Dragon continues releasing kits of the IDF, next in line is a M3 half track from the Six-Day War.

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Thanks!

Awesome announcement

Definitely looks interesting.

the old ww2 fame m3 half-tracks. old but effective.

Lol, I just bought the 3D printed conversion parts from Shapeways a few weeks ago!!

Sweet!

what about T-34/85 and Su-100 in egyptian and syrian armies?

HECK YEAAH baby

It's amazing it has only just occured to someone that this might be worth doing. Been hoping for this since they first announced the M3.Many modellers like myslf will be very happy.

Did DRAGON even bother to correct the screws that are way too prominent on the exterior panels of this, and their other M2 and M3-based kits..? I expect NOT...

I doubt it.

Didn't think so...

So, instead of correcting an otherwise excellent series of M2/M3/M16/etc kits, DRAGON, in all of their profound wisdom, have chosen to re-box an older kit with a few new parts, yet they've left all the old warts in place! All least they're consistently wrong...

An easy solution for the domed rivets on the DML halftracks is a jeweller's beading tool. I got a set (~$12)-- so I won't squawk about DML needing to correct this feature that 95% of modellers won't bother with.

Can't have your cake (when is an IDF or other new halftrack going to come out) and eat it too (it's not PERFECT? It's a damn shame and a waste of time. I'll pass.).

No matter what the flaws I still would like one - I just love IDF stuff !

Hi Roy,

I'm interested in your opinion on the jeweller's beading tool to make rivets. I need to make some 1.0mm rivets and was wondering whether this method, the beading tool, would be suitable for that.

Tia,

Kylie

My own personal point being that DRAGON will spend all kinds of money to perfect their WWII German stuff, but don't seem to give a hoot about correcting any of their WWII US/Allied kits.

There are other issues besides the screws with the DRAGON US Half-track kits, as well- Mainly in the Suspension area. Thank Goodness that K-59 has risen to the occasion, and have provided "Corrections"-sets for nuts such as myself in order to fix these details. I believe that VOYAGER makes several PE sets that contain various Outer Panels for these kits, in some of their hideously expensive, (what I call "Super" sets), more comprehensive PE sets.

Why do you suppose that US/Allied fans prefer the ASUKA/TASCA Shermans to DRAGON's..? Look at all the gaffes that DRAGON and BLACK PLAGUE have committed in the recent past with their US T28 Heavy Tank, their Shermans, their M103 kits, M6 Heavy Tanks, US 1/4-ton Truck, (commonly referred to as the "Jeep"), and more recently, with their M48-series, M60 and M60A2 kits, the aforementioned M2/M3-based US Half-tracks, blah, blah, blah- need I go on?

And how do you come up with that "95%" remark..? Have you actually gone out and done a survey?

PS- The "rivets" are Domed, Slotted-SCREWS on the real thing. There IS a difference in between the two...

If you don't like 'em don't buy 'em

Different companies offering the same kits means greater choice to suit your needs or budget (want an M60? Go AFV Club. A jeep? Go Tamiya or Bronco. An M48A3? Go DML . Just coz it ain't out yet doesn't mean it's NEVER going to be kitted,and many have piles of kits to work through so it ain't life or death folks)

If you do invest,do a bit of research and,dare I say it, a bit of actual modelling (Paul Budzik has done some fine work with DML Shermans,could do a lot worse than following his example,I believe he has a website....)

It's not that I don't like 'em- I just wish DRAGON would CORRECT 'EM, like they've done with their Tiger I-series kits. Over the years, I've done ENOUGH RESEARCH, (I have a separate room dedicated just to all of my HUNDREDS of books) and I DO SAY that I really have done a pretty fair share of ACTUAL MODELLING, ESPECIALLY with DRAGON SHERMANS. I've built 32 different US Shermans using the DRAGON kits, PLUS a half-dozen ASUKA/TASCA kits of same. I don't include my M32B1s and B2s in this, or my British and Commonwealth Shermans in this count, either. Don't even ask me how many 1/48 Aircraft that I've completed over nearly 59 years of building models. You want a REAL challenge? Try building a brass HO Steam Locomotive with ALL external details to "prototype", from... SCRATCH...

BTW, AFV CLUB markets the M60A1, -A2, and soon, the -A3. The -A1 and -A2 are beautiful kits, although BOTH of these need a few minor "corrections". DRAGON markets the M60, and it DOES have it's very own share of bugs & warts. Ditto their M48s, although their M48A3 IS better than their original M48A3 Model B...

Back to the original DRAGON IDF M3 Half-track; I probably won't buy one, BUT! I HAVE built DRAGON's US M2, M3, M3A1 and M16 with the Quad-.50 AA Mount, and I've spent a small fortune on correcting just those 4 kits. If I didn't think that these DRAGON US Half-track-series kits weren't worth the extra effort that I finally wound up putting into them, I would NEVER have bought these 4 kits in the first place!!!

If I ever added up (IM-possible!!!) what I've spent over the years on modifications, aftermarket Tracks, Wheels, Cockpits & Engines, (for my 1/48 Aircraft), "corrections kits", conversion kits, updates, backdates, in-between-dates, PE sets, resin parts, brass parts, decals, dry transfers, scratch-building materials, paints, modelling tools, 4 airbrushes, 2 compressors & 2 paint booths which I combined into one, tool cabinets, 4 work benches, etc, etc, etc, I think that I would probably limp myself over a cliff!!! I also build & paint 1/35-120mm Figures, 1/24 and 1/25 Classic Cars & Modifieds, and the occasional 1/350 Ship, plus my 1/144 REVELL USS Fletcher-Class DD...

I also have a sizeable selection of un-built kits that I'm going to need to sell, because I'll never live long enough to complete them all, nor do I have enough room to display them if I did!!!

blimey

No kit is perfect

Model how you see fit

Different strokes for different folks I guess

When I said research I was referring to reading up on the kit reviews before parting with your cash,then deciding how much work (scratching and AM purchases etc) you feel confident enough to put in

Just concentrate on what you HAVE got rather than what you haven't

Marketing loves telling you that something is missing if you haven't got the latest (whatever the latest shiny new thing is)

It's a hobby,you can cope

So, what is it that you find so terrible about the Dragon M48?

lol he hates Dragon but built 32 of their sherman kits , what a hypocrite.

Re: "Coping"- I have and I do! It ain't easy getting around on one leg either, but I do that, too...

Re: "Marketing"- I happen to AGREE wholeheartedly with what you said about marketing- In my opinion, "marketing" is the biggest con since the Devil first opened his big F*****G mouth!

Re: "Research"-

a) OK, I misunderstood what you were driving at, BUT! I've been reading reviews about models ever since modelling magazines and modelling sites have made their appearance on the 'net and,

b) I got into the habit of doing any and all reading-up on any new kits that I may be even remotely interested in buying, way before ARMORAMA, (a GREAT SITE, by the way), came on line. I used to visit PMMS as a daily activity before Terry Ashley had become ill- I still go over to that site, just to check if he's back, at least once a week. CYBERMODELLER, MODELING MADNESS, MISSING LYNX, and HYPERSCALE are sites that I also visit on a daily basis. I buy AMPERSAND's MMiR on a regular basis. I also buy a slew of other magazines besides, especially the ones that are imported from the UK, whenever I have the opportunity to do so. Actually, I think it's GREAT that we have so much media that is dedicated to our Hobby!

Re: "Concentrating on what I HAVE got, rather than what I haven't"-

a) Re-read, Re: "Research", above, and,

b) Well, if I concentrate only on what I HAVE got, then how am I EVER going to make an educated decision on buying or not buying what I HAVEN'T got, I ask you..? That means, it's absolutely necessary for me to divert my attention away from what I HAVE got, in order to actually READ threads like this one, plus all of the other wonderful REVIEWS and "Build"-articles on this, and other Hobby sites, plus all of those modelling magazines that I buy...

To quote Chico Marx, in DUCK SOUP", (1933):

"How am I gonna find out what I gotta find out if I can't find out what I gotta find out..?"

Re: "Model how I see fit"- I DO, my friend, I DO, and hope that you do same...

Re: "No kit is perfect"- Boy, don't I know it! I've said those VERY WORDS on this site, innumerable times. My main issue with CYBERHOBBY/DRAGON/BLACK PLAGUE concerns their decided lack of attention when it comes to 1/35 US/Allied kits, when they (DRAGON, et al) lavish all kinds of money and effort on their WWII German kits, especially their Tiger Is, yet they STILL keep their errors in place when the kits are other than WWII German. I'M GETTING TIRED of sounding like a phonograph whose needle is STUCK IN THE SAME GROOVE, all the time...

Friendly discourse over any given kit or other products is the life-blood of hobby sites such as this one. Getting one's opinions out and reading the opinions of others regarding the very varied subject matter is a GOOD thing, and helps us all in making decisions over our purchases, and the wealth of information on this site comes in very useful in our actual modelling projects. Speaking for myself, I've learned A LOT about new and/or different techniques, and I've also picked up a lot of information regarding subject matter that I'm not very well versed in, such as obscure versions of vehicles, for example.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this bantering between you and I, and I'm hoping that you are, too. Perhaps we could share some other gripes that we may have in common, as well..?

I'm tired and my stump hurts, so I'm going to bed.

"Merry Christmas to All, and to All, a Good Night!"

Those were built before the advent of the TASCA/ASUKA Sherman kits, so there!

Read my previous posts- didn't I say that I use "corrections", up-dates, back-dates and in-between-dates, plus all of the other "junk" that one needs to bring any given model up to snuff..?

I am NOT a hypocrite, I just love Shermans, among other things, that's all.

"When ya don't got anythin' better, ya use what ya got... Anythin' wrong with that?" (ungrammatical, but still true)

Read the DRAGON M48A3 Mod.B reviews and following commentary on this site, and you'll find out...