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M-36 Jackson
d6mst0
#453
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 12:20 AM UTC
I looking to add a M-36 Jackson 1/35 model to my stash, but I am not sure which kit should I purchase. I been checking on line but it seems every kit out there has it issues. Wrong engine deck, bad tracks, no interior, etc. I not worried about tracks and I could most likely get a after market interior so i guess I am concerned about fit and accuracy.

Marcus
Kevlar06
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 09:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I looking to add a M-36 Jackson 1/35 model to my stash, but I am not sure which kit should I purchase. I been checking on line but it seems every kit out there has it issues. Wrong engine deck, bad tracks, no interior, etc. I not worried about tracks and I could most likely get a after market interior so i guess I am concerned about fit and accuracy.

Marcus



I could be wrong, but I think there are only two polystyrene offerings out there-- the ancient Tamiya one, and the newer Academy one-- to which Academy just added an updated version with new parts. My understanding is it's not a perfect kit, but it's not a bad kit either, with a pretty good interior from which to start. I think there's a review here on Armorama someplace.
VR, Russ
MikeyBugs95
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 10:28 AM UTC
AFV Club also makes a kit but I'm not sure the quality of the kit. Tamiya makes a few, Academy makes some and Italeri makes 1 that reboxed by Testors
d6mst0
#453
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 10:31 AM UTC
Russ, Thanks for the reply. Read a few more reviews and I think I made go with the AFV Club version. I believe the kit is a M-36B1 version of the Jackson.
Kevlar06
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 11:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Russ, Thanks for the reply. Read a few more reviews and I think I made go with the AFV Club version. I believe the kit is a M-36B1 version of the Jackson.



Mark-- yes I forgot that AFV club made an M36-- however, go cautiously, as AFV club often goes with parts from other manufacturers, and Academy is one of their favorites for donated kit parts-- you might do some more research to find out where the parts came from. Thier Australian M113 with turret is a perfect example-- it's an Academy M113 hull. There are other examples in thier Hobby Fan line-- which uses lots of Academy parts with their resin details.
VR, Russ
Bravo1102
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 01:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Russ, Thanks for the reply. Read a few more reviews and I think I made go with the AFV Club version. I believe the kit is a M-36B1 version of the Jackson.



Academy all the way. Academy makes an M36/M36B2 kit which was just reissued with some updated parts. They also make an M36B1 which is the M36 turret on a standard M4A3 hull.

The AFV-club kit sort of an M36B2 with the diesel engine deck and not appropriate for WW2. The AFV-club kit also has hollow backed road wheels, the wrong type of drive sprocket and the wrong engine deck. There is a noticeable anti-Academy prejudice among some reviewers so that when it comes to the M10/M36 you really can't trust the reviews sometimes. Guys bash Academy for everything when the AFV-club kits have gross errors elsewhere and get a pass. I can live with wrong angles but a superior kit everywhere else (that I can't differentiate without a micrometer anyway) rather than having to source a whole new set of road wheels and engine deck.
d6mst0
#453
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 09:07 PM UTC
Russ/Stephen,

Thanks for the information about AFV. I wasn't aware of the parts sharing. I will take another look at the Academy kit.

Photoguy1
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Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2017 - 10:47 PM UTC
Another vote here for the Academy kit. I had the earlier version and it built up very nicely, you could make WW2 versions, with or without the muzzle brake and you could also make postwar versions. It came with the add on armored roof for the turret as an option and built up very nicely.

The Tamiya M36 is ancient, dating back to the early 1970s (I think I got mine in 1971). Plus the Tamiya really isn't 1/35th, it's more like 1/32nd. Italeri makes, or made, an M36 B1 which is the 90mm turret on an M4A3 hull. I have no experience with the kit, I think that some time ago (it's out of production) Italeri made an M36 in which they erroneously added (for WW2) a hull machine gun position.

BTW, just as an aside, I doubt that anyone during the War (WW2) referred to the M36 as the "Jackson".
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