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Help with kit Manufacturer please

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  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Help with kit Manufacturer please
Posted by Eagle90 on Saturday, August 23, 2014 12:09 PM

Hey everyone.  Hoping you armor gurus can help identify a manufacturer for me.  After going through my stash I found this kit I got back in the 90's from an estate sale type thing at Eglin AFB, Fl.  The person I bought the stuff from had been stationed in Japan and Korea.  Just wondering if anyone knows about it.  The instructions (which are printed differently then normal) look like Tamiya stuff, but not sure.  Any info would be cool!  Thanks in advance for any help!

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: California
Posted by SprueOne on Saturday, August 23, 2014 1:22 PM

I just did some web searching and found this in Evay:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA=/z/n44AAOSwEK9T1Wmj/$_57.JPG 

The box art looks the same as well as the graphic layout to this vintage Tamiya kit. 

The text on your box looks like Korean (except the Roman Alphabet text).

and def not an armor guru but just trying to help...Cool

Anyone with a good car don't need to be justified - Hazel Motes

 

Iron Rails 2015 by Wayne Cassell Weekend Madness sprueone

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Saturday, August 23, 2014 1:43 PM

Sprue, Eagle and myself had been chatting about this. There are a lot of similarities with Tamiya. Its has the 'Military Miniatures Series' on the box side, a common Tamiya range. And the Jagdtiger on the piece of card going in the box is the same as the Tamiya one. I had thought this was an old Tamiya logo, but the current one has been in use since 1960.

You saying Korean text is interesting. I was thinking this was some sort of knock off, but they haven't tried to hide it well. Maybe an old Korean company selling Tamiya kits under license.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Saturday, August 23, 2014 2:25 PM

Just an educated guess, but originally Academy made their money selling motorized rip off of Tamiya kits. It appears to be a copy of Tamiya's original KT but the Korean printing is the thing that makes me think Academy.

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Saturday, August 23, 2014 4:54 PM

Thank you all for the responses.  Like Bish said, a couple of us had been discussing it and hit a brick wall.  Heck, if Bish couldn't figure it out, I knew I was in trouble!  Wink  So I thought I'd post for all to see.  It does lean towards Tamiya type, but the Korean throws another curve ball in the equation.  It looks like a really nice kit.  I'm not familiar at all with any motorized kits.  Not sure if they would work well or not, but all the parts are there.  This could be a really fun build!

Thanks again for all the info guys!

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Saturday, August 23, 2014 6:57 PM

Academy is a Korean company which used to have very lax rules about pirating other manufacturers' merchandise. They built their modeling company by copying Tamiya kits.

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Saturday, August 23, 2014 8:47 PM

Again, thanks for all the help.  All the research everyone has done made me want to look at the kit again.  All the bags are sealed, but I decided that at least the one with the big hull pieces needed to opened to see if there were any manufacture stamps (takes me a while, but I get tracking eventually!).  Well, NOTHING on any of the sprues at all.  BUT.........The blue "controller" for the motorized  tank has "Hapdong Plastic Model"!  AND.....the super cheap, super small tube of glue that came in the kit says made in Korea!  So,  I think all the Korea origins are correct!  Now if we could just find someone who could READ Korean, to see if there are any other clues to be had!  Thanks again everyone for the help!

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: California
Posted by SprueOne on Saturday, August 23, 2014 9:35 PM

BINGO! You nailed it . . .  Hapdong Technical Corp 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10167728z7/70/7 

look at the bottom of the i-sheet page. The logo and Korean text to the right of it 

Anyone with a good car don't need to be justified - Hazel Motes

 

Iron Rails 2015 by Wayne Cassell Weekend Madness sprueone

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Saturday, August 23, 2014 9:43 PM

I think we have a winner!  That is it!  Thanks so much Sprue...and everyone who helped.  Kinda fun trying to find out who made this kit.  Once I opened one of the bags......ohhhhh, the detail is not high and the insides of the hulls are REALLY rough!  Lots of flash on the trees too.  I think it will be a fun build anyway and I might just put that motor in too!  Whistling

Thanks again everyone!

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: California
Posted by SprueOne on Saturday, August 23, 2014 9:51 PM

yeah, go for it. I installed the motor and batteries into my Tamiya M60A2 many years ago and ran it through the back yard dirt trials Big Smile

Anyone with a good car don't need to be justified - Hazel Motes

 

Iron Rails 2015 by Wayne Cassell Weekend Madness sprueone

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Saturday, August 23, 2014 10:40 PM

Vintage motorized model kits go for crazy money on eBay. I'd sell it and use the proceeds to buy a couple of more modern, high quality kits.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Sunday, August 24, 2014 1:47 AM

It'd probably be worth considerably more if it was a genuine vintage Tamiya kit.

Speaking of which, somewhere in my stash, I have a Tamiya Mokei branded M48A2, with the twin-motor wired remote control unit and black rubber-band tracks. Picked it up maybe 25 years or so ago for about $15.00.

At a guess, I'd say this branding makes it pre-1970. Unfortunately, it's missing the instructions and its completeness is suspect as some of the sprue bags had been opened and there are some parts loose, floating around in the box. Crying

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Sunday, August 24, 2014 11:19 AM

You'd be surprised; I know I was when I listed some of the off brand motorized kits I bought throughout the years. Probably made $300-500 selling them to collectors in Japan.

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, August 24, 2014 4:30 PM

Hello!

Like 15 years ago I bought a copy of the Tamiya M48A3 by a Korean company called Seminar. It was a very nice model, went together like a Tamiya - so I liked my buy a lot. Good luck with your model!

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Sunday, August 24, 2014 7:35 PM

SprueOne

yeah, go for it. I installed the motor and batteries into my Tamiya M60A2 many years ago and ran it through the back yard dirt trials Big Smile

So they really work?  Now that would be fun to build.........and watch my 3 year old chase!

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Sunday, August 24, 2014 7:37 PM

Pawel

Hello!

Like 15 years ago I bought a copy of the Tamiya M48A3 by a Korean company called Seminar. It was a very nice model, went together like a Tamiya - so I liked my buy a lot. Good luck with your model!

Paweł

So this could an actual "Tamiya" mold?  This could be cool!

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: California
Posted by SprueOne on Sunday, August 24, 2014 7:52 PM

Eagle90

SprueOne

yeah, go for it. I installed the motor and batteries into my Tamiya M60A2 many years ago and ran it through the back yard dirt trials Big Smile

So they really work?  Now that would be fun to build.........and watch my 3 year old chase!

Eagle90

Your 3yo will catch it easily Person because without articulated suspension it crawls along slowly Snail

Anyone with a good car don't need to be justified - Hazel Motes

 

Iron Rails 2015 by Wayne Cassell Weekend Madness sprueone

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Sunday, August 24, 2014 8:03 PM

SprueOne

Eagle90

SprueOne

yeah, go for it. I installed the motor and batteries into my Tamiya M60A2 many years ago and ran it through the back yard dirt trials Big Smile

So they really work?  Now that would be fun to build.........and watch my 3 year old chase!

Eagle90

Your 3yo will catch it easily Person because without articulated suspension it crawls along slowly Snail

LOL!  So not much of an entertainment factor huh? 

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: California
Posted by SprueOne on Sunday, August 24, 2014 8:10 PM

I was entertained by the non competitive novelty of it. I'd start it, aim it in a clear direction then lay down on my stomach and watch it roll by pretending it was real. It would handle small weeds easily with true M60 might! 

Anyone with a good car don't need to be justified - Hazel Motes

 

Iron Rails 2015 by Wayne Cassell Weekend Madness sprueone

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Grand Bay, New Brunswick ,Canada
Posted by MECHTECH on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 8:32 PM

That is the old "Nichimo" kit. I have it built and still have the instruction sheet. I didn't use the motor, as I wanted it static and filled in the extra notches/holes with sheet plastic. Added my own Zimmermit and it came out fairly well I think.

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 8:51 PM

Hey Mech, you have any pics of the build?

Eagle90

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Grand Bay, New Brunswick ,Canada
Posted by MECHTECH on Sunday, August 31, 2014 4:30 PM

I have never had much luck trying to post pictures on here. People say it is easy but......

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Florida-West Central
Posted by Eagle90 on Sunday, August 31, 2014 5:32 PM

Too bad, I sure would like to see a built kit!  

Eagle90

 

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