I recently bought both of Trumpeter's Type 88 kits. Both look pretty good. I know the Legends has new hulls and turrets for them though. Any insight into what is wrong with the Trumpeter kits? I know that both have those crzy bustle racks, but I have yet to see a single picture of them on the real thing.
Please give me the skinny on these Abrams look-alikes
Thanks,
Dave

Hi David,
I remember having read an article about this kit in a French magazine. I can try to find it and send you some info.
If I remember, the bustle bins are hard to get flush with the turret roof.

olivier

I built the Trumpeter K1A1 kit. It wasn't too bad. The turret storage bins are molded without bottoms though. You will need to close them off with some sheet styrene. I have also ben told they are based on prototype vehicles and some of the details are wrong. For instance, the production vehicles use T-158 square block track, not the T-156 chevron block track included in the kit. They come out looking pretty good though. I added small details like the bolts on the front cover of the CITV and other bolts and gizmos here and thera as well. No other build issues.

Here is mine (sorry for the poor pics, older camera at the time):





Good luck with yours.

Hi Gino,
you're right for the A1 version. I think the Type 88 (A nothing) got the chevron shaped track shoes just like the Abrams. Trumpeter release both versions of the Korean "Abrams".
I built the Legend kit which was very good but a pain in my wallet I got the same trouble with building the bustle rack. Fortunately, the kit came with a jig to bend the copper rods in the correct angle.

olivier

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant the K1A1 version for the track.

It does look like a shrunken version of the Abrams, doesn't it.