Aoshima
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 Aoshima Release 1 Box |
 Aoshima King Tiger, 1:72 501st division #1 |
 Aoshima King Tiger, 1:72 503 Division #2 |
 Aoshima Sherman, 1:72 M4 Sherman 701st Division #3 |
 Aoshima Sherman, 1:72 M4 Sherman 3rd Armor Division #4 |
 Aoshima King Tiger, 1:72 with Figure |
 Aoshima Release 2 Box |
 Aoshima King Tiger, 1:72 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion #5 |
 Aoshima King Tiger, 1:72 506th Heavy Tank Battalion #6 |
 Aoshima Sherman Firefly, 1:72 British 11th Division #7 |
 Aoshima Sherman Firefly, 1:72 Polish First Division #8 |
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Aoshima
is a Japanese scale model manufacturer. They primarily
manufacture cars and motorcycles, though they have started making
WWII vintage airplanes, and, of course, armour!
Eight models are now available in two releases (I got mine through Hobby Link Japan). The first release comes in a yellow box and features: King Tiger 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion, King Tiger 501st Heavy Tank Battalion, M4 Sherman 701st Battalion, M4 Sherman 3rd Armored Division. The second release comes in a brown box and features: King Tiger w/ Porsche Turret,503rd Heavy Tank Battalion; King Tiger w/ Porsche Turret, 506th Heavy Tank Battalion; Sherman Firefly British 11th Division; Sherman Firefly Polish 1st Division.
Future releases are scheduled to include a Panzer IV and a T34/85!
The tank models are preassembled and painted plastic. The turrets rotate, the guns raise and depress, and the hatches open. The treads are a one-piece flexible vinyl. Each also comes with a small figure. I like the overall paint schemes and the detail is fairly good. The figures are a bit "cartoonish", but not horrible. The hull is attached to the chassis with screws. Generally speaking, the second release seems to be an improvement over the first, with better weathering and effects.
At $9.95, I would classify these as not quite as good a value as the Dragon preassembled 1:72 models, but still worthy of adding to a tank collection.
