Had some downtime this weekend and got the modeling itch so I decided to build the 1/35 Tamiya M8 HMC. Build was straight from the box with some Bronco stowage added to the turret. I wanted to have a quick turnaround on the build and was able to complete it in about 18 hours. The base was previously constructed for another tank but I screwed up the width of the track so it will now be home to the M8. The “rubberband” style tracks are awful but for a quick build I can live with it. Critiques/Suggestions are always welcome[B]
Stick- I missed that GB but am looking forward to the North Africa GB in Jan.
Roy- its funny, I noticed they were to large but it did not dawn on me to just cut them down to the proper size. I’ll just tack on another 0.5 to the build time and sort it out tomorrow. Thanks for the comments,
I actually liked the Tamiya ones over the Bronco link tracks I purchased. The Tamiya tracks fit like a glove and with a little tlc they look pretty good.
The issue with many Tamiya tracks, the M3/M5/M8 included, is that they molded them with the end connector at the end of a track block, not spanning two adjacent track blocks. In other words, Tamiya tracks “magically” stick together and the end connectors don’t connect. Same deal with their original Abrams tracks and their M60 & M48 tracks.
I just wanted this to be a quick weekend build and did not plan on adding any aftermarket tracks, PE, ect. The wife would kill me if I bought aftermarket for every kit I build.
Sometimes I say the same thing. Just want to build something quick just to make the stash one less but then… [^o)] something takes over me and I start opening panels, adding scratched stuff and then it turns into a major project. I’m lucky to have a wife that supports my hobby and appreciates the added details and enjoys going to the model shows with me.
Yes, building out of box is sometimes very hard to do. I saw your comment about that in the original post and agree with you completely. I also agree with Plastic_Junkie that the Tamiya tracks fit like a glove compared to aftermarket tracks and to the untrained eye, will look pretty good. But for an accurate model accessory, they are junk.
I only pointed out Tamiya’s age old track problem when the discussion turned away from the finished kit and was redirected towards the tracks.
OOPS [:$] My bad pyrman64, I didn’t notice Udel09’s 1st post comment about the tracks.
Likewise NOT being a fan of individual track links, I thought there were decent rubber-band tracks available from eg., AFV club, (but thinking about it, the AM tracks I got in the stash, are for Shermans), & a quick Google suggests the tracks available for this chassis are single-link sets.
A nice build nonetheless, I’d still crud-up them though. [:^)]
Talk about scary, the Bronco tracks I started and gave up on had for each track link either 4 or 5 tiny parts to be glued in such a way as to make them workable and did not fit the sprocket design. I threw them back in the box and went on with the included rubber band ones. The Tamiya tracks are really not that bad since the Judges at the Sumter SC AMPS show liked them well enough to give my M8 a Gold in that competition.
Considering the best M3/5 series kits come from a company that’s been around less than 10 years, I doubt Tamiya repopping their old kits (which are still quality models) funds AFV Club’s new molds. In fact, Tamiya repopping of the 30 year old molds causes aftermarket companies to produce resin and photo etch accessories (thanks to the rivet counters) that drive the cost of an accurate project above the cost of a new kit (again thanks to the rivet counters who provide information to the companies). One man who drove the running M5 tank at Fort Knox also provides information to AFV Club in Taiwan to produce their better M3A3, M5 and M5A1.
You’re right, spent a good deal of time climbing around various M1A1 tanks in my motor pool taking photographs so someone could use them to produce one of the best modern US tank models (Dragon’s M1A1AIM) on the market. But I’ve probably spent a greater amount of time actually building 1/72 scale WW2 German armor OOB.
Greg, I have done the AFV indies on 2 Tamiya kits. they are time consuming but will give an accurate good looking product. they assemble just like the real track links and end connectors. I built a small jig to help keep them lined up as I assembled them, just push the pieces together and they will stay put until you paint and weather them. give 'em a try, you’ll be pleased with the end result.
