Whats the advantage of having separate link tracks (Magic tracks) like dragon to vinyl tracks like the tamiya kits have.
Is it that you can shape the tracks the way you want? Tamiya tracks always seems to have to be stretched like mad to fit on the weels hence they wouldn’t fall back as if they were actually heavy like the real ones…
Guess that’s a dumb question but i really don’t know lol.
Thanks!
You have it- the Magic tracks can be put into position to replicate track sag found on German armor. With the Tamiya ones, you need to devise a way to get the one piece track to sag, for which there are a few easy tricks.
sag… now that’s a new word in my frenchie english dictionnary…
Thx!
glad I could help
Also the detail is usually much greater in plastic as opppossed to vinyl. I think in most cases they look more realistic.
Clean up is a pain for individual tracks. The Dragon 251 Magic Tracks are really disappointing with the giant pin marks.
I’m currently working on my first Dragon model with indy tracks, and they scare me to death, lol, which is why I always kinda stayed away from Dragon. But I am ready for a challenge, the one thing I did for Tamiya’s single piece tracks is slowly pulled them over a candle, the heat softens them up so they can be stretched easily, but be careful you can snap them pretty easy if you pull too hard or if they get too hot.
The advantage of the vinyl tracks is that assembly is much easier, obviously. However, detail is much better usually on the individual link tracks.
Tamiya Vinyl SdKfz 251 tracks have absolutely no inside detail apart from guidehorns. Dragon Magic tracks for the 251 have bad ejector pin marks that, due to the flexible type of plastic used, can result in cracks around the edges of the filler if the links are stressed. Dragon Styrene 251 tracks are far superior to either of the others, and can be made “workable” very easily if you only apply glue to where the track pad fits - make sure the pad is the right way around first (they only fit one way). The clean up takes longer, but it is worth it.
If you want decent vinyl tracks and better wheels for the Tamiya 251 get a AFV Club ‘whells (wheels) and tracks’ set - but hurry AFV Club have stopped producing it. Note the AFV resin panels take some fitting and filling to fit he Tamiya hull and the AFV front wheels make the kit sit too high at the front if the suspension is not lowered slightly. You can get away with the Tamiya front suspension (if you don’t mind chunky detail and toy like turning parts) and use the AFV front wheels, but as the AFV tracks are different length they do not fit over the Tamiya road wheels without the longer one being cut shorter. This is because Tamiya failed to reproduce the offset torsion bar system correctly on their old kit.
If you want to use the Tamiya Running gear and only replace tracks, AFV’s indy track sets are also good, but each link needs surgery to get them to fit together. These sets are far cheaper than Fruil’s, etc.
Or, you can go with Fruilmodel metal links"
Steve
Wondering why you guys are referring to 251 tracks. I’m building a DML tiger I does this apply to them as well?
Re-reading, one person mentions the magic tracks in the 251 as having pin marks and then it just sort of shifted from the Tiger to the 251. I have the Tiger kit, but haven’t built it yet. I don’t remember there being any problem with the Tiger tracks having bad pin marks, so you shouldn’t have any worries.
I dont see the magic in the dragon tracks my self. I kind of like the separate track links that some of the Tamiya kits have and the Academy tiger.Plus they are already the color of tracks just weather them. But in the interest of money im going with the magic tracks on my initial 3-1Tiger-1,I just started my self.
but the topic didnt even start with the Tigers being mentioned… anyway, i was looking at the Dragon Tiger I initial’s magic tracks and the Tamiya Mid Production Tiger I’s individual links (YES, the Tamiya mid and late production tigers have indy tracks), the Magic Tracks’ molding detail look crispier. As for the vinyl tracks from Tamiya, unless it’s a panther or a tiger, I found it to be rather hard to get the right sag on the panzer III or IV chassis. The tracks are so tight as if they wanted you to leave the wheels moveable and drive it around on the desktop. At least that’s what I did after my first several Tamiya kits, especially the T34/76.