Is it truly a new tool? Can we see sprue shots? Still got the Bronco kit in the stashâŚ
Tamiya has previously reboxed that Italeri kit, but this looks different in some details. For example, the Italeri kit has the weld marks around the gun trunnions (those âeyesâ just behind the mantlet) as recessed, while here they sit proud. Plus much of the detail is finer.
I also have the Bronco kit, but Tamiyaâs will probably be 1000 times more buildable, while sacrificing some of the detail, which is VERY nice on the Bronco kit.
Very cool news! Selling my Bronco kit (which is a bitch build) now.
Yes, it is all new. First, notice the product number 35391. This is in the standard series; collabs with other manufacturers have different product numbers. Second, the box art in the background does not mention any other company; Tamiya always mentions the company or includes their logo in the box art if it is a collab. And I doubt Tamiya would make such a splashy announcement at Nuremberg if this was not completely new.
Nice! Iâm encouraged that Tamiya makes a point on the box art to specify that this is the âEuropean Theaterâ version which suggests that they may be considering other versions (Korean War, French Indochina?).
The Italeri kit also has the square welded on pads on the lower front hull (not present here), so another very visible feature that suggests this is an all new-tool kit. The Tamiya figures are also very, very nice!
That looks gorgeous! I never bought the Bronco kit because hearing you guys talk about how fiddly it is.
Fiddly is being polite. Downright stubborn PITA is more like it.
A bit of odd marketing decision from Tamiya to release this in my opinion. AFV Clubâs and Broncoâs offerings are readily available - as well as the ancient Italeriâs. Unless someone is a die-hard M24 fan or Tamiya fan, not sure if it will be that profitable. A newly tooled M8 HMC in 1/35 would have been a more logical decision I think. O, well, as long as some hobbyists are happy..
I never bought or built Italeri, AFV, or Bronco versions but I think Iâll finally get one of these. Tamiya kits have been getting more sophisticated recently, more parts and more details, but they still retain that Tamiya approach that has earned them so many loyal customers over the years.
They approach these kits in a different way other companies do. Itâs all about the long term profits with them. Other companies can only dream of having the reach that Tamiya has, with all the markets that they control Iâm certain that they will make a killing off this kit.
I think Tamiya knows exactly what theyâre doing. The Bronco and AFV kits are tough builds and the Italeri kits are ancient. This will be the sweet spot for M24 lovers. Unfortunately, being Tamiya whether they will do more versions is a crap shoot.
The idea has crossed my mind a couple of times over the decades âŚ
Eh, I donât know about a killing off if it in a short term but yeah, Tamiya will do fine just with its domestic Japanese market, which is as big as all other regions combined as far as the sales go. I wonât be their audience for this release. Long term profitability and availability for 1/35 M24, yes, I agree.
Yes, why Tamiya doesnât maximize their molds is odd to say the least. On rare occasions theyâve released two versions based on the same kit. Off the top of my head they did this with their M4A3 75mm and 105mm kits and more recently with the M4A3E8 WW2 and Korean versions. I do wish theyâd do more of that.
That image makes me laugh so hard everytime I see it, I think itâs hilarious. Of course the first time I saw that movie as a kid I thought it was realisticđ
It will be my first M24 purchase. Just like the Tamiya was my first M18 purchase.
But there was, what, fifteen or twenty years between those? Though the M4A3E2 was released in between the two.
What they did do in the Olden Days⢠was release âcombinationsâ like M3 Lee and Grant; Panther and Jagdpanther; Tiger II and Jagdtiger; M113, M106, M113 FSV and M577. But just looking at parts placement on sprues for kits from the 1970s, 1980s frequently shows right away that creating new variants by replacing one or two sprues with new ones was not a major consideration when the kits were designed.
I must have first seen that movie when I was 12 or so, and last when I was still under 20, I think. The funny thing is that Iâm never sure which film it is. I always want to say itâs The Bridge at Remagen but Iâm not certain it actually is.
