PMMS
Adalbertus
M4 Pressed Steel Wheel Set
Adalbertus Set No. 48-504
1:48th Scale
Review by Terry Ashley

Hobby BossTamiyaTamiyaTamiyaTamiya

Adalbertus from Poland have released the first of two wheel sets for 1:48 Sherman kits with this set #48-504 with the pressed steel solid spoke wheels and set #48-505 with Open Spoke Wheels to follow.

The set has twelve resin wheels and two resin idler wheels cast in a light cream/grey resin with just a large casting block to be removed which with care results in no casting scar remaining on the wheels after cleanup.

resin parts
Adalbertus

The detail on the solid spoke wheels is very good with correct sized ribs and includes the grease plug and relief valve on one side and the small rivets around the rim, hard to see but they are there.

The idlers again have good details with the hub cap included but there was a little excess resin on the outer rim of one wheel which was easy enough to remove with a sharp blade.

The resin wheels are a huge improvement over the Tamiya kit wheels which have open backs and no valve detail included although the ribs are the correct size while those on the new Hobby Boss kits have back inserts and the valve detail but the ribs are way undersized.

Front and back views of the Tamiya, Hobby Boss and Adalbertus steel wheels
AdalbertusAdalbertus
Front and back views of the Tamiya, Hobby Boss and Adalbertus idler wheels
AdalbertusAdalbertus

To fit the wheels to either the Hobby Boss or Tamiya kits is the same where you drill out the centre axle hole with a 2mm drill and then simply replace the kit wheel while assembling the bogies with no other work required.

The Adalbertus wheels with the centre hole drilled out
Adalbertus

For the idler wheels you again have to drill out the axle hole taking care not to drill all the way through the wheel and the axle hole size required is different for the Hobby Boss and Tamiya kits so just select the appropriate sized drill for each.

Conclusion:
A simple update with nicely detailed solid spoke steel wheels with minimal cleanup and assembly required and provide a marked improvement over both the Hobby Boss and Tamiya kit Sherman kit wheels.

Highly recommended.


Resin wheels fitted to the Tamiya and Hobby Boss bogie units
AdalbertusAdalbertus

Thanks to Adalbertus for the review set.
See the Adalbertus website in both English and Polish for full details of this and other sets available.



Page created August 15, 2006

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