Peter Browne Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) I have an interest in building a M3 Grant in North Africa, possibly for the next STGB. I have some nice photos of Monty's tank in the Imperial War Museum, not that I'll be modelling that command variant. What would be the better of the kits out there. I have heard that Takom do an accurate one. The casting detail also looks impressive. Edited February 12, 2021 by pbrowne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Moore Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 The Takom Grant has got some nice cast texturing on the turret and transmission housings, although some areas are missed due to moulding limitations, but it's easy to add to the texture with putty. It's a good solid kit, and goes together well. If you're after a full interior though, you'd be better off with the MiniArt Grant. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Browne Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) Ha! I was just looking at your review of the Takom Lee when you replied at https://www.themodellingnews.com/2017/09/in-boxed-andys-take-on-takoms-35th.html Nice details, thanks Andy! Edited February 12, 2021 by pbrowne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 I recently finished the MiniArt Grant. Recommended! This was the version without the full interior: RFI here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235085186-m3-grant-miniart-135/ Full build here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235081428-rats-its-another-grant-miniart-135-grant-mki-finished/ Ray 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo1966 Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Heres the review of the same kit: The tracks look a nightmare!!!! 😱 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo1966 Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Airfix have recently released a re-box of the Academy kit if you want a cheaper option. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Browne Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) Mmm, this is great info, but somewhat more perplexing decisions now! Very nice build and finish Ray! I wouldn't mind having some interior for the commander's hatch and side hatch open (no figures), so I may go with MiniArt, otherwise Takom, but I think I will go with some interior, but not for a STGB... Peter Edited February 12, 2021 by pbrowne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 29 minutes ago, pbrowne said: I think I will go with some interior Hi Peter, This would be a great option as so many nice hatches to leave open. Ray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Don't dismiss the Airfix/Academy kit out of hand. Although it has one or two minor faults, it can still be made into a nice model. Plus, it's cheaper. John. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cometracer Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 I'd go MiniArt, personally. Their stuff is really first class. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 (edited) Miniart Grants are undoubtedly better in every respect than all that have gone before and are no more expensive. You can pick the up the non-interior kits in the low £30's now. And they come with indy link tracks, so that saves you £12 - £35 (plastic vs metal) replacing the vinyl tracks in the other brands. Plus some usable stowage. Maybe I should say now that I have 2 Miniart Grant Is, 2 Grant IIs and a Lee I in my stash and none of the other brands. So I may be biased. All of the kits have odd deficiencies in casting numbers but these can be added with Archer 3D casting number decals. Cast texture is a constant subject of debate but is correctable or enhanceable. Tiger Model Designs felt the need to issue a number of correction sets for the Takom kits. Because of the inevitable slight variations between brands' kits these will not necessarily fit well to Academy or Miniart kits. Miniart's kits by and large don't need them anyway. Early issue Academy Grants had totally wrong bogies: far too tall. This was corrected but there is no way of telling from the box. New stock from a store should be OK by now but 2nd hand ones can be a risk. "Monty" is a diesel Grant II. So should you want to model that one then the only kit that will do is the Miniart Grant II. Miniart are the only people to do a Grant II. No-one does a welded hull Grant I but only 10 of these were built anyway. There were 83 welded Grant IIs but the Miniart kit is a standard rivetted one. If you have an interest in M3s I can recommend the new David Doyle book, although it will cost you about the same as 2 M3 kits. The Kagero Top Drawings of the M3 are well worth getting and are a lot cheaper at about 1/3 of the price of the Doyle book. There were some little time and factory variations in Grants between Baldwin, Pullman Standard and Pressed Steel Car. Such as slightly different turret castings, 2" bomb thrower fitted or blanked off, solid pressed-spoke wheels on some, driver's periscope fitted or blanked, hull MGs fitted or blanked etc. Edited February 13, 2021 by Das Abteilung Bad spelling! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Just to stick up for the Takom kit, built it last year, goes together well, link and length tracks and not overly expensive or fiddly! Liked it so much I've also got the CDL version! Atb Darryl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I'm not saying it's bad. But for the same sort of money I'd go Miniart. Takom would be no2 in my preferences and I'd have a couple if Miniart had not announced theirs in multiple versions. And the Takom kits were very expensive when new, as indeed were Miniart's. The link and length tracks can be an advantage and they seem to fit well: sometimes you get joins under the roadwheels that are too angular. I had the Miniart Australian Lee too but decided not to keep that. 37mm stabiliser counterweights under the barrel are unusual on petrol Grants, although it seems that most diesels had them. Stabilisers were probably not fitted before May 42 and IIRC petrol Grant production stopped in June with diesels going on to the end of July at Baldwin. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I really like the MiniArt Independent Links. I made a up a styrene card jig and the job progressed nicely. No flash to be concerned about. Audible book playing in the background and go on to auto pilot and done before you know it. Ray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Browne Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 (edited) 19 hours ago, Das Abteilung said: If you have an interest in M3s I can recommend the new David Doyle book, although it will cost you about the same as 2 M3 kits. Cool. I will get a copy to add to my library. Going half price for AU$99 at Book Depository (yes, I know I have had bad experience with them too...having sent me the wrong book, twice...). Miniart it is then for me, only quandary now is interior or not. I'm a bit concerned that an interior may not show sufficiently even with all hatches open, given the amount of work involved, and I don't like the idea of removing turret etc to see the innards. Once I complete a model, it goes in the display cabinet and I move on... Edited February 13, 2021 by pbrowne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Browne Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 On 2/12/2021 at 5:51 PM, Geo1966 said: Heres the review of the same kit: The tracks look a nightmare!!!! 😱 That's the MiniArt Grant Mk II (35282), though I would expect the Mk I kit (35276), which Ray shows in his post above, to be basically the same kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 1 hour ago, pbrowne said: That's the MiniArt Grant Mk II (35282), though I would expect the Mk I kit (35276), which Ray shows in his post above, to be basically the same kit. Basically yes. However the kits are designed specifically for the version to be portrayed - Mk. I or Mk.II - without all parts being in the box to do both. Need to check what version you wish to portray. Of course, both these kits do not have the full interior. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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