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Unboxing the Xact T-80U

Edward, Thank You for dropping in on this discussion. My T-80 is on its way from Hong Kong as I write this. I'm looking forward to receiving it and have one question: Can you please provide a reference photo of the raised turret fill? You mention your research team found three (3) types, and I have only seen the recessed type which includes being on an actual tank on display. Thanks.

Great insights from everybody. I will surely want one and would be a great addition to my modern MBT build collection.

Thanks!

Sorry for being so late. Here are a few shots which made us thought that raised turret fill existed.(Please check my photos)

Hey Edward, Thank you for providing the photos. I understand why "you" (the company) would think that the fill areas might be raised from those photos. Next, to make sure you understand, I am the person who you are going to find hardest to satisfy. I have studied the T-80 series since the late 1980's. As more information becomes available, I look it over. Though I may be pretty tough on you, remember, I am NOT a representative sample of the people who will build this. I, and several people I know, can help you make a better product though. You have been in contact with some of them. Finally, here is a example of how photos can fool the eye: From Prime Portal, looking from above, it seems the fill is raised a bit. However, here is a profile shot of the same tank. As you can see, it is a flush patch with raised welds. The goal of the people on the production line was to make the "plugs" flush. Not proud or recessed. I am sure there is some variability in how this was applied, humans are human after all. The question about Xact scale is this: What are you going to do going forward? How will you respond to this knowledge. I would not fault you for saying the turret is "good enough" and just go on with it, but is it really "good enough" for your company? People are watching for your response. (Ok, that sounds overly dramatic, but the point is that for every "me" talking to you, there are at least 100 other people quietly listening in.)

The basket (I don't know what exactly it calls) looks a lot thinner than the kits provide.....

I noted that in my review (it is being processed right now). The storage basket rod diameter is basically the same as the lighting/SGL conduit. They did the conduit beautifully, but should have made the basket the same, even if the basket would have then had to be multi-part. I will give Xact scale a small break on it: this is their first kit. I am happy to watch them learn and grow. They get a nice big OORAH! for being the first ones out of the gates, and with such a nice T-80U...this could have been total garbage. But they have room for improvement.

Dear Jacques and everyone for that matter. No, no comments are too harsh. Been a modeller for many years but manufacturer for the first time, there are things to learn and will take a bite of time to make kits that will fulfil most modellers' needs. So, keep them coming. I fully aware the storage basket was too thick. The designer gave me a choice. To be able to have installation pins big enough to make assembling easy, the rods had to be a certain thickness in order to overcome the injection limitation. Or, have the basket in scale but without any installation pins. So I chose ease of assembly. On second though, may be I should had made both versions but that would jacked up the production cost. I'd made a few decisions purely personally and in the future, may be the best way is to involve as much experts as possible early on. Any way, I am watching the building blog closely and hopefully learn a lot more.

Hi Guys, Jacques full kit review can be found here: LINK

Looking forward to more kits from you XactScale thanks I have your T80U just wonderful....