Softscience wrote:compared to other recent releases by Dragon, this one seems to be a step backwards
It definitely is, but all of their recent 1/72 armour releases are treading the same path: simplified construction, minimised parts count, shortcuts in detail -- but of course, all still sold at the "Armor Pro" price.
They're picking some interesting subjects and a simplified kit with silly inaccuracies is better than no kit at all, but I don't think that they are really doing themselves any favours by charging premium prices and crowing about how fabulously accurate they are, when the contents of the boxes neither justify the price nor demonstrate any particular accuracy at all. In some cases the box information actually
lies about the kit -- a recent truck kit shows off CAD drawings about fabulously detailed wheel parts, but the actual parts are quite different, and worst of all, hollow at the back, like an old Matchbox die-cast vehicle.
In the case of this particular kit it's not bad overall but it features some details that seem unnecessarily soft, and in terms of accuracy it features a mix of production features, not all of which were ever present on an individual vehicle at one time, and the tracks are a late type that is inaccurate for any Ausf D. If it was advertised (and priced) as a quick-build kit for wargamers it would be celebrated as a marvel, as an "Armor Pro" display model it falls distinctly flat. I'm sure, however, that you will make something very nice from it!