I just finished the building/construction part of the Tamiya Char B1 kit. Sorry for not having photos yet, but I will post some of the "before and after" phase of painting in the next few days. I like the finished product but had a few questions lingering after the build. I would be interested in any comments from others who have built this beast.
I like this kit, good detail, interesting subject....and workable link tracks (more on this in a moment).
My goal was to build this OOTB with no PE (which nearly blinded me on my last 2 projects). I am not even sure if anyone has any PE forthis kit yet but honestly I dont think it needs any.
The kit went together without any real problems. I did have some fit issues with the lower hull that required a bit of filler in a few seams. I think I used more putty on this kit than any other Tamiya kit released in the last 10 years.
but as i stated it was very little compared to other makers kits.It has lots of nice rivet details, hatches and panels and overall excellent details and fidly bits (beware the tweezer launch, it was a real problem for me).
Now a few gripes
1. First step is assembling 32 Road wheels of whcih 16 each are placed on a "rail" for mounting to the lower hull. Can you say TEDIOUS....The wheels do not snap into the rail and you must pick up the raild to mount it to the lower hull. This required a balancing act with more than one spill forcing a restart. I just think they could have engineered that step a little easier....maybe you did not have the same issues I did at this step.
2. 75mm main gun - This was put together using no less than 3 poly caps. When you mount the gun with no glue, as they instruct, it leaves a lot of sideways play and wiggle and overall a loose fit. Also the gun is molded in halves and has a nasty seam down the middle that needs to be filled. At this point I realized how spoiled I was with aluminum barrels form my last few projects. Overall I think they could have done a better job on the gun tube, at least put some rifling in the tube?
3. My next area of griping - the upper hull. Before you start work, you must turn it upside down and drill out no less than 26 1mm holes for attaching topside details in the coming steps. The holes are for attaching the topside track runners, rails and other details. Also, there are 2 locations in 2 different steps that have you remove rivet details for a topside part to fit. OK, I know that sometimes you have to drill holes for building certain options but these had to be built for ANY version you were building. I have no idea why Tamiya would not have the holes pre drilled this was the most puzzling aspect of this kit. I could find no variations that might require these fittings not to be incorporated therefore needing the holes filled.
4. Lower Hull plate - Sqaure cutouts leaving holes in the floor and what looks like motorization fittings......this is odd for a kit of this generation and seems to be a lapse in design by big T. Even if they come out with a motorized version they usually close in or have covering pieces over the mechanization holes like on the M-26 Pershing.
5. Last gripe - a real basic figure with soft detail and seams. It just feels liek they rushed this part of the kit. Looks no better than a Tamiya figure from 20 years ago.
OK now for my favorite part of the kit - the Link Tracks
These were awsome. I really liked this part of the kit. These make up for any grief I had with the kit earlier. They are packed in a bag like "Magic Tracks" each one already cut off a sprue. They required no or little clean up. They are crisply molded and best of all - they snap together!!Now for the record and as a matter of disclosure, I HATE individual Track links. I buy or use rubberband tracks whenever possible or buy the expensive AM stuff like Model Kasten. Even MK tracks can be super tedious.
That is my primary fear and loathing of individual track links - they are so tedious and nerve racking. My hats off to you guys who can bang them out in a couple of hours without going crazy and pulling your hair out. Tracks should not take 40-60% of the build hours of a kit.....
These tracks went together in no less than 10 minutes - 61 links per side - no kidding. They are only awaiting a paint job. Workable indy links have been around a long time. MK and Frui to name a few, but they are also tedious and time consuming - ever work wth the tiny plastic pins that push into the side of each link and then you have to glue a guide horn on? - and thats one link.
I have wondered for years as my stash of DML kits has grown increasing larger why someone does not make an easy click together workable track set for their kits. I know WWII production does them in resin, but has limited options and cost nearly as much as a kit. I Think Tamiya will get the attention of the other manufacturers (pay close attention here DML) and we should see more of these in the future. Now only if Tamiya will go back and make workable clickable sets for all their Tigers and Panthers and Cromwells, and.....so on
and maybe even retrofits for DML kits (he says with both fingers crossed).Anyway, overall I like the kit - I built it over about 4 nights - and will start painting later this week. It has a few nitpick issues but looks great when done. I dont think its engineering is going to wow people the way DML's 3-in-1 kits like the initial Tiger Is are doing, but I really think the clickable tracks are going to make an impact in the rest of the industry. This is to cool and too simple not to be doing on any kit in the future.
