You mean a styrene one ? As CGM Productions has already released 2 resin Ben Hur kits Wooden body (028A) : Steel body (029A) : Frenchy

Frenchy, I have already designated May as "1/35th Trailer Month" because there are so many options coming online!

Bill, you forgot the Mayor Quimby voice: 'Let May be henceforth known as Springfield's Month of the Trailers'....

Even more German trailers from DesKit (including a generator and some Flak-related stuff) : http://deskit.online.fr/02_pages/03_materiels_35/materiels_allemands_35/materiels_allemands_35_03.htm Frenchy

Loves it, though I'm more of a "Family Guy" guy (Stewie!!).

Quote:"What's that spell? Competition and choice..the way it ought to be. This is not the MDFC!!!!!!!!" This was really the gist of my post. I love the fact that all of these "bloggers" call Armorama "Buglerama" and make fun of any positive remarks about Trumpeter. I am all for choice and this "war" between DML and Trumpeter offers a huge choice for modellers. Jeff

Personally, my reaction to seeing this news headline was "Gawd, not another 2 Sd.Kfz. 7s". As much as I like the vehicles, as such as I like seeing more kits released, I must say I find the fact that 2 manufacturers will have (if it actually happens) released 9 Sd.Kfz. 7s by the end of the year rather dull. As do I find this little show of one-up-manship rather tiresome. I mean what's next? DML release whatever variant Trumpeter have that they don't plus a field kitchen variant - Trumpeter follow suit by releasing a kitchen variant plus kitchen variant including kitchen sink?!? I'm all for competition, but apart from more choice in kits, is the consumer really benefiting? Most of these variants are only marginally different (yeah okay not a marginal difference between the types of guns they's portee'ing) and relatively easy and fun conversions to do anyway. It's not like we're seeing them enter a price war - now that would be to our benefit (although the Trumpeter Sd. Kkz.7/1 2cm Flakvierling 38 auf Selbstfahrlafette does appear to sell for about US$20 cheaper). I wonder how many of these kits will actually sell? I wonder how many modellers will actually buy all 5 or 6 variants that will be available by the end of the year? I'm curious what kind of ROI the manufacturers are forecasting and what it actually will be? Personally I'd have preferred for these manufacturers to have staggered the release of these variants more over a few years with a more diverse spread of products in between. It gives us more to choose from now, and keeps us wanting more in the future - and something to look forward to in time. Just my opinion - I don't expect anyone to agree with me, but that's okay, you're entitled to your opinion too. Rudi

I definitely share that view along with virtually other point in your post. There is NOTHING healthier for any market than competition, now I believe, that it's going WAY too far. When DML or Trumpeter announce a UNIQUE (for them) subject such as Trump's T-62s or DML's (NEW) Firefly Ic Hybrid people get extremely enthusiastic. I see that with the page-views on the News Reports. A Report, which, with a genuinely NEW subject will go into the 6-7000+ page view category, There IS almost a 'groan' and the announced-release of the same variant of the same vehicle goes into the 2500-3000 range. Of course there IS another side to this. Those (many) modelers who DON'T use the 'Net as their primary source of info (or those websites who ONLY cover ONE manufacturer) must be getting completely confused if they go into a well-stocked Hobby Store and find 7-8 Sd.Kfz 7 variants on the shelves. What DO they do in these situations? Buy the old Tamiya one as they'll know what they're getting. This is the irony, with all these new models, it may just be easier to go for a familiar brand. If i was in marketing in Tamiya, i'm damned sure i'd re-release ALL of their Sd.Kfz 7 models!

Rudi, Jim, you both raise some good points. At least three of these kits could be released as "2 in 1" versions, since they're very similar: this is especially true of the Trumpeter FLAK 37 & FLAK 43 models and the Late War and Early War Sd.Kfz.7/1 Vierling. But with Tamiya's Sd.Kfz.7 variants a veritable "cash cow" for the firm for the past 3 decades, I presume both companies see these kits as more than paying for themselves. For one thing, the molding and technology for the underlying chassis is the same, so we're talking about adding a gun platform (the incorrect one in Trumpeter's case for the 7/1) and some minor other parts (armoring for the radiator and an armored cab, plus different mudguards). So in terms of ROI, this is a very shrewd move. I think the marketing by both companies has been poor, with the confusion and "noise" from the competing announcements likely to delay consumers from making purchasing decisions (marketing geek speak for "their food fight is either going to piss off modelers or make them wait to buy"). But in terms of the LHS market, especially in Asia where their base customers are, extending the franchise in this way seems very shrewd to me. And given the HUGE over-popularity of Axis models over almost anything else, a new T-55 might be a more exciting announcement than another Sd.Kfz.7, but it's likely not going to sell the same amount of product. Your mileage may vary.