SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

dragon vs tamiya?

7252 views
21 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Sunday, November 29, 2009 6:43 PM
The dragon figures do not go good with Taniya weapons. They do not seem to fit properly with each other. I never really used tamiyas figures but they are the only company that makes weapon sets. I would say that dragons figures are better in scale realisim.

 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Northern Va
Posted by psstoff995's lbro on Sunday, November 29, 2009 6:03 PM
Very useful to know, thanks Hans!
-Will young modeler Test fit master
  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Sunday, November 29, 2009 8:28 AM

Well, in the defense of the "Asian" POV, Indy... A 6-foot tall, size 10 combat boot-wearing GI wasn't the norm back in WW2... The average height for US Soldiers was about 5'9"... According to what I've read, it was due to the Depression and a decided lack of a proper diet that kids didn't grow as tall as they have in subsequent generations...  WW2 GIs that were nicked "Stretch" or "Bull" were likely guys that were 6'-6'1 and in the 190 lbs. range... Pretty average for today.  Tamiya figures scale out, generally, to 70 inches tall, or 5'10"..

 The best way to make scales match up in mixing figures is use a weapon for scale.. That's where manufacturers have to be watched, IMHO... If the M1 or KAR-98 scale out properly, use that as a "ruler"... Also, don't mix weapons from manufacturers... If you're using say, Dragon's weapons & figures, but mix Dragon, Tamiya, and ICS figures, use ONLY the Dragon weapons...

Also, it's easy enough to "stretch" a figure if modifying them is your bag... You can add a bit more putty-leg or torso-plug here & there...

The WORST culprits for figures in the 1/48th range are definately Tamiya's though... They don't even match the scale of their 1/48th aircraft figures... They scale out to about 5'3" tall in both the German and US Infantry sets...

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Saturday, November 28, 2009 10:23 PM

thank you. i will take a look at thoes figures. i have used dragon for a long time now and i will try to use a another company but i will never leave dragon. thank you

 -Adam

 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Saturday, November 28, 2009 8:42 PM

Re: dragon vs tamiya?    Neither one. Not anymore Both are mastered from a distinctly asian point of reference. Have'nt you guys noticed that both makers provide kinda shrimpy figures? I mean they are 1/35 scale, but a kind of consistaintly skinny and short take on  what a man looks like. Like Hans said, they are useful when cut into pieces, and used to create figure conversions, but if  you want good styrene figures look at Masterbox. They take just as much clean-up, but you end up with something with good proportion and pose. I know Dragon makes some interesting sets(mainly germanWhistling [:-^]) and they vary in quality as all they guys will tell ya(I've made use of some OOB), but in general they don't live up to the boxart. The Masterbox ones actually do!

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Saturday, November 28, 2009 12:44 PM
EliteModelling, I recently completed 1/32 German figrues from Airfix (listed in Figures forum) and I will not ever buy another kit from Airfix.  It was PIA trying to fit the neck, arms and waist onto the body, etc.  I'd rather to do either Tamiya or Dragon any time... hope this helps.

Andy

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Saturday, November 28, 2009 8:27 AM
I tend to use 'em all since they're best when they're chopped up and made into your own..  Stock poses are too limited, tend to look like maniquins, and every diorama out there can tell you what set you used if you build stock... 

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Saturday, November 28, 2009 8:10 AM

well i was not really planing to leave the big guys. thank you

-Adam

 

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by jadgpanther302 on Friday, November 27, 2009 11:35 PM
Italeri and Airfix are  hit and miss. stick with the big three, Tamiya, Tristar and Dragon
  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Friday, November 27, 2009 10:19 PM
Does italleri, airfix still make models? If so are there any new ones out? Thank you.

 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Thursday, September 10, 2009 9:48 AM

I like dragon figures specificly for the faces, the uniforms and such I havent seen MUCH diffrence, there some though.  Old tamiya faces are just horrible.  If thats the case, just swap the heads for good ones.  Thing about dragon I dont like is I have quite a few of their figure kits, and got some with my miniart buildings, but I think there may be... 1 figure in firing position, the rest arent.

On the tamiya side, kits like the russian tank riders in 1/35th, well if I do a russian tank again im gona buy another set, they were nicley molded, the poses were good, and I quite enjoyed working on them.

 

there is also another thing to buying figures.  you get back what you put into them.  Granted, a crappy face cant be fixed, but a nice paint job can make a eh figure great, and a bad paint job can make a great figure eh 

 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by senojrn on Monday, September 7, 2009 2:10 PM

I tend to like Tamiya better...just my opinion.  Dragon, while they make good figure kits (as Stikpusher noted, the newer ones are better than the older ones), seem pretty "inflexible" as to the poses they offer.  They also tend to have similar poses with every kit; 1 or 2 guys "in action" and the rest hanging back, watching.  I like modifying Tamiya figures better. 

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Sunday, September 6, 2009 1:06 PM
ok thank you. il research that product.

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, September 6, 2009 1:00 PM
Dragon does a set for the Marder III H, #6367. It is sweet! I have built it and certainly recommend it. If you're looking for a III M crew, look at Tristar's SP gun crew vol 2, #35007. I have built those also, and am very impressed by the detail and fit. A bit pricier than Dragon, but worth it. You even get some brass shells and nice stuff for your spares box.

 

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

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:53 PM

im looking for a wehrmacht tank crew squad for my Marder 3 Ausf M. i think dragon has a set like that.

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:49 PM

Part of your answer depends on what figure set you are looking at. Newer Tamiya are better than old Dragon, but new Dragon are just a tad better detailwise than Tamiya IMO. Tamiya usually has a better fit. But Dragon has a far larger line of choices out there. Is there any type or set you are looking at in particular?

 

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

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:45 PM
yea thats why im probably going to stick with dragon. thank you :)

 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: East TX
Posted by modelchasm on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:35 PM

 EliteModelling wrote:
im not asking for a free model im looking at if dragon is better than tamiya.

I was simply saying that if you want nice figures, you're going to pay for them. I wasn't talking literally "free".

"If you're not scratching, you're not trying!"  -Scott

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:17 PM
im not asking for a free model im looking at if dragon is better than tamiya.

 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: clinton twp, michigan
Posted by camo junkie on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:14 PM
yeah Sign - Ditto [#ditto]
"An idea is only as good as the person who thought of it...and only as brilliant as the person who makes it!!"
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: East TX
Posted by modelchasm on Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:09 PM

I like Dragon's myself. Although I don't have much experience w/ Tam's figures outside those they put in kits.

As far as the prices ... your not going to get something great for free!?!

"If you're not scratching, you're not trying!"  -Scott

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
dragon vs tamiya?
Posted by EliteModelling on Sunday, September 6, 2009 11:49 AM
what company makes better 1/35 figures? dragon or tamiya? iv used both in the past and i have noticed that dragon adds more Photo-etched parts and sometimes better detail with the figure but the price is higher. wich company will you get more bang for the buck. thank you. vsImage:Optimized image a8c3a2fe.pnganimated explosionBANG for the BUCK

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.