Just to keep the thread going in an Aurora-centric direction, which kit did you think was the best in terms of detail, coolness or for whatever reason you choose?
For me, I thought the 8" and Long Tom were well detailed for the time. The coolness factor went to the MBT70.
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Early days of 1/48th - Aurora
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 05:36 PM UTC
Drader
Joined: July 20, 2004
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 05:51 PM UTC
For sheer cool it would have to be the King Tiger.
Not for being German, or anything boring like that, but because the one I built had a lens in the commander's hatch which showed a transparency of the interior of the tank when you looked through it. And a diorama base too!
I have no idea if the transparency was a Tiger II or not, but that wasn't the point
Not for being German, or anything boring like that, but because the one I built had a lens in the commander's hatch which showed a transparency of the interior of the tank when you looked through it. And a diorama base too!
I have no idea if the transparency was a Tiger II or not, but that wasn't the point
ftauss
Joined: August 31, 2005
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 07:08 PM UTC
Quoted Text
For sheer cool it would have to be the King Tiger.
Not for being German, or anything boring like that, but because the one I built had a lens in the commander's hatch which showed a transparency of the interior of the tank when you looked through it. And a diorama base too!
I have no idea if the transparency was a Tiger II or not, but that wasn't the point
It as called Roto-Scope. Don't know if it was accurate either, nut it sure was cool.
Frank
Sabot
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 07:14 PM UTC
Several kits came with the photo-scope insert. I'll check my book at home to see which ones were released with it.
Drader
Joined: July 20, 2004
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 07:26 PM UTC
According to the website that prompted this thread, the IS-3 and the King Tiger were issued with Photo Scopes. I also had a US submarine of some sort with one.
Think I must have bought the King Tiger during a holiday when I was packed off to my grandparents in Hereford.
Think I must have bought the King Tiger during a holiday when I was packed off to my grandparents in Hereford.
Genetk44
Joined: March 17, 2006
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 07:38 PM UTC
I don't remember the roto-scope thingys at all...I wonder if they were an addition to the line late in the life of the series. I think the last Aurora model I built was the JS3 around '68 or '69...then Tamiya arrived on the market :-)
Why I remember my last Aurora build.....cuz it was the first time I tried modifying a model out of the box......cut and sanded all the grab-handles off and replaced them with metal ones made from staples, added a home-made crate from balsa. i wouldn't mind building another one like that.
Cheers
Gene
Why I remember my last Aurora build.....cuz it was the first time I tried modifying a model out of the box......cut and sanded all the grab-handles off and replaced them with metal ones made from staples, added a home-made crate from balsa. i wouldn't mind building another one like that.
Cheers
Gene
Larry_dunn
Joined: March 01, 2004
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 10:07 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Just to keep the thread going in an Aurora-centric direction, which kit did you think was the best in terms of detail, coolness or for whatever reason you choose?
I was most impressed by the King Tiger because I eventually discovered that this is what the super-tough tanks in the movie The Battle of the Bulge actually looked like.
For coolness, I have to agree that the MBT-70 had it all. The supertank of tomorrow -- it was exciting to build it in expectation.
ukgeoff
Joined: May 03, 2002
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Posted: Monday, April 03, 2006 - 11:22 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Just to keep the thread going in an Aurora-centric direction, which kit did you think was the best in terms of detail, coolness or for whatever reason you choose?
As far as accuracy is concerned, the Churchill is reckoned to be the best, tracks excluded. When it comes to detail, I would say the Japanese Chi Ha even though the shape of the hull around the turret is off.
PantherF
Joined: June 10, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 04:22 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Just to keep the thread going in an Aurora-centric direction, which kit did you think was the best in terms of detail, coolness or for whatever reason you choose?
For me, it was the MBT-70 and the M109 Howitzer for coolness. To this day I can't understand why the Main Battle Tank hasn't been done by another manufacturer.
Also, the fact that the kits came with a diorama stand to paint and arrange the tank on was awesome too!
It's funny, I can remember giving my parents a Christmas wish list of Tamiya tanks only to see that morning Aurora kits instead. If not for them I probably never would have known about 'em!
Jeff
JPTRR
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#051
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Posted: Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 05:44 AM UTC
Quoted Text
According to the website that prompted this thread, the IS-3 and the King Tiger were issued with Photo Scopes. I also had a US submarine of some sort with one.
My King Tiger's Roto-Scope had the image of a tank being blasted apart--appeared to be an M-47 on a range partially obscured by the fireball and all the lil' sparklies fanning out.
My sub (USS Skipjack?) image was that of an interior of a hallway full of piping.
Drader, I'll get those Chi-Ha pics on ASAP.
JPTRR
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Posted: Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 09:47 AM UTC
Heeeeeerrrre's Chi-Ha!
This was my first tank model. I still like it.
The M-109 was cool because of that wompin' big gun (ok, ok, howitzer), and the Centurian was the first one I built that I got the tracks to work!
I built the MBT-70, but did not know there was an 8" howitzer, Churchill or M-46 until I started finding them on eBay a few years ago. Guess I'd graduated to tamiya and Monogram by then....
This was my first tank model. I still like it.
The M-109 was cool because of that wompin' big gun (ok, ok, howitzer), and the Centurian was the first one I built that I got the tracks to work!
I built the MBT-70, but did not know there was an 8" howitzer, Churchill or M-46 until I started finding them on eBay a few years ago. Guess I'd graduated to tamiya and Monogram by then....
Drader
Joined: July 20, 2004
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Posted: Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 12:36 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Heeeeeerrrre's Chi-Ha!
Niiiice
Apart from the over-size turret it looks really impressive. Have to get started on mine (a steal at £8).
blaster76
Joined: September 15, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 03:38 PM UTC
I've got a built M46 Stalin (3) and a LOng Tom in my 48th collection. Also have one of those Chi-Ha's still in original $1.29 box. I also have a Revell LaCrosse missletruck which I think is close to 48th scale. Not sure if this original or they did a remake. box says 1958 and the instructions sure are old style. Didn't Aurora also do a Tiger 1?
ukgeoff
Joined: May 03, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 04:57 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Didn't Aurora also do a Tiger 1?
I don't belive they did, though some of the early artwork for the King Tiger may give that impression IIRC.
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
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Posted: Thursday, April 06, 2006 - 06:03 PM UTC
Good looking Chi-Ha, very old school! The first tank kit I built myself was the MBT70. I built it in the early 70s. I rescued it from my mom's house many years ago where it sat for decades on the unpainted vacu-formed base. It was built with decals on the unpainted kit. Mom's vacuuming had sucked up several of the movable hatches and the 20mm gun barrel was broke off.
In the early days of eBay, I found an incomplete kit for around $5 and change, under $10 after shipping. I used it to rebuild my old kit. Painted it OD green and added decals from an old Tamiya M113 kit.
Since then, I've collected up several more MBT70 kits (old tool and re-tool), the M46 Patton, two Long Toms, both the long barreled and short barreled M109 howitzer, the re-tooled Panther, and the Monogram reissued M4A3E8 Sherman.
I also had several of the 1/48 scale helicopters. I had many of the AH-1G Cobras and the UH-1B Huey, but I gave the UH-1B and one AH-1G to Joe (aka Mother). Still got a few Cobras, maybe three, left.
In the early days of eBay, I found an incomplete kit for around $5 and change, under $10 after shipping. I used it to rebuild my old kit. Painted it OD green and added decals from an old Tamiya M113 kit.
Since then, I've collected up several more MBT70 kits (old tool and re-tool), the M46 Patton, two Long Toms, both the long barreled and short barreled M109 howitzer, the re-tooled Panther, and the Monogram reissued M4A3E8 Sherman.
I also had several of the 1/48 scale helicopters. I had many of the AH-1G Cobras and the UH-1B Huey, but I gave the UH-1B and one AH-1G to Joe (aka Mother). Still got a few Cobras, maybe three, left.
JPTRR
Managing Editor#051
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Posted: Friday, April 07, 2006 - 04:23 AM UTC
Quoted Text
... I've collected up several more MBT70 kits (old tool and re-tool)....the long barreled and short barreled M109 howitzer...reissued M4A3E8 Sherman.
I also had several of the 1/48 scale helicopters. I had many of the AH-1G Cobras and the UH-1B Huey...
Nice collection.
What did they do to the re-tooled MBT? I think mine is the later issue.
Long & short barreled M-109? I have one in the old square box (the built one is 196x, the unbuilt is the later issue).
Who made the copters, Monogram or Aurora? I have a Cheyanne I am planning to start soon, and detail the cockpit.
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
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Posted: Friday, April 07, 2006 - 06:29 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Aurora added a texture to the upper surfaces of the hull and turret. They also added a pair of coils to the back deck. I am unsure if these are cables or some sort of engine intake detail. There is now some suspension detail on the hull sides like the track adjusting link and torsion bar covers. The rear of the turret had an antenna base added and part #25, the antenna, is new.Quoted Text... I've collected up several more MBT70 kits (old tool and re-tool)....the long barreled and short barreled M109 howitzer...reissued M4A3E8 Sherman.
I also had several of the 1/48 scale helicopters. I had many of the AH-1G Cobras and the UH-1B Huey...
Nice collection.
What did they do to the re-tooled MBT? I think mine is the later issue.
Long & short barreled M-109? I have one in the old square box (the built one is 196x, the unbuilt is the later issue).
Who made the copters, Monogram or Aurora? I have a Cheyanne I am planning to start soon, and detail the cockpit.
As for the M109, the original tooled short barreled kit has a driver's hatch that flipped open to the left. The inside hull is labeled 1965.
The retooled M109 has a driver's hatch that rotates to open. It also included a second, longer barrel (parts 32, 33) making it capable of being built into either an M109 or M109A1. The inside hull is dated 1976.
The 1/48 scale helicopters were original Aurora kits. The Cobras were rather neat for their day and the UH-1 was a solid kit. Neither one of them has been reissued.
WingTzun
Joined: February 01, 2006
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Posted: Friday, April 07, 2006 - 07:58 AM UTC
Hey Dave
Thanks for the link. I remember building the Stalin with the rotoscope. It was pretty cool actually. Unless my childhood memory is better than what was real???
ANd I loved the way you could lower the MBT 70 by its suspension.
Thanks for the link. I remember building the Stalin with the rotoscope. It was pretty cool actually. Unless my childhood memory is better than what was real???
ANd I loved the way you could lower the MBT 70 by its suspension.
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