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Armor/AFV: 48th Scale
1/48 scale discussion group hosted by Rob Gronovius
Hosted by Darren Baker
Aurora MBT 70
tommytanker
Joined: February 23, 2007
KitMaker: 44 posts
Armorama: 34 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 09:45 AM UTC
Hi All, was at the local model show and since no one had anything on my want list I went to my would like to have list and I scored the old, still sealed square box MBT 70. I have wanted a 70 for a long time hoping for a 72nd or mass market kit to no avail. I think this is rather toy like but be made passable with decent tracks and roadwheels. Can anyone recommend either am tracks suitable or a kit that I could rob tracks and roadwheels from. I don't need rivet counter accuracy just decent looking! Also need decent tracks for an M-60 (1/48th) that I received many years ago, TT
PantherF
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Indiana, United States
Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
Armorama: 5,960 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 05, 2014 - 10:30 AM UTC
The tracks aren't too bad as long as they haven't melted to something in the box. In the scale of 1/48th I'm sure there are AM parts out there for you.

The biggest drawback on the kit is the molded on tools. That is worth checking in to or just leave them off as the prototype wouldn't really have tools on it going through test trails. So there is some grinding to do.

The dio stand is unique but the figures are really bad, so again... looking for replacement figs should be easy.

I have a few of these and have built a few but for the most part, AURORA kits are fun but ancient too. Have fun with it!




Jeff
JPTRR
Staff MemberManaging Editor
RAILROAD MODELING
#051
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Tennessee, United States
Joined: December 21, 2002
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Posted: Monday, October 06, 2014 - 05:02 AM UTC
Tommy, Jeff;

I reviewed the model here years ago. I loved mine when I built it decades ago. Now I have another!

I have the photos taken and sized for an upcoming review of the Swedish S Tank. Review forthcoming. Be on the lookout!

Aurora models may not be up to today's standard although their Chi Ha is a good model, IMHO. A few others are pretty good, too, although several are little more than toys.
PantherF
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Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
Armorama: 5,960 posts
Posted: Monday, October 06, 2014 - 07:22 AM UTC
Hey Frederick!

I know what you mean, I have built ALL the "tank" models from AURORA.

Actually the AURORA Type 97 kit (also known as the 'Medium Tank' led me to start liking Japanese armor from WWII. I think I have 5 or 6 kits (most of them are Fine Molds) and hope to start a tiny brigade of them on one section of my shelf.

Just something about them! But it was AURORA that opened my eyes to them as one Christmas I asked for a few Tamiya kits and my Mom bought those instead... and I am glad she did.




Jeff
JPTRR
Staff MemberManaging Editor
RAILROAD MODELING
#051
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Tennessee, United States
Joined: December 21, 2002
KitMaker: 7,772 posts
Armorama: 2,447 posts
Posted: Monday, October 06, 2014 - 12:43 PM UTC
Hi Jeff,

It appears we are kindred spirits! I'd have every 1/35 IJA armor model molded if I could make it happen. IIRC, the only Aurora "tanks" I never built are the

M8E2 Tractor
http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/review/7822

...and the

Churchill Tank
http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/review/6480

The Centurion was the first tank model I made well enough to roll! (Probably not for long!)

I had the King Tiger and Skipjack submarine with the "battle view" peephole - it was a small plastic lens with a photo of a 'battle scene' you would see if you looked down it.

Have you seen this review?

Japanese Armour Colours, A Primer, 1937-1945
http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/review/7915
Jabberwocky
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Joined: March 27, 2012
KitMaker: 6 posts
Armorama: 6 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 05, 2017 - 04:29 AM UTC
I realize this is an older post, but FWIW, the last time I was at the PAtton Museum at Ft. Knox, KY., both MBT-70's were in storage in a building that in itself was a sight to see. The building was constructed to replicate the size, shape and ventilation of an LST. Testing was done with typical loads of tanks and trucks, etc., in order to work out movement, placements as well as the limits of ventilating the space. The very front of the building also has the LST bow shape, and can be seen very briefly in the James Bond movie Goldfinger, as the bad guys convoy drives by on the way in.
Both MBT-70s had a hydraulic suspension, and both vehicles were sitting on their bump stops with pools of fluid under.
Secondly, George Bradford offers scale drawings of the MBT-70 in several scales.
I also have one of the Aurora kits waiting it's turn on the workbench.

dan
Photoguy1
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Joined: September 29, 2016
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Posted: Sunday, March 05, 2017 - 06:59 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I realize this is an older post, but FWIW, the last time I was at the PAtton Museum at Ft. Knox, KY., both MBT-70's were in storage in a building that in itself was a sight to see. The building was constructed to replicate the size, shape and ventilation of an LST. Testing was done with typical loads of tanks and trucks, etc., in order to work out movement, placements as well as the limits of ventilating the space. The very front of the building also has the LST bow shape, and can be seen very briefly in the James Bond movie Goldfinger, as the bad guys convoy drives by on the way in.
Both MBT-70s had a hydraulic suspension, and both vehicles were sitting on their bump stops with pools of fluid under.
Secondly, George Bradford offers scale drawings of the MBT-70 in several scales.
I also have one of the Aurora kits waiting it's turn on the workbench.

dan


That sounds really cool. Of course though, now that they moved the museum (Thanks BRAC!) I assume that it's just an oddly shaped empty building. The US Military Museum in Danbury CT has an MBT 70 that was used as a range target so it is really beat up but at least you can see one.

I had the MBT 70 as a kid, I can't vouch for the accuracy of the kit but it was a lot of fun, like all the Aurora armor kits I bought. I had the MBT 70, the Chih ha, the 8inch Howitzer, the S-Tank and the King Tiger. They kept me busy while my Dad was serving an unaccompanied tour with the 2nd Division in Korea. Of course though he had leave in Tokyo at one point, went to a model store and shipped back a big box full of Tamiya and other kits and the rest as they say was history.
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