PMMS
AFV Club

Sd.Kfz.251
Track
Early Type

Zgw5001/280/140
Individual link
Workable Track
for Sd.Kfz.251, Sd.Kfz.11.
AFV Club Kit No. AF 35044
1:35th Scale
Review by Terry Ashley

AFV Club has also released a set of individual track links for their recent kit of the Sd.Kfz.11 3 ton half-track and of course any Sd.Kfz.251 half-track.

The track links are nicely moulded on conventional sprues with the pads as separate pieces moulded in the soft rubbery material used in the full length track in the recent Sd.Kfz.11 and M41 kits.

The detail is nice and crisp with the three lightening holes on each side of the links being actual holes; on the underside of the track (or topside depending on how you view the track) there are small ejector pins marks but nothing excessive. The tracks assemble in the same manner as the track links in the Tamiya FAMO kit; if you are familiar with these you will know the sequence.

In short the pads are attached to each link and hold the pins from the next link in place.

While the ‘rubber’ pad material will stick with normal glue I found the contact surface was too small for a good bond and used super glue in the test links assembled in the images below.

The instructions on the back of the box show you should stick the rubber pad to each link before removing the links from the sprues; this is a good idea as the links are easier to handle this way and you get all the pads glued at the right angle.

On test fitting the links the pins did not fit easily in the slot on the next link and ‘popped’ out each time the assembled links were moved. The assembled links also did not articulate freely as with the Tamiya FAMO tracks or other tracks of this type. The reason for this is the locating troughs are level with the body on the link while the circular stubs from the next link extend past the pin which forces the pin to be squeezed into the trough. By cutting of the extension level with the pin (and rounding the end) the links then fitted and articulated perfectly. Check the images below if all this doesn’t make sense.

This is a shame as it’s a lot of work to get the links to articulate as they should and the links themselves are quite small and fiddley to handle but the end result will give you a freely articulating track.

The definition of the tracks and pads is much better than on the ‘rubber band’ type in the Sd.Kfz.11 kit and not withstanding the problems outlined should enhance the look of the kit.

Recommended with reservations.

Individual links and pads
Note: the images of the links are magnified somewhat and
the pin ejector marks are not a pronounced as they seem here.
AFV ClubAFV Club
Assembled links and pads
Note: the images here are of the assembled track
prior to the alterations shown in the bottom image.
AFV Club
AFV Club
AFV Club
Alterations needed to the links to get them to articulate freely.
AFV Club
Leichter Zugkraftwagen 3 ton Sd.Kfz.11
Nuts & Bolts Volume 20
book


Page Created 18 July 2002

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