New (Hetzer?) from Takom

When ever “news” like this gets posted all sorts of people chime in about different variants they’d like to see, me included. So here’s mine. I’d like to see a final upgraded Swiss G-13. Hopefully, a Takom release but I’d be happy with a good aftermarket release. And, what the heck since I’m wishing. How about a 1/16th, full interior version too?!!
How do you do it Takom? All of your recent releases at decent prices! What ever it is please keep it up and THANK YOU!!!

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CADs of the kits here- TAKOM

A French hetzer-
21_April_1945_near_a_Ford_building

prise-35
prise-36

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Any thoughts on what the color might be?

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Most likely Olive Drab, but can’t confirm. You can see a very well stenciled US Star in Circle and the French Flag and most likely it has the “Free French” insignia as well.

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OD I think

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That is my first guess but I am horribly at getting b/w colors correct.

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i would go with OD on the top hull and maybe Dunkelgelb on the road wheels and lower hull. So as to make it look like it was quickly brush painted in OD to prevent it being confused with the enemy.

Good example would be this captured Panther, repurposed with FFI markings.

image

Or using similar marking to those on Lend-Lease equiupment given to the French Army in exile, led by General Philipe Leclerc.

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Interesting release!

Crowded enough the interior might be challenging?

I’ll wait and see the build reviews before buying.

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By looking at the interior behind the main gun, it has just enough space for the gun to fully recoil before returning to battery. I can’t imagine being a gunner inside this vehicle.

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It looks like an interesting challenge to build - but it appears to have link and length tracks - i’d definately be reaching for the Friul catalogue.

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Some post unceremoniusly deleted.
Cheers / Your local enforcer

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Link & length tracks? The worst of both worlds.

Straight to the trash :wastebasket: with them and go aftermarket for sure.

What’s wrong with L&L tracks?

KL

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There are 3D track out there as well

In my experience building models with link & length tracks from RFM, Takom, Tamiya & Dragon as follows.

  1. Lot’s of punch marks inside or outside face

  2. Can’t customize the sag

  3. Often look cookie cutter

  4. In many cases L&L’s aren’t molded with same fidelity and detail as individual link.

  5. No suspension articulation as tracks are fixed in predetermined position.

Some others may like L&L, we all have our preferences. With the typical WW2, Cold War AFV’s, I build much prefer quality individual links over L&L.

RFM’s punch mark free Pz IV workable track links being an excellent example of a quality design & easy to build individual link.

Likewise 3D printed offers far superior flexibility and quality in many cases over L&L.

YMMV

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Well, 1, 3, and 4 would seem to be dependent on the particular set and can plague individuals as well. The points in 2 and 5 are definitely a preference thing. For a vehicle with live track, 2 is actually harder to accomplish with indy links because you don’t want any sag.

I see your viewpoint but I wouldn’t damn the whole breed on that basis. The ones I’ve seen in the last few years (Tamiya, Takom, Zvezda) have been excellent.

KL

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Yes, the RFMs saved me from a lot of trash kit tracks when I did all those Pz III’s a while back. Gathering more for all my Pz IVs.

Now I just need some in Pz I and II flavor.

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If you like link & length and even prefer link & length that’s OK, no issue. Link & length is an automatic strike against any kit in my book. I always hold link to length set ups against the manufacturer because I’m 95% likely to have to toss that link to length stuff in the trash.

That’s just based on building 200+ AFV kits over the last 30 years, many with individual link and quite a few with link & length.

Going with individual link hasn’t ever been an issue doing live track or otherwise in my experience. Link & length has proved suboptimal ~30 out ~30, so yes I think link & length absolutely sucks as a design.

Those 30 link to length kits, include a variety of kits from ESCI, lots early Dragon T72’s, T80’s, MRLS, later Dragon Neo, Tamiya, Takom, Academy etc.

  1. Used the link to length in Takom’s Pz III N, that track looks inferior to RFM’s individual link. Will be replacing yet another set of crappy link to length tracks.

  2. Used link to length in Tamiya’s new KV-1. Much better quality than the Takom’s mentioned In #1 but would have much preferred an individual link as RFM does in their KV-1 1942. The Tamiya KV link to length are passable so I didn’t replace them.

  3. Dragon Neo #5, Pz III ausf N, the link to length were…suboptimal and replaced with RFM’ Pz III/IV workable.

  4. Academy Pz III ausf J North Africa, again the link to length were…very suboptimal and replaced the link to length with RFM’ Pz III/IV workable.

Those were all new school kits and link to length was lacking. Never mind the dozens of earlier link to length kits with tracks that are even more lacking.

  1. ~2008 era kit, Tamiya Pz II, again the link to length looked terrible compared to any decent set of aftermarket individual links. I built the link to lengths, then did a set of Fruilmodel’s. Tossed those Tamiya link to length parts in the trash. No comparison in my opinion.

Of course YMMV, and build as you please.

Edited for typos :sweat_smile:

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