Tamiya and Heng Long originally had different target audiences, they still do. Though I believe that HL/Matorro has also broadened their target audience by the attention to detail they've put into their latest tanks. Remember the HLs are not kits, charge the battery and go, the Tamiyas are a model makers dream, you have to put them together and that has a satisfaction all its own. I don't know when the first HL hit the market, I joined the hobby only recently. Since 2005 they've introduced the Pershing, Walker Bulldog, Panzer III and Sturmtiger. They also have a few more in the works including a King Tiger and I heard somewhere maybe a "Late" Tiger I.