GT40 lovers, start your drooling

[gp-models]

Honestly i do not see it as a new kit, the Trumpeter is around in 1:12 for years, so nothing realy new on it, only another producer finaly. With the options of nowadays it is behind of what i expect to see from nowadays level, espcially at such a price!

[Joaquin]

Well, I haven't any of both kits but want to build a '66 GT40. After reading your comments, it seems that the Trumpeter has more accurate body shape but is poor in detail and has big issues to build. It seems also that KA Models upgrade kit is not good enough.
On the other hand, Meng's is more detailed and easier to build but shape of body is significantly worst.
Meng's body inaccuracies are too obvious to live with? I understand that it's not possible to correct.
Trumpeter + KA Models upgrade kit is enough to build a GT40 as detailed as Meng? Is it really interesting the KA Models kit?
I really don't know what to buy, and not going to buy both.

[MoFo]

(are the headlights *really* that different, or is it just the openings under the nose on the Meng kit that make them seem more different?)

To answer the main part of your question, I have no idea what Meng's approach is, but I'm fairly certain that Trumpeter regularly base their kit design off a single source, such as scale drawings that appear detailed/common, but may or may not be accurate. At least, I've seen it happen frequently in their aircraft kits - they use a single-source reference but don't check the CAD against photos of the actual subject, which often leads to glaring errors. Ultimately, it's because their CAD engineers are talented, but not artists or craftspeople, so they just plug in the data they have rather than interpret it for a more accurate result. They can do spectacular work when they're given good data - Trumpeter tooled most of the kits for Wingnut Wings - but in-house, it's a business, and more about pushing new releases out the door, rather than perfecting each new kit.

Given the two companies' reputations though, I wouldn't necessarily assume that if Meng is different from Trumpeter, Meng must be wrong. They both need to be compared to the real car, not to each other.

[sky1911]

(are the headlights *really* that different, or is it just the openings under the nose on the Meng kit that make them seem more different?)

To answer the main part of your question, I have no idea what Meng's approach is, but I'm fairly certain that Trumpeter regularly base their kit design off a single source, such as scale drawings that appear detailed/common, but may or may not be accurate. At least, I've seen it happen frequently in their aircraft kits - they use a single-source reference but don't check the CAD against photos of the actual subject, which often leads to glaring errors. Ultimately, it's because their CAD engineers are talented, but not artists or craftspeople, so they just plug in the data they have rather than interpret it for a more accurate result. They can do spectacular work when they're given good data - Trumpeter tooled most of the kits for Wingnut Wings - but in-house, it's a business, and more about pushing new releases out the door, rather than perfecting each new kit.

Given the two companies' reputations though, I wouldn't necessarily assume that if Meng is different from Trumpeter, Meng must be wrong. They both need to be compared to the real car, not to each other.

Agree on the comparison to the real car. Ultimately that is the yard stick. However, comparing both cars to the yard stick also is compairing both kits with eachother (in a way).

RE the headlights



Comparison between the two (link)
Headlights I'd score for Trumpeter, rear window is a toss up. Shape-wise I'd score for Meng as the original (see below) seems straight to me, size wise it's rather Trumpeter. DUH


Door shape topside, I'm inclined to go with Meng...
but it could also be wrong.

From what I read the engine / suspension bits on the Meng are way ahead of the Trumpeter. Too bad, that you cannot interchange parts between the kits due to different dimensions, etc .


Re the tooling of the kits.
From what I understood RE: the Wingnut Wings saga (Fokker DR.I) it usually was WNW who designed the kit (3D model and whatnot) and possibly also the layout of the sprues as such, but the actual tooling was done by whoever they hired this job out to. For example Meng for the Fokker DR.I and maybe others, Trumpeter as MoFo indicated, for (most) other kits. So inaccuracies in the model should not be due to tooling but due to whoever 3D designed them in the first place.

[scaleautofactory]

From my point of view, the meng rear cowl is too short and th rear window has the wrong shape.


I suspect Meng used a 1969 GT40 and transform it to a 1966 GT40...

[bestbalsakits]

Does meng has fluo wings? Magnifier has none, and also has design of nr1 wrong. Magnifier does offer blue stripes & blue roundel though, which i believe is the correct set up )
How's Mengs?


Wim

[MoFo]

RE the headlights

From that picture and that picture alone, I wouldn't say the headlights are wrong so much as I'd say the headlights are a symptom of more significant issues.

The headlights are a simple shape cut into a complex curve. The fact that their outline is wrong is less because the (simple) headlight shape is wrong and more because the (complex) body is off.

IMO, the front, outer corner of the headlight is missing/a smooth curve on Meng because it looks like they messed up the entire front corner of the nose - it should be boxier, where Meng has a smoother sweep. The break on the rear/inner corner of the headlights is too sharp and too near the centreline, and that means the shape of the entire fender flare is wrong.

[sky1911]

MoFo, regarding the headlight shape, see my link in the post above - it takes you too bookface, but you should be able to see it even when not logged in or registered there. In top view you can see the difference in the shape of those between the two kits.
Wim, from that link you also get a photo comparing the decal sheets of the two kits. Since I do not have the Meng I can't say if it is fluo or just "some red". Michael or Ken can probably answer that since they both have the kit. Btw. coming around to the blue/blue as well?

[indycals]

The Meng decals are red - the real car did not have dayglo. A customer posited that it may have been ford Poppy Red (same color as AJ Foyt's Indy cars) and I personally think that is a good possibility.

[MoFo]

MoFo, regarding the headlight shape, see my link in the post above - it takes you too bookface,

Nah, I'm good.