Don't know if Takom has done it for the T-55, but the T-54B I just received this week has completely re-tooled road wheels.

Quoted Text

---

---

Hi Jennings,

This seems to be the same to me...

Regards,

Adam

Not sure what you mean? The road wheels and rubber are completely different from the original release.

Quoted Text

---

Not sure what you mean? The road wheels and rubber are completely different from the original release.

---

Err... No.
I have both kits, the rubber rims (Sprue B) and Sprue V ("Starfish wheels") are included in both. Sprue D is new, because it's a different variant/earlier model ("Full Spider wheels", at least that are the designations for the T-34. check here: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/t3485bg_2.html)

This fixes none of the problems mentioned before, as it still uses the same rubber rims. You still have to fill the gap and the steel rim is as unpronounced as it was before.

You sure? The photos I saw of the original rubber rims had a distinct section of steel rim visible that I don't see on the ones in my T-54B kit.

Let the plastic dry, don´t glue part numbers A10 and A11 on it. You´ll need to sand down the complete seam lines using a 3mm bolt and nut, fixed into a power drill. The result compared to Tamiya´s T-55 wheel.

Hi Nenad,

I appreciate your comments and they should help everyone with building the kit.

However, I would definitely not consider these "big issues". The tracks are annoying for sure, and modellers should not be forced to buy something additional over and above the kit in order to build a correct model, but the correct tracks are readily available from numerous aftermarket producers, in virtually all price ranges and materials (plastic, resin, white metal) so this is an easy problem to solve. Would you complain if they included the correct tracks, but in one piece flexible vinyl/plastic?

As for the other issues noted, moving a stowage box and grab handles should be well within the capabilities of every modeller. And modifying or rebuilding the lift hooks is pretty simple as well. Definitely should not be considered big issues.

I've been building kits for 25 years and if these are the types of things we've found to complain about, then I'll take it compared to what we had even 10 years ago. If you or anyone else can point me in the direction of the perfect model, please tell me because I'd like to get one.

And as for incorrect decals and engine, well, every manufacturer out there has included wrong decals or decals for versions that couldn't be built from the kit, so again, not a major issue from my perspective.

I'm not making excuses for Takom, but are we modellers, or simply assemblers? Model companies have to find the balance between accuracy, cost, schedule and everything else, just like any business. And I can guarantee you that for every model manufacturer, 90% is good enough, because to reach 100% would require too much time and money, in which case we would complain about the cost and the delays, instead of the minor problems of the kit that was produced.

Just my 2 cents....

Jon

As one who has been building for over 50 years I am always a bit amused by those who complain about todays kits. While it may be true that you don't always get what you expect, my feeling is that one should be happy/grateful for the quality and quantity of releases offered by the many manufactures today. This is not to say that all kits are great or that there are no dogs out there but, I am personally thrilled by the choices that I now have. Choices that I could not imagine even 20 years ago let alone when I first started building in the 60's. As far as I am concerned there are simply too many kits out there waiting to be built without me obsessing over every detail that a manufacturer has gotten wrong or omitted. I don't fault those who do agonize/obsess over errors/omissions, it's just that I don't get all worked up over them. Nothing in life is perfect, why should we expect hour chosen hobby to be any different?