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Dragon 1/35 "Smart" and "Neo Smart" kits


Peter Browne

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My cursory understanding of the DML "Smart Kits" is that they have fewer parts and easier/quicker to assemble.  Not built one though, and I have been quite enthusiastic of their "Dumb Kits" with their 800 or more parts and over engineering.  I like them.  They are the gobstoppers of the kit world.

 

But what is it with the "Smart Kits".  Why are they "smarter".  What is the target market.  I guess they are simplified, but to the point of degraded/inaccurate detail?

 

Then we have the "Neo Smart Kits".  What is this?  What is the difference between the traditional "Dumb Kits"  "Smart Kits" and "New Smart Kits"?   

 

I get the new tracks on the Neo kits, and don't mind that, not having built one (similar to Tamiya new Assembly Type tracks) but what else is different?

 

It's hard enough to decide which vehicle to do next, without having to worry about levels of 'smartness' ... is it 'smarter' to avoid "Smart Kits".  But then it looks like DML are doing this with all of their 1/35, including revamping old 'dumb' kits.

 

 

Edited by pbrowne
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  • Peter Browne changed the title to Dragon 1/35 "Smart" and "Neo Smart" kits

DML "Smart" kits were to be a simplified and easier build than some of their earlier offerings without significantly losing detail. In reality, they remain highly detailed offerings, reasonably complex builds including PE. Introduced well before what is the new norm today from the likes of RFM. The one aspect of Smart kits that I did not like was the move to DS (Dragon Styrene) tracks, rather than the old Magic Link tracks.

 

Neo kits were to be further simplification, but more so in terms of removing the excess of parts in the box, most superfluous as used on other variants (good for the spares box), with some re-tooling to simplify assembly. They do not significantly reduce detail and offer the "Link and Length" track for simpler assembly. A good move away from DS Tracks although I still prefer fully assembled link tracks.

 

Dragon remain complex builds in all types. They're not Tamiya in terms ease of build, but I like the DML fidelity of their detail.  If complexity does not worry you then any out of the DML range are good subjects.

 

Simple answer - no significant reduction in detail in DML kits. Each type was an attempt to move to a simpler assembly without sacrificing significant detail. 

 

All I would add is to check the reviews for example if an earlier Original kit, before Smart, or before Neo, came with, for example, a metal barrel or an extra PE fret for brass hinges, as alternates to the detailed plastic offering already in the box. You would need to check case by case as much of the plastic is being re-used.

 

Ray

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Thanks Ray for the detailed and reassuring answer! 

 

I'm currently completing a build on the Dragon 1/35 Sd.Kfz 251/17 Ausf.C which I have asked about re Tunisia/Sicily camouflage scheme.

 

I'm not keen on one piece styrene tracks either, and will being using metal link sets like R-Model for the next Dragon build which will be the Tiger '131' Sd.Kfz. 181 Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. E based on the Bovington Tank Museum vehicle captured in Tunisia. 

 

Some of my photos of that vehicle at Bovington. Also plenty of others!

 

Peter

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44 minutes ago, pbrowne said:

Thanks Ray for the detailed and reassuring answer!

 

 

Hi Peter,

 

I am glad you find it of some use. Others will probably chime in with their views. 

 

You probably already know that Scalemates is a good resource for tracking kit history. For example: 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dragon-6820-tiger-131-early-production--944343

 

It's handy to take a quick look when you are contemplating something you might buy. I find the reviews listed usually of limited value, to me anyway, because they are typically in-box and I prefer actual builds and detail discussion. Although, sometimes you have a gem when Terry Astley comes in with a review. Such as this:

 

https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6395.html

 

Mind you, there is always a danger in reading a review after you finish a build. 

 

Ray

Edited by Ray_W
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For what it is worth, I have a Neo Smart Panzer III N sitting here awaiting next month's GB.
The detail does look good.

While not as 'wasteful' as some of their other kits, the sprue count is still quite high ... the weirdest thing in the box is a single 'T' sprue which includes one, and only one, early production drive sprocket.

The most significant omission is the lack of any clear parts for periscopes or the drivers vision port.  Some people will see this as a benefit.


The tracks are the same type of plastic as the rest of the kit (I know, they say so on the side of the box!).
The box art and instructions show open horn tracks, the plastic is for the (still valid) solid horn type.

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I'm not 100% certain, but unless Dragon have retooled the Pz.lll, it is a very old kit. I've got one of their (around about) year 2000 issues of the kit in the form of the Pz.lll M/N. Going by what they have said on Scalemates, it can trace it's lineage back to 1987, and was first issued by Gunze Sangyo. On the face of it, it looks OK, but their are some unwanted things in the kit, such as having to remove small round discs from the spokes of the Idlers. Also, in my kit, there are four dampers for the suspension. The tops are inexplicably missing from two of them. No doubt, with some work, a good model can be produced, but this one is definitely a bit too long in the tooth.

 

John.

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As I understand it ...

 

Smart Kits made much larger use of slide mold technology.   The modeler would have less sub-assemblies  to deal with, but the technology also makes kits more expensive.  

Neo Smart kits basically takes the existing Smart kit, and have tracks constructed from various lengths to shorten build time.   They also include interiors, but not sure if this was part of the original kit.

https://www.cyber-hobby.com/products/1-35-pz-kpfw-iii-ausf-n-kursk-1943-neo-smart-kit-01

 

regards,

Jack

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The interiors are advertised as there for the initial releases of the Neo Smart kits - presumably Dragon will release a non interior version?

As to whether these are re-pops of earlier Smart kits, I don't know.  I have noticed that the box art for their (overdue) Italian Stug III F/8 is the same as that of the previous Italian Stug III.

 

OT: I've noticed that RyeField have no clear glazing on some of their interior kits. The glazing appears on later, non-interior version (early Tiger I anyway).

I wonder if Dragon will emulate them in that way.

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7 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

I'm not 100% certain, but unless Dragon have retooled the Pz.lll, it is a very old kit. I've got one of their (around about) year 2000 issues of the kit in the form of the Pz.lll M/N. Going by what they have said on Scalemates, it can trace it's lineage back to 1987, and was first issued by Gunze Sangyo. On the face of it, it looks OK, but their are some unwanted things in the kit, such as having to remove small round discs from the spokes of the Idlers. Also, in my kit, there are four dampers for the suspension. The tops are inexplicably missing from two of them. No doubt, with some work, a good model can be produced, but this one is definitely a bit too long in the tooth.

 

John.

 

Dragon Smart Kits are not ones dating back to the old Gunze Sangyo. Take a look through Terry Ashley's old reviews. Sadly due to health issues etc he doesn't do these reviews anymore, instead has a Facebook page he interacts on.  Worth printing as pdf's  in case the web site stops. some of the best reviews of their time and for many the benchmark as to how a kit review should be.

https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dragon.htm

Dragon's marketing message has been a bit all over the place and they've tried different sales techniques/names. most of the Smart Kits of the last ten years have been excellent, except for the instructions. As I say check out Terry's pages.

 

The latest releases with interiors are trying to claw back ground lost to rising stars like Meng, Takom, Rye Field Model, and Border who include interiors. Even Miniart are increasingly showing what they can do with Panzer IV's with interiors. which was once Dragon's most praised range of kits (without interior). Dragon like others before them seemed to have " Peaked"a few years ago when fighting hard to win customers over from the likes of Trumpeter, Bronco and AFV Club. They seemed to have shifted their focus to manufacturing and selling other goods, with a greatly reduced output of new kits. Their releases of late seem to be reissues of their Smart Kits but with even less in the way of goodies such as metal barrels, cables, reduced photo etch.  

 

Scalemates gives you an interesting Timeline on the Dragon Panzer III kits, with this Panzer III M being a recent offering. move the slider along to see the progress.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dragon-6604-pzkpfwiii-ausfm--411682

Edited by alanmac
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14 hours ago, alanmac said:

The latest releases with interiors are trying to claw back ground lost to rising stars like Meng, Takom, Rye Field Model, and Border who include interiors. Even Miniart are increasingly showing what they can do with Panzer IV's with interiors. which was once Dragon's most praised range of kits (without interior). Dragon like others before them seemed to have " Peaked"a few years ago when fighting hard to win customers over from the likes of Trumpeter, Bronco and AFV Club. They seemed to have shifted their focus to manufacturing and selling other goods, with a greatly reduced output of new kits. Their releases of late seem to be reissues of their Smart Kits but with even less in the way of goodies such as metal barrels, cables, reduced photo etch.  

 

 It really does feel like Dragon have just given up, which is a shame to be honest, offerings from Dragon are few and seem very limited now in comparison with all the other big names when I browse kits on the UK model websites (might just be a UK thing?) but there is huge competition in the market now, with a vast number of very very good kits available, we are spoilt for choice in some ways.

 

'Smart Kits' - they error checked the instructions

'Neo Smart Kits' - they error checked the instructions again

 

;)

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On 1/30/2021 at 3:35 AM, JackG said:

   They also include interiors, but not sure if this was part of the original kit.

https://www.cyber-hobby.com/products/1-35-pz-kpfw-iii-ausf-n-kursk-1943-neo-smart-kit-01

 

regards,

Jack

 

Thanks Jack.  That particular kit still has a fairly high parts count at 440.  I may get this one.  Some detailed images of the instructions and sprues is here

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My current 1/35 Dragon build, Sd.Kfz 251/17 Ausf.C Flak has a count of 880 parts.  Sure, its a 2 in 1 kit, and includes separate links and many superfluous parts depending on the version being built e.g. the Sd.Ah.52 trailer which is surplus to requirements anyway, and which is nice to build on it's own.  In fact, if the modeller decided to do the command version for a Light Flak Battery, he/she could choose to also build a complete 2cm Flak with Sd.Ah.52, which is actually a separate Dragon kit.

 

As nice as the Flak kit is, it can be very tedious and slightly frustrating with the over engineering.  For example, you have to add four very small hinges to each side of the hull for the fold-down sides.  Now the command vehicle was the exact same vehicle sans flak, so there is no reason for Dragon that I can see for not including the hinges on the hull mold. 

 

So, thanks all for the information and opinions!  I will add that Kursk Panzer III Smart Kit to the stash as I intend to do all Panzers, I to VI with some notable variations.

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  • 4 weeks later...

For the last decade I have never understood DML's marketing strategy in terms of how their newer releases compare or relate to older productions.  Having built a few of their original and later variations of the same vehicle I can say that they do not seem a logical evolution in terms of value or quality and the 'smart' term terminology can sometimes be misleading.  Obviously in terms of my own experience and from kit reviews and build blogs I think DML's zenith was in the mid noughties around the time they released their 'Premium edition' kits.

 

All I would say is ignore the jargon and be sure to check out build reviews before committing to purchase

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It would require looking at specific subjects in order to determine which are new tooled - Scalemates timeline chart is very good for this.   I have both a G and J version of the Panzer III kits from the 90's (reboxings of Gunze Sanyo 1987) and the newly tooled 2007.   There is a very notable difference in the casting quality, not only crisper, but more surface details.   So it depends on the specific subject, as not all are necessarily the best form the 90's decade.

 

regards,

Jack

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Hi

 

Just to add that a good indication of the kit being a newer release, rather than anything from the Gunze era is if Ron Volstad did the box art. He started doing their box art about the time they started to introduce their Smart Kits. You'll see his signature on the illustration somewhere. In my opinion some of the best artwork ever on a kit box.

 

Alan

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