What’s the Best 1/35 IDF M51 Super Sherman kit for the Sherman & IDF novice?
Any other kits worth considering?
Suggested aftermarket?
Thank you.
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Tamiya hands down. And I’ll only say that because I have built all of them. Legend stowage for the M51 is highly recommended as well.
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Dragon 3539 is an upgrade version of Dragon 3529. They added a turned metal barrel and metal springs to put inside the horizontal volute springs (gimmick BS). The barrel seems like a nice upgrade. The bogies become movable which might be useful if putting the tank on an uneven terrain base …
If I was choosing between the two Dragon kits I would definitely pick 3539
BUT
the upgrade also replaced the multi piece indy-link track with DS-tracks (try them, they may not fail on You since you might be a lucky modeler).
Tamiya has soft tracks, no gimmick springs in the bogies and a two part styrene barrel.
@18bravo posted above and since he has built all of them …
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Tamiya/Academy are the best. Tamiya if you want to build a 1967 Six Day War example and Academy if you want to build a 1973 Yom Kippur War example.
This is my Tamiya M51. Mostly stock, except for the M2 Browning MG (from a Dragon kit), metal tracks and main gun barrel and 3D printed rear bustle rack and barrel travel lock.
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If I remember correctly, the Academy kit was designed as a '73 version from the beginning. I converted mine to a ‘67 version easily enough. The Tamiya kit still outshines it, You’'e built a
very nice example what it looks like out of the box, but it also came with a lot of inaccuracies. I think even the shape of the front hull was off. If it wasn’t this I fixed it was another one. This one began to aggravate me so much I removed it from public view - no Chihuahuas, cats, or my girls can see its shame until it has been fully restored. Of course once a model loses its place on the shelf it may take decades to be reinstated.
I don’t even remember the reason for the latest removal - I think I was redoing the incorrect stowage arrangement and a few other minor things.
Somewhere along the way I lost interest in this kitbashed M50:
I think that’s an MP Models engine deck. As I said, I’ve built them all. and then bogarted parts from them later on in many cases.
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I second Tamiya kit. Academy one is quite inaccurate and has some fit issues. I have not built the Dragon kit but is an old molding, and 1990s Dragon tooling was not the best.
Kind regards,
James
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Thank you, all!
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So for a simple but slightly improved Tamiya IDF build the following aftermarket would be reasonable?
- replace tow cables?
- aftermarket 50 cal?
- brass barrel for hull MG?
- aftermarket mounts?
- indy link tracks?
- aftermarket main gun barrel & muzzle brake?
Any specific aftermarket vendors that are recommended?
Thanks again
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- yes if possible, not essential
- valid choice - ABER
- valid choice - ABER
- ABER photoetch set
- RFM is the best option but time consuming
- ABER newly released
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My 2 cents:
- replace tow cables? - you can DIY using some electric wires
- aftermarket 50 cal? - a cheaper (than Aber) option would be using an Asuka plastic set
- brass barrel for hull MG? - this may be an overkill? The kit part is not bad.
- aftermarket mounts? - Eduard does a PE set, too but you could use other Sherman PE sets or even DIY using some Evergreen strips. Not a fan of Aber PEs bc they require you to do PE origami.
Even less relevant to me nowadays bc I just 3D print my accessories. - indy link tracks? - Several options - AFV C, RFM, etc. but indy tracks wouldn’t make it a “simple” build?
- aftermarket main gun barrel & muzzle brake? - this also may be an overkill because the kit muzzle brake is fine and with some TLC, the kit’s 2 part barrel would look fine. There is a 3D print option, too.
Good luck. If you don’t consider the $, so many possibilities, I suppose.
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