April 4 2002 at 3:32 PM Average Score 5.0 (2 people)
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Here is a kit reveiw of the latest T55 from ACE models.
Alexey has already seen this article and has allowed me to share it with those interested.most of this will become clear when you have the model in front of you.
Starting at the top, i.e turret and top of the hull, there is really not much to say, every thing fit great, no problems anywhere, except, parts 41 & 42 are a little on the thick side and not curved enough so as to allow the fit of part 8. Parts 14&15 are slightly on the large side and needed trimming down, also it is unclear as to where they exactly fit, as to the rest no problem with fit or location.
Now for the bad news, the lower hull, the problem starts with parts 43&44, because they are a mirror image of each other, when trying to fit them to part 36 thereis a problem in that the left side of 36 is longer than the right side because the rear road wheel is further back, i had to cut out an angle in the rear drive housing and then reshape it a bit, this really only applies to part 43 as part 44 fits ok. The next problem is the fit of the road wheels, if built as per instructions the wheels won't fit, it is a fairly easy problem to fix, if i can do it then anybody can,by the way i used scale drawing to help with this part, the second road wheel needs to be moved forward 1.5mm, i did this by moving the whole arm, the fourth road wheel needs to be moved back 1.5mm, this needs to be done on both sides, also the drive sprocket on both sides needs to be moved back aswell to stop it fouling the fifth road wheel a dis tince of 1mm. be careful when lining the wheels up as the holes are not the centre sometimes. The tracks are good, nice and thin and nicely detailed, need a bit of cleaning up and are fiddlely to do, especially when you do what i did and assembled the hull complete before adding the tracks, never mind i will know better next time, the tracks lack holes for the sprocket teeth so the teeth have to be cut of the sprocket where the track fits, the other thing is pats 55, four parts are labeled as 55 but two are shorter than the other two i.e one pair has 5 links in it the other has 6 links, the 5 link is for the rear and fit from the rear road wheel to the sprocket, the 6 link pair for some reason on mine was very thick at the ends and thin in the middle and needs thinning out but loosing some of the detail in the process because it is deformed on the outside edge, I understand that new moulds have been done for the wheels and tracks.
There it is ,not bad really when you know about these problems beforehand, it builds into a really nice model of the T55, one more thing i built this model straight from the box with no added extras and nothing hidden, i have had to use no filler on the model at all which means that there was a slight step at the front join but we are talking less than 0.25mm, so isay that the fit is excellent for a limited run kit, and it is not bad for any kit,it builds into a nice neat little model that is just crying out for superdetailling, which is next, Decals are for 1x Yugslavian, 1x Polish, 1x Northern alliance, 1xsoviet Naval infantry and 1x Iraqi army,
Well worth checking out i think
This article was put on this site with the help of my dear wife, Lisa.
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also it appears that you need a Shop full of Blueprints, Powertools, Referrence Books handy...All the tools a Surgeon would need. Have some Conversion Experience...be able to Read but not necessarily follow the kit Instructions per say. Patience, warnings in advance about locations of some parts not fitting.....Yeah, Just your Average easy to Build MODEL!
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you certainly seem to know alot about it,I used plans it said so in the reveiw, that is why i put measurements on for people who don't have them, conversion ???? what needs converting, i certainly didn't convert anything, ok so i moved a few wheels round and removed a bit of plastic, certainly within the limits of anybody who has built a model. Lets talk about the big companies who you think do no wrong, Revell, their T80 so many mistakes that i wouldn't know where to begin, on all of their kits the smoke mortars are useless, even on the latest M2A2, on the M1 the gun wont fit without surgery as you put it and if you glue the turret basket into where they say the turret won't fit on the tank anymore, the gun itself needs replacing, and their MG's are abysmal except for the challenger. Tamiya the turrets on their T62 and T72 are wrong and people need to buy aftermarket products for them, have they even considered changing them no. i could go on and on about every manufacturer but where is the point,you don't listen.the simple answer is buy one and build it then you might have some right to say something.
Simon.
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An Average Modeler could not Build this kit, is All I meant to say. Simon, you are not an Average Modeler, If you were I never would have Selected you for An ACE Spokesman, and Alexey would not have approved either. So lets cut to the Chase as they Say. Admittingly you make Valid points about other Companies Kits. Except for the Fact that ACE has to Carve out its Niche in the Market by Offering not only the Most Interesting if not produced Kits by anyone else. But also by maintaining the High standards for which I've known Alexey to attain in his Models. Failing that, His Models can go toe to toe with any Manufacturer! I know this for a Fact, I also know he Produces only a Limited Number which means His kits have to be the Best if not Better than the rest! I may have disagreements on Policy and distribution, but not on Quality untill recently!
ACE set a High standard which others need to follow! But at the same time He must provide this quality at all times in every Kit he does! Hey, I Love the Man behind ACE, I'm not Afraid to Show it! I only want him to Know I only Expect, Demand the Best from Him at all times, anything Less and He's cheating only himself!
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Rather than Listen, Simon you need to Answer My questions!
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April 16 2002, 7:16 AM
I see you can Rant over other Companies Kits, Did I say anything about anyone elses Kits...Noooooo, You cannot come Clean can you? If you answer Truthfully ACE might not Like that....Wake Up Simon, alexey is My Friend, I want only the Best for him..But I will not Settle for Less from Him on this Kit, its too Important for him and Countless Modelers out there Expecting only His Best!
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Mike,
Just for You:
You believe that Simon hide something from the readers (you're wrong - no ANY dictate from my side, he's TRUSTWORTY person and wrote just what HE find in a model)... Well, here is my response: All the stock at NKR is sold out - more kits are already sent.. These people, who bought the kit can write their own reviews (site address is in each instruction and on the box) - You know I don't delete a messages when these are on topic and under my rules (read a header of a forum). So we will be able to see was Simon wrong or right. Is this fair?
Believe so for most of the visitors, but not for You....
Well, I've made another step: Sample kit sent to Doug Chaltry ("On The Way" owner) and the other one will be sent to Rob Fraser (Missing Lynx DG owner). You know that these people are not employed with ACE and their reviews will be independent!
Enough for You?
Please stop bothering visitors who interested in modelbuilding process rather than empty talks.
Abide by your Rules or be deleted, what about Toby and Marty, though their Ip was the same
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April 17 2002, 2:02 AM
You can say anything you Want to, I admit that. You also will Probably Sell out, cause the Kits gonna be Rare, Worth more Unbuilt that it ever could be Valued as it stands now. I mean with but 1,000-2,000 made, it'llProve my point..Great Looking Artbox can Sell about anything even a Mediocre Kit like this one is!Thats not the Point either, the point was the Kit should've never been Released as it was! The necessary Fixes should have been made before the Kit was Released. It just goes to Show you, that anything is Possible. You can Knock me, call me Names do your worse, as I don't Think I'll Lower My Standards to fight on your ant-Hills, I'm above that! And Simon, you are His Lackey, get used to it, I have!
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First of all I removed that message and Your reply - both are out of my rules. To Your question: You have to know that sometimes I have to eat, sleep, work on models and so on. I can't live in Internet 24 hours a day....
From Your text: "Kit should've never been Released as it was". How can You tell me this when You never had/built or even SEEN the kit? Why do You continue Your attempts to tell others something about a thing You never seen? How can You tell that a kit can't be built at all when You never built one?
As for IP adresses: How can You tell others something what You don't know for sure at all? You can't see IP addresses at this DG (while I can as owner).
Why do You tell others that Rob sent something when You don't know this? I've checked addresses and can tell You (don't worry other visitors - NO IP addresses will be shown at all) that post You mentioned in a deleted message was not from a Rob.
And a last point: A last sentence in Your post contain personnal attack (is it not what abused You?) on Simon.
Attention: Next such a post with any kind of attack to anyone will be deleted.