1st Half 2005 Minichamps Info on Lightning's Site

[Mr. Football]

Got this from the Motor Pool homepage...

Through a little investigative reporting, we've learned that Minichamps will be announcing four new 1:35 scale military diecast vehicles for the first half of 2005. On the slate is a brand new rendition of their Panther tank, which took part in the Battle of Berlin during 1945. Also due out are a new Leopard 2A4 and "Germanized" M48 A2GA2 Patton tank as is a brand new tooling - a British Centurion Mark 3 medium tank.

Hey Lightning, do you have any idea of what the paint scheme will be for the upcoming Panther? I own a number of Minichamps pieces, and have always felt they did some of their best design work with the Panther, though I wasn't too jazzed with the Oder Front (red primer) version that came out most recently. The other two were superb! It'd be nice to see a winter version, as well as a dunkelgelb version.

Also, I'm very tempted to get one of those Leopard II's. I really liked the looks of the NATO camo. Any chance Minichamps might slap some add-on armor to the Leopard and make it an A5 or A6?

Lightning always has the best scoops.

[lightning2000]

Hi,
Minichamps will have a catalog for us at the upcoming Toy Fair in NYC. We'll scan in the photos and post them to our site if they're in the book. If prototypes are on display, we'll take some pix and do likewise.

Since the new list is somewhat short, we think there's a strong possibility they'll be announcing additional vehicles/ paint schemes as we move further into the year. For instance, I think there's a good probability they'll be repainting the following vehicles since they're already built:

1:18 Kubelwagen
1:35 King Tiger tank
1:35 M60 A1 tank (hopefully green without the reactive armor cells)
1:35 Abrams tank

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.bigstep.com

[Sgt. Stryker]

Hi lightning and Mr. Football,

Are the boogey/idler wheels and drive sprockets diecast steel or resin (hard plastic) on the Minichamps tanks? I can't tell, and I don't want to risk damaging my 1st Issue Leopard by trying to find out myself!

Styker

[Mr. Football]

They felt like hard resin to me. Though I'm not certain. Minchamps are roughly 80-90% diecast metal (I believe Zinc) with just detail parts in plastic or resin.

[lightning2000]

Hi Stryker,
I believe the bogey wheels are made of hard plastic. I dont think Minichamps uses any resin in their military builds, although I could be wrong.

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.bigstep.com