ARMY GROUP SOUTH

Just have to spend my Christmas money on family instead, there gain, my disappointment.

herrmill

Hey Bill,

You seem to have a good pulse on the situation with HL. Can you get their big boss to confirm what they are working on & slated for 2009 release?

IMHO, VS has been smart to let their customers know what to expect in the coming months in their long-term marketing plans, but with HL, all one hears are many rumors flying about. A few of us who have been to their factory have seen a few models in development over the past year that has been mentioned previously on the forums. I'd think it would be both in your & the factory's interest to try to limit the rumor mill & at least offer some idea on planned releases along with an expected timeframe. Many other hobby manufacturers do it all the time.

What say thee?

Chuck

971wright

Hi Bill Sad news about the 60 days to production ,Any news about extra channels How are they going to do it are they going for split channels or differant frequnces when will they be avalable.


regards pete

RCCOMMAND

Yes, indeed. Not what we wanted to hear.

Woke up this morning to an email informing me they were ready and will be prepared for shipping to me. Don't know the details such as how many channels/frequencies. I asked for 6 more channels than we currently have.

Bill

RCCOMMAND

I'll certainly do what I can. They are of the thought process that once projected dates are given as estimates, the public perceives those dates as being written in stone and once those dates are missed...well, you know the rest.

Bill

kclank

well let me know as i want one, whatever it is

bullyhys

Yes Please let us know I wish to acquire one as well.

bullyhys

RMSINSD

Bill - I sorta "lost the thread" on this one. [&:] Although we're talking about the delay, post #104 states "they are ready" and prepared for shipping. Which "they" are you referring to? Jagdpanthers, or more channeled radios, or?

To AGS (Army Group South) - you're missing an opportunity! If the jagdpanther is off a ways, it just means you can buy another tank, and have enough time to save up for it! Unless of course that is, you have all the others! [X(]

Back to Bill - eagerly awaiting your clarification, because I'm gonna follow my own advice to AGS.

RCCOMMAND

Sorry for the confusion...additional crystal channels are ready.

Bill

Norse

The extra channels does that mean they are just making more crystals and calling them bands 5 6 7 8 etc? or making the receiver compatable with more crystals? ie can i just say whack in a generic 27mhz crystal ie like what is used in the RC cars

ARMY GROUP SOUTH

Hi RMS, For the record I have been a 1/18 collector for eight years and have 50 ww11 tanks, but with the recent drought in 1/18, I have switched due to the variety of 1/16 HL tank and currently have 8 tanks with another on the way. For a moment there I got caught up with the hype that there was a whole lot of new HL on the way, including my favourite, the Jagdpanther, so I planned to throw my weight behind HL and feed my insatiable thirst for collecting. I see now I need to chill and be patient and lookforward to next year.

tac23

Someone's p*ssed they just spent $800 bucks on a Tamiya....

RMSINSD

Yeah, sorta cranky. Makes me wonder why he is following this thread at all......[sm=confused.gif]

Harquebus

I thought we all repainted HL tanks even if they did get the hue more or less correct (i.e., grey on the Tiger I/Olive Drab Pershing, etc.)?

Heng Long's idea of paint is just something to cover the glossy plastic and/or lend a meager hint of authenticity and so it should be supplemented with a more accurate coating from Polly S, Tamiya, Testors or some other paint manufacturer of good reputation.

Granted, the HL tank comes preassembled and is not easily painted in this state but it can be done with proper masking and a little patience. It should be noted that 1/16 scale is very forgiving of painting mistakes since the real tanks were covered with surface imperfections such as rough cast steel, heavy weld lines and tool marks. One should not be so daunted by this undertaking...

dyeager535

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Bill, if you are still following this thread...

Others may be able to comment, I haven't had mine all the way stripped down, but could Heng Long offer their tanks as a complete parts kit? Everything to make the tank, but completely disassembled?

Wondering for those of you that spend a lot of time making them more authentic looking with paint, metal parts, opening hatches, etc., if that would be something that would make life easier? HL saves $5 in assembly costs, buyer saves disassembly time, and gets the option of putting it together however they want, discarding any of the pieces they intend to replace anyways, while having it stripped to the basics for initial painting.

With all the aftermarket parts out there, and different builds detailed here, it's obvious that a high degree of customization is happening after the tanks are stripped down to the basics, why not just start at the beginning instead?

kclank

IMHO Heng Long is still in the business of making toys, not models. Fortunetly some of their products provide a great point of departure for making really nice models, at least in the hands of modelers. Some folks just want a moderately sophisticated toy to play with, as a fun toy for their kids, or just don't have the time or resources to build more sophisticated models such as tamiya There is plenty of room and customers for both. Having had most of the Tamiya tanks and all of the Heng Long tanks the only real similarities between the companies are the early box art. try to put a interchange a part from one companies product to the other and most of the time people will find it won't work. the molds are different, the parts sub-assemblies are mostly different, parts that are removable on one are cast in on another, heck even the errors are different. It real serves no purpose to compare one company's product against the other when discussing price/quality/fidelity to prototype.

dyeager535

My Feedback: (1)

All I'm saying is give people the choice. The parts are all there anyways, and simply assembled in a factory. For every ten assembled Tiger I's they put in a box (which I'm sure is why the somewhat sophisticated yet cost-friendly toy aspect sells the most tanks), put just one of all those parts in a box, and sell it to those who want that, instead of a fully glued together occasional toy.

Just give people the option...don't force people to assemble them as a model, but offer that to those who want or need them in that configuration.

It has nothing to do with comparing HL to Tamiya, except cost. People that can't afford or won't spend the $800 on a Tamiya product, are not going to buy a Tamiya over a HL no matter what HL does, as long as they keep up with their present practice of affordable tanks.

I don't really have the time to drive my current tank, yet when I get a StuG, I plan on disassembling it to paint anyways. And taking the gearboxes/motors out, and maybe try my hand at opening some hatches, moving some switches, etc. So why not just start with the parts in a pile, as that's how it's essentially going to end up anyways? It will actually save me TIME, even if the cost were the same for a parts kit as a complete toy. I'm certainly not losing any money, nor is HL.

kclank

I understand your point. Is it raining over there, it is here in P.A.

dyeager535

My Feedback: (1)

Rainy Season started in September and will probably run until July.

ksoc

Making a model kit is more than just throwing parts in a box....

All the parts need to be numbered, most likely grouped on a common sprue(s). All the nuts, bolts, and hardware need to be counted bagged and labeled. Large heavy parts such as the gear boxes would need to be secured in a blister pack or cardboard box. Then you need instructions, including warnings not to stick the soldering iron in your eye because it may hurt! The instructions also need to be simple enough that a complete idiot can put it together, because no matter how you label the box (WARNING: Modeling PhD required) some novice will buy it for himself or his kid.

Now on the supply side you have two different kits for each tank........ or they could just keep doing what they are doing

dyeager535

My Feedback: (1)

True, the liability concerns might be a bit more, so safety instructions I can see, as well as packaging might be a bit difficult, assuming all parts are manufactured or assembled in-house and don't come pre-packaged to them. Never been to the factory, I know some have.

If you are selling a pile of parts, advertise it as such and those that want will buy it. Forget sprues or anything like that. 10 roadwheels on this tank, grab 20, 10 go in a box and 10 go on a chassis. Done. I really don't think the manufacturer cares whether or not I can assemble the thing. Maybe they do, but they shouldn't. I don't recall getting instructions with my metal track or wheels. There's no guarantee I can drive it good enough to keep it from going down the stairs and breaking either. (although there is probably a warning about it in the manual lol)

HL already sells metal tracks, wheels, gears, gearboxes, boards, smokers, airsoft units, emitters, you name it separate. As a matter of fact, aren't the "super" versions straight from the factory already, meaning two different component sets for the same tank? It would be nothing more than combining parts into a complete package (which they already do) just not assembling it.

Sure, you are adding a production process, but is it just as cost effective to box up some parts vs. assemble? That's the companies call, I don't know. Heck, charge more for all I care, not having to deal with glued on parts disassembly would be worth some $$ to me.

ksoc

That would be easier. WSN ships the tank built, but the consumer attaches all the exterior details. Slap in some batteries and it is ready to run AND no detail "bits" to knock off. If you want it to look "pretty" then you can glue all the "bits" on. The best of both worlds.

Yeah, you'd still need some instructions, but minor revision to what they already ship with HL's should cover it. The parts could all be put in one bag. Packaging and everything else could remain the same.

matthewpeter

wow this sneaked up without me noticing! It looks brilliant, when I finish all the other tanks I shall defo buy one!

abo

Not that I would pay thier prices but the Jagdpanther is up on the Tankzone webpage as "coming soon", so hopefully we won't have too long to wait.

tankfaninchicago

I can't wait for the the new HL Jagdpanther. I only have the one HL tank (the STUGIII) so I can't comment on the other HL tanks which apparently had their deficencies but the Stug has been great. I guess if I was mainly interested in the electronics , sounds , realistic motion and so on I could justify the expense of the Tamiya. Also, for the cost of a Tamiya it burns my butt that I have to assemble the whole thing. For appearance I have been thrilled with my HL Stug. Sure, the paint is lame but a little paint, weathering, airbrushing and it cleans up just fine.