I just picked up a model of an AAV7A1 Amtrac with EAAK (Enhanced Appliue ARmor Kit) by a company called Mini Hobby Models. Has anyone else heard of this company and /or model and what is thier opinion of it.
This is a rebox of the Trumpeter/Wasan kit and has been around for about 4 yrs or so. Most I've talked to use the Tamiya AAV7A1 and swipe the EAAK from the Trumpeter kit. I understand it is a poor copy of the Tamiya kit with some original bits tossed in.
Rob Gronovius Modern US armor at
Rob hit the nail on the head. I was fortunate enough about a year ago, shortly before OIF began, to pick up 4 of these kits on Ebay for under $15.00 and just used the armor bits, as they were on par with the Kirin set and much cheaper and easier to find. The kit overall is "ok" but the Tamiya kit(s) are much nicer.
HTH
Cool!!! I have the Tamiya AAV7A! with UGWS so I could use the Applique armor in it and the rest can go in the parts box
Try to compare hull parts from your Tamiya and Mini Hobby kits. You will notice that Mini Hobby modified the shape of the hull to make the motorization mechanism fit. This is the main reason why Mini Hobby kit is only good for spare parts. But armor parts still fit Tamiya hull.
Regards, Pawel
Chances are excellent they are copies of the Kirin parts, as that was what many of the early Trumpeter kits were like.
Am amazed that they found the "paths of righteousness" so fast -- amazing turnaround in a company!
Cookie Sewell AMPS
true, but I'm confused sometimes with Trumpeter, since they're coming out with the same model in many guises, company wise. Example: I was looking for a Challenger II by Trumpeter at a local model show, found it but there were other Challenger II there by another company Modelcraft, for a lesser price. Seems Trumpeter has a hard time getting thier kits in Canada so Modelcraft has reboxed them. I still bought the Trumpeter one, wasn't sure if the Modelcraft ones were true originals or pantagraphed. Guess the same goes for the AAV7A1
Modelcraft has some of the Trumpeter molds, but they seem to vary. They have the mediocre copy of the Tamiya T-72M1 but then did the Challenger 2 original release, and some of the other newer ones.
Steer clear of the T-55/Type 59 based ones though.
Cookie Sewell AMPS
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