Looking to build a WWII Pershing,which one would you choose.
Tamiya #35254
Or
Dragon #6801
Would appreciate some opinions
The Tamiya kit is an easy build as you would expect. Newer type glueable rubber tracks, two nice figures. Did mine with the Value Gear stowage for the the Tamiya kit. Tamiya kit is also somewhat newer I think.
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Dragon 6801 is their M26A1 kit, the final version of the Pershing. That’s not the WWII version.
You want 6032, or Cyberhobby 9107, which builds into either version.
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I think the best Pershing on the Market currently are the Hobby Boss ones. Just make sure you get the correct boxing: they have them available for both WW2 and Korean War flavors. (Major difference in the kit themselves are the tracks provided as well as the muzzle brake for the gun)
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Looking them up on Scalemates, Hobbyboss Pershing’s need new tracks to do the WWII version. Their basic M26 comes with the postwar double pin tracks, and not the single pin type originally used on the WWII T26E3.
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I thought I saw an HB T26 kit awhile back. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’d almost swear they do one. I used to be close friends with the late Bob Dillion of M26 in Korea fame (he’s the old guy they interview on “Worlds Greatest Tank Battles”. He said that it was not uncommon to see T26 tanks right out of Europe in Korea. Also asked him about the tracks they used. He said whatever the depots had in stock! Each era tank is somewhat different (ever so slightly). The M26 series was under a constant evolution back in the states, and you could really group them into three or four series groups. Then there was the field mods. All these upgrades and mods were incorporated into the new M46.
gary
I’d definitely go with the Tamiya kit. I recently built their Super Pershing, and it was fantastic. Workable suspension was also super easy to put together as well, and the detail is very reasonable.
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Hobbyboss makes a M26, M26A1, and a couple of T26E4 kits. The E4 version had a longer 90mm gun and one did go to the ETO for field evaluation and see combat. All of the other ones that saw combat in 1945 were T26E3s, which was later standardized with a few changes as the M26. Hobbyboss made their M26 kit as the type used in Korea with the double pin tracks used postwar. Many of the first Pershing’s in Korea had the single pin tracks, especially those used by the USMC, but the late track style became more common after Inchon and the Pusan breakout.
Dillon told me that the one major down fall of the M26 in Korea was a complete lack of spare parts. Tracks were the biggest issue, and it was uncommon to have to change tracks shortly after arriving. Then there was the issue with the drive sprockets. Seems that there were two or three different ones used. He had a few pictures of tanks that were about as odd as it can get my favorite one was an M26 with one track on backwards! Bob said he imagined that was one wild ride! Then there was something about the travel lock that didn’t work out as it was shipped (been ten years so don’t remember). They moved it for one reason or another.
Dillon’s tank was the tank that broke the siege in the Pusan pocket, and there was two others close behind him. Then the rest seemed to follow and spread out. A real ugly battle series. He spoke of actually ramming a T34-85 tank in a mountain pass head on. Neither could engage the other, and they were pretty much locked together. A tank rolled up about three hundred feet to his right an put a round right thru the T34’s turret while he was still ramming it! He said the guys in the M24’s never had a chance against the T34, and the M4 wasn’t much better either. But the M26 would easily punch a hole in the T34. I think I’d take the 120 degree heat anyday over the sub 40 below stuff!
gary
’
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While the HB kits are good, my personal favourite for a WW2 T26 is the Tamiya kit - you get the correct tracks and only have to do minor surgery to backdate it. (Remove the flanged support bracket on the final drives, lose the fender support turnbuckles IIRC)
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