What’s the old joke? “I used to be indecisive, now, I’m not so sure”.
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Oh yes, I already had those thoughts long before I found Scalemates, leaf through one of the model magazines and see an ad and think to ones self Ooo I want that, Oh and that. Thankfully rarely followed that up with a purchase until now where I think I’m playing catchup with all I missed all those years ago.
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You’re on the “road to h-ll” mate,
… and accelerating …
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As an aside, I wonder if Daddy Dragon retired and Kiddie Dragons took over the business. I also wonder if the ‘release before anyone else’ strategy adopted by the people at Dragon, like, 25 years ago, ultimately hurt business. Maybe Daddy Dragon laughed his way to the bank. I would really enjoy reading an Inside Baseball book on Dragon Models Limited.
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I’d wait to see what MENG and Takom come up with. Remember all those moans from folks who shelled out north of $300 for discontinued DML Tiger kits, only for the Lizard to re-pop them at a more modest $50?..
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Hey lads! Long time no talk!
So, chose to revive this thread because, it seems Dragon is re-releasing their T28, and updating it with new parts:
From a cursory glance, seems they addressed all issues?
What do y’all think?
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Metal barrel and the tracks are not marketed as DS, the rest seems to be the same.
I would wait for reviews to confirm what the changes/upgrades actually are.
It is up to you to decide if the issue with track width and the resulting issues
with the sponsons are important.
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Always a dilemma… live with fundamental inaccuracy issues because “it’s the only kit of the subject,” or pass it up because you’ll never be satisfied with knowing that it’s really wrong. Only YOU can know what your personal standards for accuracy over aesthetics are. If you can be happy with the kit as is, then once you’ve read all the other opinions about this or that issue of accuracy, all that matters is that YOU can be happy with it.
I might submit that this is a question worth pondering. As the Bard said, “To thine own self, be true.” Know what’s really important in model building to YOU and then pursue the hobby to accomplish those things. I’d observe that unless you’re being paid to build models for other people, then trying to satisfy the opinions of others with regards to THEIR aesthetic, historical, or technical biases and preferences is generally very dissatisfying and discouraging. You will never be able to please everyone else.
So, sure, do your research. Ask questions. There’s nothing wrong with learning what other people think about the subject. Those other ideas can certainly inform and guide you as you develop your own skill, knowledge and ability as long as you’re taking from all that what YOU like. Because, in the end, you should build your models to suit yourself.
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Researchers from three different companies came to Ft. Benning to research that thing last year, including me. I’d wait.
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I hear you all, but, they specifically mention that they refined, reproduced, and redesigned several elements, namely the problematic tracks and running gear, no? Have I misunderstood?
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No clue what they redesigned, but personally I’d wait for somebody else to inspect and measure it before tossing my money at DML.
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That still can’t help fix the dimensional issues caused by using the wrong width track, among other things.
When I measure a thing I’m pretty thorough.
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Well then, guess I’ll hope to see a review or build showing up in the forum in the coming weeks, if someone from here got it then!
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I suspect the members here will sit on their hands waiting for someone else to buy one …
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I am not a Dragon hater and would love to review that new Dragon T28 for myself.
Edit: To be clear, Robin and Rob and some of the others here are right. Wait for reviews. If you are patient, wait for other companies to put out their T28 offerings and wait for those reviews, too.
I am an odd ball who sometimes buys models, knowing there is a danger, to sate my curiosity and compare offerings for myself. That is not for everyone.
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Normally I don’t weight in on these types of discussions, but…….I look at it this way…..it’s my model, I build it as I want for my pure enjoyment. I don’t do contests and I don’t count rivets or measure scale millimeters. When I build it, and I am happy with it. It is a done deal. It all depends on your goals.
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I’ll be sitting on my hands waiting for the new release that’s coming from another company…
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Fair enough - I agree with the “it’s MY hobby” philosophy. But I’ll wait mainly because the T28 is interesting, but isn’t on my desperate must-have list. Otherwise if I really, really wanted one I might be tempted by the price even if a better one might appear in future. As they say, your mileage may vary…
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FWIW, I think that if DML had redesigned and fixed the inaccuracy issues with the tracks, running gear and - consequently - the hull, then DML would be very proud of that effort and would not hesitate to make those changes absolutely clear and understood.
One can only speculate why DML didn’t make the correct width tracks to start with, and my guess would be that it was easier and cheaper to design their T-28 around existing Sheman tracks and suspension elements, the work already having been done for their other kits.
The “updates” here appear to be simple additions that could be outsourced and then included at very little cost over a complete redesign and cutting new molds, etc. The fundamental accuracy issues with DML’s T-28 are not simple fixes. They would demand a major overhaul of the kit. It would be essentially a brand-new kit with little in common but the name with the original.
This approach is, of course, not unique to DML. Many other kit makers do the same thing with rereleased or reissued kits. The same old “moldy-oldy” kits with a few new parts - maybe a turned metal gun barrel, a few PE parts, maybe a small sprue (often taken from another different kit) with some “detail accessories” and a figure or two.
Having said all of the above, though, it (or one of its other boxings) is pretty much the kit available right now of the T-28. If someone has got have one right now, or isn’t concerned with absolute accuracy, it is the best kit around. Though, I wouldn’t expect DML to ever do a major redesign of it.
However, as noted by a few others (especially 18bravo), a completely new kit from another maker is not too much to hope for. Afterall, DML T-28 kit sales don’t make any other manufacturer any money. Any other kit maker that wants a slice of the T-28 kit market will have to make and sell their own version.
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Actually, I’m quite happy with my Dragon T28. That’s because I sold it for more then I paid for it.
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