Hello,

I am branching out into armor modelling. Like my AC, I like the early stuff. The WWI era tanks seem more interesting and creative to me than the later designs. The only kits I have seen are a few British ones in both scales by Emhar, plus Sturmpanzers in both scales, by Emhar (1/72) and Tauro (1/35). I have also seen a couple of Between the wars tanks in each scale. I know there must be an underground of early armor builders out there, and they must know where to get resin kits. Which scale would be the scale of choice for finding these items?

The reason I am asking now, is that I am going to put a couple of plastic WWI tanks on my Christmas list, and I would like to choose the scale that will allow me to expand my collection the most. I know ModelKrak has some neat 1/72 scale armored cars, so I am sort of leaning towards Braille scale. But RPM also has a cool model T armored car, but that's in 1/35, where I can also get a Whippet.

I am interested in both tanks, and wheeled vehicles, from Pre WWI up until before the start of WWII. (The more unique and interesting, the better.) Are there any good sources for these kits, and any mail order shops in the U.S. that carry these items? Resin is fine by me, as is white metal.

Thanks for your help

I am not sure about WW I stuff, but for prior to WW II stuff, you might want to ask Adam (Avukich) something, he is into early Armor as well.

Airfix does the Mark I in 1/76 and Matchbox did a pair of ancient between wars French tanks (Char B1 + another) also in 1/76. There are early US tanks (called combat cars) done in resin in 1/35, but these are very pricey ($100+). 1/72-1/76 would be your best bet for scope of vehicles.

I believe Emhar makes some WWI tanks and I think they are in 1/72 scale.

Nic

Thanks guys, I think I will build a few braille scale kits. It won't be a huge collection, of course, because there is so little out there, but I can at least do a couple of WWI tanks (British Male, Female, and Tadpole plus a German Sturmpanzer AV7) They are also fairly simple kits, so I might actually finish a couple of them. :-) (Wow! a 1/35 scale SCUD has a LOT of parts!) On the flipside, they are a bit tougher to detail, being so small. Hopefully this will help me add a couple of new skills to my resume.

Thanks again,

i have only ever seen very few 1:35 ww2 or post ww2 tanks/armor, but as alreadydsiad, airfix makes a hell of alot of 1:72 tanks that sound like they would suit you just fine, also i have seen a few academy tanks/armor that are like what your after, hope that helps a bit mate, cheers

just found a great company for what you are after, its called Zhengdefu, and they are seriously the cheapest, but extremly good quality models, i dont know why they are so cheap, but i got a 1:48 abrams and bradley and they were $5 aus each, that would be double for us, so $10, is that cheap or what! :-) i believe they have a site also, worth checking it out, they make alot of models to, not just armor, you heard it here first folks, lol, that should help u

NO!!! We're going to take your newly earned stripes for buying those Zhengdefu 1/48 scale armor kits!

Seriously though, those kits are little more than motorized toys. Take a look at their hulls, all of them have the same lower hull. The road wheels and rubber band tracks are all the same. The M1 series has a 7 road wheel system with the #1 road wheel having a pronounced gap. The Bradley has a 6 road wheel system with a gap between the #3 & #4 road wheels. The generic lower hull gives all tanks in that line the same running gear.

As far as WW1 tanks, the new Squadron 2003 catalog and the December flyer have the various Emhar 1/72 scale kits highlighted. I think it's your best bet. Heller also makes the Somua French tank from early WW2 in 1/72 scale. There is about a dozen WW1 & pre-WW2 1/72 scale tanks out there. Some maybe 1/76, but close enough for the casual observer.

Emhar does the Male and Female Mark V tanks and the Whippet in 1:35 (I have the Whippet, it's pretty neat). Tauro did the A7V German sturmpanzer and the Italian Fiat (similar to an FT-17 Renault). I heard the Fiat is a dog. Hope this helps!

I have been looking at the Squadron catalogs. I am glad to hear that the Whippet is a nice kit. Even though I am going to do 1/72, I will probably break down and build a Whippet. They are interesting old beasts. The Tauro Sturmpanzer is unavailable, so it looks like 1/72 would be the way to go.

I read a while back that the first tank battle of WWI took place when a British Male, and Female MK IV disabled a Strumpanzerwagen. If I can find that account, I may try building the combatants, since all of those are available in 1/72 from Emhar.

Dave, I've read that the Whippet is going to be available in 1/72 from Emhar. Don't know exactly when, but it's listed as a future arrival on some sites.

Hi Dave,

I'm into WW1 also in both 1/35 and 1/72, Emhar is has both scales,their 1/35 British tanks,four types I believe are not bad the tracks can be a little hassle,Tauros A7V german tanks are theonly ones of that particular tank available,RPM has several nice versions of the FT-17 renault and two or three trucks,new releases I believe,havent checked them out myself yet; Resicast has two Ford trucks one an ambulance and the other a machinegun carrier,and Model Cellar has a few 1/35 figure sets,but its not very difficult to convert WW2 german figs to WW1 as Hornet offers head sets with the WW! German,French and British helmets. ESCI reissue of their WW2 German rest camp includes two types of wagons which would fit in a WW1 dio. There are resin offering for WW1 armor cars but I have had trouble getting them as either they are too expensive or just hard to get as alot of them are from East Europe.
There is alot more available in 1/72 though, but 1/35 is out there,and if you dont mind metal figures Scale Link in England has a nice line of WW! figures and vehicles,etc.
HTH
Grizzly

SQUADRON has a rpm ,models from poland,Char Mitrailleur ft-17, stock # mkr35061.
It was built by the French and used by the Germans and the U S during ww1 and early ww2
They also have a rpm stock# mkr35060, ft-31/PzKpfw37(f) that looks like it could have been used during ww1, even though they say ww2 Both these are in 1:35 scale

hey guys my 2 cents here about thr ft-17, ehmars mk4 Tadpole in 1/35th has a photo of a trainyard that had a mix of alot of different tanks reading for transport on the trains, there were several ft-17's in the pic, so i think you can add the english to that list. now as far 1/35th i know theres alot out there for WW1 and preWW2 you just have to look for the kits and most are resin and expensive, so its up you. good luck stug

Check out this site for what (I assume) is a comprehensive list of WW1 tank kites. Also photos of many interesting scratchbuilds.

A,

It helps if you actually include the link!

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/

A,

now thats something i'd do arawata lol