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Tamiya's New Opel Blitz in 1/35th
jimbrae
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Provincia de Lugo, Spain / España
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 12:22 AM UTC
In this report we look at some of the first images of Tamiya's new Opel Blitz in 1/35th scale. Not an earth-shattering release but definitely within the ''LONG-Overdue'' category of new releases. This is NOT though any kind of re-box. This is a completely new tooling. The full story can be seen:

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

alanmac
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 01:00 AM UTC
Hi Jim

Looks to be a release that will sell very well, and as you say a good base for lots of the variants it had using this chassis.

Did a quick read in the newsagents of the magazine article on the build of this in Model Magazine International and from my brief read it seemed really nice.

Whilst the Italeri one was quite nicely made for its time and still looks pretty good it has needed somebody to bring out a completely new kit up to today's standards.

Apart from the missing logo, which can easily be rectified, it appears from the sprue shots you show, and I can't be sure, that it looks like the bonnet front is moulded in one piece without the gaps formed by the grill.

Have to wait and see once it's out, or go back and look/buy the magazine to check.

It'll be a shame if that is the case.

I hope not as back in the dark ages of mould making Italeri managed to achieve that at least.

They have got the characteristic forward incline of the original well depicted though and nice additions of two crew and the oil drum set included .

All the best

Alan

Grumpyoldman
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 01:24 AM UTC
Always nice to see a new injected 1/35th soft-skin on the market.
lespauljames
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 02:36 AM UTC
anyone wanna buy it build it an tell me if its good?
Nah im kidding, this looks like what the market (and i ) need at the moment!
whittman181
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 04:47 AM UTC
With all the new releases coming out across the board I think I need to get a second job just to keep up. This one looks gooood
CMOT
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 05:18 AM UTC
I couldn’t tell from the pictures if the tires are plastic or rubber, do you know Jim?
jimbrae
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 05:20 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I couldn’t tell from the pictures if the tires are plastic or rubber, do you know Jim?



Plastic - i've had enough of vinyl thanks very much

210cav
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 05:26 AM UTC
HobbyLink Japan has them for about $28 plus s/h. I just ordered mine.
CMOT
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 05:36 AM UTC
Thanks Jim
jargonking
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 06:09 AM UTC
It's nice to see Tamiya include a decent amount of cargo...looks like the moulds from their Jerrycan and Fuel Drum set.
I can see them getting a lot of milage from this kit in terms of alternative versions. Off the top of my head I can think of Ambulance, Radio Truck, Troop Carrier with seats and canvas top, Flak Unit, Fire Truck, even a civil version.

Hisham
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 06:44 AM UTC
It's going for $20.51 at hobbyeasy... pretty good price.

How come it's cheaper in Hong Kong than it is in Japan where it's made!!!
AJLaFleche
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 06:45 AM UTC
For a new moldilng, you'd think they could have avoided the huge ejector pin marks on the inside of the rear bed panel. I count at least three and if there's wood grain, they'll be a pain to correct.
210cav
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 07:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

It's going for $20.51 at hobbyeasy... pretty good price.

How come it's cheaper in Hong Kong than it is in Japan where it's made!!!



What is the magic to registering with Hobby easy? I tried for two days to put through a registration and it did nothing but kick it back asking for my "country."
DJ
Hisham
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 08:21 AM UTC
I'm not sure what the problem you're getting is, but you can send a message to [email protected] and tell him about it. He's always been very helpful.

Good luck
Hisham
210cav
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 08:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm not sure what the problem you're getting is, but you can send a message to [email protected] and tell him about it. He's always been very helpful.

Good luck
Hisham



Hisham-- thanks, problem solved. I saved about ten bucks under the HLJ price.
thanks again
DJ
Pilgrim
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England - North, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 09:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

For a new moldilng, you'd think they could have avoided the huge ejector pin marks on the inside of the rear bed panel. I count at least three and if there's wood grain, they'll be a pain to correct.



No worries: just fill 'em and then a few strokes with a medium to coarse sand paper, et voila!

Sean
jargonking
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 09:48 AM UTC

Quoted Text

For a new moldilng, you'd think they could have avoided the huge ejector pin marks on the inside of the rear bed panel. I count at least three and if there's wood grain, they'll be a pain to correct.



Short of moulding it in two very thin halves I think it was probably unavoidable, I do sometimes wonder though why the ejector pin contact points can't be incorporated into the sprue alongside the actual parts...anyone know why?
Henk
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 12:34 PM UTC
It appears that the trusty old jerrycan set is now included in most new re-releases from Tamiya. A welcome addition I must say. As for the similarity to the Italeri kit, some of the parts do break down differently, so it's not just a re-pop. Still very similar though.. . The detail looks much better (the jerrycan in the rack underneath the cargo bed for example) . Another interesting point is that the DAK palm decals have complete swastikas, without the need to construct those from two or three different decals.
jjumbo
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 03:07 PM UTC
Looks good,
Other than the missing manufacturer's logo on the front grill, the Blitz looks like a winner
I hope there are other variants in the works too
Cheers

jjumbo
GALILEO1
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 04:13 PM UTC
Well, just placed my order also with Hobbyeasy. Wanted to do it while reading this thread as there have been occasions I found of a new kit here I really wanted just to forget all about it after moving on to other threads.

Anyway, I've really always liked the Opel and this one by Tamiya seems will fit the bill..

Thanks to Hisham for sharing about Hobbyeasy

Rob
alanmac
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 09:35 PM UTC
Hi

I just wanted to say further to my earlier post in regard to the front grill, I've been informed by Chris Mrosko,who has the kit, that this is open between the grill uprights and looks very nice, all be it the logo is missing, but like I said that can easily be added.

Alan
ukgeoff
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Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 11:04 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I just wanted to say further to my earlier post in regard to the front grill, I've been informed by Chris Mrosko,who has the kit, that this is open between the grill uprights and looks very nice, all be it the logo is missing, but like I said that can easily be added



That suprises me, I'd have thought it would have been solid. Unlike the Italeri kit, there is no radiator or engine detail to prevent daylight being visable through the grill.
Galwitz
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Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 12:41 AM UTC
Probably a silly question, but I'll shoot anyway...

The description for the markings in grey color says 69th Sniper Reg., 10th Panzer Div. Just out of pure curiosity, that wasn't really a sniper regiment, was it? I'm guessing that in German it would be Schutzen - so even it could be translated as sharpshooter or sniper, it probably indicates infantry regiment (maybe for a guard duty)...?
jimbrae
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Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 12:43 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The description for the markings in grey color says 69th Sniper Reg., 10th Panzer Div. Just out of pure curiosity, that wasn't really a sniper regiment, was it? I'm guessing that in German it would be Schutzen - so even it could be translated as sharpshooter or sniper, it probably indicates infantry regiment



I think you may be onto something - I saw that as well and my eyebrows had to be unpeeled from the ceiling
Galwitz
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Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 01:16 AM UTC
After talking to Mr. Google for a while I'm sure it has nothing to do with snipers...

The unit is 69. Schutzen-Regiment (motorized) attached to 10. Panzer-Division in April 1940. In the middle of May 1940 it was involved in the Battle of Stonne in France.

http://www.geocities.com/mdx.geo/regiment1e.html (about a half way thru)
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