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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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Bronco M1A1/A2 Big Foot Tracks
corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: June 17, 2005
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Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 02:16 PM UTC
I got this set in the mail today. It is going to be a very tedious build, but I think they will look/work great once finished. Just to get one link together took me about 20 minutes. I believe it will go faster after I have a run together for something to hold onto. They are so small and fine, there is not much to get my fat fingers on. I unfortunately don't have a lot of time set aside to work on models right now so these will take me some time. I will get some photos posted here soon so you all can see what they are about.
CMOT
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ARMORAMA
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England - South West, United Kingdom
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Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 03:43 PM UTC
Where are the pictures then as I can hear you swearing under your breath from here
Tankrider
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Oklahoma, United States
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 02:05 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I got this set in the mail today. It is going to be a very tedious build, but I think they will look/work great once finished. Just to get one link together took me about 20 minutes. I believe it will go faster after I have a run together for something to hold onto. They are so small and fine, there is not much to get my fat fingers on. I unfortunately don't have a lot of time set aside to work on models right now so these will take me some time. I will get some photos posted here soon so you all can see what they are about.


Cory,
Emphysis on the fat fingers... Bring them to the next meeting in November as I am looking at the T-158LL and the Ariete track and would like to see what I am getting into...

John
Outerarm
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England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: September 20, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 02:10 AM UTC
These links look excellent -- some pics of the box...







Cheers,
Ian
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 02:54 AM UTC
PMMS has reviewed the Ariete tracks here.

Terry also has reviews on the Chally 2 and Leclerc tracks.

They look to be really nice and have no apparent issues.
corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: June 17, 2005
KitMaker: 544 posts
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 04:24 AM UTC
Ok, here's the pics.

Outerarm what you don't quite get from the box art is the small size of the parts involved. They are really nice tracks just small and hard to handle. Like I said before, I think it will get easier after I get a run going and I have something to hold onto.




There are seven identical sprues for all the tracks. It says on the box that 76 links are needed per side. When I built the AFV Club tracks it took about 84. I will just have to build until it fits!


Ok here is a size comparison. The knife is just a standard #11 knife. The link shown here consists of 6 parts! And that is without the guide horns added, that would make 8 just for this little part. However, the bars are totally workable. You have to be real careful with the glue placement but its not that difficult. It is going to take some work and time but I am pretty sure I will be happy with the end result.
nicholjm
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Texas, United States
Joined: November 09, 2005
KitMaker: 58 posts
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 06:18 AM UTC
Wow those are awesome...and insane. I wish I could afford to add that kind of detail to my modern armor. Very nice!
corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: June 17, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 06:43 AM UTC
These tracks are very affordable. I paid $15 for the kit and shipping from Lucky Model. Very impressive price and good kit.
Tankrider
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 07, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 12:22 PM UTC
Thanks for the pics but I want to see them first hand... I will see if Ponch can order them as I am in no real hurry, more just want to pack rat some away...

Thanks Gino for the PMMS link for the Ariete track. So which BCT/Fires Battalion are you heading to???

John
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 01:19 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Thanks Gino for the PMMS link for the Ariete track. So which BCT/Fires Battalion are you heading to???


Actually I'm already at Ft Stewart doing a "needs of the Army" job as Dep IG for 3ID. I completed my BQ time while in Iraq. Hopefully I will stay and do Bn CMD here. Its hard to believe it will only be about 2 more years until I may be the "Old Man" of a Bn. Man, time flies!!
majjanelson
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South Carolina, United States
Joined: December 14, 2006
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 02:29 PM UTC
These look VERY nice!

Making model parts the way the real parts are sure does make the model parts look like the real thing...

I wonder if these can be made in Braille Scale?
Vodnik
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Warszawa, Poland
Joined: March 26, 2003
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Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 09:07 PM UTC

Quoted Text

They look to be really nice and have no apparent issues.

They do have an issue unfortunately, albeit a small one. There are noticeable sink marks on end connectors - between pin ends. As end connectors are small, obviously those sink marks are also small, but they are noticeable. Also pin ends are molded as solid raised cylinders, while in reality pins of these tracks are hollow pipes and two holes are clearly visible on each end connector. Bronco tracks don't use slide molding, so these holes were not replicated. At least they can be drilled in styrene parts if someone decides they're necessary (I probably will), unlike Dragon DS tracks from SEP kit where drilling in DS100 material is impossible.

Overall I like new Bronco tracks (got almost all newly released sets) a lot, but they are not perfect.

Pawel

Pawel
Tankrider
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 07, 2002
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Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009 - 02:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Actually I'm already at Ft Stewart doing a "needs of the Army" job as Dep IG for 3ID. I completed my BQ time while in Iraq. Hopefully I will stay and do Bn CMD here. Its hard to believe it will only be about 2 more years until I may be the "Old Man" of a Bn. Man, time flies!!


So you got Thrasher's old job. I figured that you did to the BQ time in 41st FB but didn't think of Ft Stewart as "the needs of the Army." Good luck on the selection to LTC and BC.


Vodnik,
You can feel free to drill out the track pins, I will leave them the way thay are, when I get them.

John
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
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Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009 - 06:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Actually I'm already at Ft Stewart doing a "needs of the Army" job as Dep IG for 3ID. I completed my BQ time while in Iraq. Hopefully I will stay and do Bn CMD here. Its hard to believe it will only be about 2 more years until I may be the "Old Man" of a Bn. Man, time flies!!


So you got Thrasher's old job. I figured that you did to the BQ time in 41st FB but didn't think of Ft Stewart as "the needs of the Army." Good luck on the selection to LTC and BC.



Yup, filling Steve's old shoes. Ft Stewert met my needs too; its nice to be close to home (FL). Savannah isn't bad either. So far its going well.
bulivyf
Vendor
REAL MODEL
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Praha, Czech Republic
Joined: April 03, 2006
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Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009 - 07:08 AM UTC
I use Leopard track. I still don't see better tracks. Only for build is need many patience.
Here is photo.
Miloslav



corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: June 17, 2005
KitMaker: 544 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 05:03 AM UTC
Hello, I got quite a bit further with these tracks. They take a lot of work but I think they are great. I clip out a whole sprues worth of parts and clean then up. Then I start assembling them. It is going much faster now. Here are some pics.

This one shows my layout. Like I said it goes faster with more of the parts ready to go.


Here is one showing how workable the tracks are. I have to say these are the best M1 tracks available.
metooshelah
#011
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Jerusalem, Israel
Joined: February 06, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 05:47 AM UTC
heya Cory. How do you find these tracks in terms of ease of cleaning?
corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: June 17, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 10:21 AM UTC

Quoted Text

heya Cory. How do you find these tracks in terms of ease of cleaning?


As far as cleaning, they are very easy. There are no sink marks to sand away. There are just the few connection points to the sprue to clean up but they are very simple to file/sand.
kriegsketten
Vendor
ECHELON
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Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: November 12, 2007
KitMaker: 283 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - 11:56 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

heya Cory. How do you find these tracks in terms of ease of cleaning?


As far as cleaning, they are very easy. There are no sink marks to sand away. There are just the few connection points to the sprue to clean up but they are very simple to file/sand.


These tracks reminds me of the same concept Modelkasten used on some of their tracks. Type 74 (JGDSF) tracks is one such set. While a bit tedious during the cleaning process - the end result is ultra-realism sag and no end connectors falling apart. A bit tricky during the gluing process but once you've gotten used to it...

Looks like I'll be getting the entire range (since I have all the kits).

We've listed all the pros, now may I bring up a "con"... Too bad the rubber padding is not kept separated (as we see many in-service tanks had their paddies broken off - revealing the shiny metal beneathe... I know I know, I'm asking for extra torture (given the number of parts to clean)... Just a thought anyway.
corsutton
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Oklahoma, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - 05:17 AM UTC
I would have to agree with the separate pad idea. Not every link needs to have separate pads cuz that would take forever to build. But if they include 6 links that had separate pads that you could show on/off, that would be great.
kriegsketten
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ECHELON
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Singapore / 新加坡
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Posted: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - 09:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I would have to agree with the separate pad idea. Not every link needs to have separate pads cuz that would take forever to build. But if they include 6 links that had separate pads that you could show on/off, that would be great.


Hey that's an even greater idea! A few links separated!

Btw, I've just thought of why there is a great advantage to have ALL the rubber pads separated... Great assist in ... PAINTING!... Won't that be worth the trouble? As long as the pads are molded cleanly (no stink'n sink and pin marks on the useful side) with only one sprue spur to clean away - I don't think it would be too difficult to add them on. Plus it would be too easy to add battle damage using a drill bit without damaging he metal areas! Also, if they can take the "Magic pad" route - loose pads completely without any cleaning and in dark grey plastic...

We're now talking about more pros:
1) realistic battle damage (huge chunks of rubber falling off)
2) ease of "rubber" painting - if the pads are not molded in the right color... (just spray grey/black onto the pads while still on sprue, nip them away within a few short minutes).

Two BIG pluses! Am I right?? :-)

Also, if they include a jig to have all the pads dropped in fixed positions, dab glue on, lay down the assembled AND painted tracks - trouble?? That's a greater assist overall!

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