Once again, my thanks go to Terry Ashley of P.M.M.S. for pointing me in a most useful direction... These are the forthcoming Armor releases from Trumpeter....

At the moment, the battle-lines are getting clearly drawn amongst the big manufacturers. Tamiya is investing strongly in 1/48th scale, DML continues releasing everything that AFV Club has announced and the latter two continue with virtually a duplicate release program...

Step forward Trumpeter.

Whereas every single version of the 251 or the Tiger is getting released or on the drawing board, only Trumpeter it seems is prepared to make some eclectic choices in its new products...

Beginning with a scale that many would consider strange - the logic becomes apparent when one looks at the subjects....

Trumpeter 1/144 Scale Releases:

00101 Morser Karl- German Railway Gun

00102 LCM(3) US Navy Landing Craft WWII

00103 AAVP7A1 Assault Amphibious Personnel Carrier

00104 LVTP7 Amphibious Carrier

00105 AAV7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle

Since when was amphibious warfare so popular?....

Trumpeter 1/72nd Scale Releases:

07201 German King Tiger Tank

07202 German King Tiger Porsche Turret Tank

07203 German Famo SdKfz 9/18ton Halftrack

07206 Soviet T34/76 Model 1943 Tank

07207 Soviet T34/85 Model 1944 Tank

07208 Soviet KV1C Tank

07211 M26 Pershing US Medium Tank

07217 Japanese Type 61 Tank

07218 Japanese Type 74 Tank

07219 Japanese Type 90 Tank

07220 Strv 103c Main Battle Tank

07221 AS90 Self-Propelled Howitzer

Trumpeter 1/35th Scale Releases:

00211 Soviet Tank Transporter Maz537

00311 Soviet KV1 & KV2 Tank

00312 Soviet KV2 Tank

00326 JGSDF Type 82 6x6 Armored Car Command Vehicle

00327 JGSDF Type 87 Recon Vehicle

00330 JGSDF Type 82 NBC Detection Vehicle

00331 K1A1 Main Battle Tank w/120mm Gun Korea

00344 Chinese Type 96 Main Battle Tank

00349 USMC LAV25 Piranha APC

00350 German 12.8cm Tank Destroyer L/61 Sturer Emil Selbstfahrlafette

00355 Hotchkiss 38H(f) German Observation Tank

00356 KV1 Model 1941 KV Small Turret

00359 KV1 Model 1942 Heavy Cast Turret

00361 Russian SAM6 Tank

Notes: - The three JSDGF vehicles are identical to the three announced by Pit-Road, there were rumors that there was some 'arrangement' between the 2 companies. This seems to be confirmed. Curiously there is no move (yet) into 1/48th - to paraphrase Mark Twain "Reports of the demise of 1/35th are somewhat premature..."

As always, more news and images when they arrive....