Hi all
I noticed on HLJ this morning, they are taking pre-orders for a 1/35 Grant from the above mfr.
What’s everyone’s opinion on this? Worth a look or should I go with Miniart?
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ILoveKit are sort of Trumpeter’s B list kits, they’re not the best and lately have been overpriced. The Miniart kit is much better quality and more accurate, but you’re looking at a very high parts count and long assembly time. I would also consider the Takom Grant # 2086, which is a really solid kit that builds well.
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I have to disagree with the statement that they are Trumpeter’s B list kits. They are not, in my opinion. They are simply being marketed under a different brand name, by the same parent company of both Trumpeter and HobbyBoss. The first ILK releases were those kits orginally produced for Merit International such as the M19 Tank Transporters, 1/48 PT Boats, 1/72 OSA Missile Boats, etc. All these kits are no better or worse then other Trumpeter/HobbyBoss kits. The first genuine ILK release was the 1/35 M65 Atomic Cannon, and again, this kit is typical of Trumpeter/HB - some really good parts, and some others less so. Having both M19s and the M65, I think they are well worth the money and can be built into great models with normal effort.
I have no idea about their Grant/Lee series, but I’m quite sure the MiniArt kits are probably more detailed, but perhaps more difficult to assemble then the ILK versions, given MA’s propensity for many small parts, as you noted. Like most Trumpeter/HB/ILK kits, I think it is important to read a review first, because they can be hit or miss. They released the M3A1 and M3A3 Lees last year, so a look at those reviews should give an indication as to what the Grant may be like.
I’m excited to see how ILK’s forthcoming DUKW with WTCT-6 is, as we are long overdue for a new Duck and the trailer has never been done in plastic.
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I have not seen the ILK M3 series in real life, but they have a very, very, very negative first impression for me as they cost more than the miniart interior kits yet seemingly offer nothing more than the Takom kits, which are very reasonably priced for their quality. Of course I can’t vouch for any accuracy issues.
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I only have one ILK, it was one half price sale for ~$50 instead of the normal $100. The plastic was unimpressive but there was a load of wood deck, brass & photo-etch. In hindsight, I should have spent that $50 would have been better spent on lottery tickets.
Basically, I decided to avoid ILK unless it’s absolutely must have subject matter.
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I have their M65, and it is everything I expected from a current (2020) Trumpeter/Hobby Boss kit, indistinguishable, even. I looked closely at their M3A1 when someone had it on deep discount. It looked to be comparable to the Takom kit (that I also own), some aspects better, some worse. If it had the later production door-less hull, I would have happily bought it at the discounted price, which was ~$40 IIRC. I also compared their M48A1 to my DML M48A1 on the occasion of another sale. It was again, comparable, but with much less of a better-worse range. In hindsight, I wish I had bought it. Their M48A5 has a couple of omissions in the auxiliary MG mounts but is otherwise another decent kit. Their “M3A4” is actually a decent late M3 (*), but is missing some small details that the late Takom kit includes, so I would pass on it so long as the Takom kit could be had at normal prices.
The fact that their kits are priced well above what the market will bear is not ILK’s fault (it’s the distributor) and not an indication of the quality of the kit. A poor value at MSRP does not make the kit poor. If you think of one of your favorite kits, or one widely thought to be great (e.g. a Wingnut Wings kit) selling for an MSRP 10 times what it is normally, it’s still a great kit. The price doesn’t change what’s in the box or how it goes together, just the perceived value. Even ILK’s mis-labeled M3A4 is still a decent model kit; the quality won’t improve if they reissue it as an M3 or disintegrate if the box printing says it’s an M60.
(* Many people fondly remember the old Tamiya Panzer II, labeled as an Ausf. F/G. Were people suddenly disgusted with it when they learned that the Panzer II Ausf G was a completely different vehicle from the Ausf F and could not be made with the parts in the box?)
KL
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I have 3 kits from I Love Kit: M65 Atomic Cannon, M925A1 5-ton, and the M3A1 Lee (I’m a sucker for curvy tanks). They all look good. I’ve started the M3A1 and have all of the parts off the spruces, cleaned, and bagged by assembly step. I do this when modeling away from my bench i.e. the deck, modeling with friends, public builds, cruise ships, and hotel rooms. The detail looks decent on the M3A1, the molding is crisp and flash free. My only negative observation is that the sprue gates were a bit thicker than I like.
I am happy enough with I Love Kit that I have 3 more on order with my LHS Skyway Model Shop: M55, M53, and the Pershing missile TEL w/M1001 prime mover.
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