PATTON TANK STGB Chat

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

To quote Fatfingers, the new Takom M46 is coming soon. 

 

“Aye up Dennis,

 

According to www.themodellingnews.com it should be out sometime in March.”

 

Regards 

 

Steve 

 

Thats great news then for anyone thats planning on building an early M46 Patton. Thanks a lot @fatfingers

 

Dennis

Edited February 26, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Asmodai]

Be interesting to see how Takom's M46 stacks up. I was not terribly impressed by the Takom M47s, hence my sticking with the Italeri kit even though I could have picked up one of the new kits. Hopefully the M46 will be nice. The main knock against the Takom M47 is the shape of the glacis around the hull MG mount is poor. On the Takom kit, it is like a level, stepped plateau shelf area above the mount; on the Italeri kit and the real vehicle, the hull is smoothly blended all around the mount, no flat areas. It would take a fair amount of work to fix this. In general, though, the detail on the Takom M47 is more refined, as you would expect, and the hull/turret parts have a representation of the cast texture, lacking in the Italeri kit. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Im currently building the Takom M3a1 cast hull lee. I think the detail is great but there are some questionsble choices of detail and construction ? Nevertheless it wont put me off buying an M47 or a chieftain from them someday.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello everyone ...  Im just giving everyone on the sign-up list a friendly heads-up, there is no need to respond. We have just 28 days/ four weeks until this build starts. @Plasto, @Antoine, @SimonT, @Arniec, @PlaStix, @Ozzy, @FrancisGL, @Asmodai, @Bullbasket, @modelling minion, @old thumper, @snapper_city@vppelt68, @Etienne, @Threadbear, @AgentG, @Gav G, @mungo1974, @SleeperService, @Jim Wasley, @Romeo Alpha Yankee, @Dave_R, @Joss, @badger, @Sgt.Squarehead, @Sabre_days, @Julien, @fatfingers, @PZRGREN, @Mark Hoffmanly, @Yetifan, @Mig Eater, @KAYELL, @Hewy, @Churchill. 

 

Im looking forward to this even if i am a bit nervous, 😉 hosting my very first group build ever with my co-host Plasto. If anyone has any questions, or if there are any members interested in joining the build please ask. I will see everyone in 4 weeks. Until then safe travels, good health, and happy modeling. 

 

 

Dennis

 

EDIT : If anyone is interested i would like to invite a second co-host to help ?

[badger]

Hi @Corsairfoxfouruncle

 

Weirdly I was just sorting out my build for this gb.

 

In a change from the advertised programme I will be building this;

 

 

This is the rather nice Mr Modellbau conversion to backdate the Revell M60A3 into the first production run of the M60.

 

I bought an incomplete, part started Revell kit from ebay a couple of months ago to use as a base for this. There's a little bit of damage to the turret ring, bit this will be covered over.

 

The previous owner has started the lower hull (badly), but I reckon this is well under the 25% limit? I'll be pulling most of it to pieces anyway to realign it.

 

The sandy colour bits are some early version air cleaners from an Esci kit which will be needed for this build.

 

I've stripped some of the unneeded bits off the sprues and am now packing it away for a few weeks until the gb starts.

 

All the best

Ben

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello @badger yes thats definitely less than 25% so youre good on that front. Looking forward to seeing what you can make out of all those fancy pieces of resin. 😉 

 

Dennis

[Hewy]

 Nearly ready, a little bit of pe to get first

[badger]

1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hello @badger yes thats definitely less than 25% so youre good on that front. Looking forward to seeing what you can make out of all those fancy pieces of resin. 😉 

 

Dennis

Cheers Dennis

 

Have packed it away again now so I can resist starting it!

 

All the best

Ben

[BIG X]

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hello everyone ...  Im just giving everyone on the sign-up list a friendly heads-up, there is no need to respond. We have just 28 days/ four weeks until this build starts. @Plasto, @Antoine, @SimonT, @Arniec, @PlaStix, @Ozzy, @FrancisGL, @Asmodai, @Bullbasket, @modelling minion, @old thumper, @snapper_city@vppelt68, @Etienne, @Threadbear, @AgentG, @Gav G, @mungo1974, @SleeperService, @Jim Wasley, @Romeo Alpha Yankee, @Dave_R, @Joss, @badger, @Sgt.Squarehead, @Sabre_days, @Julien, @fatfingers, @PZRGREN, @Mark Hoffmanly, @Yetifan, @Mig Eater, @KAYELL, @Hewy, @Churchill. 

 

Im looking forward to this even if i am a bit nervous, 😉 hosting my very first group build ever with my co-host Plasto. If anyone has any questions, or if there are any members interested in joining the build please ask. I will see everyone in 4 weeks. Until then safe travels, good health, and happy modeling. 

 

 

Dennis

 

EDIT : If anyone is interested i would like to invite a second co-host to help ?

Dennis - I can't think of a better host - your enthusiasm for everything is infectious - good luck with the GB mate

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Just now, BIG X said:

Dennis - I can't think of a better host - your enthusiasm for everything is infectious - good luck with the GB mate

Thank you for your compliments and well wishes. 

[Threadbear]

Best start looking for a Patton! 

[SoftScience]

On 3/2/2019 at 11:04 AM, badger said:

Hi @Corsairfoxfouruncle

 

Weirdly I was just sorting out my build for this gb.

 

In a change from the advertised programme I will be building this;

 

 

This is the rather nice Mr Modellbau conversion to backdate the Revell M60A3 into the first production run of the M60.

 

I bought an incomplete, part started Revell kit from ebay a couple of months ago to use as a base for this. There's a little bit of damage to the turret ring, bit this will be covered over.

 

The previous owner has started the lower hull (badly), but I reckon this is well under the 25% limit? I'll be pulling most of it to pieces anyway to realign it.

 

The sandy colour bits are some early version air cleaners from an Esci kit which will be needed for this build.

 

I've stripped some of the unneeded bits off the sprues and am now packing it away for a few weeks until the gb starts.

 

All the best

Ben

 

 

I'm happy to see you posted this. I'm vacillating on what to get for this GB. I really like the Patton tanks, so I want to participate. I think I'd like to do something in the orangie-brown/black/white MERDC camouflage, but I can't decided on a kit. Ideally, I'd like to build one in 1/48, but there aren't any kits in that scale. My second choice was going to be the Revell kit, but I'll have to import one from overseas, and I wasn't sure if the kit was worth it, but seeing your sprue shots, it looks pretty nice. 

 

Another option is to pick up the 1:35 scale AFV-Club kit at my LHS, It may be easier to paint the complex MERDC patterns in the larger scale. But then 1:35 projects are always long term, and I already have so many of those big boxes insulating my attic... 

 

Dang. Can't decide. 

[Asmodai]

32 minutes ago, SoftScience said:

 

 

I'm happy to see you posted this. I'm vacillating on what to get for this GB. I really like the Patton tanks, so I want to participate. I think I'd like to do something in the orangie-brown/black/white MERDC camouflage, but I can't decided on a kit. Ideally, I'd like to build one in 1/48, but there aren't any kits in that scale. My second choice was going to be the Revell kit, but I'll have to import one from overseas, and I wasn't sure if the kit was worth it, but seeing your sprue shots, it looks pretty nice. 

 

Another option is to pick up the 1:35 scale AFV-Club kit at my LHS, It may be easier to paint the complex MERDC patterns in the larger scale. But then 1:35 projects are always long term, and I already have so many of those big boxes insulating my attic... 

 

Dang. Can't decide. 

If you’re a slow worker like me, I’d probably consider something else besides the AFV Club M60. It’s a pretty complicated kit, along with the MERDC scheme to go on it. I have one here, but decided against it with a three month build window. You’ve still got a few weeks to think it over. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

39 minutes ago, SoftScience said:

Ideally, I'd like to build one in 1/48, but there aren't any kits in that scale.

There is one actually but consensus says its 40+ years old and not really very good, check out post #179 if you're curious. 

 

Dennis

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

duped post. 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Asmodai]

4 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

There is one actually but consensus says its 40+ years old and not really very good, check out post #179 if you're curious. 

 

Dennis

It hasn’t been readily available in quite a few years. It still shows up as a limited release in Japan sometimes, but it’s not very likely you’ll walk into a hobby shop somewhere else, and just see one on sale. Also, horrible kit. The Monogram snap-tite kit is probably better detailed 🙃!

https://www.amazon.com/TAMIYA-30101-Super-Patton-Motorized/dp/B00FGJ1Y78

https://hlj.com/1-48-scale-m60-super-patton-tam30101

 

[SoftScience]

Yeah, I'll take a hard pass on the 48 scale academy kit.

 

Much to think about here. I just made the mistake of googling m60 kits and there is a a lot out there. Those Israeli versions sure look nice....

[Asmodai]

8 minutes ago, SoftScience said:

Yeah, I'll take a hard pass on the 48 scale academy kit.

 

Much to think about here. I just made the mistake of googling m60 kits and there is a a lot out there. Those Israeli versions sure look nice....

There are many out there, to be sure. We were just discussing in another subforum here Academy's history. Like a lot of other companies, they got started copying other people's work. In particular, a lot of Academy's early armor kits were inferior direct knock offs of the corresponding Tamiya kit. I remember people buying them back then, though, as Tamiya's prices were sky high when MRC was their US importer. 

[SoftScience]

7 minutes ago, Asmodai said:

There are many out there, to be sure. We were just discussing in another subforum here Academy's history. Like a lot of other companies, they got started copying other people's work. In particular, a lot of Academy's early armor kits were inferior direct knock offs of the corresponding Tamiya kit. I remember people buying them back then, though, as Tamiya's prices were sky high when MRC was their US importer. 

I was one of those people

MRC really hurt this hobby in the US.

[Asmodai]

3 minutes ago, SoftScience said:

I was one of those people

MRC really hurt this hobby in the US.

It does continue to amaze me that anyone chooses to have them as their distributor, with their past history. They pretty much ran Tamiya and Fujimi into the ground in the US. The major reason there is a TamiyaUSA is they decided to start distributing their own products, after the experience with MRC. For you young'uns out there, $50-60 USD might be a typical armor kit price today. MRC was pricing Tamiya kits like that...in the early 1980s 😲

[SleeperService]

Being a good ship and doing my physio exercises to get my right hand fully functional for this. Three fingers have plasters at the moment as I try and push the envelope 😮

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, Asmodai said:

MRC was pricing Tamiya kits like that...in the early 1980s 😲

I was building tamiya armor in the mid 80’s, and tamiya was a little more costly in chicago but not that much. I dont remember them being really outrageous ? My 1st experience with MRC Was with academy.  

Edited March 3, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Asmodai]

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I was building tamiya armor in the mid 80’s, and tamiya was a little more costly in chicago but not that much. I dont remember them being really outrageous ? My 1st experience with MRC Was with academy.  

You must have been fortunate then, or had a seller willing to eat some of the price. I remember 1987 well....Tamiya releases its 'new' Sherman Jumbo. One of their worst kits ever, near totally inaccurate. $50. And I am pretty sure that was MSRP. Buying from overseas vendors was viable, even with shipping. There were several shops in town then, all at that price. Today, there are 0 shops less than an hour from me. It was in the late 80s or early 90s whatever deal Tamiya had with MRC ended, and they set up their own shop in the US. MRC went on to ask outrageous prices on Fujimi, Academy, and Italeri kits. The Fujimi 1/48 late Bf-109 series was egregiously MRC priced on first release also, around double what was common for a single seat 1/48 WW2 aircraft then. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Im wondering if it was because the Tamiya kits we were all buying here in chicago were the way older molds ? Im talking kits like the Panzer 2, SDKFZ, M41, M48, M60 stuff like that ? I think most of those were 70’s molds so maybe more widely available ?  

[Asmodai]

That’s not impossible. The high prices I recall were on the latest releases then. And they came down quite a bit once Tamiya America got running. Once that happened, the pricing was more in line with what you’d expect, ie, more than a domestic Revell or Monogram new kit, but not so extreme. 

 

On a happier topic, as the time to our start dwindles, I’ll post a look at some of the aftermarket sets I have for the M47/Patton series, and some of the reference books out there. Including the ‘holy grail’ Patton : A History of the American Main Battle Tank by Hunnicut. The sets are in some cases equally applicable to other Pershing/Patton variants beyond the M47. I won’t cover the Italeri kit, though. I think it may have been done a few times already since it came out forty years ago 🙂!