Merit 1/16 Tanks

[Panther F]

The problem with the winter paint scheme is that it's no longer available as a single unit. You can only get it sold as a pair and of course, it's a Trumpeter IR tank.












~ Jeff

[Yoxford]

True, but Merit seems to be able to somehow acquire these Trumpeter/WSN tanks as gutted shells…might happen…interesting to see what’s next in 1/16 armor from Merit…Jim??????

[aferguson]

Jim, for a suggestion, you may want to try producing a T-34/76 version. You may find it even more popular than the /85 is.

[Jim@Merit]

Jim, for a suggestion, you may want to try producing a T-34/76 version. You may find it even more popular than the /85 is.

Thank you very much for your suggestion.

[exether_mega]

As Trumpeter have produced a 1:16 King Tiger kit fully detailed, is it possible to imagine the release of a builded empty version ?
Any idea about this Jim ?

phil

[Jnewboy]

Jim I have a suggestion for your company. Your company should strongly consider making a Sherman. There is no affordable classic Sherman made, the Mato version is the cheapest but it is a late war tank destroyer and much less desired than the classic Sherman like what FOV makes. Theirs is excellent but very high in price. I would look into attempting to copy the FOV Sherman and make it RC, bring it to market for $120 or less and your company would do very well and establish its self as a Mato or Hein Long rival.

[CanberraPaul]

Good suggestion John which I will second.

[DavidByrden]

Any comment(s) on the Tiger I and the T-34/85 will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I don't know if detail accuracy is important to you, but this Tiger has a number of features that are incorrect for the time when a Mid Tiger would be built; i.e. it has some parts that would only be found on earlier Tigers, and others that were not invented yet.

Also, in every photo that I've seen, the spare track links on the model are upside down.

If you are interested, follow this up with me by email.

David

[Yoxford]

Actually David, for a early mid production which this is, it is spot on except for the lack of Zimmerit (e.g. the bow shovel)...
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[DavidByrden]

Actually David, for a early mid production which this is, it is spot on

I beg to disagree. This is not an early mid production (July '43 to October). Those Mid Tigers had the Feifel system, the rear toolbox, the old flat-surfaced tracks, a small pistol port on the turret, S-mine launchers, and the headlight was on the hull top by the driver.

No plastic kit manufacturer, to my knowledge, has ever released an early Mid Production Tiger.

This model lacks all of those items. It is therefore a late mid production (October '43 to February '44).

In fact, because it lacks the travel lock and the Feifels and toolbox, it could only date from a brief window of time in October 1943.

But even then it's not completely correct. It erroneously carries some items from earlier or later dates;


-The cable on the hull side has the Early layout.
-The jack is the Late kind.
-The escape hatch is the Early kind.
-Welded mounts for Feifels are missing.
-The engine hatch support legs are missing.


David

[Yoxford]

David, good catch on the jack, but as for the rest, the Merit version does fit some early pictures I have. You should pick up Tigers in combat 1 & 2 and also the books by Thomas J Jentz "Tigers at the front" and most helpful, "Germany's Tiger Tanks D.W. to Tiger I: Design, Production & Modifications" There are examples of when the Feifel system was gone, BUT had the old style mounted track cable, and some with and some without the rear travel lock. some were missing the rear tool box and some still had the mount blocks for it...first in last out or last in first out...but they all had Zimmerit. No turret ring yet so they still had the old escape hatch...Just For the record there is NO rear air intake under the turret bin on the Merit...be it a slotted intake or Feifel mount, or the "Y" intake for the Feifel system...so on that part you are on your own scratch building skills

[DavidByrden]

Yoxford;

Thanks for replying. I have all of the books that you mentioned, so feel free to refer me to specific photos.

There are examples of when the Feifel system was gone, BUT had the old style mounted track cable

I expect that in those vehicles the Feifel system is not gone; it is simply dismounted. The Y-duct should still be on the engine deck. Can you suggest a photo?

some with and some without the rear travel lock.

I expect that in the 'without' vehicles, the welded mounts for the Feifel system will be on the rear wall; but they are missing from the model.

some were missing the rear tool box and some still had the mount blocks for it...first in last out or last in first out.

The toolbox didn't have mount blocks. Perhaps you are seeing the Feifel blocks (above)?

Yes, there were production mixups that affected some features of the Tiger, but I don't think that I have ever seen a vehicle that matches this model's rear wall.

No turret ring yet so they still had the old escape hatch.

I was not talking about the hinge of the escape hatch; I was talking about the hatch itself.
In this model, as far as I can see, the left and right sides are bevelled. That's the shape of an Early Tiger hatch. But in Mid Tigers, the hatch was a simple flat disc (see above).


David

[Yoxford]

Hi David, you are correct Merit forgot the mounts for the Feifel as well as the Zimmerit, I had to add those myself...
sorry the pic is a bit blurry but you can kind of see where I cut the Zimmerit for the mounts. As for the escape hatch, Merit did use the beveled one with three bolts, as the lower hinge had not been sawn off yet. I will post page numbers when I get a chance to pull the books out.

[DavidByrden]

Another point about Merit's photos of a built-up model, is that the turret tracks are upside down.
Can you clarify whether this is how they are delivered, or can you attach them correctly?
I notice the links are not fixed to your model yet.

David

[Yoxford]

Hi David,
Yes I can confirm that the track links are molded upside down. The links do not seperate from the holders. I have been reworking them and that is why they are not mounted yet on my rebuild. Should have them done soon and will post pics. Still for the money the Merit is a great subject and can be fixed with a bit of work.
Merit/Trumpeter/whoever, did get the Asymetrical turret right, which is a sore point missing on many Tiger 1 models.
I put the guess date line on the Merit version between
June 1943 & October 1943 with aprox. 320 Tiger 1's produced during that time
(new turret.. minus the goofed upsidedown links, and missing Fifel intake over the engine hatch) The beveled escape hatch may have showed up on a few of the new turrets but not many...anyway the zimmerit covers it up.
Did you pick one up yet David? It is a great canvas to build on.

[DavidByrden]

Yoxford;

Thank you for checking.

I put the guess date line on the Merit version between June 1943 & October 1943

Alas, that model really can't represent a Tiger built before October. It would have its headlight on the hull roof; the S-mine system, or at least the welded base parts; and a pistol port on the turret.

David

[Yoxford]

True. The one I am building, with some warts and all, was theoretically kicked out the door between October and mid November 43.

[smittyrob64]

Hey David,

The information in your website on the tiger has helped me quite a bit with my Tamiya and 2 HL tigers.

[DavidByrden]

Thanks, Rob.

Most of the questions that I get now, are like this conversation; concerned with the configuration of Tigers for a specific date.
So I'm thinking that I should put up some kind of timeline for reference. What do you think?

David

[Yoxford]

That would be great David...your web site has been a great help over the years...would be nice to be able to check time line build modifications without having to dig through a pile of books.

[smittyrob64]

Sounds like a great idea. There used to be a website that described the changes by a month to month basis.

[MG-42]

* I just got the T-34/85 in yesterday @ a sweet deal for $71.50 shipped , and I must say , "I'm quite satisfied w/ it".

... As far as a scale difference , there isn't much you can detect. It seems to fit right in w/ my 1:18 stuff because for one thing , it's not such a huge tank to begin w/ like the 1:16 King Tiger is. Fits right in w/ my 21st.C Tiger I 's & Panthers especially though.


->>>----> Jim@Merit ... we need a 2nd. series (winter version) T-34/85 or preferably , a 76 designation , next time around.



- MG

[MG-42]

* Just found & picked me up that (winter white R/C camo edition) of the WSN T-34/85 .



- MG

[dragon53]

How much did you pay for your Merit T-34/85?

[pickelhaube]

How much did you pay for your Merit T-34/85?

That is a 3 year old post .

Unfortunately Mitch has passed away .