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US Half-Track Wheels
Tank Workshop Set #TWS0058
Review by Terry Ashley

DragonDragon
The Set:
This update set from Tank Workshop consists of just two parts cast in a light gray resin and is designed for the recent Dragon Half-Track kits (#6329 and #6361) and provide standard NDMS tread pattern tyres on WWII Combat Rims.

The parts are cleanly cast with just a small casting block and some minor resin film in the wheel cut-outs, all very easy to deal with as the resin is quite ‘soft’ the cleanup is very quick and easy, this softish resin though does not affect the details which is very good.

Resin parts
Tank Workshop

The wheels are based on those from the Tamiya M3/M21/M16 Half-Track kits with the vinyl tyres and rims cast as one with just some minor updates such as opening out of the rim lightening holes and improving the rim bolt details as well as including provision for the valve stem that you will have to add from this wire or stretched sprue. One problem with the Tamiya wheels and also with these resin wheels is they are slightly undersized in diameter as can be seen in the images below but this may not be that noticeable on the built model.

Also inherited from the Tamiya wheels is the "Firestone" sidewall embossing and nicely done tread pattern but there is some minor casting seams either side of the casting point. Also the wheels are not perfectly round and have a very small "weighted" section at the "bottom" which is considerably less than on the Dragon wheels and is hardly noticeable and the sidewalls are not deformed which is the case with any such effect if seen at all in the many wartime photos of half-tracks.

Resin wheels with Dragon kit wheel
Tank WorkshopTank WorkshopDragon
Views of the Tamiya wheels and real wheels for reference
Tank WorkshopTank Workshop
Images of actual wheel courtesy of Toadman's M2 Halftrack Photo CD

The inside rear of the wheel rims have been modified to accept the brake drums from the Dragon kit without further modifications and fitting the resin wheels to the kit shouldn't be a problem.

Conclusion:
While the detail on the hubs, rims and tyre tread is nicely done the inheritance from the Tamiya kit wheels results in the slightly undersized diameter but offer an alternative for the uncommon "weighted" effect of the Dragon kit wheels.

Recommended 7/10

See the M2/M2 Halftrack subjects page for reviews of other sets available.

Thanks to Jay from Tank Workshop for the review set.

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Page created January 18, 2007



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