I for one like the way they did the tires wish other mfgs would get away from rubber for their tires , I remember watching one of these drop into the river at Ft Benning back in the early 70s while supporting an airborne units drop from Ft Bragg

Looks naked without the canvas tops

I like the retainer bushings that are contained within the wheel assembly, but don't like the caps where the poly is exposed. It doesn't take paint well. KL

I like the retainer bushings that are contained within the wheel assembly, but don't like the caps where the poly is exposed. It doesn't take paint well. KL[/quote] The poly caps will also occasionally split apart. A club member is building a Chieftain Mk. 7 AARV (major conversion) and the poly caps on several of his road wheels have split apart when he pressed them onto the axles. Could be the age of the donor kit or the enamel paint he's using (or perhaps both?), but in any event, a major problem with no simple fix. But, I guess all this is going off on a tangent. The Gama Goat is a really neat subject, but the kit engineering doesn't appear particularly inspired or cutting-edge. Just a pretty typical example of what Tamiya does with AFV kits and the way they do it. I'm sure it will be an easy and trouble-free build with room for as much improvement and extra detailing as anyone could want. As Wellington said, "They came on us the same old way..."

I don't get the 'poly cap' debate. If you want to use them great. If you don't, than you don't use them. Seems simple enough, right?

I still can't believe, out of all the subject matter that could have been represented by the King of model manufacturing, this piece if ungainly equipment is what they chose. JMO Wayne

What - the "King" should only select the biggest, best, brightest, and boldest real-life subjects for release? The not so successful subjects are beneath them and only fit for the scum-of-the-earth second and third tier companies to release? Model subject choices represent either a) What they think will sell or b) What an individual with authority in the company chooses to make. That's it. The reason there are so many Tiger kits is not because the Tiger was the world's greatest tank but because the Tiger can make money for the company both through demand and the ease of preparing a number of variant kits. People need to stop looking at the hobby business as some sort of mystical event with deeper meanings. Look at it as a business - you'll be happier that way. KL

I would try making a RTV mold from several of the surviving good ones and casting replacements out of resin. KL

I would try making a RTV mold from several of the surviving good ones and casting replacements out of resin. KL[/quote] Yea, I already suggested that to him, but he's worried about splitting one of the good ones if he takes it off. I think he'll come around, though. He could probably even use one of the split ones, CA glue the crack shut and use it to make the mold. There's no pressure involved, so I think it would be fine and any blemishes on the new resin hubs would be easy enough to clean up. It's up to him, though. I've offered to help him make the RTV mold and cast the new hubs, so I think it's just a matter of time. Good suggestion, though... Great minds and all that!