I have a question for y'all..... are the Italeri M-7 Priest / Tamiya M-8 HMC any good....
I dig the odd-ball type of tracked vehicles. I'm building several German SPARTYs (Wespe, Marder III/ IIIM) Looking for some similar Allied vehicles. Have build an M-10 in the past...might have to do that one again.....just looking for inputs.....on the 7 & 8 or other SPARTY/HMC/GMC whatever....thanks in advance.

Jason

Both are decent kits. The Tamiya M8 has suspension problems, but nothing too bad. It does scream for a more complete interior since you can see all the way down to the driver's hole through the open turret. The tracks are a pet peeve of mine, the end connectors are molded in the center of the track blocks instead of connecting 2 adjacent tracks. AFV Club makes replacement tracks (several types) and now makes a set of suspension to go along with it. Eduard also does a few detailing sets, interior and exterior as well as an older set for the entire kit.

The Priest is another old kit that is based on their M4A1 lower hull. Decent enough kit. I do not recall if it represented an M7 or M7B1, early or late. I believe it is an M7B1 since original M7 used the M3 Lee lower hull with 3-piece transmission cover and suspension. The bogies provided are late M4A3 type with the upswept support roller and the late M4 solid transmission cover. I also believe some of the M7s may have started using M4A3 components but are still just "M7"s. There's also a way to tell what variant it is by looking at the fighting compartment armor, especially around the commander's cupola. Worse thing about an Italeri M4 based kit is the stiff tracks.

Jason:

I've got em both---do yourself a favor and buy/build them, they are nice kits. Good luck.



Steve

I have several M-8s. I bought the PE set for one. I don't see much to the PE. OOB looks fine to me. Now, I did get the individual links and they really snaz up the vehicle. I used excess part box items for the exterior. I see where Verlinden is coming out in July with an outer storage packet for the M-8. Tell you the truth I did just as well with excess items. Both kits are great.
Hope this helps
DJ

Sweet Guys, thanks for the good news...was hoping you'd give at least a thumbs up...and thanks for the more-than-prompt responses too......I'll have to get my local shop to get em for me...or find em on the web.

Jason

I didn't want you to think that you had to spend big bucks, but if you find the Verlinden M8 interior for a good price, I'd grab it. I got mine at 50% off and it is sweet.

I've got a copuple of M7s and M8s, but I've only built an M8 so far. Apart of the problems thas Sabot correcly pointed out I had fun wit it and I was happy with the overall result...
Ciao
Fabio

Wrong M8 Fabio that's the M8 armored car. We're talking about the M8 105mm howitzer based on the M5 light tank chassis. Chalk it up to us silly Americans and our numbering system.

No harm done, and yes US americans and our silly numbering system....
(Nice looking "the other" M-8 by the way)
I have been eyeing the M-8 and M-20 scout cars too.....they look cool....

like I said I go for the different stuff.

Jason