I want to build an M10. Accuracy is important. I have read that AFV Club and Academy both have accuracy issues. What are the known accuracy issues with each? I will probably get one of each and kitbash the best of both. Any help will be greatly appriciated. Greg.

P.S. Do you have a favorite reference source?

Hey Greg,

I just sent you a PM with a list of AFV and Academy M10 reviews.

Hope they are helpful.

Cheers

jjumbo

I build Academy M10 "Duckbill" now and to make it look half-decent I decided to scratch build entire turret, as I decided it was easier than correcting kit part... I only used some pieces of kit gun shield and turret interior components. The kit turret is much too narrow, gun mantlet is also too narrow and too low and duckbill counterweights are too small (as a result of two narrow turret rear wall). Also the gun barrel is too long in the kit.
I also heavilly modified the hull, as most angles in Academy kit were off - particularly rear wall and skirts. The transmission cover is too long and it makes the upper hull to seat too far back on the lower hull and suspension, what gives the unmodified model weird cartoonish "speeding" look.

I haven't built AFV Club kit, but from other modelers I know that it's hull is much more accurate, but the turret is too large! And interior parts are worse in AFV Club - those in Academy kit are quite smplified, but more or less accurate, unlike those in AFV Club kit.

Here are some pics of my M10 as it looked a few months ago:
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/97373#804869

Pawel

I built AFV Club's M10 when it came out - and concur with Pawel's comments above. The Turret is too big (in places), Road Wheel Rubber too thick (messing with the appearance of the spacing), Hatches incorrectly positioned and it called for some extra effort to model the interior components. I didn't like Academy's product anymore than what I had, so I plugged away on my AFV Club model kit. I like it though, much better than the old Tamiya offering.

JimL