I have picked up an Italeri 1/35 Jagdpanther kit for cheap, well free actually. I wanted to replace the kit “rubber band “tracks with something else. I can pick up Bronco or Tamiya link tracks fairly cheap online. Has anyone used these tracks on this kit, will they work? Is either one better?
Thanks
HJ

Hey Bill, I have an Italeri JP and a Tamiya Panther in my stack. Comparing the sprockets, there might be a problem with the fit on the drive sprocket. The IT kit has larger teeth, though both have the same sprocket width and diameter. The teeth are positioned in the same spots. It's close enough so that the Tamiya' rubber tracks fit the IT sprocket. If it is a problem, it's easily remedied by shaving the teeth off the sprocket where the track wraps around it and regluing them in the open track holes. You may have to resize them to fit the tracks. All in all, it's a little tedious, but nothing too difficult.

Beyond that, the track runs seem to be close enough not to affect the interchangeability for the rest of the running gear. Maybe the Bronco ones would be a closer fit. I'm clueless there. Hope this helps.

Hey Bill,
Don't give up on those tracks just yet. With a little effort, they can be made quite presentable. Check out my Tiger build (Resuscitating an old Tiger) in the Constructive Criticism forum. Those are the original Tamiya vinyl tracks, and they look half-way decent. You can make them sag nicely with a little (very carefully applied) heat from a heat gun, perhaps with some help from thin copper wire hidden behind or between the road wheels.
Good luck,
Dick