I've just discovered that AEF do a conversion to make the Tamiya T-55 into the Slovenian M-55 version (with the big gun and all the mad armour). Does anyone have any experience of it? Is it worth $47.50 plus shipping?

Do a search on the site of 'AEF Design's' read some of the comments on various postings then make up your own mind. Most people will tell you to not waste your money on their crap.

Yes, I knew about their reputation, but the made-up kit I saw in FSM looked OK, so I was wondering if perhaps they'd improved.

The conversion is not too bad, you still have to improve it a bit, adding some rivets and bolts here and there..., and the turret additional armor lacks one armor plate, but it is easily added with styrene
The original kit was developed for ancient Esci kits, I don't know if it was modified to fit Tamiya's, so I cannot tell you how the side skirts would fit to it.
Also, if you want to display the latest version of the tank, you'll have to modify the turret basket, since its different to AEF version
Not the worst conversion from AEF, but as always, it needs some work
For that price, may be you can think on converting the original kit by yourself...

No, he hasn't improved. He still sells useless garbage. Of course, the kits he sends to magazines for review he carefully casts and packs, to get a good review. Customer kits get no such special treatment. Every AEF kit comes with miscast and/or missing parts and he never answers emails or phone calls.
Since he sells on the internet, takes credit cards, and ships through the USPS, I'm very surprised that this guy hasn't been brought up on Federal fraud charges yet. Really.

If you want to do the M55S1, it is the only kit availabl, AFAIK. Compared to a massive scratchbuild, it worth the dealing with it. I had the chance to work on the real 1/1 M55S1, and the kit is pretty accurate..
The casting quality of AEF is well known.
Conclusion, go ahead, it will come up to a nice model after all.

best regards
Michael

A mixed picture, then! Thanks all - will dither for a bit longer.

Well if you are going for a recent stuff and accuaracy of events...
you would have to model it in a storage... so "minor issues" like these would not matter...

GH

ONLY if TONY at AEF cared about his castings as much as he cares about the masters he makes..
you are better off doing a scratch build!