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Best Kettenkrad kit?
HermannB
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 04:33 AM UTC
After having a very close encounter with a herd of Kettenkräder today, I wonder which 1/35 scale is the best? And what do thing of the ancient ESCI 1/9 scale Kettenkrad? Is there a lot of work involved in making it a decent model?
18Bravo
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 05:16 AM UTC
I don't know which is the best kit, having only built the ancient ESCI one. I can tell that the ESCI kit was a pretty damned good kit for its age, and probably holds up well today. I never met a motorcycle related subject I didn't like and this is no exception. The detail is good, workable features. You'll have to add bolt heads where needed, and as with most motorcycle kits, cable and hose attachment points can all use refinement. There's an old Fine Scale Modeler from 1984 on doing bikes I still use for reference. Wrap hose ends with armature wire. Cable adjustment points need detail using hex rod. Finally, use the Prime Portal walkaround to get everything the kit missed, unless you have one parked outside. If you just had a close encounter with several, I think I'd make them my new drinking buddies.
HermannB
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 05:29 AM UTC
I did some 200 pics of these cuties plus some videos of drivin them cross-country. Maybe I try my luck with the ESCI one. 
raivo74
Joined: November 09, 2009
KitMaker: 132 posts
Armorama: 109 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 07:21 AM UTC
Dragon has issued several versions and they seem quite nice. You can check a review by Terry Ashley at his PMMS site.
Chillidragon
Joined: September 20, 2012
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 70 posts
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 70 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 07:33 AM UTC
A herd? Well done, you - I've not seen even one in the flesh! Pity no-one makes a good one in 1/76...
jargonking
Joined: May 08, 2006
KitMaker: 269 posts
Armorama: 247 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 07:50 AM UTC
Dragon issued a 1/6th kit based on their pre-built designed to accompany their GI Joe style figures....detail is well done in places however it only features the gearbox and no engine meaning there is a gaping void under the hood. Also it employs stickers rather than decals.
The 1/9th Esci kit has been re-issued by both Dragon, featuring a rider figure, and more recently Revell Germany.
The 1/9th Esci kit has been re-issued by both Dragon, featuring a rider figure, and more recently Revell Germany.
petbat
Joined: August 06, 2005
KitMaker: 3,353 posts
Armorama: 3,121 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 08:37 AM UTC
Dragon 1/35th scale has issues. Most notably the front wheel sits way too low and as a result, the whole kit sits on the rear end of the tracks and the front wheel, the middle being airborne. It can be fixed if you have a little skill. Also there is no rear panel on the part that holds the rear light/regn plate.
Namabiiru
Associate Editor
#399
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 09:58 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Dragon 1/35th scale has issues. Most notably the front wheel sits way too low and as a result, the whole kit sits on the rear end of the tracks and the front wheel, the middle being airborne. It can be fixed if you have a little skill. Also there is no rear panel on the part that holds the rear light/regn plate.
Interesting to hear you say that. On the DML Kettenkrad I built, the front wheel sat way too high once the tracks were installed. It was like the kit designers forgot to include the tracks when they were laying everything out. I had to do some major surgery on the front fork to fix it, although that's not all bad since the front fork looked nothing like the real thing. I had a 1/1 Kettenkrad in the museum in which I was working so had lots of chance to study the details.
brekinapez
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 11:37 AM UTC
The best I've built has been the 1/32 kit by Zoukei-Mura which fit so well I actually got away without gluing some parts because they fit just perfectly.
obg153
Joined: April 07, 2009
KitMaker: 1,063 posts
Armorama: 1,049 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 02:50 PM UTC
Would you know where that Zoukei-Mura kit is available?? I've been waiting for a l-o-n-g time for Dragon to release a command version, but alas,,,,, hope has all but expired.
brekinapez
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 25, 2018 - 03:40 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Would you know where that Zoukei-Mura kit is available?? I've been waiting for a l-o-n-g time for Dragon to release a command version, but alas,,,,, hope has all but expired.
Z-M's American distributor is out of them, but there are several on ebay. Z-M does still sell the resin figures and trailers that go with it but have not re-released the kit itself, so you have to get it from whatever online seller still has stock.
The kit is Super Weapon Series #1 Sd.Kfz 2 Kettenkrad.
oldbean
Joined: July 05, 2004
KitMaker: 769 posts
Armorama: 461 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 26, 2018 - 12:15 AM UTC
The ESCI kit need LOTS of work to make it accurate if you are a rivet counter. The wheel base is off, the engine is rudimentary and the gear box needs lots of work too. It's only accurate in the fact that it's square! The Notek light is on oversized blob and needs replacing. If you are just looking for a basic kit, it will do. There are lots of web sites on the Kettenkrad if you want to correct it and detail it. This link is about as deep as you can get to do it right!
http://public.fotki.com/Liejon/scale-modelling/armour/kettenkradrad-19-revell/
Jesse
http://public.fotki.com/Liejon/scale-modelling/armour/kettenkradrad-19-revell/
Jesse
HermannB
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 26, 2018 - 02:11 AM UTC
That quite a bunch of moidifications. O.K. given the age of the kit, it will stand well. Still wondering which kit to choose? 
Kaktusas
Joined: April 12, 2017
KitMaker: 196 posts
Armorama: 196 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 26, 2018 - 07:11 PM UTC
In my opinion DML kit is bit outdated for today's standards. Build one recently, its nice looking kit. Details are soft, there's lots of flash to take care of, no muffler, accessories like Pupchen or IF8 cart (depending on which kit you buy) that are not supposed to be towed. It can be greatly improved with help of PE, aftermarket tracks (stock are the DS tracks). In the end, you will end up spending same amount of money you can Takom panther or similar detailed kit, which will be joy to build. Or several small kits.
srmalloy
Joined: April 15, 2012
KitMaker: 336 posts
Armorama: 298 posts
Posted: Monday, August 27, 2018 - 07:27 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextWould you know where that Zoukei-Mura kit is available?? I've been waiting for a l-o-n-g time for Dragon to release a command version, but alas,,,,, hope has all but expired.
Z-M's American distributor is out of them, but there are several on ebay. Z-M does still sell the resin figures and trailers that go with it but have not re-released the kit itself, so you have to get it from whatever online seller still has stock.
The kit is Super Weapon Series #1 Sd.Kfz 2 Kettenkrad.
Zoukei-Mura has eleven "friend shops" in the US; you can find the list of them here. Doing some searches, Sprue Brothers lists them in stock; it's listed for about $2 more than it is on Volks USA's website (the primary distributor for Zoukei-Mura's kits).
HermannB
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 - 03:43 AM UTC
Bought me the Zoukei-Mura kit. It looks like an easy build.
Thanks all for your opinions.
Thanks all for your opinions.
obg153
Joined: April 07, 2009
KitMaker: 1,063 posts
Armorama: 1,049 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 - 01:13 PM UTC
Thanks to Shell and Sean for the info. Found the ZM kit at Sprue Bros. and ordered one. One thing seemed a bit odd though. The kit description had a parts count of only 51. The Dragon ones I have are easily twice that.
Namabiiru
Associate Editor#399
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 - 11:16 PM UTC
Indy link tracks vs vinyl tracks?
HermannB
Joined: October 14, 2008
KitMaker: 4,099 posts
Armorama: 4,067 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2018 - 07:37 AM UTC
Tracks are molded around inner roadwheels. Outer road wheels are seperate.
Namabiiru
Associate Editor#399
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2018 - 09:22 AM UTC
That's probably the difference in part counts. I think the DML had indy links.
raivo74
Joined: November 09, 2009
KitMaker: 132 posts
Armorama: 109 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2018 - 09:27 AM UTC
Older release had indie links indeed. I have 6128 with cables and it has individual track links
Kaktusas
Joined: April 12, 2017
KitMaker: 196 posts
Armorama: 196 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2018 - 06:57 PM UTC
Yes, indeed older release had indy tracks. Unfortunately, they replaced them at some point, so unless you can crack open box and look inside, all later production kits have DS tracks now. Pretty much same as with their panzer 3/4 series. You can also buy decent looking 3d printed tracks, but that will only add to already too expensive kit.
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