So the Academy kit can be had for $20 shipped to my door. The Tamiya kit is about $42. Are the Academy kit's issues double the effort of building the Tamiya kit? I guess I'm a bit stuck on a decision. I've read the reviews, I've seen the issues (not sure what the solution is for the Academy's way over sized muzzle brake is though I'm ok with the casting texture issue--nonplussed about any accuracy issues with the Academy in the end as they aren't deal breakers for me). But is there anything I'm missing? I mean I know the Tamiya will fall together, but is it worth double the price? I guess I'm stuck on cost...too many kits and not enough cash flow...and buying the Academy would mean extending the modeling dollar. It's a conundrum for me! I need to make a decision soon before something else catches my eye....

Mike,

Having built both kits I firmly come down on the side of Tamiya's version. It is an easier build and accurate for a Six-Day-War M51 or a Yom Kippur war tank. The Academy kit builds as a later version out of the box but it can be back-dated to a Yom Kippur machine.

The Tamiya HVSS (suspension is better Not as intricate as the dragon HVSS) and the turret is excellent. Tracks about the same quality.

The Tamiya turret, .50 caliber and main gun muzzle break are way better than their Academy counterparts as is the four piece mantlet cover.

You can build a decent M51 from either but the Academy is more work.

You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

Hi Mike,

I built the Academy kit for the "Sands of Israel" campaign and it was a right pig. THere are some frustrating fit issues as well as detail issues to address - it may be worth paying extra for the Tamiya kit. (My build is near the bottom of the page in that link, and finished pics are on p15.)

With a lot of TLC it can be made to look ok, but you need to decide how much hobby time you want to invest fixing this crude beast.

HTH

You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

So the Academy kit can be had for $20 shipped to my door. The Tamiya kit is about $42. Are the Academy kit's issues double the effort of building the Tamiya kit? I guess I'm a bit stuck on a decision. I've read the reviews, I've seen the issues (not sure what the solution is for the Academy's way over sized muzzle brake is though I'm ok with the casting texture issue--nonplussed about any accuracy issues with the Academy in the end as they aren't deal breakers for me). But is there anything I'm missing? I mean I know the Tamiya will fall together, but is it worth double the price? I guess I'm stuck on cost...too many kits and not enough cash flow...and buying the Academy would mean extending the modeling dollar. It's a conundrum for me! I need to make a decision soon before something else catches my eye....

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You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

---

Wow I didn't think there was anywhere to buy Tamiya Sprues after Rainbow Ten shut down thier overseas operations. I need a couple of sprues of the Crowell Suspension and Wheels to upgrade my SKP Challenger kit. I'll have to check that out.

Thats a great idea to upgrade the Academy Kit, must less expensive than getting the AA upgrade set, although you do get more with the AA set.

Another option (this is way I am doing it)is use the Tamiya Kit with the Tasca replacement supension and tracks, just me maybe but I really don't like the big open spaces behide the Springs on the Tamiya kit, and have never been a big fan of Rubber Band Tracks.



Regards,
Rod

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Mike,

Having built both kits I firmly come down on the side of Tamiya's version. It is an easier build and accurate for a Six-Day-War M51 or a Yom Kippur war tank. The Academy kit builds as a later version out of the box but it can be back-dated to a Yom Kippur machine.

The Tamiya HVSS (suspension is better Not as intricate as the dragon HVSS) and the turret is excellent. Tracks about the same quality.

The Tamiya turret, .50 caliber and main gun muzzle break are way better than their Academy counterparts as is the four piece mantlet cover.

You can build a decent M51 from either but the Academy is more work.

You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

---

Hmmm, I like this approach as it's the best of both worlds. Will have to give Tamiya's Sprue service a call tomorrow to confirm Sprue C's availability. That will determine my course of action.

Hi mike

I have the Tamiya kit and i can say everything is good except the tracks. I remember Friulmodel released its T80 tracks for M50 which is exactly the same for M51. And another company called Kaizen released its T80 tracks in plastic.

If u want extra detail u can go for the Dragon kit, hope its still in stock. The dragon one got everything, the track is DS but in great detail which u dont have to replace it, The suspension is movable if u build it currently, my friend didnt make it happen and he said its really not a easy, enjoyable build.

no idea about the Academy kit.

If u want a quick easy build go for the Tamiya, otherwise i recommend dragon kit.

One more thing, i saw the resin M50 turret for the Tamiya kit. Guess everyone likes the big brother M51 and no one cares about little M50.

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Mike,

Having built both kits I firmly come down on the side of Tamiya's version. It is an easier build and accurate for a Six-Day-War M51 or a Yom Kippur war tank. The Academy kit builds as a later version out of the box but it can be back-dated to a Yom Kippur machine.

The Tamiya HVSS (suspension is better Not as intricate as the dragon HVSS) and the turret is excellent. Tracks about the same quality.

The Tamiya turret, .50 caliber and main gun muzzle break are way better than their Academy counterparts as is the four piece mantlet cover.

You can build a decent M51 from either but the Academy is more work.

You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

---

Hmmm, I like this approach as it's the best of both worlds. Will have to give Tamiya's Sprue service a call tomorrow to confirm Sprue C's availability. That will determine my course of action.

---

It cost me about $12 to get a sprue c and it took 7 months from time of order until I received it in the mail. It should be available for a few more years as the kit is still relatively new.

Depending on how quickly you want to get started you'd save between $10-$15 and still have to do a lot of upgrading to the academy upper and lower hull.

BTW, I'm not a fan of rubber tracks and neither kit boasts a very good set, but the tamiya at least resemble the Israeli version of T-80 track which had a longer cleat than regular T-80.

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Mike,

Having built both kits I firmly come down on the side of Tamiya's version. It is an easier build and accurate for a Six-Day-War M51 or a Yom Kippur war tank. The Academy kit builds as a later version out of the box but it can be back-dated to a Yom Kippur machine.

The Tamiya HVSS (suspension is better Not as intricate as the dragon HVSS) and the turret is excellent. Tracks about the same quality.

The Tamiya turret, .50 caliber and main gun muzzle break are way better than their Academy counterparts as is the four piece mantlet cover.

You can build a decent M51 from either but the Academy is more work.

You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

---

Hmmm, I like this approach as it's the best of both worlds. Will have to give Tamiya's Sprue service a call tomorrow to confirm Sprue C's availability. That will determine my course of action.

---

It cost me about $12 to get a sprue c and it took 7 months from time of order until I received it in the mail. It should be available for a few more years as the kit is still relatively new.

Depending on how quickly you want to get started you'd save between $10-$15 and still have to do a lot of upgrading to the academy upper and lower hull.

BTW, I'm not a fan of rubber tracks and neither kit boasts a very good set, but the tamiya at least resemble the Israeli version of T-80 track which had a longer cleat than regular T-80.

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Tamiya wanted $6.50 + $5 S&H and indicated it would go out in a day or so.

Well it's done: spoke with Tamiya and they have Sprue C on its way and I've purchased the Academy kit. So in the end I spent $31.80 total on everything (S&H included). Worth it? Some will say no, but I'm content. Appreciate all the help and advice! In the end I wasn't "agonizing" perse, but it is fun to hear the back and forth; we tend to forget the social aspects at work here.

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Mike,

Having built both kits I firmly come down on the side of Tamiya's version. It is an easier build and accurate for a Six-Day-War M51 or a Yom Kippur war tank. The Academy kit builds as a later version out of the box but it can be back-dated to a Yom Kippur machine.

The Tamiya HVSS (suspension is better Not as intricate as the dragon HVSS) and the turret is excellent. Tracks about the same quality.

The Tamiya turret, .50 caliber and main gun muzzle break are way better than their Academy counterparts as is the four piece mantlet cover.

You can build a decent M51 from either but the Academy is more work.

You could buy the Tamiya turret sprue from Tamiya USA for $6.50 and go a long way to upgrading the Academy kit.

Anyway, decide which version you want and purchase accordingly.

HTH

Laramie Wright

---

Hmmm, I like this approach as it's the best of both worlds. Will have to give Tamiya's Sprue service a call tomorrow to confirm Sprue C's availability. That will determine my course of action.

---

It cost me about $12 to get a sprue c and it took 7 months from time of order until I received it in the mail. It should be available for a few more years as the kit is still relatively new.

Depending on how quickly you want to get started you'd save between $10-$15 and still have to do a lot of upgrading to the academy upper and lower hull.

BTW, I'm not a fan of rubber tracks and neither kit boasts a very good set, but the tamiya at least resemble the Israeli version of T-80 track which had a longer cleat than regular T-80.

---

Tamiya wanted $6.50 + $5 S&H and indicated it would go out in a day or so.

---

Mike,

You lucked out, they must've had some extras on hand, when I ordered mine the parts where not in stock. They must be getting a lot of requests on that turret. When parts have to come from Japan it takes much longer.