Speaking of Tracks

Okay :

Now a long time ago I posted something about Frulimodel Tracks and a " Dicker Max " self propelled gun . I mentioned how to age the Fruilmodel product in a product called " Blacken It ". Now this is not related to that.

I actually built a Grant in the intervening time .It had vinyl tracks .Well they’ve both broken more than once .Does this mean Fruilmodel again?

Also , I dug up my old MONOGRAM lightskins .I have two half-track units with anti-aircraft guns and two with troops .Plus a nice Ten Wheeled truck with canvas top . What is the actual scale on those ?

Plus , I don’t want to forget my M-48-A-1 that Monogram made . The plastic in the moldings is thinner than the repop I bought six months ago . I have been grinding and cutting on that thing for weeks , it seems .( I wanted to put engine screens and stuff in it ) T.B.

I advise against Fruil tracks for an M3 Grant. US tanks had “live” tracks that were extremely taut. The benefit of Fruils is that they show sag and weightiness – totally inaccurate for a US tank like the M3 Medium Grant. AFV Club or many other aftermarket companies make T41 or T51 tracks you want for the Grant. Speak to your local hobby shop dealer

I’ve never used Friul tracks in one of my builds, ever. You can make a set of plastic indy-link tracks look just as good with a little work. Hell of a lot cheaper, too.

Hard to imagine vinyl tracks breaking apart so quickly. I’ve got tracks on tanks that are decades old and still in one piece. Perhaps you used a weathering medium that is incompatible to the vinyl? Sometimes oils or enamels will react adversely with vinyl.

Ditto on the AFV aftermarkets, I’ve used them on a Grant and a Sherman with great results.

The old Monogram were probably 1/32 scale.

Some were 1/32 and some were 1/35. M3 Grant, Lee, M4 and M4A1 as well as the panzers were 1/32.