Jeff, your description is pretty accurate. The way I heard it (and this is strictly grapevine so accuracy is questionable at best) is that Heng Long is a family company (like Tamiya) and there was some kind of split and one member started Taigen. That definitely explains a lot of the similarities.

However, I do believe Taigen has some original molds, like the Sherman.

I'm not sure I'd call them RTR toys, though. Maybe high end toys, or entry level hobby grade. They do offer a lot of DIY upgrades and mods.

No one can dispute the excellence of the customer service at Imex, but keep in mind that Imex and Taigen are two separate entities. Imex offers a HUGE inventory besides just Taigen tanks. Just look around your LHS next time you're there, and you'll probably find the Imex brand on other stuff, like display cases and RC items besides tanks.

One thing I know for sure, Imex/Taigen has offered me a much better starting point than HL, and I seriously doubt I would be as deep into this hobby as I am without them. The increase in quality at the base level makes it much easier for me to concentrate on the details I enjoy the most, without the constant flaws and repairs necessary with most HL tanks, at a significantly lower initial cost than Tamiya (for my favorite German armor). I have as much invested in my favorite Taigen Tiger One as I would a Tamiya Tiger (if not more), but the original tank was only $200 and man have I had fun bringing the S33 Tiger up to the level it's at now.

Now if I could just get Imex to come up with some RC soft sided military vehicles!