The M47 Patton MBT is the second kit slated for June release, part of the continuing collaboration between Tamiya and Italeri.

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Thanks!

I'll tune in for builds, as my M47 building binge is quite saturated and satisfied. As I see this as a re-boxing of the Testors/Italeri kit of past, it will still prove to be an excellent build with modern aftermarket tweeks.

Can see quite a number of updates in the picture. Wonder how long before it shows up in an Italeri box?

Though I'm still waiting for the updated Crusader in an Italeri box.

In a bit of irony the best parts in the kit may be the original Italeri ones. And while I'm glad Tamiya has included their softer, gluable track, those mold lines are enough to bark at.

Unfortunately the brush guards remain as clunky as ever and need to be replaced or thinned out. And the mantlet cover is just insulting. It's probably better to make your own out of tissue, and use the clips from any M4 Sherman PE set. I'm not even that talented, and mine came out far better.

Yes, it's quite amazing how someone took the time to tool a mantle cover but choose to do so using 1966 detail standars.

/E

Why not just do a brand new kit instead of re-issuing this ancient Italeri crap at a higher price. For this I rather get the AFV Club one.

The hobby-wide love for EVERYTHING Tamiya does continues to perplex me.

Jose,

I think describing the (original) M47 as "crap" is a little harsh; this was an outstanding kit for its day and a pretty good one now.

I don't think Tamiya have covered themselves in any glory with the additions they've made, although a more pliable plastic for the tracks would be welcome. I agree with Robert that the mantlet cover is unimpressive. Random unsecured ammo and stowage boxes don't add much value either.

I was unaware of an AFV Club version but know that Takom have produced one, which also came in for some criticism I recall.

Of course, I might just be defensive as I've a couple of Italeri kits in my stash, but I'm still looking forward to building them one day(!)

Brian

The Takom versions had their issues, but I'm not so concerned as I sill have a few Italeri offerings I may get to before I die. Purchase the more pliable track from Tamiya and you may have something. And it IS still a very nice kit.

What bothers me about both Takom kits is that they have have the same turrets as the Italeri one. I'd like to see one with the differently shaped cheek armor. (more like the lower side potions of the turret) It seems that these all had a different stowage bar arrangement as well, having four handles on each side. While you can add putty and reshape, it'd be nice not to have to do it.

The crewman, .50cal MG, fuel cans, and glue-able tracks are an improvement on the venerable (but still very good) Italeri kit, but they needed to replace the turret-side rails with the pairs of individual grabs seen on every in-service photo of German M47s, and the less said about that terrible canvas mantlet the better! Sadly the tracks look to have been injected in the old Italeri tooling, and have a big seam across all the end connecters. I'll stick with the Italeri boxing as I know I'll be replacing the track and adding tissue/glue canvas anyway.

Robert,

I was unaware of the cheek armour differences; I agree that it would have been nice to at least have the option of the separate grab handles. Very nice Suez M47 by the way, and I love the "before I die" bit - I too must ensure I continue to cheat death in order to reduce the stash(!)

Tom,

Just for the record I note from the Tankograd book "The Tanks M41 and M47 in German Army service, that there is one image (page 61) of a tank with the long pattern grab handles (also fitted with smoke dischargers) as per the Tamiya kit.

Brian

An extensive update set for Italeri M47 is available from DEF Model.

http://www.defmodel.com/

Hi Brian,

Well spotted! But it was apparently a late change, not commonly seen - I do wonder if this was actually a late-purchase tank from old US stock added to the existing German roster, since it looks like many served with the earlier rails up to the end.

Hope to see you on the show circuit, if we ever get let out to play again!

First of all, click on photo to enlarge. This is my Portuguese M47 (Testors), almost ready for painting (yea, that one in 3 different shade camo). Been sitting around over 3 years waiting for me to get back in the game to get completed. Over the few years of these M47 kits (to include Takom's), I discovered a few cute little things can be done to the M47, no matter who makes it. Household items such as .032 and .020 aircraft safety wire and .010 picture wire, can account for all the grab handles and lift rings (in steel or brass) needs. Other brass items is used for the tow hooks, the hull .30 cal and surrounding support for the jerry cans. Also notice D.E. F. Model's mantlet cover with PE. Nice stuff. Foundry markings from Archer, along with foundry numbers/letters from various sprue sources. General M47 PE set comes into play for the vision block guards while the two antenna are striped down guitar strings. Note metal springs on hatch and not too far down the photo is Shapeways 3D .50 cal gun mount. Also note the addition of a oval shaped trunnion/gun complex weld mark, towards the bottom and aft of the mantlet cover. The mounted sledge hammer is Cal Scale Brass (yea, I'm aging myself). Mr. Surfacer (in gray) finishes of the missing cast texture. There is lots of things that can be done to the M47 nowadays, thanx to the aftermarket world and typical household items.

The Takom kits? Don't get me started. Finicky fit issues abound...too numerous to mention here. The turrets might look the same, but are different sizes, to start. I have however, fitted a Italeri turret to Takom's hull to produced a M47E1/E2. In their (Takom) defense, its good to have competition concerning just the M47. Now if the aftermarket folks would pick up the pace to support these releases. It's been almost 2 years since Takom releases and the aftermarket is still anemic...not only to Takom but still, after many years, the Italeri kit.

My 2 cents!

That is indeed some nice work there, proving once again this kit is far from being a dog.
I'm starting a new thread later today, probably entitled "M47 Turret differences" so that this thread doesn't get lost over time.
I'll post some photos there. By the way, one last comment on the link and length track - you can't readily reposition the bogies (a la Shep Paine) and make the track fit to it.

Thanx! And yea, I understand about the tracks. Its a crap shoot hoping you position everything correctly if you want to mount aftermarket metal tracks. My Jordanian M47 will receive Friul chevron shoes, while my Spanish M47E2 (Takom chassis/Testors turret) will receive Friul's rubber pads. The other two M47's (Portuguese and Somalia) will get the kit track, from left-over builds last century. My Somalia build has the rain gutters installed on the turret.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the felicitations; I must admit whilst it's nice to have time to build - including from the half-built box of doom - it would be nice to be able to attend a show or 2. Well, if nothing else it means that next year's display tables will consist of nothing but the new.

Brian

My only concerns center around how much Italeri heritage remains and what -beyond stronger joints!- was upgraded. Looking forward to an eventual build review of this tank and the important development role it played in Western armour.