Group Build 1.0 Tamiya's Vintage M48

So we're back from the dead, dozens of half built kits sitting everywhere in the room having been molested the past year or so. It's just so hard to get the old airbrush going again. Some of the various unfinished projects are here...

 A Venerable Dreadnought

 Tamiya's venerable KV-1B

A very frustrating build of PARC Models' Soviet T-18/ MS-1

It comes as no surprise then that this group build was meant to be simple to get stuff going again, which is why we went Tamiya. Unfortunately for some strange reason we picked the M48A3 kit, which undoubtedly should build into a respectable kit right out of the box. However, things aren't quite so simple now is it?

THIS Tamiya M48A3

There's a very good article by Paul Budzik on this relatively simple build. You can read that awesome article here

So of course off we went browsing for a particular version to build and finding ways to improve the kit whilst being efficient (lazy) at it. I decided to build a six day war version of this tank, the few dozen or so that were up gunned as well as if there wasn't enough trouble I was getting myself into by reading Paul's article.

This is my reference, M48A3 105 L7 in 1967

You have to admit, that's a good looking tank that may just be worth the trouble. Here we go then... once more unto the breach...

Another awesome link and the thing about Trumpeter's T-90 cast turret tracks

I chanced upon Armourpro, a german armour modelling site, whilst trawling the net for information. The site has plenty of projects and beautiful pictures, always a good thing for people looking for inspiration. There are even some uncommon paper panzers like a Panzer IV with the Panther Schmalturm. I really like the beautifully rendered PAK 40/4 mounted on the venerable Steyr RSO in particular. Another site added in the links section!

Ever since the Trumpeter T-90 cast turret came out I've bumped into a few guys who's been looking at getting aftermarket replacements for the kit tracks. The thing is I've seen the kit ones and I think they're good enough, even comes with separate and hollow guide horns and a jig to make assembly easy. However I have again come across resources online where T-90s were also often seen with the older RMsh tracks used on the T-72 and late T-55 and T-62 tanks. I thought if anyone wants to replace what I would consider good kit tracks, might as well go further and take a look at these RMsh ones. They look good too!

Here's a link to armorama on the topic of them tracks which starts at page 3.

Some pictures of course

 

 

Evidently newer T-90s even the cast turret ones come with the new two pin tracks that is included in the kit, the same one that is in the Meng kit. The third picture here is the Indian Army's T-90 and it does use the newer tracks so there is no right or wrong with either choices here.


Of course it wouldn't be complete without the miniature versions of the subject!

 Istvan Zsoldos' excellent T-90

 Steve Shrimpton's awesome rendition

 

Vadim CSHelkonogov aka Navigator_111 T-90 early

I for one would be using the older rmsh tracks, makes the subject stand out more when sitting side by side with the T-90A.

Cheers!