1/35 Takom M9 ACE - Build

[TRM]

It's time to get another one started! Keep reading....the build is below!!

Recently I had the opportunity to review Takom's 1/35 scale M9 ACE for the Kitmaker Network...

Here is my Video Unboxing -



Here is my written review - armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=11918

Of to the races then! Here is the box art:



Considering the M9 is not a huge vehicle, there are a fair amount of parts supplied within the kit; 518 to be specific. As you might figure, the instruction get the hull work underway first:




The suspension can be positioned in basically three different configurations. Level, angled back for carrying payloads and nose down for bulldozing.



I cleaned up the suspension parts, snipped all of the supplied individual track links as well as parts covering the first thee pages of the fourteen page instruction booklet. One of the first parts to get installed is the back wall to the extractor section. This is a large plate riddled with hydraulics for controlling this little dozer.



There are a few ejector pin marks along the top to the fenders that needed a little work. It looks like only the forward four EPM's will show as the driver's compartment and engine casemates cover the aft marks.



The inner apron, which pushes the M9's payload out, is a movable part on this kit. The construction is straight forward; however, there is two EPM's that are on the backside, lower section of this apron that you might want to sand out quickly. If the apron is all of the way back in the compartment, these EPM's are not seen, but if fully extended, a keen eye will notice them.



I prepped all of the wheels and sprockets...





Next up will be continuing the construction of the extractor and soon after the driver's compartment. I have the tracks to keep me occupied for those slow times in construction!

Things look to be going together really well...I hope to have another update real soon! Thanks for swinging by to keep me company on the build!!

[Leon]

WOW.... That is awseome looking Todd! I'm going to need to add this to my stash.

Nice work so far.I'll surely be following this along.

[adt70hk]

Nice start and a different topic from the usual!

Andrew

[TRM]

Thanks Leon! So far so good! Actually just finished one run of tracks. Very similar to the Bronco type snap fit. I had one or two loosen up as it is tiny plastic mounting pins, but very nice just the same. Once I fit them, I can just add a spot of glue.

Thank Andrew!! Should be fun....thanks for coming along for the ride!

[wbill76]

Should keep you busy for a bit at least! Pulling up a chair.

[deafpanzer]

That's pretty cool! Perfect for plowing snow off your driveway...

[Deleted]

Been pondering this kit . Unusuall and interesting subject . Will look great with the Meng D9 . Did you see where Meng is releasing a D9 with slat armor ?

Keep it commong Todd .

[wing_nut]

HE BUILDS!

[TRM]

Thanks for hanging about Bill! Running through the tail end of the construction tonight I think. THings are going together rather well! I like that...a lot!!

Thanks Andy! LOL, I don't think I quite need something like this, this year....but last, it would have come in real handy!!

Thanks Carl! I could see you getting into this one! Certainly not the behemoth that the D9 was...is, but definitely interesting!!

Indeed I do Marc! SOmeday I will get a handle on this whole hobby thing!!

[Deleted]

Every time I look inside the D9 box I close it slowly and sneak away !

Didnt you build the D9 Todd ?

[dierk]

Oops, nearly missed this one Todd. I like the weird and wonderful, this qualifies so I'm in.

[rbaer]

Popcorn in the microwave.....

[deafpanzer]

Jan 19, 2016 17:18:27 GMT -5 TRM said:

Thanks Andy! LOL, I don't think I quite need something like this, this year....but last, it would have come in real handy!!

Hope you have been following the news... the BIG one is coming! (evil laughter)

www.cnn.com/2016/01/19/weather/major-snowstorm-this-weekend/

[Deleted]

you guys are in for it now !

[TRM]

Carl - Yes, I did! Great kit if you ask me!! Monster!! Don't be intimidated by the full box! In no time you will riffle through the sprues! They offer a Fruil version of the tracks now too...LOL! The kit tracks work great....but metal would have been just cool when I built it!!

Dierk - Thank buddy! Still plenty to do on this one...paint and weathering!!

Russ - Thanks...glad to have you along for the ride!

Andy - LOL...barely. To early to say one way or the other. Also, after last year's beating...you remember, we recorded the most snow accumulation in the US...and it all fell inside a month and a half...120"! Not worried if we get hit with a 24 inch storm....dig out and go about business as usual! LOL!! Welcome to New England!



Well that was not so bad! I managed to get this one assembled! I would say that the fit was pretty decent for about 90% of the kit. Only areas I found I needed to add a little more pressure to get the joints to close were the two 45 degree corners to the rear of the casemate and along the top edge where the side aprons meet the top of the tractor. Nothing bad at all, just a little hold while the glue set.





There are a few spots one might consider adding some extra details to. First being the hydraulic cylinder for the blade. This is a movable part to allow the builder to position the blade up or down. The attachment point at the piston and blade could use an attachment pin...basically a sliver of .5mm to 1mm rod would do the trick. Also, the cylinder itself. This is just a tube and it is mostly hidden behind the brass shield; however, the forward hydraulic line with a hose running back behind the shield would be seen. A small nipple made from styrene rod and a hose from stretched sprue or wire would add the detail quite nicely.



Takom did a nice job in not molding the lift handles to the engine deck separately. This adds some definition as they can be placed in any position. If interested, something around a .2 or .3mm nut could be put on either side of each mounting point to add some color. Also, the small tie-down handles are molded into the surface. These are similar to ones seen on many tanks from WWII German Armor to present day MBT's. They could be improved by sanding off the molded version and replicate new ones from a piece of thinly stranded copper wire or even from one of the many photo etch sets on the market today.





There is nothing in the way of gear supplied with the kit. The only peripheral items other than a shovel and pick axe are the two jerry cans and the one fire extinguisher. The kit does supply a ear door for the dozer, I was thinking of leaving this part off. I noticed from many reference pictures the door is removed.




The hatch to this M9 is designed to work so the builder could have it open or closed...which adds to the confusion of why a hole into the driver's compartment was not provided. In the picture, you can see I used the cupola and a fine tip Sharpie to draw the circle to cut an opening.  With the hatch open, you may want to add the inner latches. 



As suspected in my review of the kit, there are four ejector pin marks located on the top of the side fenders in the Ejector Box.




The blade is full movable once the kit is completed...if so desired.



There are two hitch pins provided to lock the blade in the push configuration...



 

The bottom of the blade can swing up into a hooked position. The two hooks can be made to move if you wanted, simply by making a small pin from brass rod or wire and drill accordingly. The original part actually has two holes...one for the hinge point and one for the locking point.



The entire blade assembly, with or without the bottom in the up position, can be lifted to expose the inner box.




Finally, the tracks. The tracks have some nice detailing to them. While these are movable and snap together similar to other movable trancks on the market today, I will suggest that anyone building this kit almost treat these like the Magic Tracks from DML. The small pin is only plastic and the nature of the beast is soft and these plastic pins will wear down or snap off in the installation. Make the tracks, add some thin adhesive to the joints, like with the Magic Tracks, allow to dry for a bit and then position around the wheels and sprockets and allow them to dry. The track pads are not installed yet as they are rubber on the real dozer and will be painted separately.



Next stop would be the priming booth! This probably won't happen until the weekend...but will happen soon!

Thanks for stopping in!!

[armorguy]

Modern stuff is winning terrain on WWII related subjects...this kit looks brilliant, nice clean build T, and a fast one too !

[dierk]

Looks like a (mostly) excellent kit! Can you give us an idea of the size? I'm assuming you're going to sort out those EPMs on the sides of the blade housing? Not very kind of Meng to put them right among some bolt detail.
As Guy said, the modern stuff is gaining ground - but I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy and will stick with good/bad old WWII stuff
Looking forward to seing some paint on this.

[armorguy]

I'm a WWII addicted modeler too but this kit looks VERY cool and with T's magic...mmm...mmm

[Leon]

Nice work on he build completion Todd! Bring on the primer and paint.

[TRM]

Thank fellas...I appreciate the kind words and you hanging around on this one!!

Dierk...Good eye...however, Takom actually got that right btw! The four, what look to be EPM's, are actually depressions on the side of the blade on many of the models...not all, but many. If you look at the pic again (5th up from the bottom), you will see the top two are dirtier than the bottom two? I filled them, then my better judgment told me to check a reference photo!

[adt70hk]

Very different but very nice!

[armorguy]

OMG sink marks on the real thing, bloody b*st*rds !!!

[dierk]

Thanks for clearing that up Todd! "you will see the top two are dirtier than the bottom two?" I had noticed, but thought it was a remainder of the flash you sometimes find around EPMs...
Does that mean the casting process on the 1/1 scale version is the same as used for styrene kits?
Well, that settles it - modern armour isn't for me, I'll stick with what I know, where EPMs are EPMs and not actual detail

[TRM]

LOL...sometime life is stranger than fiction! I am not much of a modern fan typically. Now and then I don't mind dabbling in the genre. I was asked to do the review...figured what the hey! Fun kit though...easy and quick! Nothing too wrong with that!

[afvfan]

Great progress. Man, I wish I could built that quickly!

[wbill76]

Not wasting any time with this one Todd! Bring on the paint/weathering!

[deafpanzer]

Looking good! Please tell me you are all set with milk, bread and tissue boxes. In case you are wondering why tissue boxes? Just wanted to make sure Tom Brady has enough in case he goes "Bradying" on Sunday.

[TRM]

Thanks Bob! It's all the kit brotha! Went together almost to quickly!

Thanks Bill!! FUn part is one the way soon!

Jan 22, 2016 13:31:07 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Looking good! Please tell me you are all set with milk, bread and tissue boxes. In case you are wondering why tissue boxes? Just wanted to make sure Tom Brady has enough in case he goes "Bradying" on Sunday.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! Funny thing is no matter how bad the storm is, nothing ever stops here! I never had the feeling to eat break in large quantities or go to the bathroom more because of a snow storm!! We get anywhere from 2 foot to 4 foot storms. When it stops, you dig out and go on your way! Nothing closes! Maybe schools...

New update on the weather here...I sit right on the line between a dusting to 3 inches...LOL!! The cape is under a Blizzard warning! Just the way it goes around here!

You might need to explain "Bradying"! I could care less about football most days, as you know, however, I know you will be happy to know the news covered the Patriots' departure this morning....so "he" should be there by now...I have not heard of any plane crashes much to the dismay of PM!

[TRM]

Time to get some color flowing! I am thinking a quick NATO camo sceme. This is where I started to chuckle...I "had" all of the Vallejo AFV sets including their NATO set which I had planned to use...but must have left that one at a friends house! So it meant digging into the paints and using my brain somewhat to come up with the colors! I started things off with Vallejo's Primer 612. This is actually a duel purpose color I think...prime and base color!



Time to add a little shading for depth...at least how I see it!





Pretty much, that is where things stand for the night! I will revisit the booth tomorrow I think. Forward progress is all that counts! Thanks for tuning in!!

[chris0423]

Very nice TRM, gotta get me one of these.