Re: Individual plastic track assembly

Thank You both, in regards to the type of kit: Manufacturer: ICM / 1:35 / PzKpfw II AusfD Im not sure of the quality of the kit, but what the heck, it was cheap! Your suggestions were greatly appreciated.

to the FSM forum, first off.

Second, I HATE separate track links, but they are more detailed. This question has been asked and discussed often enough. Try a search on this forum, and I'm sure you'll find pleanty. There was one thread in particular, but i've been unable to find it.

I glue the tracks into portions first, then glue the bottom into one large portion. I approximate the lengths that will be required between the return rollers, then glue in one or two extra for the sag, allow the glue to begin to cure, then glue it to the rest of the track.

Good morning, mtra! Welcome to the forum

There are several different way to assemble independent (indy) links. Some of it depends on what kind of tank it is and who the manufacturer is.

Basically the way I like to do it is to use Tamiya Extra Thin Cement and glue up the straight runs that go across the bottom of the wheels first and let them get hard. (Along with any shorter, straight runs). I use a piece of plastic right angle glued to a .04 piece of styrene as a jig to help hold the links straight with one another as they dry. I also do a short set long enough to go around the drive sprocket and the idler and hold them on with rubber bands. If it's a fairly straight top run, like a Sherman, Pzkw IV, or even a Panther or Tiger, you can do the top row at the same time. But let them sit for a half hour or so, then lay them over the top of road wheels and gently bend them to how they need to lay. You can wedge bent pipe cleaners above and below the tracks, if you need to, and let them set up. After all that has dried completely, I carefully remove the links from the sprockets and idlers and get everything painted up and weathered. Then it's just a matter of laying out the runs and gluing one or two (as needed) individual links between the runs to get everything connected together.

Then there are after market sets that you can get for many models. Plastic indy ones come from Model Kasten, Royal and WWII Productions, plastic lengths are made by AFV, metal indys are made by Friulmodelissemo, and there are resin sets around, too.

Let us know what you have and we can tell you more.

Good luck. Some of the indy links are easier than others. Welcome aboard, again.