For my next project I want to build a Chally2 (non uparmoured version) using Trumpeters kit as the basis.

Ive done a little digging around and found Accurate Armour does replacement resin tracks and what appears to be a very nice update set.... see link
http://www.accurate-armour.com/ShowProduct.cfm?CFID=866991&CFTOKEN=47571957&manufacturer=0&category=4&subcategory=35&product=1345

Does anyone have any experience using of this set ?

Theres appears to be some PE with it , but would it also be worth getting the Eduard PE as well ?

Cheers

Ian

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they do have descent resin track-packs. I did come across one set that did require alot of additional cleaning. ( It was for a Ferdinand )

I put the work in to fix them but somebody told me after, I could have sent them back and the guys at Accurate Armor would have had no problem sending a new set.

I know some people don't like attempting the resin tracks - I had no problem



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Ah the resin tracks, mmm mine need a little cleaning up too however I don't think they will have them back as I have primed them.

I haven't actually fitted them yet as I don't know how to - for instance how do you get them to bend, I've already broken one segment which will need superglueing back together.

They look better though than the original tracks that trumpeter supply though.

Hey Ian:
In reply to your question on the chally tracks, I have two solutions for you that work. Company called "Armour Track Models" makes a set , item # TK-13 and also AFV tracks for the Leopard 2A5 which are the same tracks and are "workable" bonus hope this helps you out

Dave

The tracks - I can't really recommend them. The track lengths (they're link 'n length style) seem to have the mould stub attached to the side which was then crudely cut off at the factory. This not only means some fairly extensive clean up, it also means that all track pin detail on one side of the track runs is either in bad shape or completely obliterated. Don't mind doing some clean up, but I kinda draw the line at having to break out the punch 'n die and having to completely redo the track detail. That's not to mention there were also quite a lot of air bubbles in the resin - I'd expect more from a company with AA's image.

As Kevin's post already indicates they can be a handful to fit too. This is a result of the fact that AA don't provide nearly enough individual tracks to fit around the drive sprocket and idler wheel which means you have to form some of the link 'n length pieces to shape by immersing them into hot water (That's the trick Kevin - imerse them into some fairly hot water and then force them into position and keep 'em there while they cool off. They'll then retain the correct shape). I pulled it off, but after lots of frustration which could have been easily avoided if AA had provided a couple more individual links?

Anyway, you get the picture, look into some of the alternatives already mentioned by other posters first.


As for the detail set, a bit of a mixed bag. While some of the parts provided are definitely an improvement overall I felt most of the PE provided was a bit crude and somewhat overscale while in contrast some of the resin bits were definitely underscale. Casting quality was lacking here and there as well. I used what parts I could but still wound up tossing quite a lot in favour of Eduard parts or modified kit parts. Like I said this set will definitely add a couple of improvements to your kit but whether or not it is worth the money I'll leave up to you.

The Eduard set - get it! well worth the money and definitely worth adding to the kit.


One worth of advice though. I've been through the Trumpeter kit and even if you throw every detail set you mentioned at it 't still be lacking without lots more work. And that's not even mentioning the extremely poor fit. Why not get the Tamiya kit, buy the Eduard set for it and use the non-uparmoured parts from the Trumpeter kit to convert the Tamiya? Looks like you're willing to spend some money on this one so I see no reason not to start from the superior base kit.

I'll see if I can't take some pics of my finished, as yet unpainted model tomorrow to give you an idea of some of the work involved. If I hadn't already put a lot of effort into it before the Tamiya kit came out I would have never bothered stuck with it!

Edit : here's some pics I just found of the beast somewhat earlier down the construction line :

thank you tony I will give the hot water technique a try when I get round to the track part of the build.

On another note are you saying that the Eduard parts are generally better than the AA stuff?

By the way its prob a stupid question but in the first and second photo there is some grey/silver lines int eh turret is that filler??

Kev

Hi Kevin,

Yes, that's exactly what I am saying. Wherever I had a choice between Eduard or AA PE parts I threw out the AA stuff in favour of Eduard because the Eduard stuff was better (more to scale, more refined). In other instances I used AA resin parts in favour of reworking kit parts with the Eduard PE just because it saved time, but all in all you could cover 90% of what AA cover with the Eduard set. And that's not to mention that Eduard provide a host of parts to detail areas the AA set doesn't tackle.

Like I said in my earlier post the AA set has it uses as well if you want to go flat out on the model, but if for some reason I'd have to choose between the two I'd definitely choose the Eduard set.


And yes, that is indeed filler on the turret. I didn't completely fill the gaps (that should be there) mind you, they just don't show in the pic. What I did do though was make some of the gaps/join lines smaller or straighter. The turret along with the stowage boxes that attach to it are probably some of the worst fitting parts of the Trumpeter kit.

Thanks for all the input guys

I have managed to get hold of a set of the Armour Track Models tracks and Ive ordered the Eduard PE set.

As for the Accurate Armour update set I am still undecided, I may spend the extra money on the Tamy Challenger and use a Trump Challenger for the side skirts exhausts etc .... ohhh decisions decisions

Ian

Keep up the good work on that kit. It's looking good with the added details.