Iron Horses Two-Pack Question

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:00 pm

Are the vehicles in the Iron Horses two-packs the same quality as the single Cold Metal vehicles? Meaning do they have less detail, not as much diecast, etc. I've been thinking about getting the Hellcat/Tiger pack from an oline retailer but I'd like to know first.

hworth18 · Post by **hworth18** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:09 pm

I think they are the same vehicles, just without the figures of the original releases..

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:26 pm

I see. It seems that none of the single 32x tanks are coming with figures anymore either. Thanks.

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:04 pm

I think they are the same vehicles, just without the figures of the original releases..

That's my impression too.

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:23 pm

Great, thanks guys!

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:49 pm

eh the figures were crap anyways from 21st...as are FOV's figures.

blurx7 · Post by **blurx7** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:36 pm

As far as the Tiger and Hellcat, be advised these are the same as the original plastic vehicles. They are not Coldsteel. ( but still nice IMO)

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:09 pm

blurx7 wrote:As far as the Tiger and Hellcat, be advised these are the same as the original plastic vehicles. They are not Coldsteel. ( but still nice IMO)

Good to know. Is the 32x Chaffee a cold steel model or is it all plastic as well?

hworth18 · Post by **hworth18** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:57 pm

Rowsdower wrote:
blurx7 wrote:As far as the Tiger and Hellcat, be advised these are the same as the original plastic vehicles. They are not Coldsteel. ( but still nice IMO)
Good to know. Is the 32x Chaffee a cold steel model or is it all plastic as well?

"Cold Steel" was a trial deal 21st did.. They aren't making any more 1/32 vehicles in metal..

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:38 pm

eh the figures were crap anyways from 21st...as are FOV's figures.

True enough. The problem is, to get really nice 1/32 figures you pretty much have to go with ONTC, Britains, or K&C, all of which will put a serious hurting on your wallet.

The other option is to buy unpainted figures and finish them yourself, but this is a slow and tedious process at best, and one which I have neither the time or energy for at this point in my life.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:48 pm

21c is still making 32x vehicles in metal, but I think they may have dropped the "Cold Steel" name. In all honesty, I really haven't paid attention

I'm not sure about the newest Sherman Dozer or King Tiger, but the recent M7 Priest and German trucks have metal in the construction.

In all, the 32x vehicles that have "Cold Steel" variants are as follows:

M4 Sherman (non-dozer)
M-24 Chaffee
M-7 Priest
M-113 APC
Panzer III E
Panzer III L
Panzer IV D
Panzer IV H
Stug IV
Sturmpanzer IV Brumbar
Flakpanzer IV mobelwagen
Flakpanzer IV Wirblewind
Panther
Jagdpanther
Kingtiger
Jagdtiger
SDK 4 Halftrack
Maultier Truck
88mm Flak gun

I think this is comprehensive, but I'm not sure about the newest Sherman and Kingtiger.

Hope this gives some clarification

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:24 pm

hworth18 wrote:"Cold Steel" was a trial deal 21st did.. They aren't making any more 1/32 vehicles in metal..

Why did 21st give Cold Steel the axe?

Anyhow I like the pre-painted figures even if they do look a bit odd sometimes. I was big into modeling until a few years ago when I developed tremors in my hands that make fine work nearly impossible. I can still do weathering on my vehicles and such but painting figures, no way.

blurx7 · Post by **blurx7** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:25 pm

Interesting addition to this discussion..... I just picked up the kit version of the Priest. This has been offered so far in two paint versions, the second version bearing the name "Anamae". The second version has been out in preassenbled form but this was the first time I saw the kit. They had both first and second versions there in kit form so I weighed them in my hands, and the Annamae version was very much lighter. Upon opening, I discovered that this version is plastic.
What is interesting is this... the Tiger and the M-10 found in plastic form in the Iron Horses set were never issued as metal in any version, but always in plastic. This is the first time I have seen 21st issue an initial model in metal and then revert to plastic for later versions.
Oh, and the detail on the plastic "Anamae" is problematic. I only made a quick inspection but even this revealed that the protective bars covering the tanks headlights are twisted and malformed. Very shoddy compared to the metal version.

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:34 pm

Looking at the boxes on Small Joes, neither the dozer or new King Tiger are marked with Cold Steel. The little triangle on the top right of the boxes that said "1/32 scale Die Cast" now just says "1/32 scale." With these two new models I'd say we are seeing the end of Cold Steel.

My Priest is plastic and other than the crap headlight guards it's a great piece. Really as long as the model is high quality I suppose I don't mind whether it is metal or plastic.

ostketten · Post by **ostketten** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:57 pm

Really as long as the model is high quality I suppose I don't mind whether it is metal or plastic.

Yeah, I agree. I mean the only real difference is that the diecast (actually a hybrid of plastic/metal) tanks have some "heft" to them and sort of "feel" like a tank, but other than that I don't think it really makes that much difference. On most of the Cold Steel tanks I believe it was just the upper deck that was diecast and the balance of the model was plastic.

blurx7 · Post by **blurx7** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:38 pm

Well, now that I am home and have assembled the "Annamae", I have to say that, side by side, I much prefer my original "cold steel" Priest. Not only do I prefer the heft of the metal body, but also the overall appearance of the plastic job is... well... plastic. It may just be this kit version, but the appearance has that "waxy" feel to it like a lot of unpainted plastice models. This is supposed to be finished, and not in need of paint, but next to the original it really suffers.

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:26 pm

blurx7 wrote:but also the overall appearance of the plastic job is... well... plastic. It may just be this kit version, but the appearance has that "waxy" feel to it like a lot of unpainted plastice models. This is supposed to be finished, and not in need of paint, but next to the original it really suffers.

My plastic M10 Annamae is fully painted in flat olive drab. The detail painting is done pretty well also. Perhaps the kit version comes unpainted or is not up to the same quality? I got mine in the artillery support playset.

ostketten wrote:I mean the only real difference is that the diecast (actually a hybrid of plastic/metal) tanks have some "heft" to them and sort of "feel" like a tank, but other than that I don't think it really makes that much difference.

I was thinking, if you wanted that "heft" in a plastic model you could probably pop off the turret and stick in some weights like those used in model railroading to weigh down cars. If someone really wanted that heavy feel that might do the trick. Aso for me, I could care less. The thing is gonna spend 99.9% of the time displayed on a shelf.