Lawzer Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Hi all, Other than 3 1/72(ish) scale tanks I only build aircraft but my mojo has been waining recently so I thought I'd give some 1/35 armor a go. So, question is what would be a reasonable (by that I mean fairly cheap!) kit to get started with? Would like to do something ww2 so I can at least put it on the shelf next to the ww2 aircraft.....other than ww2 I don't really have any other criteria to fill. Not into uber-detailing. Just as long as I end up with something that "look" like what it's meant to be! TIA! Ian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntPhillips Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Why not try the Airfix (Academy) M3 Stuart Honey, its relatively cheap (about £20) is reasonably accurate and nicely detailed, and its not too big either. If you search t'internet theres plenty of reviews and builds including here on Britmodeller, its an Academy original but has also been released by Italeri (in M3A1 guise) and now by Airfix. Link to Scalemates page here: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-a1358-m3-stuart-honey--1190144 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Lawzer said: Other than 3 1/72(ish) scale tanks I only build aircraft but my mojo has been waining recently so I thought I'd give some 1/35 armor a go. Ooooo!! That's the start of the slippery slope. I built nothing but wingey things for thirty years and then fifteen years ago, I decided to try something different, and I (semi) scratch built an Israeli M50 in 1/72nd scale. Since then, AFV's are the only thing that I've built. But to answer your question. As Ant said, the M3 Stuart is quite a good kit, but avoid the Italeri M3A1 as it has a glaring mistake, unless you're OK with that, or are willing to correct it. Other good ones to try are most of the Tamiya kits. Fit and accuracy are in the main, first class. Any of the Sherman kits or the Cromwell and Centaur are excellent as well. Avoid any of the Miniart or Bronco kits. They're good, but very complicated, especially the Miniart T-54/55 series. HTH's. John. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzby061 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 As Bullbasket said, you can't go wrong with Tamiya. Fit & engineering are always good, not over engineered like some Dragon kits. I'm doing the Takom Chieftain Mk 11, the outer road wheels comprise 5 pieces with the manufacturers casting marks visible. Great but you can't see 'em when assembled!! It does beg the question - Why? Pete 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I can recommend the Tamiya Cromwell, as suggested by Bullbasket, almost falls together and you can spend as much time as you like on the paint. Tbh - can't usually go wrong with anything Tamiya for ease of construction, (IMO). Good luck Darryl 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 17 minutes ago, Jasper dog said: I can recommend the Tamiya Cromwell, as suggested by Bullbasket, almost falls together and you can spend as much time as you like on the paint. Tbh - can't usually go wrong with anything Tamiya for ease of construction, (IMO). Good luck Darryl Hi Ian @Lawzer - as you made a really good job on the 1/72 Cromwell (well it was good enough to encourage me to have a go) - this sounds like a smashing idea. Sounds like a great idea Jasper - it is certainly on my list - somewhere down the line. Maybe @badger - Ben has some ideas Ian - he is always full of sound advice. Steve 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Hi Ian Welcome to the dark side! Although I don't have that much experience of 1/35 (I'm very much a 1/72 armour fan), I do have a few in the stash, mostly Tamiya so I definitely recommend one of theirs as a starting point due to the balance of detail and ease of construction. If you fancy something German- how about the jagdpanzer iv/70? I picked one up cheap last year and it looks a very nice kit. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35340-jagdpanzer-iv-70-v-lang--543823 The other recommendations would be the Tamiya Cromwell or Matilda https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35300-matilda-mkiii-iv--424093 Hope that helps and look forward to seeing what you go for. All the best Ben 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I dont usually do WW2 but I can recommend both the Tamiya Cromwell already mentioned and their Churchill both of which I have built in Post-War guise. They are both fairly basic, go together easily, and can be found at a reasonable price. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) thanks folks! I think I may go with the Cromwell - looks like it's got them 'orrible rubber tracks. I haven't looked but if they are available is it worth splashing out on aftermarket tracks? @BIG X I'd forgotten about the "wee" Cromwell.....twas a fun build right enough! Or of course maybe a Tiger 1. But then I'm into the early/mid/late production version conundrum.......oh dear lord - I thought differences in aricraft were a minefield!!!! Edited January 23, 2020 by Lawzer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Lawzer said: I think I may go with the Cromwell - looks like it's got them 'orrible rubber tracks. I haven't looked but if they are available is it worth splashing out on aftermarket tracks? Definitely. The ones in the kit are OK, but not a patch on an aftermarket set. When I built my Centaur, I used Fruilmodel white metal tracks. Some people are daunted by them, but really, apart from being a little time consuming, they are quite easy, and the difference that they make to the finished article is huge. If you want to see how they look on a Centaur/Cromwell, have a look here on page 1; There are a couple of photos of the tracks in their raw state and a couple of them painted and weathered. I've used Fruilmodels a few times now and they are excellent (but not cheap, around £25 for the Cromwell, depending on where you buy them from). HTH's. John. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntPhillips Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Lawzer said: thanks folks! I think I may go with the Cromwell - looks like it's got them 'orrible rubber tracks. I haven't looked but if they are available is it worth splashing out on aftermarket tracks? There are actually lots of alternative aftermarket tracks for the Cromwell, available in plastic from Modelkasten, SKP and Hobbyboss and in white metal from Friulmodel, Masterclub and Spade Ace. I've got a set of Modelkasten and Friuls (I only picked these up last week), but haven't got around to using either yet as the Cromwell is sitting awaiting completion on the "Shelf of Queens", but as I'm in the process of trying to finish of all the Shelf Queens I might get round to them pretty soon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I've heard some good reports about Modelkasten, but never tried them. The ones that I have tried and wouldn't touch again with a barge pole are the SKP ones. They are made in such a way that once you've assembled them and you lay them flat, they form a large arc, instead of a straight line, therefore making it difficult to get the tracks to sit around the drive sprocket teeth and the road wheels. John. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arild Moland Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Modelkasten has great detail, but can be labour intensive depending on the track in question. Tiger I tracks for instance assembles the same way Rye Field tracks does, ie with separate guide horns... Master Club resin tracks are superbly detailed and easy to assemble. Friuls are great, but I find the cost increasingly prohibitive. A number of newer Tamiya kits have plastic link and length tracks included in addition to the vinyl bands, and as others have pointed out, you can't really go wrong with Tamiya if you want an easy entry into the world of 1:35 armour modelling. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binbrook87 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) On 22/01/2020 at 14:12, Lawzer said: Hi all, Other than 3 1/72(ish) scale tanks I only build aircraft but my mojo has been waining recently so I thought I'd give some 1/35 armor a go. So, question is what would be a reasonable (by that I mean fairly cheap!) kit to get started with? Would like to do something ww2 so I can at least put it on the shelf next to the ww2 aircraft.....other than ww2 I don't really have any other criteria to fill. Not into uber-detailing. Just as long as I end up with something that "look" like what it's meant to be! TIA! Ian Hi Ian I'm in a similar position to you, always an aircraft modeller but fancied a change for a while. I've just completed the 1/35 Airfix Honey tank with no problems. Cost was about £20 so won't break the bank and completed size is not too large. I was going to tackle a 1/35 Jagdpanther next but when I discovered how large it was I wouldn't have the room to continue in this scale, so have just started a 1/48 Tamiya Jagdpanther instead. Costs about the same as the Honey and so far is a breeze to construct even with link and length tracks! If you want to stick with 1/35 scale and want something not too expensive to practice on how about one of the older Tamiya kits? Panzer II or IV, Stug IV or T62....they're under £20. Hope this helps Cheers Edited January 23, 2020 by binbrook87 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 10 hours ago, Lawzer said: thanks folks! I think I may go with the Cromwell - looks like it's got them 'orrible rubber tracks. I haven't looked but if they are available is it worth splashing out on aftermarket tracks? I admit to using aftermarket tracks on some models, but many of my builds have them 'orrible rubber tracks, which are often not bad at all, particularly Tamiya . My Cromwell - 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binbrook87 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 10 hours ago, Lawzer said: thanks folks! I think I may go with the Cromwell - looks like it's got them 'orrible rubber tracks. I haven't looked but if they are available is it worth splashing out on aftermarket tracks? On my Airfix Honey I soaked the rubber tracks in hot water for a few minutes and then gently stretched them. Only gave another 10mm in length or so but makes all the difference, less tight and you can get a little bit of sag if you then glue them to some of the wheels 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 On 22/01/2020 at 14:12, Lawzer said: Would like to do something ww2 so I can at least put it on the shelf next to the ww2 aircraft.....other than ww2 I don't really have any other criteria to fill. Not into uber-detailing. Just as long as I end up with something that "look" like what it's meant to be! IIRC you mainly do 1/48th aircraft, Tamiya do a reasonable range of 1/48th tanks, which are pretty simple. And can be displayed along side the planes (curse Tamiya for accidentally making 1/35th the armour scale though...) inbox reviews of the early part of the range here https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/48/tamiya/tamiya.htm They are reasonably expensive in the UK, but can be got pretty cheap from Plazajapan, HTH 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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