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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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M48 AVLB
iowabrit
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Iowa, United States
Joined: November 06, 2007
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Posted: Saturday, August 11, 2018 - 03:33 AM UTC
Has anyone got the new Dragon 1/35 kit yet? I see Hobby Easy have it in stock.
The base M48 kit is pretty good (except for the bloody awful DS tracks), I wonder how well they did the bridge component?
Kenaicop
#384
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Nevada, United States
Joined: August 23, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, August 11, 2018 - 06:22 AM UTC
Oh crap, it’s out, how do I get this past the wife?!


Update, here are some spruce pics...

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10509363
GulfWarrior
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ARMORAMA
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Texas, United States
Joined: January 05, 2010
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Posted: Saturday, August 11, 2018 - 09:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Oh crap, it’s out, how do I get this past the wife?!


Update, here are some spruce pics...

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10509363



I know, right?! I will be adding one of these to my stash!

Bigred69
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Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: December 27, 2015
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Posted: Sunday, August 12, 2018 - 06:38 AM UTC
So far so good, It's not a Black Label kit. I'll wait, before I pick it up. Maybe we can get lucky and Dragon will have it on one of there sales! I know, wishful thinking.
AKirchhoff
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Germany
Joined: September 12, 2008
KitMaker: 307 posts
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Posted: Sunday, August 12, 2018 - 07:00 AM UTC
Hi!
I don´t want to destroy dreams, but...
the bridge has an awful lot of cross girders. You can see them all here in a picture of the Hobby Fan kit.

http://i38.servimg.com/u/f38/16/55/15/83/_2m48a10.jpg

Part 30 to 44. and these are needed 4 times for the 4 ramps.

On the sprue design, I can only see the 4 end girders.

So, let´s see...is there a sprue missing in the picture, or is that Dragon at work...???

Andreas
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Sunday, August 12, 2018 - 07:05 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi!
I don´t want to destroy dreams, but...
the bridge has an awful lot of cross girders. You can see them all here in a picture of the Hobby Fan kit.

http://i38.servimg.com/u/f38/16/55/15/83/_2m48a10.jpg

Part 30 to 44. and these are needed 4 times for the 4 ramps.

On the sprue design, I can only see the 4 end girders.

So, let´s see...is there a sprue missing in the picture, or is that Dragon at work...???

Andreas


Look at the upper, right rendering. It shows the internal girders. I doubt these would be left out, being displayed as they are.
AKirchhoff
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Germany
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Posted: Sunday, August 12, 2018 - 08:43 AM UTC
[/quote]

Look at the upper, right rendering. It shows the internal girders. I doubt these would be left out, being displayed as they are.[/quote]

Hi!

Well, I think these are only the end girders. I found another link where it seems to be a built model kit:

https://www.how-amps.org/dragon-kit-3606-135-m48-avlb/

Looks to me like they simplified the inner girders bei square plain sheet.

Let´s wait and see how the bridge turns out when someone here has the first kit on hand...

Andreas
AKirchhoff
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Germany
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 12:33 AM UTC
Hi!
Here are shots of the M48 AVLB sprues, parts and assembly instructions...

http://www.moxing.net/2018/0828/9306.html

My opinion: a typical Dragon kit, a further step in tradition of the last years.

Andreas
GulfWarrior
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ARMORAMA
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Texas, United States
Joined: January 05, 2010
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 02:24 AM UTC
Any word on when it's being released? I so want one of these!!
AKirchhoff
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Germany
Joined: September 12, 2008
KitMaker: 307 posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 03:46 AM UTC
Hi!

Not idea of the release date.

From my point, this kit is extremely simplified. Most of that will not be obvious when the bridge is in travelling position and folded, however it will be obvious when the bridge unfolds.

Only look at the bridge inner side (or did the US recently replace nearly all cross girders by solid steel plates within this bridge? If so, I must apologise for not having noted that) The launching arm also looks very simplified. The assembly instructions show all this clearly.

I am not in any way an opponent of Dragon, but what I see here, had been done better by Revell more than 50 years ago in scale 1/40. That ancient brigde had all the detail inside, even if it lacked the bridge middle section.

Andreas



barkingdigger
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#013
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 20, 2008
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 05:36 AM UTC
Looks like they made a new tool for the upper hull, but we STILL need to cut bits off! Odd...

I'd prefer the A2 version, but they only include the A3 engine deck when they do have the sprues for the A1 and A2 decks already made. If I do one I'll need to cross-kit.

The underside of the bridge decks is indeed simplified - looks like room for AM or scratching here. Pity the only UK RRP I've seen is a whopping £99! I'd say it's a £40-£50 kit at best...
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: May 10, 2002
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 07:05 AM UTC
The one thing which caught my eye,
Markings: "Unidentified unit, 1960's."
Box art has a Humvee.
has late style aircleaners,
T-142 track.
MikeMummey
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New Mexico, United States
Joined: February 09, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 07:42 AM UTC
Link to Parts Manual for the 60 and 70 Ton Bridges:

http://m60.azurewebsites.net/Content/manual/TM-5-5420-203-24P.pdf

From here:

http://m60.azurewebsites.net/M60-Main-Battle-Tank-Overhaul-Maintenance-Solutions/

48 and 60 Bridges:

http://m60.azurewebsites.net/Content/manual/TM-5-5420-203-24P.pdf

Transportation Guidance for 60 series tanks:

http://m60.azurewebsites.net/Content/manual/TM-55-2350-215-10-15.pdf

Outta here, Miguel sends . . .
JohnTapsell
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United Kingdom
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 09:38 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Looks like they made a new tool for the upper hull, but we STILL need to cut bits off! Odd...

I'd prefer the A2 version, but they only include the A3 engine deck when they do have the sprues for the A1 and A2 decks already made. If I do one I'll need to cross-kit.

The underside of the bridge decks is indeed simplified - looks like room for AM or scratching here. Pity the only UK RRP I've seen is a whopping £99! I'd say it's a £40-£50 kit at best...


If you want to build the A2 AVLB then you'll need to replace the entire bridge launching system with the original configuration. This kit represents an A5 version which were retrofitted with the launching system used on the M60 as part of the upgrade.

Regards,
John
tanknick22
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United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 09:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Has anyone got the new Dragon 1/35 kit yet? I see Hobby Easy have it in stock.
The base M48 kit is pretty good (except for the bloody awful DS tracks), I wonder how well they did the bridge component?


And whats wrong with the DS tracks?

tanknick22
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 09:57 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looks like they made a new tool for the upper hull, but we STILL need to cut bits off! Odd...

I'd prefer the A2 version, but they only include the A3 engine deck when they do have the sprues for the A1 and A2 decks already made. If I do one I'll need to cross-kit.

The underside of the bridge decks is indeed simplified - looks like room for AM or scratching here. Pity the only UK RRP I've seen is a whopping £99! I'd say it's a £40-£50 kit at best...


If you want to build the A2 AVLB then you'll need to replace the entire bridge launching system with the original configuration. This kit represents an A5 version which were retrofitted with the launching system used on the M60 as part of the upgrade.

Regards,
John


I need to build 2 of them one for a commission build and one for my self but i will be moving all the bridging related stuff over to a M60 hull
barkingdigger
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#013
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 20, 2008
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 10:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looks like they made a new tool for the upper hull, but we STILL need to cut bits off! Odd...

I'd prefer the A2 version, but they only include the A3 engine deck when they do have the sprues for the A1 and A2 decks already made. If I do one I'll need to cross-kit.

The underside of the bridge decks is indeed simplified - looks like room for AM or scratching here. Pity the only UK RRP I've seen is a whopping £99! I'd say it's a £40-£50 kit at best...


If you want to build the A2 AVLB then you'll need to replace the entire bridge launching system with the original configuration. This kit represents an A5 version which were retrofitted with the launching system used on the M60 as part of the upgrade.

Regards,
John


Well that sucks! I want one as used by the Germans, so if this turkey isn't even the right version it looks like I'd have to scratch the whole thing.
Bravo1102
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 08:17 PM UTC
Unknown unit? And a glance at the decal sheet shows 1^23E bumper codes plain as day.

Great markings research from Dragon. If it isn't WW2 German we just don't care.

And as a A5 version as retrofitted from the M60 does that mean an M60 mounted one is coming?
Quartercav
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Hessen, Germany
Joined: February 06, 2014
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Posted: Sunday, September 02, 2018 - 10:26 PM UTC
I have this kit on my work bench. After a quick look at the bridge, I have to say Andreas Kirchhoff is right with his statements. To build a bridge for the use of 60/70to, several cross girders are missing! The inner girders are poor sheets of plastic! Later this month I will compare this kit with my hobby fan avlb and I hope I have some spare part.

Best regards Andreas
m75
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Joined: July 20, 2002
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Posted: Monday, September 03, 2018 - 04:01 AM UTC
This is beginning to sound like Perfect Scale Modellbau and/or Shapeways might want to get involved in helping Dragon deliver a semi-accurate AVLB. Sometimes ya gotta wonder just what the delivered kit is actually based upon?
KurtLaughlin
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Posted: Monday, September 03, 2018 - 04:10 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Sometimes ya gotta wonder just what the delivered kit is actually based upon?


A real AVLB. They just simplified and omitted things that were not obvious at a casual glance.

Besides, accuracy is not important these days, the painting and weathering is all that matters. Where have you been?

KL
Bravo1102
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
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Posted: Monday, September 03, 2018 - 04:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Sometimes ya gotta wonder just what the delivered kit is actually based upon?


A real AVLB. They just simplified and omitted things that were not obvious at a casual glance.

Besides, accuracy is not important these days, the painting and weathering is all that matters. Where have you been?

KL

German WW2 armor fans are obsessed with accuracy going down to the month of production and other tiny details of German vehicles. Super crisp details and every single thing has to be there.

But post war? Allied? Carved out of butter and simplistic with cut corners everywhere. Solid plates when they could have just provided another half dozen of a part already in the kit?

Hatches molded shut?

A NATO camouflaged vehicle with obvious bumper codes is unidentified unit 1960s?

Laughable.
AKirchhoff
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Germany
Joined: September 12, 2008
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Posted: Monday, September 03, 2018 - 05:35 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Later this month I will compare this kit with my hobby fan avlb and I hope I have some spare part.


Hi!
I built the Hobby Fan AVLB when it came out and found out that the detail is great (they included all the girders) however the bridge dimensions are way off. Have you built yours, Andreas? It was even not possible to get the launcher arm connected to the bridge because of the gab in the middle being too narrow. Also the bridge is too big. Also, on the launching mechanism I had to do several modifications to get it look like on real pictures. So, I really hope Dragon did not orientate bridge dimensions on this kit. It looks really nice as long as you do not check dimensions. And we are not talking millimeters-we are talking centimeters! Lets get PSM into doing an improvement kit as they did with the Lance! Bridge inner girders and launching arm at least.

Andreas
Quartercav
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Hessen, Germany
Joined: February 06, 2014
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Posted: Monday, September 03, 2018 - 08:55 AM UTC
Hi.

@ Andreas
Yes, I built my Hobby Fan AVLB. I made the same experience as you with your Hobby Fan kit. I'm not really satisfied with the new Dragon AVLB. May I think I will find some more issues. So I will wait until there are some aftermarket sets.
namengr
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Illinois, United States
Joined: September 01, 2014
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Posted: Monday, September 03, 2018 - 10:48 AM UTC
Hello all, as I am not very familiar with this vehicle, would I be able to use the old Tamiya M60A1 kit to convert it to a VN vehicle? From what I've read most were the M60 versions. Thanks for any help. Wayne
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