[Dave Williams]

Anyone seen this kit in the US? I know it's available from Lucky Model and on eBay from Asian sources, but was wondering when US shops were going to be getting the kit.

[Dave Williams]

I keep checking Sprue Brothers daily.....

[sharkmouth]

Merit International, AFV Club's US distributor, is shipping as I write this so it will be soon. Call your LHS and asked if they placed the order with Merit.

Regards,

[Mcain]

have had mine for three weeks now and it is a superb kit, just ordered it from lucky model and was here to my home in ontario canada in seven days, better than toronto to my place in same amount of time. Hate to take away business from north american stores but they cost so much more here and shipping is getting worse cost wise.


Mike

[Recon]

Sprue Brothers has them in stock.
Mike

[F4DPhantomII]

Saw them at AMPS Nationals last weekend in Auburn Indiana.They were asking $70 per kit.7 were given away in Amps sponsered raffle.

[HeavyArty]

Quote

The Tamiya kit will suit me fine.

Really, it is light years ahead of the old, tired, oversimplified, soft detailed Tamiya kit. If you have that attitude, why buy any models that have come out since 1980 or so. All the old, tired Tamiya ones will do just fine.

[ChesshireCat]

HeavyArty, on 04 May 2012 - 12:55 AM, said:

Really, it is light years ahead of the old, tired, oversimplified, soft detailed Tamiya kit. If you have that attitude, why buy any models that have come out since 1980 or so. All the old, tired Tamiya ones will do just fine.

I have that Tamiya kit, and to be honest with you it dosn't resemble the one parked up the road from me! I mean you know the kit is an M42, but that's about it! I was thinking about combining the M41 parts with the M42 upper, but even that's not right. I'll simply order in an M42 from AFV as it looks like they are a light year better. Kinda like compairing the Bronco 155mm howitzers to the old Testors kits in my book
gary

[Dave Williams]

You can get the Duster a little cheaper from Lucky Model or Scale Hobbyist, for around $55 shipped, but the fact is that's what a new tool, good quality armor kit costs these days. Kits these days have a lot more parts and a lot more detail than the old Tamiya kits that were considered high quality 30 years ago. Plus, a lot of the old Tamiya kits were ex-motorized kits and still had concessions due to that. The number of parts for the very visible inside of the Duster mount is quite impressive on the new kit, plus you get aluminum barrels as well as PE sights. I think you are getting what you are paying for. Plus, the days of cheap kits from Asia are long gone. The latest Tamiya M51 Super Sherman still goes for $50 and, compared to kits from AFV Club, DML, and others, it's a relatively simple kit.

That's just the way it is now. OTOH, a lot more parts sometimes means a lot less fun, and sometimes you need to decompress with an older, cheaper, simpler kit. After looking at the jam packed box of an AFV Club Churchill AVRE, I recently dug out an old Italeri M47 Patton, which still looks like it would make a decent OOTB build.

Check out the instructions, the two Duster kits really are apples and oranges:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003973

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10177583

This post has been edited by Dave Williams: 05 May 2012 - 12:17 AM