My model came to my office the other day and I finally had the opportunity to open the box and look through it. This is a great kit! A nice combination of plastic and some metal and brass parts… and I really like the 1/16th scale.
I’m in the process of collecting reference material for the build. I just picked up Hunnicutt’s book: “Half-Track; A History of American Semi-Tracked Vehicles.” I also have a couple of Squadron Shop booklets. Does anyone know of any good reference sources for American half-tracked vehicles?
There are some good online picture collections. As for wartime pics, S Zaloga’s “US Halftracks In Combat” by Concord is good. Keep an eye out on PMMS as Terry has hunkered down to build his. I’m sure his forthcoming writeup will be full of good stuff
I’ll have my photo reference CD-Rom on the M16 MGMC available in about two weeks. It’ll have around 350 detail photos of the M16, M15A1 and M45 Maxson turret on the M55 trailer.
Hello there … I’m new to this forum . I got this half track, just before Christmas. I have some parts built . But as I go along I’m still trying to decide which or where it is supposed to be. Must admit I seem to be leaning towards an Israeli half track…or maybe WW2 winter camoflauge…or maybe…???
This is a “problem” I have discovered with the Trumpeter and Dragon kits… theres so much to do in them. As a build from the box they are brilliant. I love the way the parts fit etc. even the sometimes vagueness of the instructions. I think the way the kits are cast is brilliant…so…back to the half track.
Most of the parts do fit well but one or two problems I have discovered with the instructions…
The kit part numbers are’nt always the same as they are in the instructions. I have discovered a few. Also the assembly order…I found it easiest to start with the axel to the tracks . mount this and work forward. At least this way it is easiest to discover where the radiator is supposed to be
Another thing lack of fan belts from alternator water pump. Suppose most of these things can be “scratch built” if yu could call it that…But this is what makes these kits. yu get details of cast numbers on one hand…which if yu do any weathering cant be seen…and no fan belts if bonnet is left open which can. Also I have been told the decals are wrong…
it does make placing front drive shaft and exhaust a bit fiddely…but with a big hammer it can be done. On the subjuct of the radiator, I thought it very strang at the lack of detail…ie. fins. this is fine if yu decide to leave the front armour fins closed. But if you’d like to leave it open…dont think it will work. Other big thing I found was the steering colum does not match up with steering box. Another thing , while im on the subject…I feel it’s left up to the builder to decide if some pars are machined or cast on the real thing . Come to think about it theres a heap of work to be done here…brake pedal. clutch. gear leaver diff lock…hand brake…rekon theres about a week’s work there alone. But biggest thing I found was the tracks…now theres a big big problem…I have fitted these a couple of times and cant get them right. This might sound like I have loads done but in fact the kit is so big it’s easy to adjust these items and the fact they are screwed in place.
I have discovered that leaving the tracks on a hot radiator for a few hours does soften them so maybe if super glue was put on the rear idle wheel and the front drive it might work…but I also think to get the truck to sit flat on the tracks migh mean even more super glue. Any way it should be fun/torture trying to find a way round this. If I do I’ll post it. It seems from photos the sides of the rearcompartment should be left in a down position…this is a bitch to achieve. The plastic seems to be a mixture of rubber and perspex. But on the whole I love the kit. Last big thing I made was the T34…laughing to my self here…there was a project…brilliant kit…but so much work. I spent over a year on and off building the different assemblies and …(confession) it still is’nt all assembled. each section is great. Hoping the half track dosent go the same way but … well I promise I will try finish it. TRY… Just thinking another part that assembles different to the instructions is the bulkhead. you MUST MUST. glue this to the bottom half with bonnet in place . Dont worry it can be taken off and the fact that it snap fits helps.
I’m enclosing a couple of pics of the radiator think I found an easy way round the detailing. a piece of linen clued to the smooth face of the plastic. see what yu think. The fan for the radiator will fit inside the cowling but leave this to second last. then add the connections from the engine
to the radiator. this as I said before will at least give yu an idea where the radiator should be.
Welcome aboard Joe! [#welcome] I’ve heard a few issues with the 1/16th half-track kit, but at that price it isn’t too bad to over come I guess. I’m still on the fence to get one but I have a few unbuilt kits that need to be finished first. Please keep posting your build pics here to motivate those of us yet to take the plunge! Looks like you have a least conquered the hidden radiator. I think the louvers need to be open too. [tup]
The radiator does not sit correctly on the frame allowing for the fan to fit within the shroud opening. It requires some tweaking, also the cooling hose connections are affected by this.
Here is a link of a review, and build stages over on PMMS…
It sure dosent…nor does the bulkhead…if yu follow the instructions. But if yu approach these problems with the idea yu are assembling the real thing…then it will fit . I think the armour side of the body will hide the gap in the radiator fit to chassis problem…other than that filler…or maybe an even bigger hammer…the fan will fit inside the cowling…promise…mine did…but radiator was fitted last, then the engine piping to the radiator…I’m going to try take some pics over the weekend outside as the flash on my cam is really making it look a lot worse than it actually is…maybe I need to read instructions on Camera.hmmmmmmm…I d seem to have a problem with instructions…
