Tiger dilemma

[John Rixon]

Ok tankers! I'm after a good quality Tiger kit, and have narrowed it down to two - both from Dragon.


Now, these babies are in the region of £60, and I expect a flawless kit for this kind of wonga, so does anybody have hard experience of either of these kits, and can they tell me that they are quality mouldings and flash free?










Also, what on earth do "Smart kit" and "3 in 1" mean, when they're at home?


Thank you in anticipation!


John

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I would very much expect 3 in 1 to mean that there are three options in the one kit. 60 quid though for a 1/35th Tiger seems like a lot of money, even the Tamiya one isn't that much and that is still regarded as a good kit.

 

[dubster72]

I haven't built either of these particular kits John, but I have built the Dragon mid-production Tiger I.


You'll find that both are entirely flash free, even with older DML kits, there's not a hint of flash.


Details are excellent - fine crisp moulding, weld seams, pioneer tools are all superb.


Dragon were the first to use " slide molding " & although I'm not 100% sure what that means (!) it does produce parts of exquisite detail with minimal mold seams.


3-1 is what you'd guess it is. 3 versions in 1 box. As an example, the Initial Production Tiger shows the very early twin turret bustles, but the kit still provides the single rear bustle that was used about 6 months into the production run.


" Smart Kit " means there's less pe. You still get pe engine grills, but stuff like tool clasps are already molded in plastic. But these are high-quality molds that replicate the real thing very closely. Usually Dragon provide a full set of bare pioneer tools in case the purchaser wishes to use after market pe.


Buy either one & you'll be a happy modeller!

 

[John Rixon]

I would very much expect 3 in 1 to mean that there are three options in the one kit. 60 quid though for a 1/35th Tiger seems like a lot of money, even the Tamiya one isn't that much and that is still regarded as a good kit.

I totally agree, it is a lot! I just bought a Marder from Robert1968, and it's the first Dragon box I've looked into, and there's certainly a lot of parts there, and they all look very crisp, but for the kind of money we're talking about, I expect little short of perfection! This is an Xmas pressie from my wife, which is the only reason I'm considering this! Thanks for clearing that up about the 3 in 1!

 

[John Rixon]

I haven't built either of these particular kits John, but I have built the Dragon mid-production Tiger I.
You'll find that both are entirely flash free, even with older DML kits, there's not a hint of flash.


Details are excellent - fine crisp moulding, weld seams, pioneer tools are all superb.


Dragon were the first to use " slide molding " & although I'm not 100% sure what that means (!) it does produce parts of exquisite detail with minimal mold seams.


3-1 is what you'd guess it is. 3 versions in 1 box. As an example, the Initial Production Tiger shows the very early twin turret bustles, but the kit still provides the single rear bustle that was used about 6 months into the production run.


" Smart Kit " means there's less pe. You still get pe engine grills, but stuff like tool clasps are already molded in plastic. But these are high-quality molds that replicate the real thing very closely. Usually Dragon provide a full set of bare pioneer tools in case the purchaser wishes to use after market pe.


Buy either one & you'll be a happy modeller!

Good to hear Patrick, I really think I'm gonna go for the early one, I've still got panzer grey In my mind's eye, and really enjoyed that scheme with my Panzerkampfwagen, and there's something extremely "form-follows-function" about the look of that early run . If this Marder is anything to go by, it's gonna be a big box!

 

[monica]

have not done,ether of these two,


but have just done the Academy one,great build no problems no flash,went together like a dream.


and I,m one to find a bargain and it ,whit postage for under $ 50.oo Aud


I do have a half track by Dragon 3-1 looked in the box,oh my,its full,only need a second hull to make a second model,


so much waste in my eyes,but I only payed $ 15 at a swap,:rolleyes:

 

[lizz62]

I say the tiger 131 kit is the better.

 

[John Rixon]

I say the tiger 131 kit is the better.

Any particular reason?

 

[dubster72]

I say the tiger 131 kit is the better.

131 is the more recent of the 2 kits shown, but it's really only been released to cash in on the " Fury " film.


Have a look at this review of the initial production kit & see if it's not worth every penny! And then compare that to what Tamiya et al offer


http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6252.htm

 

[lizz62]

Any particular reason?

All my dragon kits have been great and I like the 131 cause its at bovington.

 

[John Rixon]

131 is the more recent of the 2 kits shown, but it's really only been released to cash in on the " Fury " film.
Have a look at this review of the initial production kit & see if it's not worth every penny! And then compare that to what Tamiya et al offer


http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6252.htm

You're selling it to me Patrick!

 

[dubster72]

You're selling it to me Patrick!

Well that's only because I'll probably end up getting one myself in the future, so yours will be my reference!


Don't forget to ask John what price he can do - might end up a bit cheaper