Dragon 1/35 shortages

[Peter Browne]

I have been trying to find stock of several Dragon 1/35 kits (e.g. 6624, 6633, 6948)  in Australia, but I'm not having much success.  Practically the only kits available are the ones people don't want (Tiger Ausf. H2, Pz.Beob.Wg.II etc.)

 

The Australian distributor for Dragon are also out of stock of most DML kits:

 

https://hobbiesaustralia.com.au/search?type=product&q=dragon*

 

What is the situation like elsewhere?  It's probably due to COVID, but you would think that Dragon might krank up production.  The Dragon email ([email protected]) mailbox also appears to be full and not accepting any more mail...

 

 

[JackG]

I don't know how much stock your particular vendor carries, but I'd bet a lot of those 'out of stock items were like that long before covid hit.  Many shops these days keep old stuff listed even though it's been sold out many moons ago.  

 

Another Australian shop is showing 107 Dragon products in stock, all 1/35 vehicles/equipment:

https://www.bnamodelworld.com/dragon-models?alpha_filter_id=0&extra_filter_id=1&filter_id=8&scales_filter_id=0

 

Can't say I've seen  announcements from any model manufacturers increasing their output due to the current situation - but why would they, it's been nutz the number of releases the past decade or so.  Dragon on the other hand, has actually slowed down the number of yearly releases. 

 

If you want to venture to an Asian based shop, HobbyEasy is showing over 200 Dragon items in stock:

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/category/AF35K/20/1/maker/DRA.html

 

 

regards,

Jack

[Peter Browne]

Thanks Jack. 

 

I was looking in particular for DML Tiger I and StuG III G (6633), but in particular Tiger 6624 kit.  Hobbies Australia as per my link above are the only Australia distributor for DML. 

 

Looking at BNA for Dragon Tigers, all but one are out of stock:

 

https://www.bnamodelworld.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&manufacturers_id=18&categories_id=8&search_in_description=0&keyword=tiger&inc_subcat=0&zenid=d5d1cad5b3c05df62e99a297d2fa2cd9

 

Anyway, I just bought the 6624 Tiger from China on eBay at 60 GBP with free shipping...

[John Tapsell]

Manufacturers don't keep all of their kits in production all of the time. They typically manufacture them in batches of a few thousand at a time. Some kits will be re-popped on a semi-regular basis as long as they remain popular whilst other might never be re-released if they haven't sold well in the first place.

 

If a kit isn't available in your part of the world it probably means the distributors have none in stock and/or that the manufacturer hasn't produced any recently.

 

[JackG]

One of your 'wanted' Dragon kits 6633 was released back in 2012, so it's highly unlikely to be available anywhere.   Am guessing your particular choices are based on the specific markings presented?   Dragon tends to have a policy of boxing a string of kits based on the initial release, with each successive one either a variant of the specific model, or different decals, or a combination of both.  Scalemates is pretty good for showing this timeline. 

 

This doesn't help markings wise if you are hunting a specific vehicle, but a lot of the reboxings might contain the original sprues you are after.  Researching this now involves more work as you have to find online sources of the instructions in order to compare sprue drawings.   Sites like HobbySearch and Super-Hobby are good for this:

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/

https://www.super-hobby.com/

 

 

regards,

Jack

[Kingsman]

Dragon are in the process of switching from the DS track versions of kits to the new Neo versions with link and length tracks - and a healthy price hike.  This might have something to do with it.  Rotating production also creates demand like yours for re-releases when re-released.

[Peter Browne]

On 5/2/2021 at 9:13 PM, JackG said:

One of your 'wanted' Dragon kits 6633 was released back in 2012, so it's highly unlikely to be available anywhere.   Am guessing your particular choices are based on the specific markings presented?   Dragon tends to have a policy of boxing a string of kits based on the initial release, with each successive one either a variant of the specific model, or different decals, or a combination of both.  Scalemates is pretty good for showing this timeline. 

 

This doesn't help markings wise if you are hunting a specific vehicle, but a lot of the reboxings might contain the original sprues you are after.  Researching this now involves more work as you have to find online sources of the instructions in order to compare sprue drawings.   Sites like HobbySearch and Super-Hobby are good for this:

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/

https://www.super-hobby.com/

 

 

regards,

Jack

 

Thanks Jack.  There are a few of the 6633 kits on eBay from China, albeit at seemingly inflated prices (but sometimes it's hard to tell with DML kits being so pricey...).  This particular kit seems to get good reviews, and down the track I want to add a StuG III to the cabinet.  So I have my mind on a Ausf.G late production 1944 with Zimmerit in Arnhem, seems to be ideal for this vehicle:

 

 

I don't see any other DML Stug III G with Zim (sans concrete) in the DML line up...  https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Kits&q=stug+III&fkSCALENORMALISED[]="1:00035"&fkTYPENAME[]="Full kits"&fkCOMPNAME[]="Dragon"&fkSUBJECT[]="StuG. III Ausf. G"

[JackG]

The Stug kit with concrete  has this detail as two additional parts.  Leave those off and the kit can be built as 6633.  Though not included are the PE brackets and Schürzen armour.

 

Actually that 60 GBP is pretty decent compared to some crazy prices on ebay, but that's the pattern of supply vs demand.   This is one of the main reasons people have stashes - when a model is released that they are interested in, they pick it up even though they are not sure when they will actually build it.

 

I'm not all that familiar with Stugs, but recent released kits along with an after market upgrade such as zimmerit or PE shields, and you'd still be looking at least same price or even more, particularly if the items aren't found together in one shop.

 

regards,

Jack