Tamiya 35374 Pz IV F - Best of the '90s!
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Here's my In-Box Review of Tamiya's "new" Pz IV Ausf F kit. It's Tamiya, so it should go together pretty easily, but I would have hope that a company with Tamiya's reputation wouldn't have cut so many corners.
Ah yes, well Tamiya is still Tamiya. I'm just surprised there aren't the slots in the hull floor for the motor controls :P but at least the figures are excellent! And still this would be a fun kit for someone looking for no hassle. I'll look forward to do demonstrating your panzer grey process :) take care Bruce!
Thanks! Yeah... Tamiya is still Tamiya, but today’s Tamiya could (should?) be at least incrementally better than Tamiya from before the fall of Communism?
This was like watching one of my own reviews. Loved it. I agree with you, lazy of Tamiya to re-use so much of the old kit. I imagine they just saw the competition and tried to figure out the cheapest solution to compete.
I learned from the best... 😉
Interesting to hear your thoughts on the kit! I bought this kit not long ago and also felt that there could be a little bit more to it, but then i thought that Tamiya is known for actually keeping things a little bit more basic than others. This was also the case in the 90s or around 2000, when Dragon started to improve things a lot and brought things to the standard we all expect to see nowadays. For that i dreaded some of the Tamiya kits, with their open sponsons and toy like tools. Their new kits have advanced in detail, but not as much as other brands. Tamiya does not seem to push it too far, they never released an excessive kit. Here comes their selling point: The customer pretty much always knows what he is getting even without having a look inside the box. You know they cut some corners as they always do, but building it will feel rewarding and the result will be acceptable. Nothing fancy, but good enough. At least thats what i feel when i buy a Tamiya kit :)
Agree that this what folks expect from Tamiya, but the deficiencies in this kit would be so simple to fix without adding to the complexity of the build. It just seems like such a wasted opportunity.
I like the kit, and I like many of Tamiya's newest AFVs, which combine great fit, good detail and superb figures. I've tackled enough over-engineered, badly fitting kits from Dragon and other companies. Tamiya gives me a stress free build and lets me concentrate on the painting. Guess I'm getting old. :-)
That’s the argument many people make in favour of Tamiya. I might disagree on the “good detail” comment, perhaps “good enough detail” might be more accurate. 😀 They definitely seem to be releasing some very nice kits recently, and their newer figures look as good as anything available in terms of injected-moulded ones.
The fit of Dragon kits vary sometimes, but there are a number of their kits - especially original newly-tooled kits - that go together as well as any Tamiya kit I’ve seen.
@@brucethemodelnoob Dragon’s instructions can certainly be sketchy at times.
Hi. My name is Michael and I'm a Tamiya Fan-Boy....
Good video Bruce, thanks for posting.
We seem to be living in a Golden Age for Panzer IV plastic models. I look at the trend of full interiors and hyper details and I think “Wow, that's great for the people who are into that”. Not my cup of tea though. I build Tamiya kits for relation and display on my bookcase. I believe I am Tamiya's target demographic. I've built this kit and consider it good value for the money I paid for it ($60 Cdn). I have another copy of this kit sailing across the Pacific as I write this. I seconded your opinion that this kit would be a great kit for people new to the hobby.
I pay attention to the details and nuances and try to understand all the fiddly bits and factories and unit specific doo-dads and whats-nots. I've spent the money on the books, studied the photos and followed the subject matter experts. I consider myself a keen student of the subject matter but at the end of the day, it just has to look good on the bookcase. (Lower case rivet-counter as opposed to upper case Rivet-Counter.)
Over the years I've built most of the Panzer IV-based kits from Tamiya and I have enjoyed them too. I have built Dragon Panzer IVs as well and have admired their details until I actually start building them.... They turn out OK but I feel tired and irritable when I finally finish them. I have Dragon's 6360 (2007 boxing) in my stash right now and I will never build that kit. I know this because I built this Tamiya Ausf. F1 as an early production F2. It was quick. It was easy. I really enjoyed it and it looks good enough for me.
Some would say that Tamiya isn't increasing their quality enough but they are increasing it.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
Thanks for the comments! You’re right, Tamiya definitely has a niche, and there are lots of folks for whom the detail is fine. I guess my point is that it wouldn’t have affected the ease of build for folks who enjoy Tamiya if they’d taken care of a few little details like hollowing our the MG barrels, or clamp handles. 😀
As a Tamiya fan, what do you think about their recent switch from rubber band tracks to link and length?
@@brucethemodelnoob I think the switch to link and length track is fantastic. It saved me the cost of a set of FriulModel and they were a perfect fit. I would like to see Tamiya release those tracks as a "Detail-Up" set. I can send you the link to my ScaleMates photos if you like.
@@michaelhatch6418 yes please. I’d love to see the photos!
I have seen so many companies especially armour kits where companies are cutting corners I prefer them but will do some aircraft because I will need a break from all the mistakes!
Great review Bruce - I'm definitely in the "build quick" group, I love being able to slap these together in a hurry, but I agree on value. Having said that, you can find this kit for $50AUD or so, might get one just for shits and giggles and ze Panzer Grey. Thanks mate, Chris.
From what I’ve seen on eBay it would come out to around $60-70 CAD with shipping, and about the same from a hobby store (with sales tax). Border Pz. IV kits run $50-60 on eBay, and Zvezda $40-50. Of course I’d be paying $70-90 for a Dragon Pz IV kit on eBay, but I’d get several days worth of build time for that money. 😀
Hi Bruce. Thank you for your detailed inbox review & your appropriate candor when voicing your assessement of the kit. Much appreciated! 👍👍
FYI, I tend to be a little less picky than many experienced modellers, however must I agree with you 100% regarding every criticism you had about this kit. I am three-quarters of the way through building the kit, and I can't say that I am super-impressed. The detail is not up to 2021 standards & I found the old 90's 'bathtub hull' was warped or bowed-in. The latter caused some alignment issues, plus the back plate did not mate with the end of the hull sides while fitting with the base of the hull. The good news is that the turret snapped together perfectly, so the issues I had with the lower part of the kit must have been due to some warping or molding problems with the 1994 'bathtub hull'. I did not expect this with a Tamiya kit & agree wholeheartedly with the title of the video...it IS a 90s kit!
Originally, I was really excited to find out that Tamiya was releasing the Pz. Kpfw. IV 'F-2'/early G, and I figured that building the "F" ("F-1" version) would be a great dry run. However, after watching an unboxing video for the F-2/early G kit, and seeing that the main sprues are virtually identical (apart from the longer gun & round muzzle brake, plus new sprues for different figures & some accessories) I no longer have plans to purchase the "F-2/G early" kit. In fact, despite the imperfections known to exist in the Border Model kits, I am going to order their "F-1" and "F-2/G early" kits & give them a go.
Nice review and interesting to hear the issues you found with it.
Thanks! My issues with the kit may not be issues to others... 😀
Re-"Could have been so much better"!
Well Bruce , I get your point !
I've just built it and I love it !
Panzer likes his Stugs, this I like !
However , track links/ muffler/ single piece bogies, absence of slide moulding .
Not really an issue , as far as I am concerned . When you hear the sound of the upper hull click into place , good enough for me .
I did the DAK colour , but as all the shops are closed had to use Vallejo Model Air Khaki Brown mixed with Vallejo Sand yellow 95/5 % Beautiful !
Main gripe - Tax on delivery !
Look forward to seeing your work on the "German Grey " version !
Edward
Thanks Edward. Glad you enjoyed the build. It did go together well, it just seems to be such a waste that in 2021 a “new tool” couldn’t use moulding techniques more recent than the movie Titanic. 😉
Great video and review stay safe my friend 👍👍
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. 😀
Hi Bruce, AKA, Noob. Great Review, Yes, Tamiya (DROPED THE BALL) on this one, Except for the Figures, they look Equal to Dragons. I Build Mostly Dragon, if you can get through the Instructions. Tamiya Needs to Step it Up if they are going to Keep Up with Border/Dragon/ Hobby Boss / Meng / Takom / Trumpeter / Zvezda, etc., they have a lot of Competition Today, not like back in the 70s.-80s.-90s. Tamiya was One of the only Company's, Producing Decent Models then. PS. Not to be a Revit, but the part you called a Ladder, was a Hook for Changing the Tracks. Keep Up the Good Work and soon you will have to change your Title, ha ha. JEB 1961
Nice kit.
great review.
I agree with everything you say in this.
it makes you think this was produced by seperate groups and then they throw it all in the box at the end.
using old sprues
cutting corners- not slide molding when they can, string???
excellent modern figures
doesn't really add up.
Well , will be watching out for build n paint job , if you get around to it !
Won't be drilling out gun - barrels though 😊
Excellent reviews and commentary. Hope you plan more videos.
Thanks Brian. Glad you enjoyed it. I’m way overdue to post another video. Hopefully soon. 🤞
I just noticed in your videos, a previous comment you mentioned rfm tiger inaccuracies, well that was rfm worst kit and 1st kit, and they have since fixed all those issues in it. Like I stated In a previous comment their tigers are awesome,. As far as tamiyas issues, tamiya is at a fork in the road, they have some choices to make, they need to add more detail to their kits, ie pe, etc. Espionage for what their trying to charge.
Yes, I saw that they re-released their first Tiger kit and have fixed some of the issues. I always rely on David Byrden’s Tiger1.info site for identifying the good and bad points of Tiger kits.
@@brucethemodelnoob he is the tiger man
Great video uncle Bruce the noob. I just got this kit today, and am Abita pissed no clear parts, it's like wtf. And those 90s boogies are bs too. How do you know so much about the panzer? Great stuff
Thanks! Glad you liked the video.
I became interested in Panzer IVs about three years ago, and I’ve been gradually building my reference library and spending a lot of time discussing them with friends in various Facebook research groups.
Well Bruce , you really know how to ruin a Guy's w/end, having just ordered Tamiya's Panzer 1V F !
Was trying to work out your accent - seemed familiar , anyway my go to best vacation spot other than Annamarie island is Lunenberg NS !
So ill forgive you this time 😊!
Us old guys find Tamiya mangable , in Eire , there easily accessed !
I'll let ya know how it turns out!
Best Edward
Cheers! It’s not a bad kit, and I hope you enjoy it, but it could have been so much more!
@Bruce The Model Noob: Who, in your opinion, makes the best detailed German armor kit out there at the moment?
Overall Dragon seems to be the most consistent in terms of detail and accuracy, but they’re not always perfect either. A lot of it depends on which vehicle and when the kit was produced.
RFM
@@danreed7889 I’ve only build there first tiger kit. It was nice, but there are a bunch of historical inaccuracies, and mine had some flash.
@@brucethemodelnoob I've built their Fehrmann version and enjoyed it
@@brucethemodelnoob their interior tiger kits are where it's at. I have All of their interior kits except the Sturm tiger and their tiger with the crane inplace of the 88. Yes they have Slight inaccuracies issues, but by and far rfm are the Best manufacturers of tigers and tank kits in general
I don't buy Tamiya kits anymore-this kit is an example of why.
Some of their new stuff isn’t bad though. I’m working on their R-35, and I’ve heard their Char B1 and new KV-1 are pretty good.
@@brucethemodelnoob try RFMs KV and I think you'll love it! Two choices of PE for the air intakes. What does Tamiya give you? Nada. Their R35 is nice but wait until you look closely at their suspension. Missing casting symbols. I enjoyed HBs R35 more. Just found your channel!
@@danreed7889 RFM is definitely putting out some great stuff. I love the way their Tigers go together, and I have their Pz IV G in the stash. A buddy built it and said its amazing.
@@brucethemodelnoob Would like to see RFM expand their Panzer III line beyond just the Ausf. J
Not really impressed. Not sure why tamiya does a half assed panzer IV. The 1994 eary H was a lazy mishmash of new parts, parts from the J, and parts from the old 70s kit.
FWIW - The 1994 Early Pz IV J was all new tooling by Tamiya and half hearted effort detail wise. The 1996 Pz IV H was more half hearted effort using most of the J plus a new new parts.
Bardzo fajny film, ciekawie się ogląda. Pozdrawiam i zapraszam! :)
Looks like a $20 kit sold for $50!
Whiner
Lol