"Hobby Armor Depot, improved or not?" Topic

Looking for 1/48 scale vehicles and was pointed towards H.A.D.
I've seen old posts regarding recasts and poor quality. HAs anyone had dealings recently?
The 'NEW' items look pretty good.
I'm in the UK so don't want to be shelling out for a load of stuff that might be crap of never arrive.

I have never ordered from them and have only heard about the poor casting quality of their offerings. Even looking at the current pics on their website it's clear they lack detail and are of subpar quality (look at the flat surface behind the road wheels and the "gummy" tracks). But some gamers don't mind so it really depends on what you're comfortable with. For the price, some gamers could live with that.

I would go here:
link
Especially since you're in the UK. These are brilliant models!
Peter
board2deathterrain.com

They are resin recasts of plastic models unless he has changed his ways so I would avoid them regardless of quality or price. If your researching also look at comments regarding All Fronts Armor Depot (AFAD), the original name of the company.

I aready have Bllitzkrieg. They don't have the Armoured Cars and Light tanks.

What DontFearDareaper said. I ordered once and would not do so again.

He recasted Britannia models and many other respected companies out there. No doubt they are doing the same.

Not only is their quality questionable, their business practice is also suspect. I've purchase from them before and never receive the product.

I actually think he is not in business. Last I heard he was very sick. I used to email with him frequently and have not heard from him in over a year.

a couple of years ago he sold me some models at a discount on the condition I'd photograph them after painting.

LAV-25
AAV-7
Cadillac Gage Commando
and some kinda truck (I think french)

I got multiples of the above, and he threw in some alternate turrets for the commando to make that M1117 thingie… (they were identical to the ones cast up for the AAV-7)

I painted them up (lipstick on a pig, but it was nice lipstick, and the pigs were serviceable) and emailed him the photos, but never saw anything come of them.

They were OBVIOUSLY mediocre-quality recasts, though. He uses thumbtacks and 10-penny nails for gun barrels sometimes, and I couldn't figure out what the vehicles were recast from, until a few months ago I got some KITECH BTR70 and 80, LAV25 and LAV-AT kits, and noticed that the HAD LAV25's were SPOT ON for every dimension, seam, and piece of stowage…

AAV7 looks like it might be a copy of the Empress one, but not having one to compare I have no idea…

On looking at the site, the T72 and M1A1 are both from KITECH kits too, hilarious in the case of the M1, because it only has 6 road wheels…

As for his ability to get you what you pay for, he has health issues, and having met him in person at HMGS RECON a few years back, I'm not sure he's playing with a full deck, but he seems sincere and genuine… just prone to getting in over his head. Do small orders, Ask him to photograph your order as being completed BEFORE you pay him for it, and I think you'll be ok.

I'd consider doing more business with him for the Hemitt truck (looks to be a recast of a $300 USD 1/50 TWC scale diecast) on the principal that NOBODY has one of those out in my scale… But otherwise I'm generally against paying for plagiarized models, especially stuff that is accused to be copies of empress/HLBS/sloppy Jalopy/etc…

For the record, I had no idea of his reputation when i made my deal, he was just some guy I'd met at RECON…

It was only AFTER sending him money that I found out about the guys reputation

he also has a reputation for taking money and not delivering on his product. a mate of mine lost $150 USD to him once tanks never showed. He stop responding to emails.

he has also blatantly ripped off blitzkrieg. within a few weeks of them releasing their flammpanzer ii he sent out emails showing of his new flammpanzer ii.