In-box review of Tamiya's new IL-2 kit on Hyperscale>

[K.Ingraham]

http://www.hyperscale.com/2012/reviews/kits/tamiya61113reviewbg_1.htm

Later in the week, Brett says he'll post a side by side comparison of this with the AM kit.

If the link doesn't work for you, check HS's 'What's New' for April 21.

[learstang]

Thank you for the link, Kevin.  I'll be looking for the side-by-side comparison.  It looks beautiful, but... (I've always detested the people who have to describe every little imperfection to show how much they know about a particular aeroplane, but it looks like I have to do it on this one).  I don't know why they have the internal gunsight on the clear parts sprue as it was never used on the arrow (although this may very well be a good thing, as this was only found on the single-seater - a hint of kits to come I hope).  Tamiya, like everyone else, has not done the engine primer pump array in the cockpit very well - it's just a simple representation, although at least they have something.  Two of the rear gunner's canopies are inaccurate for an arrow - although, again, they may just indicate that a straight-winged two-seater is in the works.  The master weapons release lever appears to be in the wrong place (it should be squarely located on top of the rear wing spar, next to the rear of the pilot's seat).  The front of the cockpit, if I'm looking at it correctly, appears rather strange, as it's completely closed in, whereas it was open in the Shturmovik, with just the instrument panel between the pilot and the front fuel tank.  I don't believe the elevator tabs should be extended either - I think they should be flush with the trailing edge.  However, I suppose I should wait until I get my copy (already pre-ordered) before I make any final analysis.  At any rate, it looks great, despite any nitpicking I may do now and in the future.  However, if they have it in the totally fictitious brown/green scheme, Mr. Tamiya will be hearing from me!

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Interesting review, the kit looks really beautiful.
I'm displeased for the fact that the earlier versions aren't clearly on the list. This model would show differences from the AM by sure, and exposing a straight-wing of AM aside an arrow of Tamiya could put in evidence small unjustified differences.
Regards
Massimo

[learstang]

Interesting review, the kit looks really beautiful.
I'm displeased for the fact that the earlier versions aren't clearly on the list. This model would show differences from the AM by sure, and exposing a straight-wing of AM aside an arrow of Tamiya could put in evidence small unjustified differences.
Regards
Massimo

Massimo, AM never did a straight-winged two-seater, although Eduard did one by "kit-bashing" the AM single-seater with the arrow and putting it under the Eduard brand name.  From the inclusion of the PBP-1 gunsight, and the extended rear gunner's canopies it appears that Tamiya will be coming out with the single-seater and the straight-winged two-seater.  Hopefully they'll even "shrink" them into 1/72nd scale.

Regards,

Jason

[John Thompson]

http://www.hyperscale.com/2012/reviews/kits/tamiya61113reviewbg_1.htm

Later in the week, Brett says he'll post a side by side comparison of this with the AM kit.

If the link doesn't work for you, check HS's 'What's New' for April 21.

Considering all the howling that's going on elsewhere about how wrong it is that Tamiya would release a 1/48 Il-2 when the Accurate Miniatures kit is "good enough" or because the new kit isn't a Spitfire, I'm impressed that Brett would risk being banned from his own forum by doing that comparison. Good for him!

John

[learstang]

http://www.hyperscale.com/2012/reviews/kits/tamiya61113reviewbg_1.htm

Later in the week, Brett says he'll post a side by side comparison of this with the AM kit.

If the link doesn't work for you, check HS's 'What's New' for April 21.

Considering all the howling that's going on elsewhere about how wrong it is that Tamiya would release a 1/48 Il-2 when the Accurate Miniatures kit is "good enough" or because the new kit isn't a Spitfire, I'm impressed that Brett would risk being banned from his own forum by doing that comparison. Good for him!

John

Or another Bf-109E.  I think we need a Bf-109E in every conceivable scale starting from 1/200th all the way up to 1/18th (1/200th, 1/199th, 1/198th, etc.).  Although a plastic 1/1 scale Bf-109E would be interesting, but think how big the box would be!  Getting back to reality, the Hobby Boss IL-2's are also "good enough", but I'd still love to see Tamiya tackle all the IL-2 versions in 1/32nd scale.  But boy-howdy would they be expensive, not that the Hobby Boss kits are cheap!  (I'd still buy them all - after all, who needs to eat.)

Regards,

Jason

[K.Ingraham]

Great insight Jason--I didn't read the preview until after I rushed over here to link it so that you'd get a heads-up.

Might you reach out to Brett as well & collaborate in the review/comparison? Might be a good place to hint at your forthcoming work.

The downside of the future variant releases is Tamiya's record of never, or at least very seldom, ever doing this. Take (of many examples) their M-26 and IS-2 35th scale armor releases; both kits engineered for future variants--simply done, high potential demand and they just let it slide.

Another downside for potential sales of this release is the fact that most of us who'd buy a crate of these are reading this thread and are wondering how to justify the purchases when we already have a crate of AM issues gathering dust--I can vouch for nine of the things myself (with all the attendant Vector and Eduard AM). Unless I get a real raise soon, I'm only down for one.

OK, another potential negative--the price inhibiting multiple issues. I think this thing will be going for more than usd $65, more than I paid for any of my Accukits plus the color zoom and vector corrections combined.

I sure hope they get the camo right, there is no longer any excuse for them to blow it, unless they already enlisted Mr EP's "expertise", in which case we are boned. A company of Tamiya's stature is not going to get into a 'he said/she said" pissing match, which I believe is how'd they see that, even if we know better.

About the appropriateness of this selection, it isn't a smooth move for quick profit but I believe releases of historically important subjects like the D-520, the Storch and Swordfish might not make any exec a special bonus next quarter, they do become steady income earners and do make a profit over time, IMHO.
Secondly, while a lot of HSers whined about the poor sales potential and their lack of interest, the debate has already brought up the importance of the IL-2, the Soviet war effort and a hint of the wide variety of schemes available.This can only help improve the potential sales and the awareness of the actual history of the Soviet-nazi war.
And a final irrelevant note, I refuse to use the term "eastern front". The "Eastern Front" from the perspective of the victors was the Manchurian campaign. Who cares what the Germans called it? 'nuff said.

Just as I finally establish a long-overdue budget, this thing is announced simultaneously with the Amodel Li-2 family. Life is good.

[learstang]

Some very good points, Kevin.  I like the suggestion about contacting Brett Green regarding a joint comparison of the AM and Tamiya kits.  Your comparison with the Swordfish is appropriate - I don't normally buy 1/48th scale aircraft but I bought the Swordfish anyway.  It was an interesting and historically significant aeroplane (and until recently terribly underrepresented in plastic).  If they came out with another sodding P-51 or Bf-109, fuggidaboutit!  I agree also about the usage of the terms "Eastern Front" (and "Ostfront") as these are German terms.  I use the terms "Great Patriotic War" or "GPW".  I realise these are Russian/Soviet terms but seeing as how they won, and rather convincingly at that (that was the Soviet flag being hoisted over the ruins of the Reichstag as I recall), I believe we should use the terms they used (well, translations anyway, although I have to admit that "Velikoiy Otechestvennoiy Voiyni" has a certain ring to it).  The winners get to write the history and all that.  As my irrelevant note, Velikoiy Otechestvennoiy Voiyni is rendered in Cyrillic as "BOB", not be confused with the Battle of Britain!  Now if ICM would only get cracking with the U-2/Po-2 and I-153 life indeed would be good for us VVS modellers.

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Jason,
I hope you're right, but they didn't specify the version of the plane on the box. I suppose that they would have done this, if they intended to make further versions.
Regards
Massimo

[K.Ingraham]

Just a reminder, what Brett has is a pre-production kit. It's not too late to get things fixed if/as required.

Hopefully, Jason can establish his boni-fides with Brett and together, they can move VVS modeling a notch forward.

[learstang]

Just a reminder, what Brett has is a pre-production kit. It's not too late to get things fixed if/as required.

Hopefully, Jason can establish his boni-fides with Brett and together, they can move VVS modeling a notch forward.

Forwards into that bright Socialist Future, comrade modellers!  Or at least into a future where we have some accurate mainstream VVS kits.  I'll settle for that.

Regards,

Jason 

[Apex1701]

Complete review of the construction here :
http://hyperscale.com/2012/features/il2tamiyabuild48bg_1.htm

Looks like a winner to me.
I have ordered one :-)

Jean

[learstang]

Complete review of the construction here :
http://hyperscale.com/2012/features/il2tamiyabuild48bg_1.htm

Looks like a winner to me.
I have ordered one :-)

Jean

Thank you for the link, Jean!  It looks beautiful - I have one ordered also.  I do hope this is a great success not only in its own right but so they'll upscale it to 1/32nd scale and downscale it to 1/72nd scale.

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi, it's really well made. I hope that they will really make the straight-wing version, the scomposition of the wing pieces suggests this as possible. If so, they should write 'm3' or 'arrow wing' or 'strelkoi' or 'mod.1944' on the box of this kit to distinguish it from earlier variants.
Regards
Massimo

[learstang]

Yes, I hope they do the straight-winged version and the single-seater (the presence of the gunsight hints that they may do the single-seater, as well as the presence of the early-style gunner's canopy suggests they may do the straight-winged two-seater).  Another reason to hope that this kit is a big success.  So everybody order two or three!

Regards,

Jason