I have just completed RPM’s FT-17 tank. This little 1/35th tank is a pesky build.

There are some very small parts making handling and placement tricky, and the suspension is a bit complex as far as proper part position, alignment, and fit. In addition, parts are not numbered on the sprue, making part locating difficult which is compounded by the fact that part 98 could be possibly be next to part 37, and so on. The one-piece band tracks are also very very stiff, (and a little long), making gluing/adhesion to the bogies just about impossible, without weighting and letting the glue cure for several hours.

There are problems with this model as built and shown here.

The turret is supposed to have individual rivets attached in several areas, but after trimming them off the sprue, an unfortunate air movement blew most of them off the worktable onto the carpet. I found a few but said the heck with it, and didn’t apply them so the turret is not correct, (Oberst has already thoroughly chastised me for this omission in the chat by the way). The paint job is also freelance. Internet searches and book snooping really didn’t provide the proper U.S. Army paint scheme for this tank, so olive drab was applied, (SS-74’s aka Dave Tong’s most favorite color!!).

The drum on the back is meant to replicate a picture I saw of several U.S. FT’s moving down a road, each showing a barrel banded over the rear of the tank, (I’m assuming for gas).

I hesitated posting this model in Rivet Review because of the problems noted above. Hopefully the attached pictures will be enjoyed even though it’s freelanced and not up to standards I have seen out here.

For chuckles the last pic shows the FT sitting next to the Commander Series M103 Heavy that I completed a couple weeks back. Just goes to show that size does matter, (lol). Thanks.

Steve

Looks nice.......I esp like the comparision pic.. :-)

From the pictures, based on the basics, i.e., assembly, paint, alignment, presentation, you seem to have nailed it. Looks very convincing. If you want to replace the rivets in the turret, which none but an authority on this tank would realize were missing unless you told them, you can alwas look up Grandt Line products. Good job. I did the Tauro interpretation of the Fiat based on this design and I like your a whole lot more.
If that were on a table I was judging, it would definitely be brought forward as a contender, regardless of what else was on the table.

Lord WWH,

As usual you are too hard on yourself, I love it. Dry brush is very effective, and despite all the difficulties you had pointed out, the final product looked just fine, and didn't show it. Weathering is very convincing, especially like how you dull the decal. I think it looked awesome.....Despite that it's OD (still asexual by the way)...

Good work, what's next? an Abram? or maybe a plane?

Well Steve, I will not rag on you for omitting the rivets, as I have already done this.
I will comment on the paint job and other details however.
They are very nice :-)
Good, clean build with a solid paintjob
Good Work, we need you to start some more weathering now :-) ,

Andrew

It's beautiful !
You are realy too hard on yourself !

Nice job, Steve.
The RPM/Mirage FT series are a bugger to build. I've got the PzKfw 603(f) (FT31) started and then put it back in the box. I admire your perseverance...

what a neat job on an unusual tank. You have done a good job Steve and you have been too hard on yourself. :-)

Excellent build Steve. It's good to see so many different vehicles coming off of your workbench. :-)

Another nice one from the OD-Meister!!! Wouldn't have known you had those problems if you didn't point them out. Keep them coming bud!

I think you have made a lovely model WeWillHold. In a recent issue of Military modelling, Steve Zaloga made one of these and had an article on them, and now with yours, it actually has tempted me into looking for one of them. I think your peserverence and hard work has paid off and the extra effort has gifted you with a lovely model of a more unusual, but eye catching, model. it looks relly cool. Nice one!!

Yup the OD master did it again.

VEry nice tank and as what Al said if you didn`t had said it I would never notice that there were rivets missing. Great Job, Clean Built, Nice Drybrushing. You can tap yourself on your shoulder for this one congrats

Very exquisite model....think it looks great next to the old 103. Haven't seen either of them since FT Knox brought back memories of the old old version of the Patton Museum from the late 60's

Looks darn good to me Steve, I've never seen one of these before, so would have no idea as to the accuracy, but you've made it look real good.

Congrats....

Roger

Wow, where are my manners????

Thanks to all of you who took the time to reply to this thread. As always your supportive comments are very very much appreciated.

Thanks.

Steve K

Looks great Steve.... I like it... it's cute.... #:-)

You have no Manner, NO MANNERS!!!! And a very rude person..... LOL!!!!!

#:-)

Great work WeWillHold!

Looking forward to the next project.

Great job, I like the looks of it. I've got the US version awaiting building. I've built the Tauro Fiat 3000, a difficult build with bad, tightly fitting tracks. I notice your tracks seem kind of loose, did your kit come with vinyl or single tracks or both?

Does the kit come with an interior of any type? Nice comparison to the M103.

Rob, as usual thanks for your comments. I'm just pulling this piece from the initial post, "The one-piece band tracks are also very very stiff, (and a little long), making gluing/adhesion to the bogies just about impossible, without weighting and letting the glue cure for several hours."

I fiddled with these tracks for quite some time, but you are right when you say they look a little loose (good eyes on your part). The suspension build portion of this kit is almost "fly by the seat of your pants" construction. The directions don't really depict exactly where some pieces should go, and it comes back to haunt you with the track application. I noodled with them as much as I could trying to get the slop positioned evenly around the vehicle. This was probably the most frustrating part of this build (which I am sure you are familiar with when you built your Fiat).

This kit does have a very Spartan interior with gear shifts, corrogated floor, seat and peddles. This could be viewed with the front hatches positioned open.

ps: How's that York conversion coming along????

Hey Steve, look I'm posting!!

I love this little tank. It looks great.

I think that's a nifty little tank. I like these "off color" armor pieces myself :-) You can have only so many panthers, shermans and tigers

As for the rivits that are missing, I'm not a rivet counter, so I would have never noticed
As it is an american tank, OD is always spot on, unless recreating a particular tank unit in a particular theatre.

As for the fuel drum on the back, did you notice any fuel lines or hoses in the pics you used for refernce?

In the end, I think the enjoyment of this hobby lies in the enjoyment we have building and creating the pieces that we do. If you want/need 100% realism backed by detailed sources, that's what works for you. If you just enjoy a bit of relaxation by working on a piece OOB, then that's cool too #:-) To be honest, I enjoy researching the subject I am working on almost as much as building the model.

I think It's a very cool little tank! Looks good to me.

El Diablo.

Thanks for your comments.

The original pics were pretty grainy and I did not see attached hoses of any kind.

I did however add a coiled hose tucked behind the drum --- this can be seen in pics 2, 3 and 4. I just used some covered wire from the HO layout. It seemed about the right size when held against the barrel opening.

Steve