_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: Modern Armor
Modern armor in general.
Hosted by Darren Baker
JGSDF Type 90 Track Links
Firecaptain
Visit this Community
Virginia, United States
Joined: November 03, 2006
KitMaker: 165 posts
Armorama: 118 posts
Posted: Saturday, December 18, 2010 - 11:49 AM UTC
Pulled the kit out of storage and the tracks were so brittle they all broke apart.

Other than calling Tamiya USA....anyone know of any individual track links for the T90 or something else that would be applicable to this tank that would work?

Thanks
Removed by original poster on 12/19/10 - 03:39:45 (GMT).
GeraldOwens
Visit this Community
Florida, United States
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Saturday, December 18, 2010 - 04:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Pulled the kit out of storage and the tracks were so brittle they all broke apart.

Other than calling Tamiya USA....anyone know of any individual track links for the T90 or something else that would be applicable to this tank that would work?

Thanks


Simplest solution would be to ask Tamiya USA to replace them. Tamiya's glueable styrene tracks are not as robust as the older vinyl type. They are very allergic to enamel thinners, and will dry out and crumble, sometimes within days of exposure. They can also split where they have been folded in the box. Tamiya may have tweaked the plastic formula since they introduced it in 1998, but I would play it safe and use only Tamiya acrylics to paint them (don't use Tamiya spray paint, as this is actually a lacquer, and may attack the plastic).
The JGSDF Type 90 track resembles the Diehl tracks of the Leopard 2, but with a single wide, rubber pad on the outer face instead of two separate ones. AFV Club does offer these as workable links (sort of--I'd glue them after assembly if I were you). Assuming the Diehl tracks fit the pitch of the Tamiya sprockets (no, I haven't checked this), you would still need to fabricate the track pads from styrene strip. Not impossible, and only a comparatively few pads would be visible on the completed tank, so you needn't do the complete runs.
Firecaptain
Visit this Community
Virginia, United States
Joined: November 03, 2006
KitMaker: 165 posts
Armorama: 118 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 03:41 AM UTC
Gerald, thanks for the help.....I'll go the easiest route and give Tamiya USA a call, just wanted to see if there was an aftermarket "plug-n-play option available.

 _GOTOTOP