Tiger I Early
Individual Track links
Atelier infinite Set No. 48-002
1:48th Scale
Review by Terry Ashley
Japanese company Atelier infinite has produced various 1:35 resin accessories
for the modeller but is not generally know outside of Japan with updates including
MAUS turret and tracks, E100 turret and tracks and Mörser
Karl track links and has now also released two 1:48 individual track
sets
for the Tamiya Tiger I Early Production (Kit
#32504) with set #48001 Transport
Tracks and set #48002 early
unhanded Tiger I battle tracks which is the set we will look as here.
The set consists of approximately 220 individual track links in light gray resin with the casting being quite good with crisp details on the links that also include the holes in the guide teeth but there is some fine resin film to be removed from the teeth holes and around some of the links plus a small casting block to be removed from the corner of each link. There are also many internal air holes but 99% of these don't break the surface so shouldn't pose a problem unless you go poking around with a shape object, but they do weaken the link a bit so careful handling is required.
As mentioned you will have to fully open up the holes in the guide teeth and also from the openings in each link but you could leave the thin resin film here as it is mostly hidden when the links are fitted together.
The assembled track lengths fit perfectly around the Tamiya drive sprockets and will allow you to add natural track sag when building the kit.
Conclusion:
Overall a nice set of links with good details that include the guide teeth
holes and correct rib pattern on the links but there is a fair bit of
cleanup needed before assembly which is
offset by the simple clip together assembly.
The set has finer details but are ever so slightly smaller than the LionMarc Model Designs Tiger I track links but require a lot more cleanup before assembly which I found quite easy with both sets with the issue of the pins breaking on the Atelier infinite tracks something you have to be very careful with.
Recommended
See the Atelier infinite website for details of available sets, it's entirely in Japanese but if you run it through a translator such as WorldLingo you can get the gist of what’s there.
Atelier infinite detail sets are available from the excellent mail order service at Rainbow Ten.
Page created 22 April 2005