hi ,i would like to know if anyone makes the m-88 kit, ?in plastic not resin.thanks.[:D]
From what I know Revell of Germany and AFV club make a kit of the M88.
Yes AFV Club does a gasoline engined, Vietnam Era M88, and a diesel engined, modern M88A1. The Revell model is a rebox of the AFV Club kit with some extra parts specific to the German version.
[:D] thanks guys will look into it further.[:D]
The vinyl tracks that come with the kit fit loose ,but AFV makes some nice plastic link tracks that are fun to put together and look good also, they are AF 3505.
I’m looking at my AFV Club kit, and it comes with indy links, not vinyl tracks.
The Vietnam era M88 came with individual link tracks. The modern M88A1 came with one piece vinyl tracks. I do not recall what my Revell German M88A1G comes with, but if anyone is interested, I will go take a look and see.
I know the main difference between my AFV M88A1 and Revell M88A1G is the color of the plastic (tan vs. green), Revell added some PE parts and some Bundeswehr fittings.
Thanks for the info. What are the external differences between a Vietnam era and modern M88’s?
The M88A1 has an auxillary power unit (APU) called “Little Joe”. It is housed in a bulge at the right rear of the crew compartment with an access door on the outside. It powers the refuel/defuel system (the A1 can pump its own fuel into another vehicle or suck out the fuel of a vehicle they may be abandoning).
I just checked my German M88A1G, Revell added two “H” sprues (have the Revell logo on them) that add German style saw, shovel, tools, tow cable ends, etc. The decals are also different and more comprehensive than the AFV Club German markings.
The Revell kit comes with one piece vinyl tracks, but includes one small sprue of individual links for the spare track blocks on the side of the hull.
Thanks for the info Rob, much appreciated. So aside from a bulged access hatch, there are no other visual differences? I ask because I wanted to possibly convert the Vietnam era to a modern.
It would probably be easier to trade kits with someone. The Nam era one is the more rare of the three M88 kits.
I knew what companies made them, now I know the differences. Learn something new all the time.
They’re all about 99% the same kit. The original M88 Nam era kit used a different upper hull (without the Little Joe), added their indy tracks, and some PE pieces for items like the headlight guards. It had the TC .50 cal gun shield and was a limited run kit.
The M88A1 added an updated upper hull and vinyl tracks.
Revell just got the regular M88A1 made in green, added the H sprues and a large PE fret of their own design. They kept the small sprue with the TC .50 cal gun shield because one of the early style hatches was needed from that sprue.
Rather cool kits, too bad they did not come with an interior.
I have had the M88 NAM kit sitting on the shelf un-opened for several years and didn’t realize it had link tracks in it,i had already built the M88A1 kit with the loose vinyl tracks and thought the M88 NAM kit would have the same .[sigh] Good info once again Rob.[tup]
You can only use the M88 track on an M48 series or original M60 (A nothing) tank. M60A1 and on used the hexagonal block tracks.
Thanks for the info HA . I had just edited my reply to delete that statement and when i came back your info was posted ! Fast and thanks.[tup]
Those tracks were also used on original M60A1 as well as M60A2 tanks. The newer style was being phased in during the run of the A1.