Sherman tracks review ...

[Etienne]

Hello guys,

 

being an addict of individual link & workable tracks, I realized that there wasn't so much comparisons of the different products available on the market ... so I decided to make a small (and superficial, I have to admit) of T54E1 tracks for M4 tanks 👨‍🔬

 

So we have tracks from 4 different brands : Bronco Models, Panda Plastics, Model Kasten and Friul Models ... the  first three being styrene injection molded, the later being white metal tracks.

 

The assembly is very different from one model to the other (detailed photos to come) :

 

> Bronco : the cheaper set (around $15-20). Each complete link is build from 5 parts ... one double pin, 2 end connectors, upper and lower part of the track link. As mentioned in Bronco tracks review, the best way to assemble those is to glue the connectors to the double pin, than glue the upper and lower parts of the link but be very careful with glue application if you want the tracks to be workable. 

 

> Panda Plastic : one-piece track link with 2 end connectors ... without doubt the easier to assemble, just place the connectors on the links pins (even easier with Panda's jig) !! Price is around $30 shipped to the EU ...

 

> Model Kasten : well 🤔 ... I'll begin with the positive comments : excellent details, the most realistic and they even act like real M4 tracks 😎 ... and now the negative ones : each link is build from 9 parts, yes NINE super tiny parts 😲 ... no need to say that the assembly takes forever !!! Price around $30 ...

 

> Friul Models : the only cast metal tracks avalaible for M4 afaik ... the casting is good even if details are coarser than on the styrene tracks but the main advantages are the quick assembly, as you just need to cut two 4mm brass road pins per link and there it goes, and the weight impression !! Ok, Sherman tracks don't have much sag, but you can see seome on weary tanks and those Friul tracks are the best to reproduce that. Price is a little bit expensive, around 40€ shipped to western EU and far more for US citizen 😐

 

Here are the photos ... more to come when I'll have more time, and also complete tanks to show the differences ::

 

 

Cheers, E

Edited June 2, 2018 by Etienne

[BlackMax12]

Hi Etienne

 

I don't see much wrong with the Panda tracks.  The Bronco and MK look under scale and the Friuls look pretty crude.

 

Just my $0.02

 

Lloyd

[Bullbasket]

Thanks for this Etienne. I agree with Lloyd, out of the four, it's Panda tracks for me. I've got some Bronco and I think that they are too fiddly, and from what you say about MK, I won't be trying them anytime soon. I've used Fruilmodel several times, but not for Shermans.

 

John.

[Ripaman]

Hi Etienne,

Which one out of the four are to scale 🤔

 

Regards

Richard

[Kingsman]

I've standardised on Bronco tracks for my M4 projects that don't come with indy link tracks.  I have some Dragon kits with their own indy link tracks.  I haven't actually built any yet, though.

 

My thinking here is that the 2-pin "chassis" for each link is inherently stronger than the other designs with pins moulded to the links, both during construction and painting and later where models might be moved (e.g. to shows) or when the weakening effects of enamel washes might be noticed.  If those pins should snap, you have a repair problem.  It just seems that the Bronco design is more durable.  The Friul is of course the most durable of all.

 

I bought some packs of Top Brass tracks a while back, partly out of nostalgia as I used to help the proprietor of that brand pack his products many moons ago.  They had injection plastic links with white metal end connectors. Non-workable.  But the prospect of having to shape them around the suspension while the cyano set put me off and I sold them on again.  I like to paint my tracks separately off the model, so workable is preferable for fitting them later.  Yes, I know the Dragon offerings don't fit that bill.

 

As for scale size, as mentioned above, the dimensions of M4 tracks are well known.  So perhaps Etienne might care to do a bit of scale measuring of the brands he's looked at?  Not forgetting that the block thickness varied from type to type and that both rubber and metal types wore down in use.  There were also several patterns of end connector horns, although the dimensions should not have been appreciably different.

[Etienne]

14 hours ago, BlackMax12 said:

Hi Etienne

 

I don't see much wrong with the Panda tracks.  The Bronco and MK look under scale and the Friuls look pretty crude.

 

Just my $0.02

 

Lloyd

Hi Lloyd,

 

the only drawbacks of Panda tracks, in my opinion are : the teeth of the end connectors seem too "square" in my opinion, the same end connector "holes" need to be file to be accurate and I don't want to do that and last, but not very important, they don't have the flexibility of other tracks 🤔

 

But they have a real advantage ... ease of assembly 😎

 

1 hour ago, Bullbasket said:

Thanks for this Etienne. I agree with Lloyd, out of the four, it's Panda tracks for me. I've got some Bronco and I think that they are too fiddly, and from what you say about MK, I won't be trying them anytime soon. I've used Fruilmodel several times, but not for Shermans.

 

John.

Hi John,

 

Bronco's are a little bit undescaled but of the different sets, they are the most fexible ... a good point for installation.

 

Another positive feature they share with the Panda's is the ability to receive duckbills, important point for late Shermans

 

1 hour ago, Ripaman said:

Hi Etienne,

Which one out of the four are to scale 🤔

 

Regards

Richard

Hi Richard,

 

the pitch of the T54E1 tracks is 6" ... so 43.5mm for 10 links 👨‍🔬

 

Considering that, Panda's and Friul's seem to be the most accurate dimensionwise !!

 

For comparison, I installed 77 Friul's links on my Asuka ... and 83 Bronco's links on my Dragon ... standard links count on Sherman is 79, I think 🤨

 

41 minutes ago, Das Abteilung said:

I've standardised on Bronco tracks for my M4 projects that don't come with indy link tracks.  I have some Dragon kits with their own indy link tracks.  I haven't actually built any yet, though.

 

My thinking here is that the 2-pin "chassis" for each link is inherently stronger than the other designs with pins moulded to the links, both during construction and painting and later where models might be moved (e.g. to shows) or when the weakening effects of enamel washes might be noticed.  If those pins should snap, you have a repair problem.  It just seems that the Bronco design is more durable.  The Friul is of course the most durable of all.

 

I bought some packs of Top Brass tracks a while back, partly out of nostalgia as I used to help the proprietor of that brand pack his products many moons ago.  They had injection plastic links with white metal end connectors. Non-workable.  But the prospect of having to shape them around the suspension while the cyano set put me off and I sold them on again.  I like to paint my tracks separately off the model, so workable is preferable for fitting them later.  Yes, I know the Dragon offerings don't fit that bill.

 

As for scale size, as mentioned above, the dimensions of M4 tracks are well known.  So perhaps Etienne might care to do a bit of scale measuring of the brands he's looked at?  Not forgetting that the block thickness varied from type to type and that both rubber and metal types wore down in use.  There were also several patterns of end connector horns, although the dimensions should not have been appreciably different.

Hi DA,

 

as I'll have to assemble duckbills for my ongoing projects, I'll have to assemble Bronco's so I'll see how they behave and mount on the tank but they are nice (with some minor flaws ... see above) !

 

About the dimensions, I'll check that this afternoon but Panda's and Friul's seem the most accurate for pitch !!

 

Cheers all, E

Edited June 3, 2018 by Etienne

[Kingsman]

Panda have matching duckbills too, pre-mounted to end connectors.  Bronco have 2 types, different shapes.  But more interesting/odd is that one type comes pre-mounted on end connectors while the other is just the extension piece.  While the first type will only fit Bronco, the second might be compatible with other brands.

 

There are also the Kaizen tracks, assuming they're still available.  They had 2 types of duckbill for theirs.  IIRC they were 3 pieces per link, block + 2 connectors, and made of ABS.  Duckbills were mounted on end connectors.  Can't recall if they were supposed to be workable.

 

AFV Club have a couple of indy link track packs too, at least one of which comes with optional duckbills.  IIRC, solid moulded blocks with separate end connectors.

 

I presume we're discounting the resin tracks made from flat strips bent to shape in hot water, like Accurate Armour and Verlinden?  Why on earth would you do that........?  Armo once did some resin single-link T48 tracks moulded with the 2 connectors on each block.  Non-workable and I imagine a real pain to assemble and shape.

 

What about other metal and resin track manufacturers like Masterclub, Spade Ace, Easy Metal Links etc?  Anything there?

[Etienne]

Hi DA,

 

I'm quite surprised ... I have Bronco's and Panda's duckbills (type 3-4) and they have to be glued to the end connectors ... no single piece with connector and extension, even if there seem to be some 3D printed on Shapeways, but they look expensive 🤪

 

I don't have the Kaizen, they are like an hybrid of Model Kasten (separate link and connectors) and Friul as they need wire to be assembled ... will probably test them later 😉

 

About the other brands : no Sherman tracks at Master Club, too bad as those tracks are really super nice ... nothing at Easy Metal links either.

 

No T54E1 tracks at Spade Ace, but T49 I will perhaps use for a Roi-Namur DV M4A2 😎 ... will add them to this review then.

 

Cheers, E