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Tamiya Lepard

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16 replies
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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 7:32 PM

Looks cool! 

 

My first 1/35th kit was one of the Testors/Italeri 'Yellow Box' kits. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Monday, October 10, 2022 7:31 PM

warshipguy

The Testors "Yellow Box" kits were simply reboxed Italeri kits. During the 1980s and 1990s they were considered to be superior to everything on the market. Their kits of the M-47 Patton and their various Leopard 1 kits were among the best armor kits available.  According to www.Leopardclub.ca.com, they still stand up today. 

Bill Morrison

That's why I said "great kits available at American prices." They tended to be cheaper than Tamiya kits and the exact same Italeri kit in an Italeri box.

Similarly, when AMT/Ertl released some of the Esci armor kits, they were the exact same plastic in a different box at a lower price.

And not all yellow box kits were Italeri kits. Peerless Max, Fujimi, Hawk, ITC all made some appearances in Testors yellow boxes.

Kits like the V-1 Buzz Bomb and Oka, the Gee-Bee were Hawk kits. The Dodge WC kits (there were like a dozen various BEEPs, Big Shot, Command Car, Anti-tank, ambulance, etc.) and many of the towed artillery were originally Peerless Max kits.

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Groton, CT
Posted by warshipguy on Monday, October 10, 2022 11:32 AM

The Testors "Yellow Box" kits were simply reboxed Italeri kits. During the 1980s and 1990s they were considered to be superior to everything on the market. Their kits of the M-47 Patton and their various Leopard 1 kits were among the best armor kits available.  According to www.Leopardclub.ca.com, they still stand up today. 

Bill Morrison

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Monday, October 10, 2022 10:28 AM

stikpusher

This kit has a lot of detail omissions as well. It's a nice kit, but needs some help. The Italeri Leopard 1A4 kit if the same vintage is far better detailed.

 

That Leopard, along with their M47 Patton, are arguably two of their best kits to come out in the 1980s. Thank goodness for Testors yellow box kits, great kits available at American prices. And the detail instructions inside were awesome.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, October 10, 2022 1:56 AM

It may be omitting some details but it does still have a great shelf presence just for display. I've got the RoG kit in my stash and it looks to be quite well detailed as well, like the Italleri.

The RoG M-48A2GA2 builds up as a really good shelf display kit and looks amazing with some L&L tracks fitted.

So even though the old Tamiya Leopard A4 isn't the most accurate kit, it still stands on its own right out of the box. It's a solid kit and builds up very well.

But, we weren't debating that were we?

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, October 9, 2022 8:24 PM

warshipguy

I believe that your kit was the old Leopard 1A4. Their older kit of the Leopard 1 had detail problems. This kit was better.

Bill

 

This kit has a lot of detail omissions as well. It's a nice kit, but needs some help. The Italeri Leopard 1A4 kit if the same vintage is far better detailed.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Sunday, October 9, 2022 8:10 PM

Yes!

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Sunday, October 9, 2022 7:19 PM

I agree, great job. I love seeing old model kits being built way past their "sell by" date.

I really got started in 1/35 scale armor modeling with these original Tamiya kits. They built easily and were well down.

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Friday, October 7, 2022 3:45 PM

Thanks!the dry brushing of Model Master earth really made the details pop!

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Groton, CT
Posted by warshipguy on Friday, October 7, 2022 2:58 PM

I agree,  I said that the Tamiya 1/35 Leopard I kit suffered from detail problems, but that I had never heard of any issues with their Leopard 1A4 that you built. Your build was a good job!

Bill

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Friday, October 7, 2022 10:59 AM

Well I made that kit about 25 years ago and I don't recall any assembly issues at all!

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Groton, CT
Posted by warshipguy on Friday, October 7, 2022 10:51 AM

I believe that your kit was the old Leopard 1A4. Their older kit of the Leopard 1 had detail problems. This kit was better.

Bill

  • Member since
    July 2015
Posted by MR TOM SCHRY on Friday, October 7, 2022 8:25 AM

Looks very good!  Is that the "vintage" Leopard I kit from Tamiya?  I started that kit this past summer and it is awaiting paint.

tjs

TJS

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Friday, October 7, 2022 8:15 AM

Thanks!

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Friday, October 7, 2022 2:06 AM

Not a bad kit. I've got one on my shelf waiting to be finished.

Good job!

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Thursday, October 6, 2022 7:59 PM

  • Member since
    May 2022
Tamiya Lepard
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Thursday, October 6, 2022 7:55 PM

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