Hi All;

While poking thru the "Tamiya Plastic Model Store" latest listings, it caught my eye that our new Marder III appears as the lowest priced of the recent releases.
That's OK with me... but quite unexpected.

89782 = German 3-ton Cargo Truck Kfz.305 @ 2000 Yen.
89778 = Italian Armored Car AB.41 @ 2500 Yen.
32560 = German Tank Destroyer Marder III @ 1800 Yen.
89777 = German Armored Car SdKfz.222 @ 2300 Yen.

GB

George, that's interesting, but note that the Marder III is the only kit developed and made by Tamiya. The other 3 kits are all licensed from other manufacturers. It's possible Tamiya had to pay more in licensing fees which increased their up-front costs. Considering the value of that early PzKpfw 38t chassis, the fact that it's cheaper is a real advantage.

I never mind paying for quality, and apart from the odd niggle (Gaston might have more to say on this!) Tamiya stuff is usually excellent value for money. But even I baulked at the Staff Car kit, which was several pounds MORE than a battle tank kit!! That was one inconsistancy too far.... Tim

I hear you Tim! I usually will not buy a Tamiya model if I know they have used someone else's kit unless I have one of those other manufacturers' kits myself. I like to know what I am getting beforehand. That said, I am getting one of the Tamiya 222's and also one of the AB 41's. I like the boxart that Tamiya has too! I have also been following the forums on the new Tamiya Opel Blitz coming out, and so far I believe it is a thumbs-up! Bruce has said he believes this kit has been labelled wrong and will contain the proper sided model for conversions! Time will tell!

Ken

I too refused to pay the price for Tamiya's toy Ford (sorry, but that's what it is in the details), but Lucky Model had them on a very nice discount so I bought five. I defend my greed by saying I bought that many to convert most of them to British and Canadian pattern vehicles for North Africa and Italy. I'm still hoping that Jan at Hauler will do the British pattern wheels and balloon desert tires for the Commonwealth stuff. The Ford in his British Ford PE/resin set has the US civilian wheels and tires but most of the British/Canadian Fords had the bigger wheels and tires - so they really are necessary if you want to do the standard desert vehicles.

Bruce; do you have any good reference for the Brit/Canadian versions of the Ford car. I'm really interested in doing what you mentioned as well but I am having a devil of a time finding pictures/plans, etc. Chris Schwach

Send me your email address, and I'll be happy to dump on you all the stuff I have in document form. Regrettably, photos can take many emails to send, but I can put together some pix in a Word doc that can go in one email and then you can print them as you need them. I do have some nice stuff from Nigel Savage at Parabellum UK. How about a plan of Gen. Auchinleck's Ford station wagon,and a photo to go with it for the markings and details? Or the Ford cut-down wagon used by Churchill for his tour of the lines before the battle at Alamein? Of course, I would have to leave you to build your own station wagon.....

I was wrong about Hauler's example Ford sedan (saloon) having the American civilian tires; it DOES have the 9:00x13 desert tires almost universally used in Africa. Jan, where are you?

Is about the biggest rip-off I have seen Tamiya do, and that's saying a lot. Is it because of the Ford name License? For those interested in cars, it has a roof that is way too thick, as did the Citroen, but unfortunately the Citroen itself is much worse in many other respects, with a hood-fender combination that is far too short compared to the cab, and wheels that are far too thick.

I think I still have somewhere my narrowed-down Citroen wheels, in case you're interested (a truly loathsome task), but I think Hauler makes those anyway...

Gaston.