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Looking to expand my collection: US Tank History in 1:72

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  • Member since
    May 2023
Looking to expand my collection: US Tank History in 1:72
Posted by Greysteele on Thursday, May 25, 2023 11:38 AM

Hi, all. I'm looking for some ideas to expand my collection of 1:72 US tanks. I'm trying to depict the major milestones in US tank development, not every variant.

I currently have:
-British Mark 1 'Male' (Placeholder for Mark VIII)
-M3/M5 Stuart Light Tank
-M3 Lee/Grant
-M4 Sherman
-M24 Chaffee
-M48 Patton
-M1 Abrams

2023-05-18 10.40.06.jpg



I'm working on a M1918 but it's a horrendous RPM kit with parts that auto-shatter when removed from the sprue. Can anyone suggest a better kit for the M1918 in 1:72?

My plan is to replace the Mark 1 'Male' with a Mark VIII (first US version) but I haven't seen a kit in 1:72 yet. Hence the British placeholder.

I'm about to order a pair of Trumpeter kits (M26A1 Pershing and M46 Patton) unless y'all tell me they are trash to be avoided. I also have a Dragon M103A2 kit on backorder.

What other tanks would fit this collection? Here's a list I'm considering, but I'm having trouble finding most of them in 1:72:
-M1 Combat Car
-T7 Combat Car
-M2 Light Tank
-M2 Medium Tank
-M22 Locust
-M36 Jackson
-M41 Walker Bulldog
-M551 Sheridan
-M60

Are any of these too similar to ones already in my collection to warrant adding? Any obvious gaps that can be filled? Any and all suggestions and comments are appreciated.

"In polite society, we call our obsessions hobbies." – Stephen King

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Thursday, May 25, 2023 5:09 PM

Don't know if its available in 1/72, but an M18 TD needs to be on your list.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Thursday, May 25, 2023 6:09 PM

You should look for an M47 Patton as well. If you're adding Tank Detroyers, or more accurately Gun Motor Carriages, the M10 is a should have. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Thursday, May 25, 2023 7:47 PM

Hello!

First thing - please check out scalemates.com - that's a dtabase with almost every kit that's ever been done, there you can find your missing items.

Other that I have following recommendations:

M41 is done by Armory in Ukraine: https://www.kfs-miniatures.com/1-72-m41a1-a2-walker-bulldog-armory/

M551 was done by Airfix a looong time ago and then by S-Model: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/s-model-china-ps720027-m551-sheridan-early-version--239082

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-02311-sheridan-tank--148854

(OK, Scalemates gives you info that it's actually 1:76, but is labeled as 1:72 on the box)

And you can look M60 up, but Revell makes a quite nice M60A1:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-03168-m60-a1-with-era--102191

I hope it helps you - good luck with your collection and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Thursday, May 25, 2023 11:07 PM

Eduard/ExtraTech do the M36 and M10 Wolverine in 1/72 scale as does UM. UM also does the T1 Combat Car.

S-Model makes a lot of what you are looking for. They often come in 1+1 sets, with one being a full kit and the other being a wargaming kit with simpler builds.

As far as significant tank development, most of the later US light tank lines were dead ends, but the role of the ligh tank was absorbed by the armored personnel carrier, like the M113 and Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Much more important vehicles that are in use for well over 40 years while the entire lifespan of the US light tank was half that.

And just to shake things up, the Stryker MGS by Dragon and Trumpeter is another branch of US armor development.

The RPM kits are nor for the faint of heart, much like those by AER as well. They make lesser known subjects, but are of limited quality.

ACE Models is another company that makes limited run kits but also are of important vehicles.

 

  • Member since
    May 2023
Posted by Greysteele on Saturday, May 27, 2023 2:51 PM

Thanks for the suggestions and especially the pointers to kit-makers for some of the obscure subjects.
For now, I'm trying to stay with tanks. I may expand to TD/MGC subjects in the future so those suggestions I'll add to a "some day" list.

Thanks again!

BTW- I do have an ESCI M60A3 kit but it's missing the tread (I think I used them to accurize a Captain Scarlet SPV a while back). Short of buying another kit, does anyone know where I might find replacement tread for that scale/subject?

 

"In polite society, we call our obsessions hobbies." – Stephen King

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 10:51 AM

Greysteele

BTW- I do have an ESCI M60A3 kit but it's missing the tread (I think I used them to accurize a Captain Scarlet SPV a while back). Short of buying another kit, does anyone know where I might find replacement tread for that scale/subject?

The Esci M60A1/A2/A3 kits aren't as good as the Revell of Germany M60A1/A3 kits in 1/72 scale. I'd look for the Revell one versus trying to find another set of tracks. It might be cheaper.

Incidently, in 1/35 scale, the Revell of Germany M60A3 is a rebox of the Esci M60A1/A3 kit.

The problem with the old Esci 1/72 scale M48, M60 and M1 series kits is that the insides of the tracks are missing guide teeth and instead of paired road wheels, the road wheels are molded as one thick single wheel. Which is probably why there are no guide teeth.

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 1:38 PM

Once I used Revell's M60A1 to accurize ESCI's M48A3 - that was fun build! But there's also an update kit by a company called OKB Grigorov that has styrene track and road wheels for an M48, that would fit early M60, too. Still, Revell's M60 might be cheaper and easier to get, and it might also have better detail than the old ESCI.

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

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