I'd like to hear your feedback regarding both models. I am very interested in finding out what your thoughts are regarding fit/finish and overall satisfaction with the kit.

I've heard that the new M10 from academy is a great kit with lots of details, but I like the later version that AFV club is marketing.

Any and all comments are welcome.

John

I've got the AFV Club one because I won it in a club raffle for $1. It is nice with an aluminum barrel, springs in the recoil mechanism, resin hedgerow cutter (limited edition one), working roadwheel arm suspension and an armored turret roof.

I do hear that the Academy one is better, from those who have both. I would guess whichever one you get for a better price.

I have the AFV Club kit that Rob has, and I think it is pretty good. The fitting the turret sides together is a little fussy (because the turret sprue builds both the early and late versions), but overall the kit goes together nicely with good details. You will be happy with the kit if you get it. I can't speak for the Academy kit, because I haven't seen it.

I have the Academy Kit and all of the various AFV Club M-10's including the Achilles versions of both.

In the end I believe that the AFV Club kit comes out on top for overall dimensions and accuracy.

The Academy kit has very nice details and the interior is generally equal or better than the AFV Club kit. The one thing to watch out for is the seats in the Academy kit are not at all correct for an M-10. The seats would be correct for a Sherman but just not an M-10.

The turret and upper hull also have some issues in the Academy kit. The model even looks to "tall and skinny" to be an M-10.

The Academy kit does come with a TON of spares parts... so for around $30 you can get started on an M-10/Sherman spare parts box.

The AFV Club kit has some "issues" also including the storage for the rounds in the lower hull. There is a serious mis alignment between the marks on the firewall and the racks for the ammo. Some of the early releases of the AFV Club kit also had the escape hatch on the wrong side of the hull. I have noticed that the later releases have this issue corrected.

For my latest M-10 project, I have "Bashed" the two kits together. I am using the roadwheels and interior from the Academy kit and the rest of the model comes from the AFV Club kit.





Later,
Tim