1/35th Scale
Kit No.1399
The
Kit wheels and Drive Sprockets:
Academy
unfortunately haven't quite got the road wheels right on an otherwise excellent
kit.
Road Wheels:
The main problem with the road wheels is the shape of the cutouts, they should
basically be a triangular cutouts with rounded ends. The kit wheels have a sharper
shape to the cutouts, see below.
The Wheels from the older Tamiya kit (#35042) are correct on this although
the welds on these are a little excessive, but would make an easy solution.
The M3 Road Wheels
 |
 |
 |
| Academy Road Wheel |
Tamiya Road Wheel |
Real M3 Road Wheel |
The solid road wheels included
in the kit for future releases also have a problem in that the raised areas are
the wrong shape. They are raised on the kit wheels with flat tops and sides, while
the real wheels have circular raised stampings. The kit wheels also have hollow
backs unlike the excellent road wheels included with their M12 kit.
The M5 Solid Road Wheels
 |
 |
 |
Academy Solid Road
Wheel front |
Academy Solid Road
Wheel back |
Real M5 Solid Road Wheel |
Idler Wheels:
The same problem but not as
prominent is on the large idler wheels also, with the Tamiya kit wheels
again being closer to the right shape but with the excessive weld seams.
The M3 Idler Wheels
 |
 |
 |
| Academy Idler Wheel |
Tamiya Idler Wheel |
Real Idler Wheel |
Drive Sprockets:
There are two styles of drive
sprockets seen on M3 vehicles. One has the teeth plate fitted on ridges extending
from the centre hub while the other has the teeth plate overlapping the centre
hub.
The Academy kit wheels are basically correct for the first type although
the ribs are a little undersized by not extending right to the edges of the centre
hub and the ends of the inside teeth plate have square ends instead of round.
Also there should be a small flat section around the outside of the centre hub.
But these are only minor discrepancies on what is an intricate moulding.
The M3 Drive Sprockets
 |
 |
 |
| Academy Drive Sprocket |
Real Drive Sprocket |
Real Drive Sprocket |
Despite these errors in shape,
the kit is still a nicely done offering and is surely welcomed by allied Armour
fans.
Page created 15 June 2002
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