I am working on Italeri’s LVT(A) Alligator. I have the lower hull almost complete. So far so good. I am finding this kit very good to work with so far. Great fit, and the parts are clean and nicely detailed. When I purchased this kit I found a Traks Detail set right next to it. So I picked that up also. Right now I think I might have made a mistake[BH]. There is hardly no diference between the original parts than the resin parts. In some cases the Italeri peices are better detailed [:(!]. The photo etched parts look good, nice looking wake deflectors, machine gun sheilds and mounts. I paid more for the detail kit than I did for the LVT!!! Now I am wondering if I need to find another detail kit to make the first one work better, like an interior or other assesories?? I feel the first kit would leave the project incomplete. Well I am going to check on this and see what I can find. I would like some feed back on this. Have any of you ran into the same problem? Thanks. Andy Tank
Well, I haven’t used Trakz stuff but I can commiserate. Seems I am the king of buying detail parts only to find out I wasted my money for one reason or another. You could put the Trakz set on Ebay if you haven’t used it, though.
Andy what you need to do is to buy some plastic stock and other things to scratch build.That way you won’t feel it is a waste of money and will make your building more enjoyible.It is not as hard as you might think and is fun to do.Also you will find many things in the house you can use to inhance your builds.Digger
the verlinden set looks good, with some interier too
Digger I was looking on the internet and found some pics. After your advice I think I will scratch build some rope bumpers, and moring lines. The turret is the same one used on the Stuart so I can copy the interior from the one I built. Things are begining to look up . As for the other open hatches maybe a head or two will fill the void. I feel an open hatch is an invitation to look inside. I am usually better prepared when I start a poject and was disappointed with the Traks kit. I expected better and more detail. This version was a fighting vechicle and not a combo of both. Maybe some ammo crates lashed to the deck may help? Thanks for the help [^]. Any and All commets are always welcome.
I get the feling too many modelers now buy AM parts before checking the kit out in detail and deciding if and what AM parts are really needed.
Observation I made on FSM in multiple forums, people buy a kit and immediately ask what AM parts are available for it.
Seems to me that including AM parts are a very new and fashionable trend in the modelling hobby.
Just some observations.
MM,your right,I to think that a lot are buying am parts.I think that they should reliy on there own skills then buying.I belive that most modelers would be great at scratch building if they try.I know before am parts that my mind and imaigintion took over and found what I needed to make those details.I still work this way.Digger
Same thing happened to me awhile back I bought a $20 detail set for and Abrams , after looking at most of the parts I decided that I could have made them out of sheet copper and brass wire, oh well live and learn.
You guys do have a point about scratch build. Many of the books and Mags devote alot of space on the subject. The best Dios are all scratch built. Maybe it is time to be clever rather than spending my allowance on bells and whistles.[bow][bow][bow]. andy tank.
I buy AM parts if I know the kit needs help (Skif kits come to mind). If the aftermarket part is advertised as an improvement, I try to find a review and see if the AM set is really better or not. I have been stuck with aftermarket stuff that is either worse than the original model part or it just a copy of the kit part done in resin. I have the Trakz Tiran-5 conversion for the T-55 and it is a well done conversion. It sucks that they didn’t put the same effort into your LVT set. Can you send it back for a refund?
I agree. The imagination is a wonderful thing. To be able to form a mental image or a concept of something and build it, is amazing. That to me is what this hobby is all about.[tup][tup]