Jim gives us a sneak peek at this newly tooled Somua S35, a WW2 era French medium tank. The video includes a look at how the individual track links go together.
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REVIEW
Tamiya Somua S35
staff_Jim
Publisher
Joined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 09:52 PM UTC
Cantstopbuyingkits
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 10:16 PM UTC
Looks like a good enough kit to me.
retiredyank
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 10:23 PM UTC
Too bad the upper and lower hulls and turret superstructure are cast, with sprue attachment points.
bill_c
Campaigns AdministratorJoined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 10:29 PM UTC
There are some areas that the resin AM folks can fix, but it's good to see more French tanks out there!
AlanL
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 10:36 PM UTC
Looks like a neat kit. Hadn't built a Tamiya kit for a long time until I did the Mk IV which I really enjoyed.
Don't quite get Matt's comment, don't most plastic hulls come with spure attachments so I don't see any issue there?
Nice texture on the armour, and if the fit is as good as the Mk IV it will be a breeze to build. Don't know much about this vehicle but it looks good to me.
Al
Don't quite get Matt's comment, don't most plastic hulls come with spure attachments so I don't see any issue there?
Nice texture on the armour, and if the fit is as good as the Mk IV it will be a breeze to build. Don't know much about this vehicle but it looks good to me.
Al
Thudius
Joined: October 22, 2012
KitMaker: 1,194 posts
Armorama: 1,077 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 10:41 PM UTC
That sure does look nice. The figure looks good too.
Kimmo
Kimmo
jfeenstra
Joined: April 24, 2014
KitMaker: 342 posts
Armorama: 342 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 12:42 AM UTC
Alan, Matt was referring to the fact that when you try and cleanup the sprue attachment points, you will damage the cast texture on the parts. However, the photos seem to show the sprue attachment points at the extreme edge of the parts, so this may not be big issue with some care taken in removing the parts. Hard to tell for sure from the photos here.
retiredyank
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 12:49 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Alan, Matt was referring to the fact that when you try and cleanup the sprue attachment points, you will damage the cast texture on the parts. However, the photos seem to show the sprue attachment points at the extreme edge of the parts, so this may not be big issue with some care taken in removing the parts. Hard to tell for sure from the photos here.
Exactly. I was referring to the fact that several other companies have sprue free superstructures, that eliminate this problem.
rinaldi119
Joined: September 22, 2004
KitMaker: 375 posts
Armorama: 282 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 01:22 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextAlan, Matt was referring to the fact that when you try and cleanup the sprue attachment points, you will damage the cast texture on the parts. However, the photos seem to show the sprue attachment points at the extreme edge of the parts, so this may not be big issue with some care taken in removing the parts. Hard to tell for sure from the photos here.
Exactly. I was referring to the fact that several other companies have sprue free superstructures, that eliminate this problem.
Matt, look at step 13 & 26 in the instructions for the upper hull and turret assemblies...Tamiya is typically very conscious of their sprue gates and how they actually attach to parts with any texture and have for a while now attached parts in this manner. They place them underneath the actual surface avoiding this issue, and appears to be the case here too.
AFVFan
Joined: May 17, 2012
KitMaker: 1,980 posts
Armorama: 1,571 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 02:39 AM UTC
Pretty good looking kit. Nice texture (can't believe they even did the underside). Still going to have to buy PE, or scratch up some parts, to properly do the storage bin straps. Now, let's see how much they want for it.
AlanL
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 04:02 AM UTC
Hi Jon,
Thanks, doesn't look like it's a problem as Michael points out.
Cheers
Al 
Thanks, doesn't look like it's a problem as Michael points out.
Cheers
Al
staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 04:35 AM UTC
Quoted Text
They place them underneath the actual surface avoiding this issue, and appears to be the case here too.
Yes Mike is correct. I just looked at those connection points closely and they won't damage the textured hull at all as they come off the bottom of that part.
Cheers,
Jim
JPTRR
Managing Editor
#051
Joined: December 21, 2002
KitMaker: 7,772 posts
Armorama: 2,447 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 04:53 AM UTC
Some 26 years I've been awaiting a new 1/35 Somua and I am stoked about this release. I can live with the items discussed in criticisms of the kit. Individual track links? Surprising considering how little track will be seen. I want one of these!
hanb7323
Joined: October 06, 2014
KitMaker: 408 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 11:55 AM UTC
Beautiful kit !!
Bravo1102
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 04:22 PM UTC
Obvious from the parts layout that there will be a Beutepanzer coming. The turret sprue has another unused gate and the French specific parts like cupola and figgie are on the other easily snippable gate.
So a German cupola and German tanker sprue might even already be done.
So a German cupola and German tanker sprue might even already be done.
Cantstopbuyingkits
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 - 06:42 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Surprising considering how little track will be seen.
Any looking at the side will be able to see almost all the track links
j76ljr
Joined: July 11, 2011
KitMaker: 150 posts
Armorama: 148 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 05, 2015 - 08:01 PM UTC
there's got to be a better way with these dam tracks today !
Bravo1102
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 05, 2015 - 08:36 PM UTC
Tamiya track is completely glue-able with normal cement and the suspension is such that you can get firm contact with the wheels all the way around. In most modeled situations there would be no be slack. Link to link track is therefore unnecessary.
There are kits that need them and there are those that don't. This tank doesn't need link to link.
But then for what Tamiya charges for the kit it would be nice if it had some bells and whistles like PE or indy track links. Top engineering demands top prices.
There are kits that need them and there are those that don't. This tank doesn't need link to link.
But then for what Tamiya charges for the kit it would be nice if it had some bells and whistles like PE or indy track links. Top engineering demands top prices.
nng-nng
Joined: October 22, 2013
KitMaker: 380 posts
Armorama: 376 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 05, 2015 - 08:55 PM UTC
Quoted Text
there's got to be a better way with these dam tracks today !
Quoted Text
Tamiya track is completely glue-able with normal cement and the suspension is such that you can get firm contact with the wheels all the way around. In most modeled situations there would be no be slack. Link to link track is therefore unnecessary.
There are kits that need them and there are those that don't. This tank doesn't need link to link.
But then for what Tamiya charges for the kit it would be nice if it had some bells and whistles like PE or indy track links. Top engineering demands top prices.
Have you guys actually bothered reading the stats or even looking at the pictures?
It isn´t that hard to figure out you´re getting "Magic" seemingly workable indy links here... not rubber threads.
AlanL
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Friday, March 06, 2015 - 05:08 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Textthere's got to be a better way with these dam tracks today !Quoted TextTamiya track is completely glue-able with normal cement and the suspension is such that you can get firm contact with the wheels all the way around. In most modeled situations there would be no be slack. Link to link track is therefore unnecessary.
There are kits that need them and there are those that don't. This tank doesn't need link to link.
But then for what Tamiya charges for the kit it would be nice if it had some bells and whistles like PE or indy track links. Top engineering demands top prices.
Have you guys actually bothered reading the stats or even looking at the pictures?
It isn´t that hard to figure out you´re getting "Magic" seemingly workable indy links here... not rubber threads.
- Yip!Al
Cantstopbuyingkits
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 09, 2015 - 01:32 AM UTC
Anyone got a list of AM designed for this kit? I haven't found very much so far.
ninjrk
Joined: January 26, 2006
KitMaker: 1,381 posts
Armorama: 1,347 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 09, 2015 - 06:52 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Anyone got a list of AM designed for this kit? I haven't found very much so far.
Just posted a new article, Blast Models to the rescue.
Cantstopbuyingkits
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 10, 2015 - 12:48 AM UTC
I was more thinking turned or etch metal parts but I guess this set can work work fine in a absence of alternative sets to use.
nng-nng
Joined: October 22, 2013
KitMaker: 380 posts
Armorama: 376 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 10, 2015 - 01:04 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I was more thinking turned or etch metal parts but I guess this set can work work fine in a absence of alternative sets to use.
There is, as far as I know nothing specific made for the Tamiya kit.
You could of course use the old Eduard PE-set: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/119322-eduard-35313-somua-s-35
This could just work, not that there is much included what could cause problems.
For replacemnt barrels you should have no problems using those: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/205005-rb-model-35b79-75mm-47mm-and-7-5mm-mg-barrels
Given the price you should be fine with the left over 75mm. MG and 47mm worked fine with the Heller Somua...
TimTam27
Joined: June 11, 2006
KitMaker: 222 posts
Armorama: 209 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 10, 2015 - 07:40 PM UTC
HI.
Paul Owen at Track-Link who has very good contact at Tamiya has said that Tamiya themselves have a couple of after market items comimg for the Somua. He didn't know what these were but P/E and a turned barrel seem likely candidates.
In addition to the above, a Beute version of the S35 is on its way.
Cheers.
Paul Owen at Track-Link who has very good contact at Tamiya has said that Tamiya themselves have a couple of after market items comimg for the Somua. He didn't know what these were but P/E and a turned barrel seem likely candidates.
In addition to the above, a Beute version of the S35 is on its way.
Cheers.
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