Recommendations & suggestions

bobbo · November 26, 2010, 12:37:51 PM

I would like to do an Armor mode,. 1/35th scale. I've never done one, and unfortunately, I am developing arthritis in my fingers so I don't have the dexterity for all those fiddly little parts. And individual track links are way out of the question, between the arthritis and my cats (they ALWAYS manage to get into my modeling stuff!). Any recommendations? I would like to do a tank or two, but something other would probably work easier.

Comments and/or suggestions? Recommendations?

BTW, my nearest LHS is @ 45 miles away . . . Or else right here in Cyberspace . . .

Bobbo

philp · November 26, 2010, 01:06:45 PM

Many of the older Tamiya kits didn't have that many extra pieces and have vinyl tracks. The T-62, older Sherman M4A3, Stuart, Matilda, etc should be right up your alley to try with. Some of these have newer kits released so the older ones should be a little cheaper.

Good luck and have fun with whatever you find.

Oh, one of the great things about armor kits is that if you don't want to put on all those extra tools, leave them off. They didn't always have a full kit.

Maverick · November 26, 2010, 02:22:39 PM

Vinyl tracks are a winner either way in my opinion. Indy links are a PITA to be quite frank.

Another option would be an armoured car like a Sdkfz 222 or even something modern like a Stryker. No tracks and no multiple wheel assemblies which are tiresome at the best.

Regards,

Mav

pyro-manic · November 26, 2010, 02:56:50 PM

Trumpeter do a kit of the Centauro tank destroyer, which is rather nifty. Another alternative if you don't want to deal with track assemblies. Also, Revell do quite a good range of modern vehicles (mostly German army), many of which are wheeled rather than tracked.

bobbo · November 27, 2010, 10:14:45 AM

Thanks for the input, folks! I just ordered a 1/35 Revell M-48A2 Patton Tank from Megahobby.com, this one gives the option of individual links or Vinyl tracks. Guess which ones I plan to use . . .

More suggestions will be highly appreciated!!

Thanks again!

bobbo

ChernayaAkula · November 27, 2010, 10:24:28 AM

Trumpeter also has some Japanese wheeled AFVs that look like pretty nice kits, don't have too many parts and are reasonably priced.

Quote from: Maverick on November 26, 2010, 02:22:39 PM
<...> wheel assemblies which are tiresome <...>

Say it isn't so!

Very punny!

Personally, I would disagree on the vinyl tracks. Hate the things with a vengeance!

They may have problems taking paint, don't sag realistically and in some cases, go brittle and tear over time (as on my Tamiya Churchill). For me, individual track links work much better. Yes, they do take longer to assemble (and to clean up beforehand

), but after that, they can be posed with a decent sag (where appropriate) and paint just like the rest of the model.

Maverick · November 27, 2010, 03:24:52 PM

Moritz,

I agree that the detail, painting, etc of indy links are much better, but depending on the vehicle the links can get quite small, even in 35th. I remember doing an FT-17 I think it was and each track was only a few mms in area. As for sagging, you can place thread through vinyl links if you're that way inclined. Of course, in my opinion, the DS tracks by Dragon are far and away the best of both worlds.

Regards,

Mav

grayman · November 27, 2010, 11:35:38 PM

Don't rule out the Fruimodel tracks, if you can find them for your kit.

While they can be expensive, are individual links and tedious to put together, assembly is dead easy and they provide a most realistic sag. Light years ahead of the rubber bands in most kits.

bobbo · November 28, 2010, 05:37:43 AM

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, especially on the tracks, but I need to look at the vinyl tracks due to increasing problems with dexterity in my hands, due to arthritis. If it weren't for that, individual links would be the way to go for me, too.

And, remember, I'm an Armor Neophyte. The last one I built was WAY BACK WHEN when I built (with LOTS of help from my dad!!) a Revell (I think) Long Tom. And that was somewhere around 1960??

Sometimes. getting old can sort of suck . . . .

bobbo

bobbo · December 04, 2010, 11:55:29 AM

OK. Here we go . . . I just got my 1/35 Patton M48A3 sitting on my workbench, unopened, just waiting. SWMBO hinted that Santa might just have an airbrush in my stocking Dec. 25, so I'm going to wait until then to start it.

bobbo

Maverick · December 04, 2010, 03:08:25 PM

Best of luck with it Bobbo.

The Tamiya M48 is a nice kit. I got one cheaply about 20 years ago because the instructions were missing but managed to complete it with little problem.

The only change I made was deleting the .50cal from the TC's sub-turret and adding a full weapon with cradle on the top of the sub-turret as this was a popular mod during the Vietnam War.

Regards,

Mav

bobbo · December 04, 2010, 04:48:58 PM

Quote from: Maverick on December 04, 2010, 03:08:25 PM
Best of luck with it Bobbo.

The Tamiya M48 is a nice kit. I got one cheaply about 20 years ago because the instructions were missing but managed to complete it with little problem.

The only change I made was deleting the .50cal from the TC's sub-turret and adding a full weapon with cradle on the top of the sub-turret as this was a popular mod during the Vietnam War.

Regards,

Mav

Actually, mine is from Revell/Monogram. Should be interesting!

bobbo