Merit 1/16 Tanks

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Jim@Merit
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Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Jim@Merit » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:13 pm

We are starting this thread because we would like to have more direct feed back on our 1/16 line of tanks. Any comment(s) on the Tiger I and the T-34/85 will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

1/16 scale T34/85

http://www.merit-intl.com/month/mil-86002.htm

1/16 scale Tiger I

http://www.merit-intl.com/month/mil-86001.htm

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by CW4USARMY » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:20 pm

Appreciate your asking for our opinion Jim. I dont (or didnt) collect 1/16 tanks but decided to buy your T34 because I didnt have one in 1:18. The e-tailer accidentally sent me the Tiger instead. After seeing how great it looked, and the much better packaging than the old 1:18 tanks, i decided to keep it and have them send me a T-34 too! The paint application looks great. Only things I would like to see are maybe opening hatches and maybe a few figs (sold seperatly is OK) to go along with them.

Thanks again for taking the time to ask our opinion! :D

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Jesse James » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:14 pm

I'm cool with the 1/16 tanks, I would just say that in the 1/16 market you're competing more directly with things like Heng Long... That's the real comparison though as I see it, and Merit's finished looks are great but if prices are vastly different it can make a decision much easier to go with the cheaper model and work on it yourself.

I'd echo the sentiment that figures (The "1:18" figures work great with 1:16 tanks so I'd be fine with a continuation of them) are important. In particular, action figures... not statues. I prefer action figures in general since I'm a toy collector and like to vary my displays over time.

Also I'd echo the thought on opening hatches, etc. Those details are nice. If you're charging a true premium compared to the RC tanks out there in 1:16 scale though I really think you have to think about full interiors and whatnot, accessible via a removable turret. Again it's that competition with the RC realm that's already established and pretty heavily customizable.

I don't own a Merit tank (yet), but that T-34's very tempting. I may have to look into that one.
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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by paulpratt » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:18 pm

Is this a move way from 1:18? With ample 1:16 RC product I'm wondering where this product fits in? I'm just shrugging at the entire prospect. I think a lot of us have piles of 1:18 stuff that we could really add to, especially a product like the T-34, but with it being out of scale, it doesn't really draw up any interest for me, personally.

Will there be more 1:16 scale product? Is this a competing scale with static 1:18 now? Figures?
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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Panther F » Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:16 am

I'd like to see a variety in the finishes you can choose from. I always liked the winter white T34 but you can hardly find it now.

Sure I could paint one, but probably not as nice as the factory finish.

Just a thought. I'd buy a white T34 now if it was available. :mrgreen: Maybe the same for the Tiger.













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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:39 am

Jim thank you for taking the time to ask for feedback…it has been a long time since we have seen sincere interest from a manufacturer as to what the Small Scale Military members think.

I purchased both the T34/85 and the Tiger and feel they are both great bargains for the money. For the Tiger I, compared to the Forces of Valor 1/16 Extreme Metal series, it holds its own with surface detail. Though it should have Zimmerite, I understand using existing molds (WSN/Trumpeter) keeps the price within reach. So I can add my own Zimmerite and any details…which is why I prefer 1/16 scale…the availability of add on is enormous. For the T34/85, the only things I needed to do was add an antenna mast, more weathering…and change the “sewing thread” tow cable…that could have been a thicker braided wire and is my only complaint with the T34 out of the box.

Please keep producing more 1/16 armor (maybe a Trumpeter Tiger II or what Henglong offers in the RC world) as well as repaints of the current two like a winter scheme as Panther F stated above .

Here is the upgraded T/34 tow cable and the Tiger 1 with Zimmerite started, command coupla in saw off mode, and metal opening hatch in standby....
Image

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Last edited by Yoxford on Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:08 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by smittyrob64 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 11:05 am

They look pretty good, They look like former WSN/Trumpeter Rc tanks with the RC parts removed. There were people here asking why Heng Long or other brands don't make static versions of their RC tanks. Here they are.

Do they have working suspension, or are the swingarms glued into position?

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by 1958Zelda » Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:44 pm

I have two merit 1/16 Tiger 1's,they are Great display tanks,have working suspension,are far superior to heng long 1/16 r/c and 1/18 ultimate soldier,do wish the hatches opened and it had zimmerit applied,I plan on buying the T-34/85,if you want a great mid production Tiger 1 in 1/16 scale this is it.
Image
Image
the figure in middle is 1/16,others are 1/18

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Panther F » Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:29 pm

1958Zelda wrote:do wish the hatches opened and it had zimmerit applied
Don't know how far you want to go but there is zimm available http://www.artistichobbies.com/proddeta ... od=ATA1603 for Tiger I tanks. It says it's for the Tamiya tank so there may be some adjustments to be made but far better than having to do the whole tank.













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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:04 pm

Also Jim great research on the Tiger 1 livery...spot on!
Image

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by ram04 » Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:45 pm

Just wondering does anyone have a heng Long tiger and a Merit Tiger that they could put next to each other?, I keep looking at the Heng Long I have and the pictures of the Merit Tiger and can see only a few small differences, mostly the cupola, machine gun mount and intake plumbing on the rear deck.

I always thought that these were all built off one tooling and sold by different names, of course I'm usually wrong :lol:

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:51 am

Merit used the WSN/Trumpeter mold for the Tiger 1...very different from the Henglong mold
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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Tinman » Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:00 pm

I've been tempted to get the T34 since there's not one available in 1/18. So far I have not, partly due to the scale difference but mostly due to lack of opening hatches.

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by pickelhaube » Sun Jan 29, 2012 4:47 pm

Tinman wrote:I've been tempted to get the T34 since there's not one available in 1/18. So far I have not, partly due to the scale difference but mostly due to lack of opening hatches.

Oh yes it is .

And the hatches open as well. :wink:

T-34/76

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =1&t=21766

I also made the T-34/85

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =1&t=23946
Kirk Douglas : Mine hit the ground first
John Wayne : Mine was taller



Image

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Tinman » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:54 pm

Then I stand corrected on that count, Pickel!

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by EnemyAce » Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:28 pm

pickelhaube wrote:
Tinman wrote:I've been tempted to get the T34 since there's not one available in 1/18. So far I have not, partly due to the scale difference but mostly due to lack of opening hatches.

Oh yes it is .

And the hatches open as well. :wink:

T-34/76

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =1&t=21766

I also made the T-34/85

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =1&t=23946
Is it still available?

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:59 am

better now...hatch opens... just a little work and a new metal coupla...
now Fritz can see the field of battle
Image

No need for the T34/85 to have opening hatches as Ivan went to war all buttoned up…only opened when abandoned or burning.

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The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:39 pm

Jim, any possibility of a future release 1/16 Panther or jagdpanther?
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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by MG-42 » Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:54 pm

* Would like to see a winter white/washed T-34 and different models to choose from. An RSO/1 would be awesome.



* Edit : ->>>-----> Good Point ! ! !
Yoxford wrote:No need for the T34/85 to have opening hatches as Ivan went to war all buttoned up…only opened when abandoned or burning.
...... Had Yoxford not pointed this out , I was apprehensive in buying one. I've just changed my mind. Thanks Yoxford. 8)



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* In memory of ram04 - 7/15/12 *

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:36 am

MG-42, you will be glad you picked the T34/85 up. Nice addition to any collection.
Image
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by pickelhaube » Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:31 am

Oh yes it is .

And the hatches open as well. :wink:

T-34/76

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =1&t=21766

I also made the T-34/85

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =1&t=23946[/quote]

Is it still available?[/quote]


I make them as needed.
Kirk Douglas : Mine hit the ground first
John Wayne : Mine was taller



Image

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Panther F » Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:41 am

MG-42 wrote:...... Had Yoxford not pointed this out , I was apprehensive in buying one. I've just changed my mind. Thanks Yoxford. 8)



- MG

Good gawd!!! :cry: I'd rather have a T34 with inoperative hatches than go without one. :mrgreen:

Back in the day when the WSN was plentiful I bought a few and put Tamiya RC gear in mine. :D












~ Jeff

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by MG-42 » Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:08 pm

* Here's some pics of the WSN winter white one :

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

- MG
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* In memory of ram04 - 7/15/12 *

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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by flyboy_fx » Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:32 pm

We need it in 1/18 scale!
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Re: Merit 1/16 Tanks

Post by Yoxford » Wed Feb 08, 2012 2:30 pm

MG42...I had forgot about that WSN winter scheme...looks very nice...hope Merit does that version in a S2...back to working on the Merit Tiger 1...will post pics in the customs area when done. zimmerit is taking a bit of time (FYI Humbrol matt 93 is a perfect match for the base color)
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.

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