As a whole, 1/72 scale armor builders are not a large group. They already had a well established online forum/home at Missing Links. Same for the review sites. There is On The Way and Small Scale AFV for kit reviews and product information. These two sites focus solely on 1/72 and/or 1/76 scale.

The population is too small (no pun intended) compared to 1/35 builders for us to reasonably be able to have our own chunk of the Braille Scale market. Anything we do here will be a day late compared to the info provided by the dedicated sites.

Much like my philosophy on sci-fi models, we need to have Braille scale information available here in case mainstream modelers want to try out a kit or two. We won't be the place that hard core Braille Scalers come to get the latest info, but we can be the outlet for the hard core 1/35 armor builder who decides to build a quick 1/72 scale kit.

Now replace all the 1/72 scale references with 1/48 scale and add Track48.com to the mix. Any hard core 48th scale builder already goes there for the most up to date info and the resident online experts. Any info we post as "new" here was most likely a rumor at Track48 last year, reviewed as test shots 6 months ago and a build review done 2 months ago.

We still need to have 48 scale info available for the 1/35 scale builder who decides to give 48th scale a try. What's "old" to the 48th scaler is probably new to a 35th scaler.

Thanks, that's an often forgotten point - we aren't a 'dedicated' 1/48th site like Track48, but we could provide a service to the 'dabblers' rather than the 'hardcore'...Food for thought there...Jim

I have a personal opinion of 1/48th scale and a professional opinion of 1/48th scale.

Personal opinion:

More than likely I will never build 1/48th scale armor because it does not have the detail that I like.

Professional Opinion:

I think the site should devote as much attention to 1/48th scale as it does to anything else. I visited with a few modelers at the Topeka, KS. contest this last weekend and they were building 1/48th scale because it isn't as big or expensive as 1/35th but they were not going to abandon 1/35th completely.

I think if a company is successful in 1/48th scale they may create some income to do additional 1/35th products (tamiya?). I would like to see Armorama become the "complete model source" for people in the hobby. It may require some help from others to keep on top of the 1/48th scale information (Jim you are one dang busy person as it is)but I think it would be great to see every scale get complete, comprehensive coverage.

Just my .02 cents!

25 years ago I was only building 48th scale. I liked the compatability of tanks and arcraft. I haven't returned to 48th scale. I still have 4 - 5 kits left that I occasionally build, I say the coverage we are presently doing on them is fine. As or if the market picks up and becomes a mainstream, then we need to examine setting up a special forum. Right now, 35th is still what's happening.

Since I build just about any subject and any scale, I think it would be a good tool to have simply for the information that, like Jim pointed out, is beginning to flood the market recently. I think it is great that 1/48 armor is making an attempted comeback, I say attempted, becuase it is still pretty new. I have a few of the old Bandai kits (Excellent IMHO) and would love to see somebody get the molds back on the streets. Bottom line, the more info available the better. "Q"

Jim, I think we should embrace all the new 1/48th stuff. I personally like to build larger dioramas and would love to have stuff available in 1/48th as it is in 1/35th. I could still build big and have room for my projects. I'm hoping to see a big expansion in the figure kits and diorama products as well. Cheers Kevin

a local shop has some 1/48 scale kits done by "Kitech" at $7 AUD each. I have been told these are old Bandai kits. Mainly modern armor including a bradley. One kit I have seen open shows the detail and molding is very good in my opinion.

Thank you all, for your considered responses. Better half-a-dozen coherent answers like these than 10 pages of gibberish ...

Starting tomorrow, I'll be beginning at the beginning and looking at what's available from the mainstream in kits, then taking a look at the AM stuff which is available.

It's got quite interesting (particularly the AM stuff) the sheer quantity which has come out in the last few weeks. Another aspect which is fascinating, is there REALLY so much to correct in the Tamiya kits?...Jim

I would like to see a little more coverage devoted to the 1/48 scale stuff. I don't have a lot of free time, not even enough to build all the models I have accumulated, but I enjoy a quick read on what's going on, what's out there, who's building what, and what's worth building. I found that Armorama gives me pretty much all I'm looking for in essentially one place, so I generally only check this site to get all my info (and frequently Hyperscale). When I do have a little more time on my hands, I like to browse the other sites a little (still need time to build!).
PS.. I'd also like it if there was a little more braille scale - it's fun and fast (usually) to build.

Cliff, be aware, those Kitech models have no connection with the superior old Bandai range. They are very poor motorized models with inaccurate "one-size-fits-all" chassis.

Back to the subject, as an avid 1/48 armour fan from way back, I'd welcome any source of additional info/reviews on new 1/48 releases. It could give a diferent perspective to those posted at PMMS, Track48 or the Yahoo Quarterscale armour group which are my primary info sources.





Not really corrections, more like enhancments, the same as you find with 1/35.

As long as they don't scale back on 1/35 they can make all the 1/48 kits they want. Personally I don't think I would build any. Took me 20+ years to accumulate a nice parts box and accessories. I'm not looking forward to starting another stash

Since all of my models are 35th, I am not really interested in 48th or 72nd in armor. By the same token, I am not interested in adding 35th to the aircraft scales. So, if it is covered a little bit is ok with me but, I really do not look at anything but 35th in armor.
capnjock

Although I haven't bought any of the new Tamyia 1/48 scale stuff yet, it's only a matter of time before I do. They just released a set of Jeep/Jerry cans and drums that look pretty good, and if and when they get around to a new Jeep, and 2/12, they'll probably get snapped right up by a lot of aircraft builders for their dioramas. Seems like a win-win situation for Tamyia, as long as they continue to do the quality of the frist few relases.
I'm hoping the rumors of Skybow starting up a 1/48 scale line are true, and it will included their scaled down soft-skins. As for details, if the aircraft guys can do their super-detailing on 1/48 scale aircraft, I'll bet a paycheck/disability check, they'll do a bang up job super detailing these 1/48 scale vehicles.

Not wanting to steal Jim's thunder but for those interested in 1:48 there are number of reviews of recent kits and accessories available here;

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/48/48reviews.htm

Cheers
Terry A

Curiously enough, part of the inspiration for this 'new' initiative, came from you Terry, i'll probably be linking you in quite a lot in the coming weeks!

Also there's no question of 'stealing' anyone's thunder, both Armorama and P.M.M.S. are in the same business, and our mutual cooperation has given us both a hand over the last year or so!..Jim

Personal feelings aside, IMHO I think as a news man you are obligated to report on the products of this resurrected scale.
In fact, the same respect should be shown to all news worthy items, regardless of genre, scale or medium...

I hope that makes sense... and I know that may sound hypocritical coming from me considering the disdain I hold for some manufacturers and their choice of product...

Rudi, to go back to the beginning, frankly only now has 1/48th been looking like a serious 'player'.. A few months ago, it looked as if it wasn't going to get the support from the AM people. Also going back to Rob's (Sabot) comments, we can't compete with the 'dedicated' sites in 1/48th or 1/72nd , however, only time will tell....The first 'totally' 1/48th story has now been posted, it can be seen:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/news/1031 ...Jim

im in favour of news coverage of the new 1/48 stuff.

i for one am interested by the scale as it gives the opportunity for multi vehicle dioramas far more compact than can be achieved with 1/35.

however i have yet to buy a 1/48 armour kit, although that will change when the universal carrier and shermans are released!

i think more accessories, figures and diorama products need to be produced before i start to switch!

regards

joe

I do not think the manufacturers are going to try to get modelers to switch from 1/35 to 1/48 scale. I think they brought these kits out as an alternative for younger builders. Think of these as new entry level kits.

We constantly complain about Tamiya reissuing old, out dated kits. But the minute someone wants a starter kit for a beginner, the first kits we recommend are kits like the ancient Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog or the PzKpfw II F/G. Both were OK kits 30 years ago but are now getting long in the tooth.

These are easy to assemble, relatively accurate in shape, with simplified detail and fairly inexpensive.

Now there is going to be a complete line of easy to assemble, accurate, modern tooled, well detailed and still fairly inexpensive models available to the beginner (excluding the absurd Canadian dollar prices for these kits).

Of course now the complaints are about being the wrong scale...

I think news is news whatever the scale. I read the news with interest on the 1/72 scale stuff even though I haven't yet built any (that may soon change). The 1/48 scale stuff is interesting and some coverage of it I think is fine.

Personally I am undecided on the scale I have alot of unbuilt 1/35th that I haven't mastered. The other thing I dislike is the metal chassis and if these kits are to be the entry level I hope that those parts are attached with screws because I don't think anything at the entry level should involve super glues. I know my kids wouldn't be allowed to build with it. Hell I still hate the stuff because I routinely glue my fingers together. But that's off topic sorry.

You guys run a great site and I am sure whatever coverage you give it will be welcome. As was pointed out there are dedicated sites for more information (thanks for mentioning that by the way I wasn't aware of any of those other scale sites but I will check them out).

Im relatively new back to scale modelling and so far Ive built kits in 5 diferent scales out of 7 kits lol.None of them have been 1/48 scale tho and the scale intrigues me.The only tank kits Ive built are 1/72 and1/76 but 1/48 isnt too big to be scarey for me to build. Anyway Im wandering off here, I reckon its about ime I settled on a scale I like , I have a massive collection of warhammer models and a correspondingly huge collection of bits to modify convert them.This is something I miss having for scale modelling .I realise that I need to concentrate on 1 scale to get this bit box of my dreams. The only question now is what scale do I choose. I have to say 1/48 scale is looking the most likely for me and I get to be one of the first kids on the block to build them cos everything is brand new just out gotta love me.figurewise Im gonna have to check out wargame figures to see the scale diferences but I reckon they should work fine.
All in all I think 1/48 could be my future in modelling so I would love to see reviews etc of new stuff here, as this is my main site now for modelling info .
Cheers
Rob
(ps I do tend to ramble on a bit please forgive me if there doesnt seem to be a point to any of the above)