Academy M3A1

Got one in the mail myself the other day... I'm kinda in your boat... hmmm

It is a very good kit, just be careful of tweezer launch. A lot of small parts.

Heard it's a winner, have fun with the indy tracks. LOL

First, I must use the disclaimer that I have not built mine yet.

But.....I will nit-pick for a minute.


The American Flag on the decal sheet........is wrong.

It has a 50 star pattern in the blue field and not a 48 star pattern (which it should).


The good news is that's it for what I can find wrong with it!

Must admit that the flag error is pretty lame. Someone didn't do their homework.

Great kit. I bought the M3 Honey, but then won the M3A1 in my club raffle. Don't worry about the individual tracks, this kit comes with both one-piece vinyl and indiviual links.

Also notice the rivet and bolts molded onto the sprues. Just shave off the bolt heads you need! This should be industry standard, it's just such a neat idea.

Purists have been taking shots at both the M3 and M3A1, but I'm just glad they have given us a couple of real good pieces of early US armor. The old Tamiya M3 Stuart was a diesel engined variant that did not leave the US and was used in training. Add to this the AFV Club M3A3 Stuart, and we have almost the entire line of M3 Stuarts.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rob Gronovius Also notice the rivet and bolts molded onto the sprues. Just shave off the bolt heads you need! This should be industry standard, it's just such a neat idea.

I didn't know those were rivets, cool

You could make 't better...
Put the suspension, wheels...etc., aside: they 're wrong ! Take the AFV M3A3 running gear, or the ol' Tamiya...
You need to round off the back of the upper hull; all M3A1 've a rounded back....Well, most of them ! Hull sides ' re wrong...Too hight ! You need to remove some plastic UNDER the rivet line ( +or- the thickness of the mudguards...See the boxtop illustration, it shows you how it must look like ! ). Of course, if you do that, you must work on the middle LOWER hull, because it 'll be too low...! That ' s life....Isn' t !
And the gun mantle 's the wrong shape....Try AFV again.
Btw, the AFV M3A3 's the best of the M3 kits family...Bad news: you ( the US ) didn' t use 't a lot, in WW2 !

So Mike did you like the kit?

What could I say....Mine takes a nap in his box, waitin' for.....Well, so-so, better than nothin', but I still lookin' for a true M3A1 !
That 's the prob'.....Too many kits, only two hands, and time ' s runnin' hell !
Is it worth....? That 's the billions $ question...If you want one ( as I ), go ahead ! But, if you 're 18s, and could wait for the best....Your choice !
Anyway, have fun.....And a nice day !

Mike has some good points about the M3A1. For me, (a Stuart fanatic and driver) the interior was a BIG dissapointment. The tranny doesn't look anything like the M3's, the flooring is all wrong and the ammo racks don't go into the M3 (okay for the 'A1). The turret basket is wrong also for the M3A1, leave it off of the M3 and M3A1 hybrids. The main gun is wrong for the M3, but fine for the M3A1.. Use the riveted rear overhang if you're doing a riveted hull. The curved one didn't come out until welded hulls.
I'd use the AFV club suspension kit it's FAR superior to either Tamiya's or Academy's. This all depends on several things: Time and money you have on hand. Your overall desire for a lot of accuracy and your desire to build other than OOB. Nothing wrong with OOB! Have fun with what ever you decide!
Mike, I guess our only choice for a US M3A3 would be a training machine. Around 200 of those were used, then sold surplus. Cool tanks.

By the way, my M3 and M3A1 are still in the boxes awaiting time when I can make an accurate interior for both. I rip on the interiors, but am sure GLAD to see them on the market and will make plenty of them as time goes on!

Ron

QUOTE: Originally posted by hattals Just picked up this kit today and it looks like a beaut! Anyone built it yet? Anything I should know? Can't wait to build the Indy Tracks !?

Here's a link to an interesting review of the kit:
http://www.hubhobbyshop.com/review67.htm

I find these accuracy problemos to be a bit annoying, and they seem to be rife when it comes to allied armour. So we have multiple Sturmtiger kits, a positively preposterous vehicle, but no really on the money kit of this important little tank which was produced in large numbers.

Thanks for the link Larry. Looks like a very nice kit.
mark956

QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry_Dunn I find these accuracy problemos to be a bit annoying, and they seem to be rife when it comes to allied armour. So we have multiple Sturmtiger kits, a positively preposterous vehicle, but no really on the money kit of this important little tank which was produced in large numbers.

Yeah, why is that? It's not like a Stuart is rare or anything! Go to any of a number of military museums, or collections and you can not only find Stuarts, but fully, beautifully and accurately restored!

Ron

I bought the Academy M3A1 kit and picked up the two Eduard PE sets to go with it, interior and exterior. I found the kit lacked straps for the two barrels on the side, the front hatches lack prop rods and mechanism and the PE set came with a neat guage cluster, not good at painting those. It seems that I am not even scratching the surface for accuracy. Oh well i'll still enjoy it.

Joe

Other than those "rivet counter" errors, how is the build? I think this was 2nd runner up for Armor kit of the year wasn't it? So far the build (for me) has been pretty good. I am not sure of what the major is refering to, as far as bolt heads? My sprues don't seem to have them

The rivet heads look like little bumps on the sprue. You have to slice them off with a hobby knife and glue them in place. I've seen that done with other kits also. Just look for little nubs that appear to be casting flaws and you have them.

Ron

QUOTE: The rivet heads look like little bumps on the sprue. You have to slice them off ...

Ron,
If your modeling the M3A1 you wouldn't have much use for them or would you? The M3 had the rivets on the turret not the M3A1. Just wondering because I am going to start on mine soon and I'm not to knowlegable on the M3A1.
Thanks
Joe

QUOTE: Originally posted by kaleu It is a very good kit, just be careful of tweezer launch. A lot of small parts.

Hmm. Just a quick query from a forum newbie who has recently returned to the hobby; does tweezer launch refer to a small part launching from the tweezers, or the tweezers being launched across the room afterwards?