German Destroyer comparisons...

Dragon's Z39 has just been released in the UK and is available for the princely sum of £52.50GBP.

More than twice the cost of Trumpeter's current offering.

Is it really worth the price of two Trumpy ones? £52 for a flippin destroyer is crazy.

What is that in US dollars?

$84.2064 USD

Greetings fellow modelers! Wow - this thread is interesting! It meandered all over various topics before it came home to the Zerstore question - which I think is... "Which kit is more detailed? Better value? Lowest cost? Is cooler? Oh boy, I'm confused! Anyway - I did some searching and found various vendor's prices. Here's what I found:

Pacific Front hobbies: Trumpeter kit not available. Dragon kit $46.00

Dragon On-Line Shop: $49.95 with free shipping. (No Trumpeter kit)

Great Models: Trumpeter kit $33.90. Dragon kit $47.85

Squadron: Trumpeter kit $38.69. Dragon kit $56.69.

Sprue Bros: Trumpeter kit $34.49. Dragon kit $46.99.

I recently did a WIP on Trumpeter's Zerstorer and really liked the kit. But - I just received a Dragon Zerstorer kit which I am going to review and compare to Trumpeter's offering. Oh boy, I can just feel it coming!  The controversy! The hair pulling!  The pressure is just too much!  AAAAAA!!!!!

Just kidding - I really want a chance to honestly compare the two kits and give my (very humble) opinion upon them. I agreed to post it on another web site (Modelwarships.com) when the build is done - BUT, I will say the Dragon kit is SWEET!!!

I agreed not to say more until it's done. Soon, very soon!Mark

Finally, a fair and balanced debate...I have the Trumpy destroyer and got it for $29...it, too, is sweet! 

I also have a ton of Dragon kits, including their line of 350th US Destroyers and can say w/o hesitation that they are sweet as well...

The real question comes down to how much "sweetnes" the extra $ is worth, if indeed the Dragon offering is "sweeter"...From my experience, I'll hazard a guess and say that if I were given the choice of the two kits for the SAME $ I'd go w/ Dragon based on what I saw in their US Destroyer kits; BUT, the real question is up to each modeler on whether or not the margin of difference in kits is worth the margin of difference in $...

And I will say that I believe that margin of difference in kits is narrowing at each new release...

But is the Dragon model worth $84 ?

And is the site independant?  The owner does work for Dragon as do many of the moderators, does they do work for other model companies?

More to the point, at the end of the day, is there a point to all this back and forth?

Yes...and no...

of course I would say some people here have an axe to grind, mostly about distributers. I don't think that should reflect on people writing reviews on websites that by an large have given fair and balanced reviews in the past, which is the only way you can rate anything.

I have both models and the Dragon model is better molded fits better etc. The Price I paid was $5 different between the two.

Also I buy a model say for $50-$80 dollars. I spend another $40 or more on PE. Irregardless less than $200. I then get 6 months of entertainment from that purchase.

Thats darned cheap for the # of hours fun I get.

Cost of an NHL Ice Hockey game up here in the great white north $100 to $300, Soccer or what we get as soccer $50, Baseball about the same... And thats only a few hours of entertainment. 

If people dont like the price stop harping on about it, just dont buy!

rayb24

 The Price I paid was $5 different between the two.

 

Gentlemen,

Gentlemen,

As I ave previously stated - you guys in the U.S. have the exclusive luxury of comparing kits from both makers solely upon a quality/accuracy basis - well, to within a mere $5 margin.

Here in the UK, there simply isn't any way that ANY Dragon kit is worth the asking price which is double that of the equivalent offering from Trumpeter - there simply isn't double the value for money there.

So when Trumpeter come up with a 1/350 Zerstorer for half the asking price of Dragon's offering, guess which way most fol will jump? From a scale distance, if it looks like a Zerstorer, then it most likely IS a Zerstorer - regardless of Dragon's bells & whistles.

Ask yourself this - Just how many people see your completed models? And how many of these folk would be well versed enough in the subject to tell a Z2539 pink elephant from a grey one?

Now the question has been asked, both here and on MWS "Why should Dragon be concerned about this - It's not their problem?"

There's absolutely NO WAY that 2 x RRP=2X Value For Money.

End Of.

For some reason up here Trumpeter and Dragon are close to same price at the LHS, not sure why.

I also used my IPMS 10% discount, but that applied to both.

rayb24

For some reason up here Trumpeter and Dragon are close to same price at the LHS, not sure why.

I also used my IPMS 10% discount, but that applied to both.

Sorry about that, didnt read the second part.

$47 for the Trumpeter and $53 for the Dragon.

I know I can buy both online cheaper, but lol I was standing there when they put the new releases on the shelf.... Temptation go the better of me and I left with the Z39

Ray

Not to pour fuel on the fire here, but if the in-country cost of a model is very high, why not look online

I just checked and the Dragon Model can be had online with shipping for about 30% less than the prices quoted here in UK Pounds. I didnt look to hard either.

Places like HLJ and others are very reputable. I know some people don like buying online but hey the difference is worth it.

Ray

rayb24

Sorry about that, didnt read the second part.

$47 for the Trumpeter and $53 for the Dragon.

I know I can buy both online cheaper, but lol I was standing there when they put the new releases on the shelf.... Temptation go the better of me and I left with the Z39

 

Ray

Does anyone have any ref pics of these German boats in any type of disruptive camo scheme???

Manstein's revenge

Does anyone have any ref pics of these German boats in any type of disruptive camo scheme???

I bet Her Majesty's Admiralty does...

cerberusjf

And is the site independant?  The owner does work for Dragon as do many of the moderators, does they do work for other model companies?

No. Tim Dike is the only moderator who "works" for Dragon. Me, I provided research photos and corrections for the CVL but asked for nothing other than the opportunity. Dragon sent me four kits for my time (three of which I gave away to people who had also helped out) but it was never agreed upon or discussed prior to or during the work. I say that just in case you were thinking of me in your above statement.

Dave AKA Warshipbuilder annoys me with his constant harping on a regional problem as a worldwide issue, but I've never deleted any of his posts; I just counter them. I think you will find that's true for the other moderators there as well who are not on Dragon's Payroll. That is your answer for "is the site independent?"

Ya'll MOJO's need to stop with all of the back and forth fighting...

Anyways, about that disruptive camo scheme...???

Manstein - If you google Zerstorer photos you'll get all sorts of images. I copied these two - but I don't know if they'll work:

(Links removed)

I think I'd like to "dazzle" my next Zerstorer too. Not sure yet...

Hope the links work -

Mark

Yep, the back and forth needs to stop. Obviously there is a difference of opinion about the relative value of the kits. That point has been made several times, and the only reason I can see for either side to keep bring it up is to continue a long festering dispute.

Let's move on and discuss disruptive camouflage on German destroyers.

If you want something to fight about: Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Cheers, Aaron

lol. Aaron.. your funny !

i like the disruptive schemes used in any Navy... pretty neat..

Yes, manstein, it appears to be the most advanced case of DPD I have ever seen ...

Wow - what a nightmare! Would the moderator please delete those "links" I posted?

Sorry about that guys - won't do that again!

Mark

What's going on in here?

mstazz62

Wow - what a nightmare! Would the moderator please delete those "links" I posted?

Sorry about that guys - won't do that again!

Mark