M18 3D Printed Running Gear
Heavy Hobby 1:35 HH-35050
Review by Terry Ashley
First off, don't be confused by the printing on the box "Wheels Under Research Wheels A for WWII US Army M10 Tank", there is definitely M18 running gear parts in the box, nothing to do with an M10, so I've no idea what the box label is all about or why it's not been corrected? But there we have it.
The quality of the printing is good with clean details on the outer surfaces and all the print channels on the inner faces of the respective sprocket/wheel halves. You will need to clean the remnants and file the surfaces flat as the insides can be seen on the assembled road wheels and Idlers in particular after assembly. Also the mating surfaces on the hubs have to be perfectly smooth to get a good fit with the right spacing between the inner and outer sprocket/wheel halves. This is especially important on the Drive Sprockets because if the halves are not seated snugly the outer teeth discs can be slightly too wide apart to fit the tracks correctly. So dry test fitting of the sprockets to ensure the correct spacing for the best track fit before gluing would be the way to go.
Unfortunately there are a number of detail issues with these 3D parts if the modeller prefers more accuracy with their builds. The numbers on the corresponding images equate to the issues mentioned below for the respective sprocket/wheel parts.
Drive Sprocket, Idler and Road Wheel parts
The parts showing the inner faces needing to be filed smooth, the resin material allows for fine filing without any problems.
There are some areas of concern with the details on these drive sprockets;
1. The drive teeth have a uniform shape with rounded ends while the actual drive teeth have more tapered pointed teeth (see image).
2. The extended rim lip should have a large circular weld around the sprocket face but this is not included with the HH sprockets. (see image)
3. The twelve main rim bolts aren't evenly spaced around the actual M18 rim as with most contemporary sprockets but has a cluster of two bolts fitted closer together than the rest, which also means the space between these two and the adjacent bolts is wider than between the evenly spaced bolts (see image).
Both the Tamiya and the Fat Frog 3D late sprockets have this feature correctly depicted but unfortunately the Heavy Hobby sprockets don't with all bolts spaced evenly around the rim. (Note; both early and late type sprockets had the two bolt cluster feature)
4. The inner join of the hub disc and outer rim has a large indent on the but should have a smoother, shallower join, again better depicted on both the Tamiya and the Fat Frog 3D late sprockets. (see images)
and actual M18 Drive Sprockets for comparison The numbers correspond to points lists above.
Note: The outer weld is present on the Fat Frog sprockets but understated and slightly too far towards the center.
The main detail issues are:
1. The wheels in this set are post war wheels without the sheet metal guards and as such aren't accurate for WWII period M18's. (see image)
2. The Central hub is too tapered resulting in the end cap being undersized. (see image)
and actual WWII M18 Drive Road Wheels for comparison The numbers correspond to points lists above.
A reference image of the actual road wheels (source unknown)
The main detail issues are:
1. The outer rim lip is too tapered on the inside and should have a squarer lip junction as per images.
2. The outer elongated rim holes are too long resulting in the space between the holes being too short.
3. The Central hub is again too tapered resulting in the end cap being undersized. (see images)
and actual WWII M18 Idler Wheels for comparison The numbers correspond to points lists above.
With all the detail issues this set really has nothing to offer by way of improvements over the kit parts especially for those desiring accuracy with their models.
If you want 3D printed Drive Sprockets to eliminate the joins of the kit rims then at this time the sets offered by Fat Frog (Early, set DE35003 and Late, set DE35004) are the way to go.
Rating 2.5/10
Thanks to my CC and for the Review sets.
Please to help the reviews continue, thank you