MiniArt T-55 RMSh Workable Track Links Early Type. 1:35

[Shar2]

T-55 RMSh Workable Track Links Early Type

1:35 MiniArt

 

With the numerous T-54 and T-55 variants produced by MiniArt it was only a matter of time that they would produce a new style of workable track link system for them. I was lucky enough to see the initial designs and learnt what the team were up to in a visit to the factory last year. That design process has at last borne some fruit with this their first set. In the colourful end opening box are sixteen sprues, each with twelve links and twenty four pins. Each link is removed from the sprue gates and cleaned up. Be aware that the styrene is quite soft, so be careful if using a blade to clean up, might be best just to use a foam emery stick. With the links cleaned up you then join each link together and insert a pin, add a drop of glue, in my case I used Tamiya extra thin, so you have to be careful not to put too much on as it can wick up the pin and you won’t get moveable tracks. With the pin glued, just snap off and fit the pin on the other side, rinse and repeat until you have a full length of track. They are very much like the metal tracks you can buy from Miniarm but actually easier to assemble as I find the resin pins Miniarm use are too fragile to fit in the metal links. The length of track I built up as shown in the photograph took about 5 minutes once the links had been cleaned up.

 

 

 

Conclusion

This set represents a much better solution to the click together style MiniArt used to use. They are so easy to put together that even the most ardent opponent of individual links should be happy putting them together. They really do work too as my photo shows. I now hope they include these tracks or ones like them in all their new tanks and other tracked vehicle kits.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of Miniart - Distibuted in the UK By Creative Models

 

 

 

[Kingsman]

Some kits are now coming with them.  Certainly the T-55A M1965 Early kit has them.  From my stash, the T-54B and none of the Tirans come with them.  I invested in some sets for these as I much prefer flexible indy links to the glue type for painting and mounting.  Apparently some of the BMR kits have them and some don't.

 

Whether MiniArt will start including these links in new production of older releases (and indicating as much) remains to be seen.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Das Abteilung
Correction