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Armor/AFV: British Armor
Discuss all types of British Armor of all eras.
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So I wantt to build a valentine
Cantstopbuyingkits
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European Union
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 01:32 AM UTC
Which kit is best? Bronco, AFV club or Miniart?

I would describe my modelling skills as about 6/10.
CMOT
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ARMORAMA
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: May 14, 2006
KitMaker: 10,954 posts
Armorama: 8,571 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 01:49 AM UTC
I have Valentines from all 3 companies and I would say it is more a case of which Valentine you want to build rather than which is best. MasterBox offerings are perfectly acceptable. Bronco Models offerings are the MasterBox kits they did not get around to releasing with some Bronco touches thrown in for good measure. The AFV Club model is easy to build and also has a good level of detail. It is hard to say which is best because they are all good.
Wolfhead
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: August 16, 2005
KitMaker: 53 posts
Armorama: 52 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 02:34 AM UTC
Just don't get tempted by the low price of an Eastern Express Valentine. I bought one for $10 and even that was too much..
Naseby
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Slovakia
Joined: October 15, 2010
KitMaker: 825 posts
Armorama: 246 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 03:04 AM UTC
AFV Club is better overall, but the tracks need replacement. They are in rubber and are not so nice, plus in my kit, they were missing small bits here and there.
edmund
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United States
Joined: November 10, 2014
KitMaker: 668 posts
Armorama: 456 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 03:28 AM UTC
Miniart then ?
bigmal
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England - East Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: February 21, 2011
KitMaker: 211 posts
Armorama: 176 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 04:33 AM UTC
I think the AFV Club Valentine kits are the best as they have got the hull angles and shape spot on. PMMS did a comparison that explained where the Miniart kits had been done wrong. I believe that, but could be wrong, that the Bronco kits are based on the Miniart ones so could carry the same errors. I only have the Archer kit from Bronco so can`t say with 100% accuracy.
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 04:42 AM UTC
Agree with Malcolm.
There are quite a few dimensional errors with the Bronco and Miniart kits - especially the rear engine deck. There are also some discrepencies with the suspension spacing too on the Minart and Bronco ones.

Gary
iowabrit
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Iowa, United States
Joined: November 06, 2007
KitMaker: 585 posts
Armorama: 557 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 04:56 AM UTC
Having built the AFV Club Mk II and the Bronco Bishop (unfinished and never will be) I'd suggest the AFV Club Mk II (AF35185)or Mk III (AF35201) with a set of Bronco, fruil or AFV Club tracks. The fruils look great as do the broncos but I havent tried the AFV Club ones so can't comment on those.
For something a bit different you could build the AFV Club Mk I (AF35178) with the bronco early valentine track set (AB3549)...there are quite a few photos of Polish tanks training in the UK with that combination.
As others have said the early bronco models have problems with the suspension spacing but their later kits Mk IX and Mk XI have revised suspensions and also come with link by link tracks. The rubber band tracks in the AFV Club kits are not very good and are best replaced.
Cantstopbuyingkits
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European Union
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 01, 2015 - 06:40 PM UTC
I'm going for the AFV club version when I get the time to go to my LHS to buy it.
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