The talk about prime movers for arty pieces got me to digging out my Revell boxing of the Nitto M4-18t cargo tractor (labeled as 1/40, but is 1/35). Is there a review or build up somewhere that gives the ins & outs of bring this kit into a quasi-acceptable build? I looked through my references, but have virtually no info on this vehicle. I'm not even sure what armored vehicle the running gear is based off of.
TIA

Rob,
I think I have that kit also. It sure looked like 1/40 when I looked it over (it's still unbuilt). I was going by the size of the windows and such though.

Jim

Son of a gun Rob! I reset my "/news group" settings, and lost the link to the page of info you want for that M5 18t.!!!! Ahh S...! If you scroll through the newsgroup "rec models" look for one by me "kencelot" with the header "M4/5 High Speed Tractor". I believe you'll fing it there.
That'll teach me to mess w/ things!
Good Luck... I'll keep looking for it too.

I have the Revell reissue from the early 80's with the green border at the top and a photo of the completed kit on a pile of dirt. The box is labeled 1/40 but the kit is 1/35. Life-Like did do a 1/40 version of the kit that came with the Long Tom. The kit even has the Nitto labeling on the chassis and still has the motorization fixtures.

I did see the RMS thread that Kencelot referred to, but it applies to the M8 cargo tractor with a spade in the front and what appears to be Sherman HVSS running gear. That one was recently reissued by Modelcraft. The M4-18t is quite different and the running gear more closely resembles an M5 light tank, although it may be quite different. (Hasegawa does a 1/72 scale one).

The tracks are really just rubberbands, not even as good as one-piece vinyl tracks. Hopefully I'll run across some information on one of these, but if not, I'll just SWAG it and swipe some parts from various armor kits until I come up with a semi-real looking vehicle.

Ooops!

Rob,
Yes mine definately wasn't Revell. I thought it was an actual Nitto box, but it's been 14 years or so.

I am planning to dig out all my built and unbuilt kits at some point soon.

Jim

PS: KEN! darned if you didn't go and pass me on the number of posts. I'd better watch out or I will be reporting to you!! hehe

...what can I say? This is my favorite place. Uhh, did I say that? I meant my workbench...time to build!

Ok...I dug everything out. My wife is not happy with me at this time.

It was the M8A1 Nitto kit I had. I went ahead and created a list of all my unbuilts. Here it is in case there is something on here really cool. If there is let me know!

Armor Un-built Kits

Tamiya
M-10 (3042)
M-3 Lee (3539)
88mmGun Flak 36/37 (MM-117A)
Tiger I (MM-156A)
M4A3 Sherman (MM-222A)
M8 Howitzer (MM-110)
Sdkfz2 Kleines Kettenkraftrad (3529)
M40-75/18 Semovente (MM-178)

Italeri
Puma (202)
Opel Maultier (221)
Nebelwerfer (324)

Testors/Italeri
Sdkfz 234/3 Armored Car (773)
M24 Chaffee (810)
Willys Jeep (821)
Jeep Ambulence (776)
M32 Recovery Vehicle (806)
Dodge 1-1/2 Ton Truck (771)
Dodge WC 56 (819)
M7 Priest (801)

ESCI
1-ton Demag D7 (5007)

Nitto
M8A1 Tractor (15083-2000)

Nichimo
Panther (N-3505)

Other Un-built Kits

Monogram
Messerschmitt ME262 (5453)

Revell
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (4452)

Testors
Me-163 Komet (625)

AMT
Space 1999 Eagle

Horizon
Arial Hunter-Killer from T2

DML
USS Dallas vs. Typhoon Class (7001)

The coolest one I see is the Testors/Italeri M24 Chaffee! Maybe because I 've been looking for it for over a year. Hmmm.
Quite a set though, beats mine.

Rookies! I have literally hundreds of unbuilt/semi-built/built kits needing repair. Some have followed me for well over 15 years travelling across the country, across the ocean and back again.

On your list, the M3 Lee is cool (although the Airfix version is the *one* to own), the M8 HMC was a hot item for a while, much like all the Tamiya early US light tanks (M3 & M5). The Priest was pulling in premium bucks on the secondary market but since its re-release, the secondary market price has dropped to the inflated (IMHO) re-release price. The H-K from T2 is a neat kit, too bad it didn't get too much screen time.

Most of the Tamiya and Testors/Italeri has been reissued or surpassed (M-10, WC, Tiger), but overall you have a nice collection.

Oh I forgot a Tamiya King Tiger too!


And I have an unbuilt "Aliens" Sulaco somewhere.... hmm...that means I missed a box. haha

And I also have about 20 or so kits I never really finished. That's my problem. Finishing things.

I was "trying" to find my box of built armor models, but where it's stored is alluding me.

Thanks for the compliments!

Jim

Oh yeah, forgot to show just a small fraction of my unbuilt 1/35 armor list: (just what's in the house & unpacked so far, no sci-fi, aircraft, cars, ships or other scales counted)
Italeri
M113A1
M-978 HEMMT Fuel Tanker
M109A6 Paladin Howitzer
PzKpfw V Ausf. A Panther
M4A1 Sherman
LAV Mortar Carrier
LAV-25
Kangaroo Personnel Carrier
Panzer I
Stinger Hummer
M1036 TOW Hummer
M998 Desert Patrol Hummer
M998 Command Hummer
M1038 Cargo Hummer w/canvas (RoG)
M998 Cargo Hummer (RoG)
M3A1 White Scout Car
M32 Recovery Vehicle (Testors)
Leopard 1A4 (Testors)
ZIS 3 (M42) Soviet 76mm anti-tank gun
M4A3 Calliope

DML
M4A1 Sherman
M4A4 Sherman w/60 lb Rockets
M4A3E8 Sherman Korean War
M4A3 HVSS POA-CWS-H5
Sd.Kfz 184 Ferdinand
T-80 w/ERA
M1A2
M26A-1 Pershing
M1A1-HA w/tank crew
M1A1-HA USMC
Valentine British tank (Marquette)
JSU-122
BMP-1

Tamiya
Challenger 1 Mk 3
Leopard 2A5
LVPT7A1
M2 Bradley IFV
M2A2 Bradley
M3 Grant
M4 Sherman early
M4A3 Sherman
M4A3 Sherman (new)
M8 HMC
M60A1 w/ERA (USMC)
M60A3 105mm gun tank (x2)
M60A2
M1 Abrams
M1A1 Abrams 120mm gun
SU 122
Centaur
Hummer w/Bushmaster
M106A1 Mortar Carrier
M3A1 Half-track
Flakpanzer Wirbelwind
PzKpfw IV Ausf. D
Marder 1A2
Schwimmwagen Type 166
Willys Jeep (new)
M48A3 Patton
M247 Sgt. York
M113A1 Fire Support Vehicle
PzKpfw III Ausf. M/N
StuG III Ausf. G
Strumpanzer IV Brummbar
Sd.Kfz.251/9 Ausf D Cannonenwagen
JS 3 Stalin Tank
T-34/76 ChTz
GAZ67B Field Car
M151A2 MUTT
M151A2 MUTT w/trailer
M151A2 w/TOW
Pibber (OK, not armor)

Alan
Marder II D
Sd.Kfz. 124 Wespe

Skybow
WC57 Command Car
WC51 BEEP

Academy
M1025 Armored Hummer
M998 Cargo Hummer
M60A1 RISE w/M9 Dozer Blade
M48A5/K Patton
M18 Hellcat
M1A1 Abrams

RPM
T-60 light tank
FT 17 WWI US tank
TKS Tankette

Skif
T-55A
T-64B

Esci (AMT/Ertl)
M60A1 Blazer
T-55A(M)
BMP-1

Toga
ASU-57 Airborne tank

AER
GAZ-67 Field Car

Zvezda
T-60 Light Tank

Trumpeter
Type 79 105mm tank

Marquette
Bishop British SP gun

Monogram
M4 Sherman Calliope
M4 Sherman Hedgehog

Revell (Nitto)
M4-18t Cargo Tractor

Heller
Jeep w/cargo trailer

Long list, someday I may build them all. I do have some 1/35 scale helicopters like the MRC OH-58D, AH-1T+, Bell HTL-4 and a few 1/32 scale armor kits like Airfix Monty's Humber, Renwal M-42 Twin Forty, M-47 Patton, Ontos, SP 8" howitzer (in Revell History Makers box), Lindberg M-46 Patton. Moving my model collection is always and adventure!

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Oh I forgot a Tamiya King Tiger too!


And I have an unbuilt "Aliens" Sulaco somewhere.... hmm...that means I missed a box. haha

And I also have about 20 or so kits I never really finished. That's my problem. Finishing things.

I was "trying" to find my box of built armor models, but where it's stored is alluding me.

Thanks for the compliments!

Jim

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Your welcome. I "left off" my Tigers because I *hate* building those overleafing roadwheels! I do have an Italeri Tiger and the old Tamiya Hunting Tiger, that suspension has always given me a headache.

:::falling over dead:::

"Ya got me!"

That's a lot. Very nice selection though. I didn't recognize the Centaur. A british tank I assume?

Jim

Yes, the Centaur C.S.Mk IV British Cruiser Tank is the up-gunned Cromwell, kit # 35232. Very nice kit.

I too have some of the Alien/Aleins kits like the Drop Ship, Narcisuss (sp?) and APC. I've got a pretty good selection of Trek and Star Wars kits (all AMT/Ertl/Monogram).

What the...ohh me gosh!! Wha..huh..? I don't know what to say!! I thought the shops had a selection, but, uh. (Jealousy speaking): I thought modeling was about building them...ouch.

You don't want the list of the built stuff (and stuff that is awaiting rebuilding due to PCS damage)

I've got eight unbuilt (in box) and three on the workbench. Seventeen built. I would love to buy them as I see them, because I fear they will discontinue and sell out. My wife has this thing about what she calls " collecting boxes " : if they are not built...it's just a box taking up space or something. Hrrmmmpphh.
I must say that it has inspired me to build more often...to completion!

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You don't want the list of the built stuff (and stuff that is awaiting rebuilding due to PCS damage)

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Out of sheer curiosity, yes. On second thought, maybe just a number of how many?
This even brings up another question...

Quote:

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Quote:

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You don't want the list of the built stuff (and stuff that is awaiting rebuilding due to PCS damage)

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Out of sheer curiosity, yes. On second thought, maybe just a number of how many?
This even brings up another question...

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Safe to say that some of Aurora's 1:48 scale armor is part of that list, and they haven't been around for near 30 yrs! Monogram Patton from before I ever heard of Tamiya and a Lindberg M-46 that was battery-powered and the turret rotates by gears and a lever. Kits were much fun back there.

Some day I may even finish the diorama that I started of a platoon of MBT70s deployed in Europe during WWIII.

WWIII...(3) ??! Perish the thought. Cool concept for a dio though.

It was my first "what if?" concept. I loved the tank (it was pre-Abrams) but it was never put into production, so I had to think of what it would be like if it had. I've been working on them for a long time, I used the old H series MTOE of a 5 tank platoon, two tanks armed with the 152mm gun/Shillelagh missile launcher and three armed with the 105mm main gun. MERDC paint scheme (hastily painted over OD green and white star scheme). It'll look nice some day...

Keep me posted, I'd love to see it! Any pics of what is "so far"?

Rob,
Funny you mentioned the Monogram kits. That is what I started out with in armor. In fact it was the color foldouts of Shep Paines dioramas that got me started building those. Does anyone remember those? I think I actually have them all collected (beat up though) somewhere.

Jim

PS: That WW3 dio does sound cool, how big was the base?

Yes, I had the diorama sheet for the B-29, B-24, M-4 Hedgehog, M35 deuce and a half (I remember the mail call diorama well), and Weasel. I don't recall having a Patton dio sheet, but it has been well over 25 years (probably more than 30).