Tamiya Keen Hawk DF-03

[Toykid]

Gents,

 

If you didn't spot this in the extensive Dark Impact thread Tamiya are releasing another DF-03 chassis called the Keen Hawk.

The only look at the body work can be seen here in side view, 

http://www.tamiya.com/japan/hobbyshow/news...news1.htm 

The page from TamiyaUSA almost sounds like it was made up, but there it is:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?...-id=58380 

 enjoy.

 James.

 

 

[Guest joelvardy]

Looks good I can't wait for some real pictures to come out.

 sounds good but I still want the   ' TRF501X '

Joel

[JAnderson]

The page from TamiyaUSA almost sounds like it was made up, but there it is:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?...-id=58380 

 enjoy.

 James.

 

 

 

What do you mean? 

[Toykid]

J,

I just thought this:

"The durable monocoque chassis provides contortion resistance"

Sounded odd, "contortion resistant" not being a common engineering term so to speak. Something in the translation from the JP office perhaps?

[JAnderson]

Something in the translation from the JP office perhaps?

 

Bingo 

[Wrc action]

Forget that shell as much as I would like a new dark impact shell - I'm more interested in schneiders new car!! any idea when that will come out?

 cheers Ryck

 

[Kowalski]

I think I'm going to like this new shell, I new I would. It's got an air intake on the top of the cockpit, like some of the recent pro cars. This will work in tandem with the grill over the motor for better motor cooling. I think they've been listening. Although, I'd still recommend the Dark Impact (body) for bashers as that crest/mohican is going to get mullered in a roll over if it is above the line of the tops of the shock towers.

If only they'd produce more A-parts. I can't find any anywhere.

Elliott.

(The Dark Impact flag waver).

[TrevCoult]

Saw some A-parts not long ago from one of the usual ebayers, but seem to have gone now. Just keep checking the usual shops (jr-rc, dinball, vellrip, rl0725 etc.) and I'm sure you'll pick some up soon. Better still, ask them. May be quicker.

Trev

(The other Dark Impact flag waver!) 

[DJTheo]

Pic now here http://tamiyablog.com/

Cheers 

[Kowalski]

Wow, thanks DJ Theo, it's the pic I've been waiting for.

I didn't realise the shell would be so expansive and intricate. It looks like one of their mini-4WD cars. It's so odd looking I can't form an opinion.

Is that a hingepin brace on the front of the car?

Elliott.

[Big Al]

I really like it! It reminds me of the Tamiya buggies from the Madcap/Astute era! What would make it even better would be if they did some nice box art for it! But I doubt they will.

 

And the packaging for the Porsche 934 is beautiful! 

[Wrc action]

Wow, that looks very much like a mclaren in style with all the flaps and sculpted body work, I got to get one of those to do another mclaren scheme like i am doing on my dark impact.

cheers Ryck

[mobias]

Hands up if you think thats one of the worst looking buggies yet from Tamiya (hand firmly in the air) 

[Kowalski]

Hesitantly raises hand. I said that about the DI though, at first.

It is very showy and frivolous.

[gazwilts]

my hands firmly up too, not another buggy that looks like the rest, i love tamiya but when are we going to see some more realism like the f350

[bakaguyjean]

  im not impressed with the Keen hawk,or that Mad Spirit GP car body shapes, but i do like my Striker so maybe the Keen Hawk will grow on me. i think the speed disc stickers on the Keen Hawk make it look cheap.like one of those made in China cars on the bay.maybe a better paint job with some different colors will help out

 

[Z]

  im not impressed with the Keen

hawk,or that Mad Spirit GP car body shapes, but i do like my

Striker so maybe the Keen Hawk will grow on me. i think the speed disc

stickers on the Keen Hawk make it look cheap.like one of those made in

China cars on the bay.maybe a better paint job with some different

colors will help out

 

Totally agree.

I'm very disappointed in this rebadge attempt. Maybe the DI's body

isn't exactly original, but it looks mean, which works. In addition

to  the fact that the Keen Hawk's body has more air resistance, it

looks like a spaceship[+o(]! Oh, did I mention the name; fire the guy

who named it, "Keen Hawk"! Somehow, I don't think club racers are going

to take it as seriously as the DI.

[bakaguyjean]

  Tamiya should have thrown a Hot Shot body on it,wait maybe ill do that.  Really i think somebody needs to figure something out at Tamiya, the Mini 4wd that they sell now is a Avante,and the Keen Hawk is a Mini 4wd.something is backwards or the are just trying something new.maybe marketing got a hand in on this.

[DJTheo]

my hands firmly up too, not another buggy that looks like the rest, i love tamiya but when are we going to see some more realism like the f350

Well they do, the new Porsche 934 http://tamiyaclub.com/CS/forums/thread/182569.aspx looks very hot, I think they are on the right way with RC kits to please either performance fans or scale fans, time will tell in the end...

Cheers 

[Mad Ax]

my hands firmly up too, not another buggy

that looks like the rest, i love tamiya but when are we going to see

some more realism like the f350

Agreed...

Although, beauty can be defined as form following

function - and if that's the case, the most beautiful 4x4 buggy will be

one that doesn't pretend to have windows, air intakes, exhaust pipes or

any other things that you have on a 1:1 off-roader (from this era or

any pretend future one) - and just has a very functional aerodynamic

cover, perhaps with a wing - if wings really make any difference to

off-road racers of so small a size.

I do wish there were more

off-road buggies that were actually replicas of 1:1 racers, although

1:1 buggy racing has become so refined that there is only one essential

shape (much like Formula 1 GP cars, which all look mostly identical

apart from colour schemes and tiny differences); hence, there would be

no variety in Tamiya buggies like we're used to.

I

sometimes wish Tamiya would break the mould - my favourite Mini 4WD

from my childhood years was the Neo Burning Sun - a chunky-looking

off-road buggy with a front-mounted engine, angular wing, and

all-enclosed moulded body.  I think it was a shame they never made

a 1:10 version  

[bakaguyjean]

  i guess in time we will see how many people buy the Keen Hawk,compaired to the Dark Impact. as far as the 934 goes i see a large NIB section in Tamiyaclub with a very small amount of runners,unlike the F350.

[kontemax]

Oh my God! Keen Hawk body... it's terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![:S]

[gazwilts]

thanks for that link theo!!!! ) i take some of it back!!! wow.. but what i really meant is with the off road cars. id love to see some sort of baja bug reappear with a driver and an abs shell and all the little parts to paint instead of just a lexan shell (

[mobias]

God only knows why Tamiya think that every buggy nowdays has to look like it just drove straight out of Blade Runner. I know buggies like the Dark Impact and the Keen Hawk are designed more for the track than for aesthetically appealing bashers but if I was into racing I'd at least want a car that actually looked as good as it functioned, surely the two aren't mutually exclusive? 

[kontemax]

Keen Hawk, what a terrible bad taste!!!

Mr Tamiya, please, more realism!!!!