Jim, we were discussing the already released Mk III-B as having problems. You are right, the D model in the release announcement is not in production yet. What I was saying is that I hope that MiniArt does a better job with it than they did with the B model. If you scroll up the posts to my the first comment I made, you'll find a link to one of the B models being built and the poor rear deck design. Hopes this helps with the confusion.

Thanks Bob! Clarified...

First, I'm not putting the entire company down. They are bringing out a nice selection overall. In fact, they should be applauded for being able to get out the number of releases they do, given the situation they're working in. Now, with that said, the R&D person (or team) for the III-B did not do his job and will cost the company either through lost sales, or paying for retooling for the fix. As far as aftermarket fixes go, after spending $60 or so, on the kit, the thought of putting out another $25 (or whatever) just to cure what shouldn't have been broke in the first place sure doesn't sit well with me. One can only hope the future releases of the series will be done with a bit more diligence. [/quote] Hey, Bob! I think that you're reading me wrong... Regarding MINIART's Pz.III Bs- If you will notice the little laughing guys in my blurb, you'll see that I'm just poking fun at MINIART. True, MINIART should have got it right the first time. I mentioned that MINIART should correct their errors with these kits. However, designing new tooling is VERY EXPENSIVE, so I don't really see MINIART going back to the drawing board the way DRAGON does to "correct" their ENDLESS Tiger Is, and charging us more money for them. And you know something? DRAGON CONSISTENTLY GETS AWAY WITH IT!!! What about all the BLACK PLAGUE kits that require a boat-load of corrections? And how about the errors in DRAGON's US WWII Half-Track kits and earlier M4-series kits that they just keep cranking out with utter disregard to modeller's complaints? My mentioning that maybe some A/M company should think about coming up with a "correction/update kit" for MINIART's Pz.III kits is NOT "OUT OF LINE". Maybe YOU don't want to spend the extra money on extra "correction/update kits", and I can empathize with your opinion, but some of us actually WOULD go out and buy a so far non-existent "correction/update kit" in lieu of scratch-building/correcting the mistakes that MINIART should not have let into production in the first place. WHEW!!! I agree with you that some modellers that WOULD HAVE bought MINIART's Pz.III Bs WON'T, because of the aforementioned errors. I'm going to hold off myself, precisely for those reasons- Or maybe just until MINART gives us a correct "earlier-than-an Ausf.E Pz.III". I've limited my purchases of DRAGON's Pz.III line only to the major types, with the obvious visual differences: Pz.III Ausf.E 1940, France, Pz.III Ausf.J (early), Pz.III Ausf.L (trop.). I didn't bother with the Ausf.M (short 7.5cm) just because if I glance at an Pz.III Ausf.M too quickly, I think of one of the early Pz.IVs equipped with the short 7.5cm howitzer. As I've mentioned in more than a few of my comments in other threads, I concentrate mainly on US/ALLIED WWII and modern subjects in my 1/35 endeavors, so it's NOT absolutely critical for me that MINART released their Pz.Ausf.B with some glaring errors included for no extra charge. I'm also a huge fan of 1/48 aircraft and HO Steam Era brass, high-end brass/plastic "Hybrid" locomotives, high-end plastic locos and the passenger "Limiteds" of the Steam Era as well. I'm also very into 1/24 and 1/25 Classic Cars of the 1920s, '30s, '40s, and '50s, interspersed with a VERY FEW "Muscle Cars" of the 1960s and '70s... MINIART and a few other companies have finally taken the bull by the horns by giving us a lot of stuff that we've been clamoring for for years. I can only hope that this trend will continue. What REEEEALLY sticks in my craw are the facts that AFV CLUB NEVER released the 1/35 M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage that they showed in their "Coming Soon" announcements some years ago, which was supposed to be a "follow-on" companion piece to their GREAT M5A1 (early and late) kits. DRAGON did the same with a 1/35 M3 "Lee", back in roughly the same time-frame. I sure wish someone would take up the challenge and release the two subjects that I just brought up, AGAIN!!!

I love Miniart trucks!

Don't know who designed it, but I do know if I owned the company there'd be some new faces in the unemployment line.[/quote] Guys, not sure if you're aware, but Miniart has had to uproot their whole factory operation from the war zone in Ukraine. Kudos to them for just staying alive and producing new products as well. It's easy to snipe at 'forum' issues which don't really mean anything away from your PC screen. Spare a thought for some hard-working, dedicated people.

Don't know who designed it, but I do know if I owned the company there'd be some new faces in the unemployment line.[/quote] Guys, not sure if you're aware, but Miniart has had to uproot their whole factory operation from the war zone in Ukraine. Kudos to them for just staying alive and producing new products as well. It's easy to snipe at 'forum' issues which don't really mean anything away from your PC screen. Spare a thought for some hard-working, dedicated people.[/quote] Wow. Didn't realise that. Let's hope they're safe now.

This disputed Pz. III seems somewhat elusive to own. Who sells it in the US?

Robert - quite familiar with the problems Miniart's experienced with the rather "fluid" situation over there. I, too, am glad they've managed to resume production after they moved. Beyond that, the problem we're discussing has nothing to do with it. Bill - don't know who's got them in stock. My LHS's distributor got their initial order in, sold out, and have yet to get a restock in. - as of a couple weeks ago, when I canceled my order after I found out about the design problems.

Just trying to maintain perspective between a real world issue and individual modelling observations of yet another Panzer. Happy modelling!