Hi all,

I just bought today (I guess I'm the first customer in the world to have them as they will be on sale at Euromilitaire tomorrow saturday) the new Best Value Models kit "BTR-50 Tsahal 1970" reference number 35070. It's a complete package with all the needed parts from a Trumpeter Polish PT-76 plus resin parts and some PE for the machine gun mounts (the PE is actually recycled from an Azimut IDF Centurion conversion set).

The conversion is sold under the Azimut brand and has resin parts only, "BTR-50 PK" conversion, reference 35112.

I don't remember exact prices as I bought other stuff at the same time but I think the conversion is around 45 Euros and the BVM kit is around 49 Euros.

Both look extremely good, clean, sharp, detailed resin castings. I guess the Best Value Models kit is, as the name of the brand implies, best value as for the conversion you'll have to get a Trumpeter PT-76 base kit separately (the Polish version is recommended).

Those two references are not on the Azimut website yet, I think they will be sometimes next week.

Cheers,

Christophe

BTR-50PK in tooling

Well, I want those know and they are available.

I'll probably buy several of the Trumpeter ones though as I have specialized conversions in mind. When they are actually out, in 2010, 2011, 2012 perhaps?

Cheers,

Christophe

PS : Still waiting for the Trumpeter BMP-3s several years after they were announced...

Make that

soon

Christophe: Can you share any pictures? An IDF version sounds really nice.

Gaoyue: Same question for you. Do yo have a picture or two to share?

Cheers,
/E

Sure. Here is the Best Value Model package :









Cheers,

Christophe

And that is the Azimut conversion :







Cheers,

Christophe

The conversion looks fine! I hope to see a finished model soon.

Gaoyue i hope you offer a BTR-50PU too! Maybe a BTR-50PA with interior?
At the moment i have to do with my other kits but when would the BTR-50s be availble?

Photos please. Photos!
And how about BTR-50PU command & signal vehicle?

WOW! I have bought alot of the BVM stuff and I have been pretty happy with it. These vehicles were involved in the raid on the Suez Canal in 1969. Great stuff Trumpeter!

Hi Christophe
Do you get any interior for the IDF version.
Anyone know what the interior looks like?
They were used in various raids in the late 60s early 70s and in the 73 war not sure how long after that they were used.
Peter

Thanks Christophe.
Appreciated!

/E

Any idea when its will be released?

I think, next year.
All what I saw until now seems to be scheduled for a next year release.

greetings...
Soeren

Alex,

Thanks for pointing out the issues with the front. I already have the AEF conversion but didn't think the front looked like the ones I could see in some pictures. Now I know why.

Speeking of PT-76 family: have you ever seen a PT-76 with the type of exhaust/intake (and surrounding panel configuration) that the Trumpeter Model 1951 have?

Cheers,
/E

Hi Jeff,




Well, that's what I have spent some time trying to figure out. Until someone can confirm that there ever where a PT-76/BTR-50 with the type of exhaust/intake and surrounding panel configuration (quoting myself ) of the Trumpeter 380 kit, I'm led to belive that one have to do some scratch work if one wants to build an early PT-76/BTR-50.

My point is that this area should have looked like this (cover between intake and exhaust is missing aswell as protectiv neting over exhaust, but it was the best pic I could find):
http://www.thetankmaster.com/images/AFV/chita/pt-76/pt-76-24.jpg

This is as far as I have come in my own research. I would be interested to hear if someone else agree/disagree.

Regarding the AEF kit: I knew I took a risk ordering that conversion. However, I AM a bit amazed that they didn't even take the few extra minutes to line up the Trumpeter parts before they casted it! But I guess they have a (bad) rep to live up to.

/E

Hi guys I come lately in the conversation, but i have the same doubts

I began the kit construction. Here the pic with the original and revisited nose :



Did you have any plans or document to prouve these affirmations ? Actually, the only available plans from wikipedia denote a 45° hull.

TIA

any progress with this model?