First Look at Tamiyas new Super Sherman

Here it is from the tracks upward its all new



Jenny

Mmmmmmm:

That looks delisciuos .

I want about 3 or 4 of them .


Gary

When they first announced the IDF M1 Sherman,they showed a pic of an M4A1E8. Now they show the VVSS version. Got mixed feelings about this one. Sorry to be a bit miffed folks. Just a bit angry at Tamiya right now. I was really looking forward to an M4A1E8 in 1/35.

Even better news it's out now well in certain parts of the globe! I will get one from Telford for sure I think

Jaymes

Hmm, the PMMS review says it still has the old lower hull and running gear. Sounds like something less than a bargain to me.

I don't need the running gear afv clubs hvvss suspension and doing a late m1




From IDF In Scale

As long as its not too expensive (which it shouldnt be with Tamiya) I spose theres room for a bit of cross-kitting. Wouldve been nice though if theyd just gone that little bit further instead of looking at the bottom line as they always seem to do. Its one of my only beefs with Tamiya. Sometimes I think theyre still under the impression that theyre the only game in town like 40 years ago. I just wonder, does their market research tell them customers are happy with a half-finished job? Reminds me of the old Style Council line "the public wants what the public gets". I think we need to vote with our wallets and say "We aint buying if you aint providing."

RoyBatty wrote:As long as its not too expensive (which it shouldnt be with Tamiya) I spose theres room for a bit of cross-kitting. Wouldve been nice though if theyd just gone that little bit further instead of looking at the bottom line as they always seem to do. Its one of my only beefs with Tamiya. Sometimes I think theyre still under the impression that theyre the only game in town like 40 years ago. I just wonder, does their market research tell them customers are happy with a half-finished job? Reminds me of the old Style Council line "the public wants what the public gets". I think we need to vote with our wallets and say "We aint buying if you aint providing."

I will drink to that.They finally added tow cables to a Sherman,but still no backside detail on the road wheels and idlers.

RoyBatty wrote:As long as its not too expensive (which it shouldnt be with Tamiya)

Hi Roy:

I am sure it will probably be that way for you being in Japan and all. But here in the U.S. I expect it to come in somewhere in the $65 -$75 dollar range , what with import fees and importer mark ups and all that . But I will probably still get one just so I can say I have one

RoyBatty wrote:Its one of my only beefs with Tamiya. Sometimes I think theyre still under the impression that theyre the only game in town like 40 years ago.

I'm quite sure (as I am sure you are also) that Tamiya realises how much competition they have in the static scale model business. But I have been in the unique position of being on both sides of the counter in the local hobby shop(having been part owner of one at one time) . And from my experience I would make the suggestion that about %60 of the model buying public wouldn't know if they released the thing with a set of Panther running gear (which is why one of Tamiyas best selling kits is STILL the ancient Panther that has almost nothing correct on it ) . That is they really don't know, or care about such things. And the one that I usually have the hardest time with on web sites is trying to convince people that the static models are really a very very small part of the multiple business direction that Tamiya is going in. Unlike someone like Dragon for instance where it is the only thing, Tamiya is driving in many diffrent directions at once, and this is a smaller slice of pie for them. Which is why they are happy releasing 2 to 4 new items a year in the 1/35th military model industry. So while it's true that WE all know of such unhappy realities, I will still end up buying one, because DML hasn't come out with one yet; and I also can be about %97.3 sure that the kit will fit well, and go together with no major or even minor problems. And my knowledge will either lead me to correct the mistakes, or just live with the fact that probably no one will ever come to my house and lift the thing up to look at the back of the road wheels, and I will be happy with what I end up with. Cause I don't take em to contest anymore where people DO do that .



Gary

G Cooper wrote: I'm quite sure (as I am sure you are also) that Tamiya realises how much competition they have in the static scale model business. But I have been in the unique position of being on both sides of the counter in the local hobby shop(having been part owner of one at one time) .

Thats right everyone , Gary owned a model shop , that mysteriously burnt down one evening , unfortunately with the insurance renewal which Gary was meant to post two weeks ago

Jenny

Jenny Ryan wrote:

G Cooper wrote: I'm quite sure (as I am sure you are also) that Tamiya realises how much competition they have in the static scale model business. But I have been in the unique position of being on both sides of the counter in the local hobby shop(having been part owner of one at one time) .

Thats right everyone , Gary owned a model shop , that mysteriously burnt down one evening , unfortunately with the insurance renewal which Gary was meant to post two weeks ago

Jenny

I thought it was the two businesses on either side of our shop that went up in such beautiful little puffy clouds of smoke

But after all the medication , I'm not quite sure of how everything started out that night .



Gary

Im going to guess itll be in the 3-4,000 yen region here. With my very rough maths thatd be about 38-50 dollars as a straight conversion I think, but of course as you say, all the middle men add their slice as well. If I was back home I just wouldnt be able to justify spending up to 75 bucks for it, though I know thats the kind of prices people are looking at these days.
I know Tamiya makes a lot of other things besides static display models, and without having any accurate info beyond what Ive heard from Japanese people and seen in hobby shops, Im going to guess the lions share of their trade (at least here) would be in their R/C models.
Of course I cant disagree with your own experience, but do you really think 60% of model buyers either dont know or care much about what theyre buying? Im kind of surprised to hear that. Again, not that I doubt you, and maybe its just because I spend time here and other modelling places on the net where people are a bit more knowledgeable, but I had the impression that most of us have a good idea what were on about. Especially as most of us here arent youngsters, do we even have any members under 30 here? Sorry, edit to add I just noticed Jaymes age is posted as 19.
As you, my modelling is entirely for me so what ever amount of detail I add is purely for my own satisfaction. I went off the whole competition side after talking to a guy who did judging who said he used one of those long, skinny dentists mirrors to check the undersides of peoples models.....just a tad too much for me.
Anyway as per recent advice Ive been given here, perhaps you could get it cheaper from H.L.J.?