I have a Dragon IS-2 kit# 6012 in the stack to be built and need some advice. I am looking for a couple of things. First I hear that a spacer needs to be put between the lower and upper hull to increase the distance between the track and finders. True or false and what size if true.

Second involves AM parts. Friule makes track so thats covered. Model Point makes a barrel but I haven't seen it so I don't know how good it is. Eduard makes PE for Italari and Zev...but not listed for Dragon. Who makes PE for the Dragon kit?

Between the kits (Dragon, Italari) whos stalin 2 is the best?

Any and all advice is welcomed. Greg.

Greg,have heard several times from top soviet armor builders that Dragon's IS-2 needs a .060" spacer between upper and lower hulls in order to get the tracks to clear.
I am no help at all concerning PE for the kit .
Dedicated DML enthusiasts stand by Dragon's offering.Others with lesser dedication to manufacturers give the Italeri/Zvesda kit a slight nod of preferance for overall proportions and surface texture.Slight advantage for small detail accuracy.Tracks have to go to spares box,though in order to get more realism from AM sets.
I have both kits and will probably build both,which is rare for me to do a subject twice.
HTH & cheers!

the .06" spacer seems correct from what I remember.

The Zvezda kit is the better one overal, but not by much. If you are going to replace the tracks anyhow, the Zvezda kit will probably be a better place to start from. Great models has the Eduard PE set right now: Eduard JS-2 set at greatmodels Sometimes you have to search for js-2 and sometimes is-2.

The Model Point barrel is probably a good investment if you are into replaceing the barrel ( I have not seen the JS-2 barrel, but all other MP products I have seen are worth a good discount price...the one I saw was on GMW for $16.95)

You may also want to look into the Aber line, I think they did something like fenders or such a while back...might be a eBay search though...

Dragon's lower hull is too shallow, though I think that .080" is closer to the thickness needed. The Dragon tracks are actually quite good--the ones in my kit fit as snugly as the later Magic Tracks. I wouldn't bother replacing them unless I wanted to depict the Type B tracks with the split links alternating with the full links (also dubbed the "lightweight track").
The details in Dragon's kit are nicer than Zvezda's, though the Zvezda kit has better proportions and correctly sized road wheels (Dragon's are too small).
I kitbashed both versions for my Stalin.
That said, a Premium Edition of the Stalin with retooled lower hull and Magic Tracks and the usual metal doodads is scheduled to come from Dragon this year as kit 6318.

Thanks for the advice! Greg

Hi Greg,

I used Evergreen to increase the distance between the lower and upperhull. In my opinion it looks better and the tracks don't hit the fenders.

Here was my build. (sorry for the huge pictures)

Hi Greg,

I would wait for the DML Stalin to be released....I promise, you will not be disappointed!

Nick Cortese

Hi Nick,

do you have any idea when it will be released?

Cheers,

Jurjen

Hi Jurjen,
It would be safe to say sometime this summer..for sure!
Nick