Pocketbond M46 Patton US Medium Tank - 1:35 Takom via Pocketbond

[Julien]

M46 Patton US Medium Tank

1:35 Takom via Pocketbond

 

 

Despite his insistence that the US Forces didn't require a heavier tank toward the close of WWII, which resulted in the delay of the capable Pershing tank, so that it barely made any difference the final few months of the war, the US Army seem fond of naming tanks after this flamboyant General. The M46 was developed after the shortcomings of the M26 Pershings were determined after WWII.  Initially called the M26E2 it was decided the new tank had so many deviations from the M26 it needed its own designation. 1160 were built.  The only US combat use of the M46 was in Korea. The only use of the tanks outside the US would be small numbers sent to those countries who would get the later M47 in order for crew training. 

 

 

The Kit

Takom seem to want to give us all the variants of the Patton and this is no bad thing.  The kit arrives in a standard top-opening box, and inside are seven sprues and three separate parts in mid-grey styrene, a small clear sprue, two khaki coloured track jigs, a small decal sheet and of course the instruction booklet with painting guide on the insides of the glossy cover.  Beginning construction involves adding the various suspension parts, using the track jigs to line up all the swing-arms, and creating 14 pairs of road wheels, plus two drive sprockets.  The jigs can then be used to create the track runs, which are link-and-length, by installing the idler and drive sprockets temporarily in the jig and lining up the parts of the track with small bars that ensure correct position when dry.  The whole assembly can then be lifted off once the glue is dry to install the road wheels and tracks in your preferred order of construction and painting.

 

 

 

 

 

The upper hull is made up primarily from a single slab with moulded-in engine deck louvres and the sleek cast glacis plate, which has subtle casting texture to its surface.  The bow-mounted gun, lifting eyes and towing shackles are added along with the D-shaped front hatches and their periscope, finished off with the light clusters and their protective framing.  Shackles, vents, towing eyes added to the rear, and then the two fenders are built up away from the hull, with stowage, pioneer tools, exhaust boxes with shrouds added to both before being attached into long slots with matching tabs in the now complete hull.

 

 

 

 

The turret also has the casting texture moulded-in, which will need a little fettling around the top-bottom join, paying careful attention to your references so that you don't make it too neat and tidy.  In fact, it could do with a little sharpening at the bottom edge, with an almost vertical torch-cut pattern where the area has been "tidied" up, and I use that term very loosely.  The casting details are nicely embossed on the bustle, and should escape any damage if you are careful when cleaning up/texturing the joint.  A functional pivot for the gun is fitted inside the lower half before closure, and if left unglued will enable the gun to be posed after completion, although there is no damping in the shape of poly-caps, so it might need gluing later to prevent droop.  The hatches are added, with an M2 derivative machine gun on a simple pintle-mount next to the loaders hatch.  Two barrels for the main gun are supplied, depending on whether you will be fitting the canvas mantlet cover or not.  Without it, the barrel is a single moulding, with a choice of muzzle types, while with the styrene cover the barrel is split vertically but uses the same muzzle brakes.  The searchlight mounted over the gun is then built up and installed. Grab handles and tie-down points, and spare track links are fitted to the sides of the turret, plus smoke dischargers, and then it's just a case of twisting the turret into its bayonet fitting, and you're finished.

 

 

 

 

 

Markings

There are nine marking options from the box, and the profiles have been done in conjunction with Mig Jiménez's company AMMO, so the colour codes are theirs, although you also get the colour names, so conversion to your favourite brand will be relatively easy should you need to. 

 

• Tank No. 5 of C Company, 6th Tank Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, Korea March 1951.
• Tank No. 3 of C Company, 6th Tank Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, Korea March 1951.
• B Company, 73rd Heavy Tank Battalion, Korea 1951.
• 64th Tank Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Korea 1951.
• E Company, 2nd Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Armour, 7th Infantry Division, Korea 1955.
• D Company, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, Korea 1952.
• C Company, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, Korea 1952.
• Tank 53, Tank Platoon, 5th Marine Regiment, Korea 1952.
• 64th Tank Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Chorwan, Korea, 1953.

 

 

The decal sheet is printed anonymously, but is of high quality so could be by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt carrier film cut close to the printed areas.

 

 

Conclusion

Not everyone likes link-and-length tracks, but otherwise this should appeal to many modellers, with plenty of relatively unusual schemes to choose from.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of

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