Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 08:48 PM UTC
Funnily enough, with the announcement from DML the other day, I was half-expecting a Marder II....
DRA6464 - Marder III Ausf.M Initial Production (Smart Kit)

This should (all things being logical) be the Cyber-Hobby model WITHOUT the addition of the stadt-gas cylinders.

The features of the new model are as follows:

Fighting Compartment:

- Injection armor plates in "Ultra Slim" thickness
- Roof of fighting compartment comes with/different bolt details
- Full interior detail for fighting compartment Shell racks finely made
- Option of showing ammunition rounds in rack
- Periscope made from clear parts
- Handrail accurated reproduced
- Detailed radio unit
- Weather tarp suuport with the fine detail reproduced


Gun:

- Workable breech
- Gun travel lock reproduced w/crisp detail
- New gun shield and recoil guards for PaK40 that traverses and elevates
- Gun shield is produced by 3-directional slide molds


Upper Hull:

- Delicate detailed lower mount for PaK 40/3
- Perforated storage box finely made from individual parts
- Upper hull rendered with delicate detail
- Engine deck cover can be assembled open/closed


Lower Hull, Suspension & Wheels:

- New mud flap represented by photo-etched parts
- Slide-molded one-piece chassis with delicate details
- The mud flap and rear panel can be assembled optional
- New external exhaust pipe w/photo-etched exhasut cover
- Engine compartment rear panel is sharply detailed
- Lower-hull frontal armor has crisp detail
- Engine exhibits delicate details thanks to separate parts
- Two optional types of sprocket
- Sprocket and idler wheels accurately tooled
- Road wheels and suspension with crisp detail


Others:

- Bonus perforated storage box made from photo-etched parts
- Two types of plastic ammunition shell cases, ammo
- bes and cases with decal marking
- Magic tracks w/casting-number details embossed on every link
- New Cartograf decal

Photos
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Comments

I think you'll find that's why it's called a "report" and not a review and being in the "/news" section of the site could be described as a clue, rather than it being in the "/reviews" section. I'd imagine an independent look and review of the kit will be forthcoming as soon as Dragon send out review kits to their usual sites etc. Happy Modelling Alan
MAY 29, 2008 - 10:36 AM
Isn't this exactly what Cyber-Hobby just released a few weeks back, minus the Stadgas? The line between Dragon and Cyber-Hobby just gets more and more blurred, especially with the Brumbar upcoming release too. Geeesh.
MAY 29, 2008 - 11:00 AM
Thank you for that nice little rant - just what I enjoy seeing first thing in the morning... It's a FULL report in the sense that there ISN'T any more information on it - what text there is, is what is available. Maybe I should invented a few more features to keep you happy? Tell me what features you'd like and i'll bear them in mind for the next news item... The images are ALL that's available, DML only provides CAD images of it's releases, they DON'T provide sprue shots or photos of the built-up model. Not a lot I can do about that i'm afraid. Yes, when a review is published here it WILL be independent - this is a guaranteed 'Sock-Puppet Free-Zone'
MAY 29, 2008 - 09:14 PM
Great news! Thanks for sharing! I'll have to get one :-) Dom
MAY 30, 2008 - 02:14 AM
DML doesn't provide Armorama with Review samples, so we'll be able to provide an independent look and review only if one of our users purchases the kit and supplies the necessary Review to go with it.
MAY 30, 2008 - 02:17 AM
Tamiya, Tristar,Cyber-hobby, and now DML (I know it and Cyber are the same company). It will be interesting to see which kit is the best.
MAY 30, 2008 - 02:56 AM
this is great i dont know about anyone else but i am loving all these options have i said what a great time to be a modeller.thanks jim
MAY 30, 2008 - 03:32 AM
Thank you for that nice little rant - just what I enjoy seeing first thing in the morning... It's a FULL report in the sense that there ISN'T any more information on it - what text there is, is what is available. Maybe I should invented a few more features to keep you happy? Tell me what features you'd like and i'll bear them in mind for the next news item... The images are ALL that's available, DML only provides CAD images of it's releases, they DON'T provide sprue shots or photos of the built-up model. Not a lot I can do about that i'm afraid. Yes, when a review is published here it WILL be independent - this is a guaranteed 'Sock-Puppet Free-Zone' [/quote] It never ceases to amaze me that people can be so ungrateful for something good that they enjoy for free. Jim, some of us out here, myself included, appreciate the job you guys do with the site. Keep up the good work.
MAY 30, 2008 - 04:21 AM
hey guys, looooong time reader, first time contribution. does anyone actually remember the days when you would get a kit from [unmentionable manufacturer] of such suspect dimensions and detail that it would make you throw your hands up in absolute exasperation. I actually spent around 15 years out of the hobby because - among other reasons - the dimensions of a kit i bought in the 80's was so out of whack (a panther out of japan, if anyone feels like commenting!!). these days, we worry about minor differences in suspension, minor alterations in model modifications, and we agonise about these variations in the small plastic kits we build. the fact is, i build models because i enjoy building models. i may not get every detail to the exact specifications of the Xcompany of Xdivision on the 22march 1943 (just consider the mud variations of that company on that day if they were in THAT particular position in the line), BUT I ENJOY BUILDING MY KITS, and what i produce gives me pleasure. my friends think i'm wierd, but they enjoy what i do because it makes me happy. what i'm trying to say is this. I have wanted to do a crisp, well detailed version of the marder III for about 20 years, and if this one doesn't have the overwhelmingly accurate detail that is necessary to please everyone, i don't particularly care. dragon kits totally rock (compared to the rubbish we used to work with), i am yet to have a bad casting, or been disappointed by them since i returned to modelling last year, and i look forward to this one with such a silly grin it makes me happy to be the manchild i am. these things build themselves "straight out of the box", love your hobby, it makes us sane (relatively) later, Matt ps. so far since my return to modelling, i have only built dragon kits. i love them, the detail is amazing, and i will continue to buy them. however, are there any other builders you guys would recommend? i crave fiddly bits and accurate kits (but don't lose sleep if they're not spot on)! every manufacturer talks themselves up, but which ones deliver the goods? help a madly eager novice, matt.
MAY 31, 2008 - 04:10 AM
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