Hasegawa 1/72 Chaffee M-24 question

[strobez]

So I need some help.  I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, so any mod that feels like moving it to the appropriate section, be my guest.

Anyway... so... tanks.  I know absolutely nothing about them, but I want to build one.  While browsing around looking for reference pics for my Polikarpov I-L Tintin plane I ran across this guy's awesome site - http://arnoldpassions.blogspot.kr/2013/05/le-char-bordure-de-tintin.html - he's done a ton of great Tintin-related builds including one that was on my list, the Bordurian tank.

I didn't really know where to start, so I hadn't been actively pursuing it.  However after checking out his build log I got inspired.  It also helped that he used a M-24 Chaffee (1/35 Italeri) as the base because that was just a hop skip and another hop (and a ride on the subway) to get my hands on the 1/72 version from Hasegawa (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/148872-hasegawa-31119-m-24-chaffee).  Anyway, after I got it home and looked in the box... wow... it's tiny innit?

Is it supposed to be that tiny? Or did I get the runt of the litter?

I mean I don't expect much from 1/72 obviously, but it looks rather malnourished compared to the Merkava MkIII, M-60 A1 and Leopard 1 A5 that I also have in my stash.  I realize that not all tanks are created equal... and it does say "light tank" on the box, but I was just expecting quite a bit more tank.  So my first thought was that it might be a tricky bit of 1/76 misdirection which I think Airfix might have done before, but I can't really find anything online which would indicate that.  I also think that the fact that the two "tank guys" that come with the kit seem rather on the large side compared to my standard "Airfix airman guy" that I use as a scientifical 1/72 scale measuring stick.

Anyway it looks like a fun build.  I have to turn 5 wheels into 4 and move the turret hatch to the centre... but it all seems quite manageable.

So is there anyone here who is familiar with this kit?  Is it supposed to be that small? 

[strobez]

ok... no sooner do I post that then I find this review...

http://www.onthewaymodels.com/reviews/Hasegawa/chaffeeprev.htm

The guy says (right at the bottom) that the kit is in fact slightly (2mm) too BIG.   

Wow.  I guess I've just been looking at too many 1/35 scale tanks in the display cases...

[Old Wombat]

I work in 1/35 but the Chaffee is only about 5.5m long & 3.0m wide, so, yeah, it's a small tank.

For comparison;

Chaffee:
Specifications
Weight    40,500 lb (18.37 metric tons)
Length    18 ft 3 in (5.56 m) including gun
              16 ft 6 in (5.03 m) excluding gun
Width     9 ft 10 in (3 m)
Height    9 ft 1 in (2.77 m)
Crew      5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver/radio operator)

Merkava IV:
Specifications
Weight    65 tonnes (143,000 pounds)
Length    9.04 m or 29.7 ft (incl. gun barrel)
              7.60 m or 24.9 ft (excl. gun barrel)
Width     3.72 m or 12.2 ft (excl. skirts)
Height    2.66 m or 8.7 ft (to turret roof)
Crew      4 (commander, driver, gunner, and loader) + maximum 6 passengers

[Weaver]

Yep, here's a picture that makes clear it's compact and bijou lack of bigness:




Mind you, it was positively palacial compared to the tank it replaced:

[philp]

I built the Hasagawa Chaffee many moons ago and have one in the stash as well as a detail set for it.  While the kit is slightly big it pretty much looks like a Chaffee and should be a good starting point for this project.  A help will be many of the details are molded on the body/turret so will be easier to sand those sections down.

If you want to get the engine covers from a M-26 like he did, Trumpeter does a kit as does Pegasus.

Now if someone can point me towards decent pics of the armored car the Mosquito takes out I would be greatly appreciative.

[Weaver]

Note that the hatch on the Bordurian tank isn't actually in the centre: it's offset somewhat to the right, in both the pics I can find on line and on that guy's model.

[Weaver]

I built the Hasagawa Chaffee many moons ago and have one in the stash as well as a detail set for it.  While the kit is slightly big it pretty much looks like a Chaffee and should be a good starting point for this project.  A help will be many of the details are molded on the body/turret so will be easier to sand those sections down.

If you want to get the engine covers from a M-26 like he did, Trumpeter does a kit as does Pegasus.

Now if someone can point me towards decent pics of the armored car the Mosquito takes out I would be greatly appreciative.

You mean this one?



If so, then it's a WWII British Daimler armoured car, pretty much unaltered:

[philp]

Yep, that's the one.

Thanks.

[strobez]

Uhoh... I think my Tintin project just got a new addition...

[zenrat]

Chaffee is my favourite US tank.
I built a 1/76 Matchbox one many many moons ago.  Eventually the turret ended up on a Matchbox Panzer Jaeger IV.

I think the Hasegawa box artist has adopted a trick from the automotive promotional art industry by drawing small people.

[strobez]

That image was part of why I freaked out a bit.  It looks more "tank-sized" in that painting than it does fresh out of the box.

Oh well, my fears have been allayed, so off we go with the build - http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,45054.0.html

[Weaver]

Uhoh... I think my Tintin project just got a new addition...

Heh - if you think the Chaffee's small...

[strobez]

Somehow I accidently picked up the Daimler kit today... looks cute and easy to build.

[NARSES2]

Somehow I accidently picked up the Daimler kit today... looks cute and easy to build.

I've got quite fond memories of those Hasegawa 1/72 armour kits. Haven't seen the Daimler around for a very long time. Nice find