Which M48A3 kit to build?

[chromdome35]

I want to build an M48A3 from the Vietnam era, there are quite a few kits on the market and I would like to hear opinions on which to build. I plan to upgrade it with AM (PE, Barrell, Tracks and storage).

I am thinking this would be a fun tank to base my model on.

[mustang1989]

Armor is an area that I'm not very familiar with kitwise. Russ might chime in on this one as this is right down his alley.

[Prop Duster]

You gotta do it. Can't fail to be a winner.

[george]

I'd go with Takom model, they released one this year. I've built some Takom's models, they are easy to build, well detailed and reasonably priced. Good luck.

[chromdome35]

I will check out the Takom offering, I haven't ever built a Takom kit.

Seems like with Ming, Takom, Ryefield, IloveKit and others there is a wealth of high quality kits available these days.

[reserve]

Well there's always the old Tammy kit which is cheap but requires a fair amount of extra work to get right. I did one of these some time back and did a build log here just don't recall where. The Dragon offerings are decent, did their 48A1 and the A3 is pretty much the same kit. Unless Dragon has changed the A3 kit you'll need an aftermarket mantlet cover as neither manufacturer gives you one in their kits. Revell of Germany makes some decent A2 offerings but you'll have to scratch the bustle rack and the fender mounted air filters. I've not done the Takom offering but I have done four other Takom kits...they are excellently molded with no flash and the vaguest hint of mold lines, small sprue gates, well hidden ejector pin marks, and use a semi soft styrene that's easy to scrape, carve, and reacts wonderfully with liquid plastic cement. I also had many issues such as suspension arm pins being too large for the roadwheels, locating pins larger than the holes they are supposed to go in, poor fit in places, and the need for a mill bastard file to fit hull roofs. Parts interference was an issue on all four also.

Hope this helps

[chromdome35]

Awesome feedback, thank you. Sounds like the Takom kit is in my future.

[mustang1989]

Dec 4, 2022 15:02:24 GMT -5 reserve said:

Well there's always the old Tammy kit which is cheap but requires a fair amount of extra work to get right. I did one of these some time back and did a build log here just don't recall where. The Dragon offerings are decent, did their 48A1 and the A3 is pretty much the same kit. Unless Dragon has changed the A3 kit you'll need an aftermarket mantlet cover as neither manufacturer gives you one in their kits. Revell of Germany makes some decent A2 offerings but you'll have to scratch the bustle rack and the fender mounted air filters. I've not done the Takom offering but I have done four other Takom kits...they are excellently molded with no flash and the vaguest hint of mold lines, small sprue gates, well hidden ejector pin marks, and use a semi soft styrene that's easy to scrape, carve, and reacts wonderfully with liquid plastic cement. I also had many issues such as suspension arm pins being too large for the roadwheels, locating pins larger than the holes they are supposed to go in, poor fit in places, and the need for a mill bastard file to fit hull roofs. Parts interference was an issue on all four also.

Hope this helps

This is all news to me as well. Funny how theres so many manufacturers for some of these subjects. I'm going to build a OS2U Kingfisher in 1/48 scale and it's surprising that there's the one and only kit manufacturer for that subject---Monogram. The kit by itself is a total disaster. Thank God for 3-D printing is all I can say. lol 

[Steve Zuleski]

Hey, this will be an awesome build, umbrella and all. Let er rip, I say!

I agree with Mark, avoid the Tamiya kit, the suspension is a lot of work to correct, and I neglected it in my Hue dio, just never knew it till it was already done, lol.

Ruck On Bby!

[rbaer]

Agree with the herd, wait for the Takom kit. Dragon's offerings are good but IMO fiddly. The Takom kits I've built have been fun and accurate without going overboard on tiny parts like AFV Club tends to do.

[chromdome35]

Yea, that's what it looks like I'm going to do. The newest Takom release is supposed to be December 2022, so any day now I hope. I've never tried to take PE designed for one kit and use it on a different kit. Do you think the PE for the Dragon and Tamiya kits will work on the Takom?

[rbaer]

Dragon maybe, DEF does some adds for them, and Eduard used to do PE for the Tamiya kit but if you're waiting for the Takom kit I'd hold off. I'm going to wait until I see the Takom kits before I start thinking about PE, Takom usually includes some very useful PE in their kits, stuff like turret basket mesh, making aftermarket PE unnecessary. Also, Takom's tracks as pictured in pre-release CD renderings should be excellent, no need to replace. I plan on using them on other kits, assuming they release the tracks separately.

[reserve]

Russ is right here, and his "wait and see" statement could not be more true...the model may not need an AM set. Chances are there'll be a fret or two in the kit anyway as this seems to be the current trend with the newer kits.

Myself I have an intense dislike for PE but I find myself getting more used to working with it, proof that you can get used to just about anything if you do it enough

[chromdome35]

Thanks for all the feedback guys!!!