I am actually wanting to build a tank and was wondering about the thoughts out there as to best resin or metal tracks to use? I am not that familiar with any new releases. I was also wondering where would I buy those items in the USA preferably? But I am flexible (like the tracks )
J

If I use AM tracks,I prefer metal to resin.I have used Fruils which have gotten expensive,but I have also used Spade Ace Tracks which were a little cheaper and looked good.I have also heard good things about Masterclub which have both types and are available from a vendor here on the board.

I wouldn't worry too much about oversea purchases,most are okay,don't hesitate to ask about one you might use,and use PayPal to pay if you are concerned.

I also have found cheaper tracks in Ebay shops.Just watch postage.

Ive uses Model Kasten and Fruil. The MK ones were a bit more refine but a pain to build. Fruil is the way to go.. or one of the other metal brands i guess. Tamiya has a nice plastic set for the D.

I would suggest the Bronco set, it has snap together pins and interergal guide horns [with accurate holes] for £12.

Not the cheapest - but the best - FRIULS every time for me.

You cannot beat the natural weighted 'sag' appearance of the tracks and that satisfying feeling of weight which elevates the piece into a quality model, rather than a lightweight feeling toy.

Gary

Really? You believe the weight of a model indicates it's quality? Maybe...if it was made of gold!

Well that's a can of worms for sure.

For my modeling $$

The old Anvil Resin (Later WWII productions, but the quality was lower on these) click together tracks were nearly perfect.
Sadly long oop and might as well be made of pure unobtanium, so moving on..

Old Fruil 'pinch together' metal links, also oop (noticing a trend here..) and while not impossibly priced, hard to find.

newer Fruils take SOOOOOOOOO long to drill and pin, they reluctantly come in third place. not cheap, but available. These are not 'handed' so the pins are exposed on one while side, depending on the level of your AMS, this is also time consuming to address.

I have not tried Spade Ace or Masterclub.

On the plus side, there is a reboot of the Anvil/WWII Productions line coming. GTC Resin (I think that's the name)but no Panther Tracks yet.

There is also a line of metal pinch together tracks out there, packaged in small clamshell hanging boxes, name escapes me.. who may also be doing panther tracks in metal.

My US$0.02, your mileage may vary
Mike

Why do you redrill the Fruils? I just get some staples and straighten one side so it looks like an "L". I use them as my pin. There is no drilling and when I have done the entire track I then clip off the excess length. Quick and simple.

I have found the molding quality of Fruils to be hit or miss, especially on the older sets. Many links the pin channel is flashed over or molded nearly solid.
For me it is easier to drill each link, then go back and pin them. I usually replace their flimsy wire with brass rod.

I prefer Spade Ace over fruil. The molding quality for spade ace is better in the comparable sets I've compared. Spade ace all come drilled through with track pin holes. There is often some flash on the outside, but that's much easier to clean up than having to drill track pin holes for each and every link.

The main problem some people complained about is space ace use stiff steel piano wire for track pins instead of more easily workable copper wire that fruil uses. I've not had problem with those.

FRIULS from Poland. Haven't tried any other metal but I know I like Friul.