ark models?

The are ex-Alan and ex-Eastern Express molds.  Pretty typical heavy, cumbersome Eastern European standards.  Some are total trash (Bison II, Pak 43).  Some is OK (BT-7, KV tanks).  If you saw one for $5 at a model show, then maybe you should pick it up.  My honest opinion.

I saw the Pak 43 for $14

The ARK Pak 43 has a undocumented (never seen before) carriage.  If a very nice 8.8cm Pak 43 is your goal, try for the Trumpeter 1/35 version.  If you simply want an in-expensive project, go for whatever catches your fancy.  For me, the few dollars saved does not equate to the aggravation of building a clunky model where I'll feel compelled to alter/change/improve most of the parts.

For instance, the Tasca/Asuka Sherman tank series is known to be the the best engineered and accurate 1/35 Shermans extant.  DML has a few good alternatives but for the extra $5-10, I'll go with Tasca/Asuka.  I feel my limited modeling time is very valuable.  My goals may be different than yours however, TL.  And your philosophy is just as valid as mine or anyone else's.  Good luck on your choice.

Here's a link to the review on the Ark/Alan Pak 43; you get what you pay for.

www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/.../alan020.htm

Eastern Express had some pretty basic, poor kits. If they are being reboxed by Ark, I'd look for better kits elsewhere. I've built a few Alan kits and they are worse than EE kits.

would a pak 43 be towed by a prime mover?

The term "prime mover" refers to any motorized vehicle that is designated to tow artillery.  The alternative is horses.  The Pak 43 would have been towed by something in the 8-ton class, the ubiquitous SdKfz 7.

If you decide to go down the ARK models route, I must say you have a high tolerance for pain.  Did you see those photos in Rob's PMMS link?

Yes I did, it looked horrible, I think m going to try the trumpeter kit

I tried beating on a few of these Eastern European model kits in the early 2000s. While they are often cheaper than more modern manufactured kits, I found that I didn't finish many of them. I gave up on a lot of these kits I bought in the $4.95-9.95 clearance aisle from my old local hobby shop.

Even Italeri kits I bought for under $20 actually got built whereas the crude Alan kits sit half attempted in the box.

BTW, AFV Club did a Pak 43 that was really nice. At the time, probably one of the best pieces of towed artillery I'd built.

I just saw the review of the AFV pak, I wanted to do a prime mover and a pak on 2 rail cars in a transport mode.

Do you mean the AFV Club 8.8cm Pak 43/41?  It's nicely detailed -- MRSP isn't as high as the Trumpeter Pak 43.  One thing about rail transport -- space is always at a premium.  I've seen pics of rail transported arty and they get crammed onto the rail cars.  

I see the AFV pak 43 on eBay for $20+s/h or $28 w/free shipping, much better than the Alan/Ark kit.

I was going to do them on 2 separate rail cars, but Ive seen 2 pak guns crammed onto a rail car before. Ive also seen a pic of 2 88's on 50 ton rail car that were used as anti tank/ anti air artillery

If you want to use artistic license and build the pak and prime mover on separate cars, just do it. It'll look fine.

Also other kits from the Alan line are found in Maquette boxes.

I made their 1/35th T34/85 last year. It had really bad flash & sink on a lot of the parts. Individual track links with every one needing a lot of clean-up before they would fit together Some of the engine intake grills were flashed closed & were not saveable. These I replaced with some from the Eduard PE set meant for the Tamiya kit. A lot of the holes in the road wheels were flashed closed. These I could drill out. The same wheels had a lot of sink too in places. I got the kit together in the end though & enjoyed the experience. Given the cost against the amount of time that it took it was good value for money.

Not a tank, but I am working through another Ark kit at the moment. Their 1/48th Hawker Hurricane Mk1. Again it has areas that aren't great, but so far with a plastic card shim here & there it is going together OK. The detail is quite nice.

it almost sounds like these kits are cheap fix me ups