I have heard that there is a lot of faults with this kit. I am in a position of wanting to get one to eventually do an Australian version and would like to know if you folk think it is worth getting or not.

As most of you know I can fix/scratchbuild a fair bit so altering things is not an issue but if I have to buy 2 or 3 other kits, either AM or otherwise, to correct basic faults with this kit then I will flag it and move on to something more interesting like another truck! :-)

Tanks in advance
Cliff

There may be a lot of faults with the kit Cliff, but it's the only one on the market apart from the old (and rare) 1/32 scale Airfix kit. I think that most of the problems with easily visible parts such as the mudguards (check photos as there were more than one type) would be well within your abilities to fix.

Cliff: It's definitely do-able for someone of your skills, the question is whether you have the reference and spare parts from Sherman kits.

A few major faults:
The tracks are all wrong -- the end connectors are on the end of each pad, not bridging the ends like they are supposed to.

The road wheels are bogus -- they should have five spokes, not six.

The turret has a few minor shape problems and the placement of the pistol ports is wrong -- need good reference for placement.

Machine gun barrels need replacement.

That's what I remember off the top of my head. There are clunky parts that can stand replacement, like the tools.

Don't pay a lot for the kit -- I'd say about $15US max.

I did this one and am fairly happy with it:

I had to scratch new sand shields and other bits to make a proper desert Grant.

Good luck!

Just for your info, calibre35 has 5 spoked resin wheels(I bought a set for my m31), they look like most of the photos I have seen. About 25 dollars or so. have fun
capnjock

Thanks guys. The cheapest I can find this kit here in Australia is 29AUD incl. 10%GST. A little more then 15USD but still worth a punt.

I do have heaps of reference pics of the Grant in Aussie service so that is not a problem.

Dave I replied to your PM thanks.

Cheers
Cliff

Keep an eye out on ebay mate - relevant kits for your project crop up quite often at good prices - even the Airfix 1/32 kit.

I agree, I picked up the Airfix Grant on eBay for under $20. It was in the Lodela box (Mexican issue of Airfix) but the exact same kit.

If you go the Tamiya route, Eduard makes an PE set for it and RHPS makes a set of the Double-I bar tracks (WE210 aka WD212) that were used by British and Austrailian Grants and Lees in the desert (the double-I cut outs helped with traction in the sand). The track pattern looks like this: |=|=|

The Italeri M4A1 Sherman is a good source of road wheels for the Grant/Lee kits.

Cliff
I have a bunch of spare road wheels from Italeri Be happy to send them to you

E-BAY
guys thanks for your inport but as I do not have a creditcard and the bank fees to pay via paypal or to get an international money order or cheque are expensive here it costs me a lot to buy off e-bay so I just won't unless it is something real special! I am better off paying 29AUD and buying it here.

spare parts offer
Chad thanks for the offer I will let you know if I require any.

AM track sets.
Thanks for the info Rob. Where can I buy the RHPS track set?

thanks everybody

cheers
Cliff

Cliff
RHPS tracks can be bought direct from the maker I will look around for his E-mail addy to see if he ships from the U.S. They usually go for $19.99 U.S.D.

You may be able to use other track types Look over your references If you need help in track types let me know Will be glad to help

Chad this is the track type I want. The pic is courtesy of the US libary of congress data bank.




thanks for all your help.
Cliff

PS> I have decided to purchase this kit and will sort out the faults and buy AM if needed later.

Just to add my 2 cents worth, I remember someone posting a message about Dragon or some other company supposedly coming out with a new M3 kit. They were going to produce a cast and a welded (riveted?) hull. Don't know if they will, but just thought that might be a consideration.

Thanks mate I heard that too but it may be a number of years away and so, at the moment, this Tamiya kit is the only one in town so I will go for it.

Thanks
Cliff

PS> but it would be nice if Dragon bought these Brit tanks out as 3 in 1 kits like they have the german stuff.

This is the RHPS set number WE210. It is called the Double-I bar track. The track type is WD212.

Here are a couple of reviews on the track:
Cookie Sewell's HyperScale review
Andrew Dextras' Missing Links review

And a place to buy them in the US: http://www.discountmodels.com/rhps.htm

BTW, the Airfix Grant sold on eBay today for about $22.

The company is Academy and they had approached Cookie Sewell a couple + years ago regarding references & the like.

Without going off on a complete rant, though, if Academy make a new Lee the way they made a "new" Stuart (i.e. by pantographing the Tamiya dog) then I wish they'd just not bother. Far better to wait for an accurate new kit than to have someone put out another kit that is grossly inaccurate.

As to those inaccuracies, here's a bit of a list for the Tamiya Lee/Grant:

The tracks & Road wheels have been mentioned.

The hull is about .100" too wide ( to permit motorising when the kit was designed). Thus none of the available aftermarket 3 piece trannies will fit and the trannycover need a fair bit of detailing to be a first class job.

The upper hull angles are off to match the width of the hull (not too obvious though. If you can live with the width, this isn't a problem).

The Grant turret is a mile too tall. Actually, about .170". Correction means removing the front face of the turret, chopping the upper turret part down by the .17", reattaching the front face but at 45 deg rather than the 40 deg in the kit (the upper roof line will match with the top of the gun mount plate) and then filling in the sides of the turret to fit the correct outline from the lower turret part. There are still shape issues with the turret top and the protectoscopes have to be relocated slightly, but if you can do the first bit, the last bit is a piece of p*ss. :-)

The rear idler mounts are completely fictitious and need replacing from a set from an old Italeri M4A1 (or similar).

The rear plate is suitable for a Continental enginned Grant. The one in your photos is an earlier Wright engined vehicle and needs the aircleaners from the kit replaced by exhausts as seen in the photo. The mount points for the exhausts _are_ on the Tamiya Grant back plate. Note the early rear overhang armour layout.

The object under the 37mm is called out as an MG barrel in the instructions, but is actually supposed to be a counterbalance for later M3s fitted with the stabuiliser system. Your pictured Grant doesn't need it so leave it off & plug the hole.

The British stowage boxes are very different than the American ones fitted in the kit. New ones will need to be scratched. Note that the box on the LHS is taller than the one on the RHS.

HTH

Paul

Paul thanks for that fix list. I have copied and saved it. I have ordered the kit and will order the new tracks soon as well. But this one will be a way off yet as I have other more urgent stuff to do first.

Cheers
Cliff

Cliff,

Sorry to put a damper on the project, but it wouldn't do you any favours to spin you a yarn.

When you get around to doing the Grant, let me know. I can sell you a new resin turret (wherein I have completed the modifications I wrote about) as well as some exhasts and rear idler updates. The turet is US$8, the exhausts & ider updates are US$5 and come with an upgraded drivers visor (the kit one is too small).

I also have made masters for the Brit stowage boxes and a host of other Lee/Grant upgrade parts, but ABM's Lee kit pulled the rug out of plans to sell these as a set of resin upgrade kits and the rumours of a new kit from Academy have prevented anyone from buying them from me since. However, if anyone _is_ planning on building the Tamiya Lee or Grant, then I can help with upgrades if they want them.

Paul

I'd be interested in reading more about your M3 updates. The M3 is my favorite WW2 tank.

Ciao everyone,
I hesitated responding to this post, because I also (like Robin) love the M3. It was the second (Tamiya, that is) kit that I ever built. I never built another one when I found out what a dog it was. I also was involved with an earlier post concerning Academy releasing a Lee (riveted version and welded version) and a Grant. I was shot down when several people told me that Academy has been threatening to release this kit for years. It made me sad.
Paul, if the Academy kit fizzles, I might be getting in touch with you. I still desire to make a Lee.
Ciao for now
Rob

Search eBay for the Airfix 1/32 scale Grant and Lee. I found them around $20. Pretty nice kits that are fairly accurate, more so than the Tamiya or old Monogram ones.

If set next to a 1/35 scale Sherman, it will look slightly larger, but too much. Airfix has just released its 1/32 scale multi-pose figure sets so figures won't be a problem.

I found a Mexican boxing of the M3 Grant in a Lodela box (exact same kit as the Airfix box) and I do not think I paid over $10-15 for it delivered.

Like a few others, I'd be interested in seeing what you have, and any information on correcting the kit......
Hell, may even turn into a fun group build in the future for some of us. :-) :-) :-)

There's an idea, "Blue and Gray: Building the M3 Grant and Lee."

Paul I would be interested in seeing a full list of Grant bits you have to fix all the faults.

Doing it this way will not spoil my fun as, to be honest, I would rather do trucks then armor but have been asked to do these armor projects so if I can make my life easier by just adding resin parts rather then major scratchbuilds I will do it.

Cheers
Cliff

The three major faults I don't fix are the hull width, the lack of detail on the 3 piece diff cover and the inaccurate hull plate angles. That said, I'll take a couple of photos of my masters & post them here for you guys to take a look at. I'll try to have them posted by tomorrow.

If there is enough interest I may make more items available. I can cast them myself, but I am not an expert caster nor mould maker so caveat emptor.

Paul

OK, here are a couple of photos of my "wares". You can also find them in my gallery where there is also more discussion of exactly what is what.






I freely admit that taking photos isn't my forte...

I currently have moulds for the turrets and "bits" plus the later engine plate suitable for the Continental. I can easily make up moulds for any of the other bits shown if there is any interest. I'd really much rather sell the masters than go into production on my own...

Email me off line if there's something you'd like & I'll quote a price for what you're looking for.

Paul