I've read the posts and reviews (including articles) on the U.S. 1/35 modern kits and realize that many have accuracy, fit, or detail errors. So what is the best kit for a U.S. depicited after 1991 Desert Storm? (No Humvees or figuure suggestions please; I've enough of those. I'm looking for an all-plastic kit too).

According to the reviews, I realize that there is no "perfect" kit, but I'd be willing to entertain suggestions that come close to one. Any company and U.S. vehicle would do as long as it's 1/35 and in plastic.

(I already have the Leopard 2A5, Type 90, and Wiesel 20mm, voted best 1/35 kits).

Thanks much.

I'm sure others will have differing opinions but I'm going to say the Tamiya M1A2 kit. Yes it is still based on the original hull which has been tweaked a little, but the turret is all new and is very nice. If you are really striving for accuracy the hull will need some work but it still goes together the easiest and best and is the best starting point to build an accurate kit IMHO. And for a bonus you have the extra parts for the M1A1 including the USMC version, plus a sprue with some crew equipment to begin filling the bustle rack with.

Cheers,
Mike

What are you looking for?
Try Pawel's site
or maybe the site of PMMS

HTH

What about the recent OIF M1A1 H1 by dragon. One of the guys at the modelling club had this tonight at the meeting, I was very impressed with the detail etc. You get carboard k-ration boxes, heaps of infantry packs for stowage, PE, all that jazz, and some real nice texture on the turret etc. Problem - Link/ length tracks have some sink holes on the inside surface... im sure it wouldnt matter too much.....

a very good kit with only little rework neccessary is the M88 ... not really acombat tank but a ver decent kit -Andreas-

Any comments on the following 1/35 kits?

* DML MLRS
* Tamiya ODS M113A2(A3?) (I've read Pavel's article)
* Tamiya ODS M2A2 (I've read Pavel's article)
* Italeri M109A6 Paladin

I'm basically looking for a "shake the box and everything falls together" kit, but as close as possible to accuracy. I've been modeling resin for a while and need an easy break

Thanks.

Then if that's what you're looking for - a break from the resin-drain - then I suggest Trumpeter's BJ212 Jeep. This is a wonderfully detailed, accurate, and best-of-all inexpensive modern subject. It assembles and finishes without problems - hard to muck up!

http://www.best1hobby.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=168&Product_Code=TP02302

HTH ~ Gunnie

(Sorry - realized you're looking for a US subject - of which the BJ212 is not...)

Having built 3 of the 4 you asked about, and working on the last:

DML MLRS...I am working on it. It has LOTS of parts...it will turn out nice, but seems to be 3 times the kit.

Tamiya M113A2 OIF...I was rather dissaointed when i built this kit. I thought Tamiya could have done better for the price. Nt a kit I plan to buy again.

Tamiya M2A2 ODS...nice bradley kit, shake-the-box kit, MOST accuracy issues addressed. Just make sure you leave off the "wading skirt" poles.

Italeri M109A6...decent built, looks good done, takes a bit more work than a Tamiya kit. TRACKS ARE A PAIN to work with. I would buy AFV Club's M109 tracks to go with this kit.

My recomendation for a nice, quick, painless build would be the Tamiya M1 series, either the M1A1 with mineplow or the M1A2. If not having the anti-slip coating does not bother you, then they are GREAT kits.

A bit more involved, but a favorite of mine is the AFV club M88 series. I really enjoyed building that kit. Of course I commanded one for a while, so I may be biased...

I'd nominate the Academy M113A2/M981 kits. I've built the M981 and plan on getting the 113A2 kit at some point soon. The 981 was really easy to build clean and had a lot of good deatils for a OOB kit build. The tracks were ok, if I do another of this kit I'd by AFV or similair after market tracks.


The beauty of these kits, IMHO, is tons of extra stuff on the sprues. Including figures which I know I've seen used in a variety of Dios and on different US Moderns kits all over the place.

Sorry, totally 100% ..however, this for ME is the definitive kit of modern U.S. vehicles:



This is Accurate Armour's Oshkosh Het. No it's not mine, if only..... Jim

Yeah baby, yeah, yeah, yeah!!!!
Is she a beauty or what?!

I'll buy one, once I've won de lottery....

Thanks for the suggestions. I truthfully haven't been keeping abreast of the reviews and problems on the recent U.S. kits.

I indeed was thinking about the M113 (never had one) and the M2A2 (again, ironically never had one. I have way more foreign AFV kits (because they're 5-Star review winners) than U.S. AFV kits). The Tamiya M113 seems like a simple build, but I agree that for a few dollars more, I can buy the M2A2 or M88.

I never did any engineering or logistics AFVs/ trucks, but I'm game to those suggestions too.

As for the Tamiya M1A2, does the turret basket go on like a charm?

I see the recommendation for aftermarket tracks, and I'm game to that as well. I don't have a PE folder so I can't say I'll buy any PE for these kits.

The Tamiya Challenger II is on my radar---again, a non-U.S. AFV :-).

I've built a bunch of the modern stuff and I'll vote for the Tamiya Bradley ODS. That's my Bradley from the Tamiyacon on the Armorama Home page. The kit is great becasue you get just about all you'd need to do a great job OOTB. I added a lot of extra stuff but the bulk of the kit is just the Tamiya parts (including the vinyl tracks). I added the old Eduard PE (the new one wasn't out yet) and the interior from the original Tamiya Bradley kit (which I had to modify) and a lot of stowage (most of it from the Tamiya kit). If you don't need to do the interior, you'll get a great looking model from this kit as is.

Wexman

Wexman,

That is an AWESOME M2A2! I clicked on the Tamiyacon, expecting to see more of your M2A2 photos...sadly, none .

I think I'm sold with the Tamiya ODS M2A2.

My top two, in order, would be the new Tamiya M2A2 ODS and the Tamiya M1A2. Both go toogether like a charm and have excellent detail. I gace the nudge to the M2A2 only because of the amount of detail on latches, bolts, etc...you can even make out the hex heads on the nuts. The addition of stowage right in the box (came with both of these kits) is also a nice touch.

Of course, if you look in the direction of field artillery, the AFV Club M102A1 105mm howitzer kit is a real gem.

Randy

There are three addition photos on the webpage. You need to go to the section titled '199 Photos from the Tamiyacon'. Page forward about two page and you'll see the shots. I was very impressed with the quality of the photos. I actually have four of my models with photos in this section and the photographer did a great job on every one!

I see your photos now. Thanks

Another thing concerning the M109 Paladin from italeri : if you plan to airbrush it in 3 Nato tone you will get into trouble . why? Becuase the instructions on how to paint the camoulfage on the top is missing !!! The instructions only contain the camoulfage pattern from the left . right . back and front side but none from the top !

UPDATE:

I bought the Tamiya M2A2 ODS a couple of weekends ago and had the Tamiya M1A2 in my hands as well. Fortunately :-)--, my local hobby shop sells both below online price!

I ended up shelving the TAM M1A2, remembering Vodnik's article of the to-be-released DML M1A1 AIM. I figured I'd give DML a fair chance before committing to the TAM M1A2.

The money I saved by not buying the TAM M1A2 will probably go to the TAM Challenger 2 or JGSDF 4X4 armored car, pending reviews. Again, not modern U.S., but I don't care.

As for the Paladin, I'll buy one day since the Crusader is cancelled. I already have the PZH 2000, often seen as the best-performance SPH in the world.

As this thread shows, the crown for "best modern U.S. AFV model" is still up for grabs!