Recommendation for a good first time Armor kit?

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

What is a recommendation for a good first time Armor kit? I’ve been building 1/48th scale aircraft for quite a while, so I’m a pretty experienced modeler. I’ve never built any armor, but would like to start a good build of a main battle tank.

Any recommendations for a good 1/35th scale tank kit that would be a good first armor build?

2

any Tamiya. but since you have skill. try Dragon’s Pz III L VERY NICE KIT i also like ALL of the BIG CAT’s by Dragon. good luck a LOT to think about and a lot of kits to look at .

Clay

3

Not “any Tamiya”. Some are dogs still being offered @ places like Hobby Lobby & Michaels. The Tamiya Panther A is crap-- no way around it.

Here’s my list of suggestions (all WW2 - if you want more modern ones, that can be done too):

Tamiya Cromwell

Tamiya M4A3 (105) howitzer

Tamiya Pz III ausf L

Tamiya Pz III ausf N

Tamiya Pz IV H (35181)

Tamiya Tiger I (35216)

Tamiya Char B1 bis

Tamiya JS-2

Tamiya M26 Pershing

Tamiya Panther G steel wheel

DML T-34/76 model 1941

DML Panther G late

Trumpeter KV-1

4

One should also add, since you like 1/48 AC, is Tamiya’s 1/48 line. I haven’t built one, but have heard good things about them, except for the metal hulls.

If you do go 1/35, then Tamiya has some great kits:

Sherman Early

Pz III L

Wespe

Dragon also has some good kits:

Panther G Late

JS II

5

1/35 Tamiya Jagdtiger and JSU-152 also are great kits

6

I’m gonna vote for the Tamiya M4 Sherman Early Production. It’s a fantastic intro kit - builds up very fast (literally a few hours), simple scheme that’s a good base for practicing armor weathering techniques…and it’s a Sherman.

Another one I really enjoyed and found simple enough in the build-up is Dragon’s T-34/85.

7

Since you want a main battle tank, the term generally refers to a modern tank (WW2 tanks were classified as light, medium and heavy). Many of the available MBTs are relatively simple kits with one piece tracks and side skirts that cover most of the suspension.

While I often tell people to avoid buying a kit because of its brand name (i.e. Tamiya over Dragon, etc.), Tamiya does have many modern MBTs, probably a more extensive line than any other single brand. They make an excellent German Leopard 2A5/6, French Leclerc, JGSDF Type 90, British Challenger II and a decent M1A1/A2 Abrams, not the best, but a solid kit that is easy to build. They also do an early IDF Merkava.

Dragon has the top Abrams kit (the ultra late M1A1AIM and M1A2SEP), but are more comprehensive builds. As an experienced modeler, they should be of little problem to you, but the kits are highly sought after and have climbed in price to the $60+ range.

The Tamiya kits I mentioned are readily available, can be found for much less than retail price and are all good kits for the first time armor builder.

Another modern MBT that may end up in the news more is the Israeli Merkava 4. There are two kits by Academy and Hobby Boss. You can check out reviews of either kit. The HB one has a misaligned suspension system that purists cannot live with, but the vast majority of casual model builders would never notice.

8

To Rob’s list add the Tamiya T-55 MBT and the Tamiya M-51 Israeli Sherman.

9

I’d go for Italeri M4A1 (76 mm gun), if you like the M4 Sherman, It’s pretty easy to build. I won’t try any Dragon/DML offering as they may come with individual track links, not recommendable if it’s your first armor kit. Any of Tamiya older offerings will be OK too (those which were suposed to be motorized kits), most recent offerings have too many parts, some of them even have indy track links. Best regards.