Asuka kits build great but are lacking in small details and have vinyl tracks.
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Asuka was still Tasca when I bought this thing as a new release based on a recommendation it was so much better than Dragon’s Firefly.
Took one look at it and was like who designed these sucky two part vinyl tracks, Italeri style tracks?
Jez-zus Krist and a can of cold beans!
I wouldn’t have bought it knowing the vinyl tracks were two parts! The Firefly is still my first and last Tasca/Asuka kit, 15+ years later.
Oh well, tossed this turkey in the que w/~35 other kits after digging it out of the darkest forgotten corner of the stash with the Italeri kits (styrene version of purgatory).
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They may be two parts but they are not in the same league as Dragon or even the depths where Italeri’s created their monsters. Haven’t used them yet but I have gotten extra Asuka tracks they appear that nice.
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Asuka\Tasca’s “sucky” 2 piece tracks are very well detailed and molded. They are perfectly usable for live track such as on the Sherman which has no sag at all. In fact, Sherman track curls in on itself when loose. Don’t ditch that kit - it’s a good one and builds great OOB.
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It’s not a turkey but tasca is a lot like tamiya-great fit but lacking in small details and vinyl tracks.
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But the tracks end connectors have a seam line on them that can’t be removed.
Ditch the tracks and go 3D.
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Agreed, Tasca Firefly will get built probably at some point. Probably with a set of aftermarket tracks.
What type of track does the Tasca Firefly have so I’ll know what to look for? Is it T-48 or T-72 or something else?
It’s usually possible to hind the joint in one piece vinyl under side skirts, on sprocket or under a road wheel but it’s far more challenging to do with two pieces of vinyl.
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Probably much the same as their VC kit, on which this one is clearly based (I had an opportunity to see inside the box about a week and a half ago).
One thing I forgot to check, and which I can’t make out in the picture of the box contents in an earlier post above, is whether the turret shell has a recessed area all around the underside. The VC kit does, and I ended up filling it along the entire circumference.
There’s a much simpler way, and it will lock the suspension for proper modellers instead of this gimmicky real spring stuff 
Find these little nodules, pointed to by my knife tip, that are on the return rollers:
The kit includes twelve. Then just fit them instead of the springs:
This puts suspension at the correct ride height for a normally loaded tank.
You are calling it a turkey based solely on including soft plastic tracks? 
Maybe try building it, you might discover that it’s actually a rather good kit, and the tracks — though made of soft plastic — are much better than most of those you’ll find. But if they disturb you so much, they’re also real easy to replace by separate-link tracks of pretty much any kind you care to add.
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Jakko, thank you for the spacer tip. That will be useful with the other VVSS RFM suspension Shermans when their time comes.
Agreed working suspensions are just a little too much gimmick and dislike them.
Absolutely 
percent calling the kit a turkey based on having two piece tracks and lack of small fine details. Unacceptable in an all new kit from ~2008 to me, making a 1970’s design choice.
Yes, I have my own harsh standards and make no apologies for it. Takes less than a teaspoon of chicken poop to ruin an otherwise excellent kilogram of chicken salad.
It can build nice and I expect at least that from the kit but it’s tainted right from the start with those tracks…in 2008.
YMMV
Cheers 
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For me the suspension bogies proved less fun than building the tracks.
They may need additional touch up after base coating.
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They look good
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Your definition of “lack of small fine details” is probably a lot stricter than mine, then. The only things that are properly missing in Asuka kits, IMHO, are casting marks in most places where they should be, and the front tow cable retaining clip for Shermans that had it.
Compared to the RFM VC, IMHO&IME Asuka kits are sharper, fit better, and leave you with more spares to use on other Shermans; while RFM’s kit(s?) has a bit better details, and … that’s it, really. TBH, I would probably pick whichever I find cheaper, if I want to build one that they both have released, or whose features come closer to what I want to build. I’ll probably buy the kit you’re building now simply because I want a Chinese M4A4 at some point.
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Not saying there aren’t a few flashes but it looks pretty good to me. I am going to try using the flash master blade to remove them.
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Thanks for the heads up on,the Flash Blade, I definitely want to get that. A++
The FB will make for a better game plan for any vinyl track than tossing in the freezer and using a scapel blade.
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When we say they are flexible, this what we mean.
I just press fit it with no glue or anything else to hold. It does pop open after a few seconds but not many other vinyl tracks can do that.
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your causing that Tasca Firefly to move from #36 in que to ~#6
Flash Blades should arrive next week!
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Started to take shape today.
Not impressed with how the lower hull goes together. Slightly surprised RFM didn’t include a stiffener mid hull to ensure everythings square & true like some other manufacturers do. Goes together without issues in anycase.
Sits level enough for me.
Kali says that’s it for now.
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Does it have casting numbers on the transmission cover pieces?
http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/differential/differential_covers.html
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Good to see. I think Tasca kits don’t include these small details.
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