Good non-Tamiya kits? Newbie question

Dragon are a step up from Tamiya and they can be a challenging build as the instructions can be a bit confusing. Personally I'm not a big fan of Academy but that's just me. It does depend on what you want to build, Tristar do some nice kits of the Panzer 1 other than that you will have to go for Dragon if you want a "good" example of many of the other WW2 German

Phil

If you are ready to do Russian again, try the Trumpeter KV1 or KV2 series.  They go together well, aren't expensive and look good finished.

Academy doesn't make a lot of German WW2 armor beyond older copies of Tamiya kits (all of which are outdated) and a pretty decent Tiger series, which have all been surpassed by the graduate-level Dragon Tigers. They released a Hetzer (small tank destroyer) but I haven't seen it nor have I read any rave reviews about it other than statements that say it is no better than any other company's Hetzer and outclassed by others (I think Tamiya's Hetzer is tops in quality and price).

Phil set you on the right line with some of the Tristar PzKpfw I kits. They also do a very nice Czech 38t, all of which are reasonably priced and not as overly complicated as comparable Dragon kits.

I recommend Trumpeter's KV series kits as well. Very nice models, very cheap depending on which variant you decide, choice of link & length tracks (with sag) or vinyl tracks, and they even have a captured "Beute Panzer" (Booty Tank) that comes with German markings you want. Trumpeter's KV-1/2 kits run from $23 to nearly $50 at Squadron.

Dragon is a good bet for sure. I've built a few German kits: the Elefant and the Jagdtiger. They both went together well and are great kits. They are not the more modern super or Smart Kits, so they had fewer parts. I do like Dragon and recommend them. I have like 14 in the stash. 

I started with Tamiya and quickly 'advanced' onto Dragon. The difference was there to see

Not ALL Dragon kits are a massive step up - their Panzer III/StuG III range can be excellent. I've just bought their newly released Waffle Zimmed StuG III Ausf. G (Late) and it's a stunning kit but not cheap (kit #6633):

http://www.modelarmour.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1032:dragon-pzkpfwiii-n-wwinterketten&catid=37:kits&Itemid=60

You could look at their initial Tiger I - that's a GREAT kit and not too expensive. It's an easy build too

This Tiger will be a really good 'step-up' build for you. The instructions seem to be nicely accurate and the finished article will be something you'll be happy with.

Shop around and I reckon you'll get it for $30?

http://www.modelarmour.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=897:dragon-tiger-i-initial-production&Itemid=60

I hope this helps - choose either one of these and you'll be fine!

Ben

VTmodeldude28

Sounds good guys. How are the Tamiya Tigers?

They were excellent, easy to build kits when they came out in the 1990s. As stated, Dragon Tigers are the top ones though. But not all Dragon Tigers are created equal; some have been surpassed by later releases.

Tamiya Tigers tend to be rather expensive. They have an old 1970s one that pops up every so often that you should avoid.

Rob is no doubt referring to Tamiya's ancient Panther A. It should be avoided at all cost.

tigerman

Rob is no doubt referring to Tamiya's ancient Panther A. It should be avoided at all cost.

No, Tamiya's original Tiger I, as in this kit: 
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAMIYA-German-TIGER-I-Ausf-E-1-35-MM56-Rare-1970s-80s-Issue-/200904144273?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item2ec6d1f591 

I know enough about armor to be able to differentiate between a Tiger I and a Panther.

If we tell him Tamiya Tigers are all good kits and he sees one like this on eBay for $10, he may think we mean that one as well.

I would echo some of the optehrs in saying Dragon. The only problem could be your price limit. Most of there kits are above that. But they are great kits once you get past the oft complicated instructions and the box full of un used parts.

One name i haven't seen mentioned is AFV club. They don';t have quite the range of Dragon, but they have some very nice kits.

I'll kind of echo the opinions here: The newer Dragon kits are excellent. They are a bit more of a challenge than the Tamiya kits, but still fit together well. The older DML Imperial series are not quite as good. Tristar makes really good kits as well. They have more than just the Pz I, but their lineup is still very small compared to Dragon or Tamiya. You should be able to find a nice Dragon kit for $35 or under. I usually check a few sites lilke Sprue Bros or DragonUsa to get an idea of what to expect. You can catch kits on sale quite often.

Happy hunting! 

I have the AFV Club M3A3 Stuart. I haven't built it yet, but from what I can make of the parts and Instructions, it is a very fine kit.

Rob Gronovius

tigerman

Rob is no doubt referring to Tamiya's ancient Panther A. It should be avoided at all cost.

No, Tamiya's original Tiger I, as in this kit: 
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAMIYA-German-TIGER-I-Ausf-E-1-35-MM56-Rare-1970s-80s-Issue-/200904144273?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item2ec6d1f591 

I know enough about armor to be able to differentiate between a Tiger I and a Panther.

If we tell him Tamiya Tigers are all good kits and he sees one like this on eBay for $10, he may think we mean that one as well.

My apologies Rob, I must have been more tired then I thought when I read it. 

Thanks all. I ended up picking up Tamiya's Panther Ausf. G late version, and so far I've been very impressed. I'm just fitting a 1960s-era Tamiya Su-100, and the difference in quality and fit is insane! If I could only figure out how to get a decent clercoat out of an airbrush Id be almost done with the SU-100 for good! Still trying a gloss layer to wash over/apply decals.