M. Brindos

I did not know any of that. I didn't even know Esci made a T-55. 

Thank you for all of that info, Rob. I will add some of those kits to my watch list and see if I can get my hands on a few of them later.

At the time it was released, the only other T-55 available was the Lindberg T-55, which was a Squadron Kit of the Year way back in 1989. I built it and it is not a very good kit. This crappy kit is available at Hobby Lobby today.

https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/italeri/it6427.htm

I did not know any of that. I didn't even know Esci made a T-55. 

Thank you for all of that info, Rob. I will add some of those kits to my watch list and see if I can get my hands on a few of them later.

M. Brindos

Well that explains why the M-60T looks like a Magach 7. Thanks, Rob.

I've had a fondness for ESCI kits for decades. I remember building a lot of the 1/72 series kits. But this is the first time I've had a 1/35 ESCI armor kit. The details are pretty good from what I see, but there is quite a bit of minor flash on most of the smaller parts.

Nothing I can't handle or add more details to. It's not a bad kit. That being said though, the wheels wobble around horribly on the axles. I know they'll be okay once I glue them on, but alignment will have to be carefully monitored when I do. 

I'm still contemplating what I'll modify next. Keep watching. 

The Esci M60A1/M60A3/Blazer represents the high water mark for their 1/35 scale armor kits. Unfortunately for them, Tamiya released a 3 in 1 M60A3/M60A1/M60A1 RISE/passive kit at the same time. Tamiya's armor was top notch in the 1980s and Esci didn't have the same reputation, even though their M60A1/A3 series was better.

Italeri and then Dragon basically put Esci out of business in the late 1980s. Esci did a series of HMMWVs that were not as good as Italeri's. They did a series of LAVs that weren't as good as Italeri's. They did a Leo 2 that wasn't as good as Italeri's.

They did a series of BMPs that were better than Dragon's, but Dragon's T-72 series was better than Esci's T-72/74 and Dragon did a more complete line of modern Soviet armor. The Esci T-55 series remained well regarded for nearly twenty years though.

By the mid 90s rolled around, Esci was all but done in 1/35 scale armor. Italeri got their molds of the kits they didn't have in their line. Their LAVs, HMMWVs, T-72s, Leo 2, BMPs vanished.

In case some of you didn't know, M60_Tanker is my father. He still hasn't figured out how to upload pictures and I still need to show him how lol. We'll get to that eventually.

He taught me all of my basics and dropped out of the hobby for a lot longer than I did. Now he's close to retirement and building up a platoon of 1/35 armor, while updating his skills.

Here is his latest build that is close to completion, next to my M-48 (The dirty one on the bottom). An M-48A3 from Dragon, I think.

I can't wait for him to show us what he's done with an M-60A2(E1). From what I have seen of it, it should gain a lot of attention.

Well that explains why the M-60T looks like a Magach 7. Thanks, Rob.

I've had a fondness for ESCI kits for decades. I remember building a lot of the 1/72 series kits. But this is the first time I've had a 1/35 ESCI armor kit. The details are pretty good from what I see, but there is quite a bit of minor flash on most of the smaller parts.

Nothing I can't handle or add more details to. It's not a bad kit. That being said though, the wheels wobble around horribly on the axles. I know they'll be okay once I glue them on, but alignment will have to be carefully monitored when I do. 

I'm still contemplating what I'll modify next. Keep watching. 

M. Brindos

Yes it does, Theuns. A lot Iike the the Magach 7. I wonder if Israel exported.

 

Yes, the Israelis are the ones who make the Turkish M60 Sabra. That's why it has many "Magach" style looks to it.

The Esci M60 'Blazer' is one of my favorite kits. I found a bunch of them at a closeout store called "Odd Lots" in Huntsville, Alabama when I was stationed there in the mid to late 90s. I built many of them using detail parts from Tamiya kits.

Yes it does, Theuns. A lot Iike the the Magach 7. I wonder if Israel exported.

Wow that Turkish tank look ALLOT like this Israeli Magach 7 ;-)

Academy 1/35 Magach 7 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Theuns

Oh, that's neat! I may borrow a bit of that one too. 

Thanks for dropping that reference, Gino!

Looking good.  It looks a lot like the Turkish M60T Sabra.

I agree, Gamera. It does make it look more streamlined. 

I'm considering more modifications that could also make it more modern looking. Just haven't worked out how to pull it off quite yet.

Ohhhh I love those skirts. They give a very sleek streamlined look to her.

I took a couple of hours today and roughed out the side skirts. The hangers are spaced out just enough to clear the tracks because I didn't want to have them extended too far out. 

I'll be adding bolt heads and other such details to them later. 

Thank you for following, Gamera!

**

I feel I must apologise to my fellow forum members. A new work schedule at a new job and a serious lack of time have been wreaking havock on my ability to spend any serious time modeling.

Mostly I get to daydream about which kits I'd like to send time on. This build, I hope, will be a main focus for a good long time.

Thanks for supporting my habit with your own beautiful builds lol. At least I can watch something getting done lol.

-Mike

Looks neat! Thanks for sharing with us!!! 

Thanks, Russ! :D

I like the Leo1-style storage box a lot, good idea.