Academy or AFV M18 Hellcat?

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

I’m sure this question has been brought up before, but I’m too lazy to search for it. [;)] Who makes the better kit? Thanks for any info. I have read the FSM review of the AFV tank, but the Academy was done back in 1997 and the site won’t go back that far. Thanks for any first hand experience. [8D]

“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee

2

Here is a link to a review of the AFV kit done by the renouned Cookie Sewell on rec.models.scale. He recommends the AFV kit.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&frame=right&th=dbab4db6bc0cc14b&seekm=19971116020900.VAA07858%40ladder02.news.aol.com#s

3

I highly recommend the AFV kit. It was alot of fun to build.
Be patient with the suspension and test fit around the drive sproket
and ideller (my boogies aren’t in the right place).

Don’t have to use the skirts or the brake with the 90mm gun.
also - the hellcat decal has the wrong background color - it’s printed as
yellow, my references show orange - but that is very minor.

It bilds into a great kit OOB

4

Thanks Rob and Wibhi2 for the info. Do either of you know if the Academy kit has indy tracks? I too read about the tricky suspension on the AFV one.

“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee

5

My Academy M18 comes with both vinyl and individual link tracks, your choice.

6

Thanks Rob, what is your opinion of the Academy kit? Thanks.

“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee

7

I am not familiar with the Hellcat at all and the completed kit looks like a Hellcat to me. The vehicle accuracy issues (I don’t know what they are if any) don’t bother me in the least bit. I thought the two-track option was neat, too bad there isn’t another vehicle in my collection that needed the second set.