Small Scale Military Headquarters

For anyone that is interested .... the topic was discussed a while back on the forum regarding the Tamiya Masterworks Collection (a line of 1/35th scale pre-finished models). The collection is quite impressive with detail and weathering seen on models made/finished by professional/experienced modelers. What seemed to concern many collectors was the price - not cheap (some of the pricing has declined on the 1/35th scale line over the past few months, but still an investment).

In the past few weeks, Tamiya has announced, and started to make available, a 1/48th scale line of pre-finished models - and what should be noted is that the price is significantly more reasonable to the collector. I have begun collecting the 1/48th scale models - I received the 1/48th scale Tiger a few days back, and the detail and quality are quite nice. What the collector may find even more appealing is that the price is near (and may even be a lil' less than) the price that Dragon CyberHobby Exclusives are being made available for.

With the Tiger (No. 213, with a paint scheme similar to the Carius Tiger), the weathering is well done, the tracks lay upon the wheels as heavy/metal track would, the tools and mounted repair/recovery equipment is detailed, and the model is attached to (but can be removed from) a display base with a description of the vehicle).

Scheduled releases include the StuG III (with a short-barrelled 75mm gun, similar to the vehicle commanded by Wittmann during the Greece/Balkan Campaign, a Hetzer self-propelled gun/tank-hunter, and a Sherman.

If anyone needs any additional information, please let me know - seemed a number of people were interested in the Masterworks products, but the price (admittedly) deterred many from purchasing the items. The 1/48th scale offering certainly helps.

And, the more I look at the Stug III (panzer-grey)
with the short-barrelled 75mm that is scheduled to be released, and how
the tracks appear to 'hang' over the upper guide wheels, that should
be quite an impressive replica.

Any links?

Sorry about that - should have known better.

StuGIII Ausf. B
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.p ... t-id=26503

Hetzer TD Mid-Production
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.p ... t-id=26504

M4 Sherman - 66th Armored Regiment
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.p ... t-id=26506

M4 Sherman - Early Production
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.p ... t-id=26502

German Tiger I (Early Production) - Turret No. 33
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.p ... t-id=26505

For some reason, the Tamiya link to the panzer-yellow Tiger I is not available. I have another link though ....
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/26 ... /index.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see the tan Tiger I
(item no. 26501).

Hope that this helps.

I know that the 1/35th scale items are on the pricier side, but I wanted to include the link to the 'soon to be released' Jagdpanther. Have to admit, the Jagdpanther is an impressive looking replica.

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.p ... t-id=21038

Nice, but I wish they had more weathering and not that "just out of the factory" look.

I've heard that they will soon start a 1/72 diecast range of prepainted and prebuilt tanks like the Dragon Armor range.

Thanks!

The pictures can be somewhat deceiving - the replicas/models are weathered. Maybe not extensively - but, I have
each of the 1/35th and the Tiger 1/48th, and subtle weathering has been applied.

Any recommendations on a vendor for the 1/48?

I sent you a PM 'Hoverbug'.

smh_1021 thanks for the writeup and links. These are very nice looking models and I like the 1/48 - 1/50 scale. I also like that they have some metal content and weathering .

Mike

Man 1/48. My Lionel train set is gona love this. I cant wait. Gona have one troop train full of shermans. Then Im gona have a train heading to Aberdene proving grounds full of captured german tanks. This will be so cool.

I agree that the Tamiya Masterwork Collection is a great line. Yes, the price is steep but WWII German Camo patterns can be tricky when airbrushing. This way the hardest part is done for you. I like the "little weathering" effect that Tamiya applys. This way a person can customize their particular model to their liking. I hope Dragon follows suit and adds 1/35 armor to the CanDo line. How about some more "Finished Figures" from Tamiya. Any other 1/35 model builders/ collectors out there????

Those are nice looking armor pieces!! You can't go wrong with Tamiya. I have a lot of their 1/35 armor models that I built many years ago when they were affordable.

I used to build the 1/48 Bandai series of armour. They were nice but these new Tamiyas look fantastic.

i built the bandais too.....when i was a small fry. I really used to like them. They always had little b/w diorama pictures in with the instructions, detailed interiors. They were a lot of fun.