Thread gestartet von JohnVK
John Van KootenAfter seeing Luis Martinez's album of his FAT (here: British Quad Gun Tractor | Album by militiajeep (1:35)), I was reminded of how great that Tamiya kit still is 🙂
I have had this kit on my wishlist for ages, seeing how it is still the only Ford version of this vehicle type available at this time. I am just (still) wondering about one thing, and it stopped me from buying it. Maybe someone knows?
There was word that this kit was more like 1/32 instead of 1/35. In itself that isn't a problem of course. The kit is still great no matter what! But I want to use it with other kits in a diorama (at the very least, the Bronco 25 Pdr. gun and some non-Tamiya figures). That means that if the Tamiya kit is indeed 1/32 it would definitely look out of scale compared to the gun and figures? Right?
So, I have been searching the internet and going through reviews but there is no mention of the scale other than things like "I heard someone say", "I have read somewhere" and "is possibly 1/32". So no definitive answer, which is what I'm looking for 🙂
So if anyone has the definitive answer on "Is the Tamiya FAT 1/32 instead of 1/35" I would love to hear it 👍
Quad Gun Tractor British Commonwealth Forces Quad Gun Tractor Canadian Ford F.G.T.
Tamiya 1:35
MM145 (45) 1974 Neue Bausatzform 27 September 2015, 06:21
M.Julian MarlesWhat we oldtimers say is yes..back in the day Tamiya used to sell overscaled kits (due to r/c) as 1/35 even though they were larger to allow for AA batteries & motor..😢
27 September 2015, 07:18
John Van KootenYeah, I know Tamiya made some of their kits a bit bigger to accommodate the battery pack. But in this case I don't think that's the case because as far as I know this kit was never meant to be radio controlled?
No one seems to have a definitive answer because I have also read people saying it is actually 1/35th scale except for the front end, which seem to be out of scale. Only then, as more questions are asked, they also say they aren't sure and haven't made any actual measurements 🤔 ... DOH!
FAT is just the abbreviation of the collective name of all Canadian / British Gun Tractors: Field Artillery Tractor.
Mirror Models does have a FAT but it is a CGT (Chevrolet Gun Tractor). The Tamiya one is a FGT (Ford Artillery Tractor). Both have different cab designs.
The ones from Bronco are Morris (MGT). The Italeri ones are also Chevrolet (CGT).
No one else but Tamiya makes a Ford Gun Tractor 🙂 or at least, as far as I know 😉
Ah well, maybe I'll just buy one. They are not expensive anyway.
27 September 2015, 08:18
M.Julian MarlesYea I was thinking of the Bronco one which is Morris! Seems like a no brainer for Mirror to make one! I have two Tamiya FGTs..they are what you would expect for Tamiya 1970s stuff...it has few parts but little flash. One can easily scratchbuild some minor extra details. The real thing is chunky, ungainly and butt ugly so there is little to fear from its finished appearance! That's why I love FATs ! 🙂 You can always throw some Italeri "aceessories" stuff on it too!
27 September 2015, 18:41
M.Julian MarlesI got my single FGT FAT for $12 and the gun n FGT combo for $15!😉
27 September 2015, 18:42
M.Julian MarlesArcher and Star makes some nice decals..the kit ones are very thick...
27 September 2015, 18:49
John Van KootenHahaha! Yes, they are chunky and ugly, aren't they!? 😛 But I love them too! They are just so different from anything else that I really like them even just only for that 🙂
Good point about the decals! Gotta keep that in mind. Thanks! 👍 I will definitely check out Archer, Bison and Peddinghaus to find me some proper ones.
And you are right, there's a lot you can enhance on those old kits. I already have three of the Italeri CGT FAT's with Eduard PE. The PE adds enough extra detail to make the model look the part 🙂 I will do the same for the the Tamiya.
I will be ordering one today 😄
I'll post the results of comparing the Tamiya and the Italeri kits (which I know is fairly accurate in dimensions) once I have received it 👍
Thanks for the links, suggestions and help, Julian! 👍 👍
28 September 2015, 05:18
M.Julian MarlesI will be following and then of course stealing all your techniques for mine😉
28 September 2015, 13:31
M.Julian MarlesWould love one day to make a Hong Kong riot police version...I do not have too many references though! 😛
28 September 2015, 13:32
John Van KootenHaha! 😉 I will give away any techniques I might have or gain in the future for free. That way you don't have to steal them 😛
I have ordered the Tamiya kit and it's on its way. Should be here in a couple of days 🙂
I didn't even know that there was a riot police version of the Quad! 😄 So I went searching and found exactly ZERO images of that riot police version 😛 LOL well, okay, some images of the Corgi toy version but that's not exactly a proper reference 😉
But yeah, I'm intriged now! I'll be doing a more thorough search later on but as you say, seems like references on that one are thinly spread.
28 September 2015, 19:12
M.Julian MarlesSure are. Although the Tamiya instructions show one albeit very grainy..
28 September 2015, 20:21
John Van KootenI have received the Tamiya kit today and I have seen the image in the instructions you referred to 😉 pretty cool!
I have compared the Tamiya kit to the Italeri #240 kit, to check scale. My conclusion: the Tamiya kit is definitely not 1/32! If anything, it is a perfect 1/35th scale kit 🙂
Although the cabine shape is different for the two vehicles, there are some parts that share the same construction. I have compared them and you can see in the images below that they measure up perfectly.
The wheel arches are the same size. The wheels themselves are a perfect match (in the 4th image the Italeri wheels are on top of the Tamiya wheels). Even the cab is pretty much the same size.
So as far as I am concerned the Tamiya kit is 1/35, not 1/32 as some people seem to think. And it's actually a great looking kit too. Especially considering its age and that there's an entire 25Pdr gun included! 👍
Assorted Images for use in my posts | Album by JohnVK
Assorted Images for use in my posts | Album by JohnVK
Assorted Images for use in my posts | Album by JohnVK
Assorted Images for use in my posts | Album by JohnVK
1 October 2015, 21:02
Fabian D.And another myth debunked thanks to a brave member of scalemates who was not only willing to sacrifice his fortune, but also his time building said kit. 😄
Thanks for clearing that up John.
1 October 2015, 21:33
M.Julian Marles..and I actually prefer the Tamiya tires too..better than the vinyl Italeri ones!
2 October 2015, 03:28
John Van Kooten@Fabian: Haha! Thanks! 👍 😄 Yeah, it seems the myth of this kit being 1/32 has been going around for many years. I'm happy to have been able to contribute something back into the community 👍
@Julian: Totally agree! The Tamiya tires (and actually most of the intricate detail) is much better on the Tamiya kit. The levels of detail on some of those seriously old Tamiya kits never ceases to amaze me.
Still, the Italeri is not a bad kit in any way, even built OOB. Just not as highly and sharply detailed as the Tamiya kit. But of course until Mirror Models released their (HIGHLY detailed) version of the Cab13 CMP Chevrolet FAT, the Italeri kit was the only one available (in plastic). Plus, the Italeri kit is dirt cheap 😄
2 October 2015, 05:47
M.Julian MarlesYes, I have one Tomy boxing and one Italeri plus two Italeri Chevy 15 CWT's plus the two Tamiya FGT...whew...that may not be a good thing lol!😉
3 October 2015, 01:11
John Van KootenSure it is! Hahaha! 😄
And that reminds me, I should also try to get me some of those Italeri 15 CWT's 👍
3 October 2015, 05:36
Rui SI like Italeri, hehehe.
Sorry guys, couldn't resist this interesting thread I've been folowing...
Cheers
3 October 2015, 21:49
John Van KootenThanks Rui 👍
Italeri is very likable. Both for the occasional builder and seasoned veterans. They provide great value for money. And even though they are sometimes (not always!) lacking in detail and accuracy, they make up for that in price and ease of building. They can be nice weekend builds straight OOB and/or you can detail them using the many PE / resin sets available for them and turn them into real works of art. And even if you completely destroy one, it's not a big deal either. They are usually so cheap that you can simply go out, buy another one and retry 🙂
The same is true for a lot of Tamiya kits. Although on average, Tamiya kits are more refined. Even the really old ones and even compared to some of the current, new tool kits.
4 October 2015, 06:14
Rui SI agree John, but Tamiya usually are a bit more expensive and the very old ones also lack a lot of detail and sometimes more them Italeri ones.
I do prefer the tamiya plastic, because Italeri one is much softer so sometimes it bends and get bit more difficult to work with strong glues, sanding or fitting.
Cheers
4 October 2015, 12:27
M.Julian MarlesI like them both...in the seventies it was certainly true that "Italaeri" almost became the top manufacturer! Curiously enough they were able to dive right into the market because all of their original kits were by Peerles/Max and Heller! Even the Panzer IV which was rarely seen in a Peerless box because that's exactly the time they folded. The Italeri Kubelwagen, Jeep and Semovente are actually more refined than the old Tamiya ones..and even the old RSO is actually more true to scale then Dragon who botched the cab size and even put M113A2 seats in it because they fudged a museum example 😛 I love the old 70s kits actually..even OOB or DOOB. The Italeri Crusader, RSO, 15CWT, Panzer IV, etc are great! And as for Tamiya who can't like the M3A1 halftrack, the 250/3, the Bundeswehr Marder, the Challenger, Chieftain, 30 CWT, etc!😉
4 October 2015, 17:41
M.Julian Marles@ John - I should mention only the Italeri gun tractor comes with vinyl tires...the 15CWT proper comes with plastic ones. For what it's worth my original Tomy ones from 1977 are still holding up ha ha! 🙂
4 October 2015, 17:43
Craig ChapmanMy father was a mechanic during ww2. In the British counter mortar division in Africa and worked and drove all of the other equipment .
19 September 2019, 12:14
Rui S@ M. Julian Marlene, I'm glad you mention the italeri Rso, because ages ago back in the other century I use to thought that it was a what if model, and it ended being my first italeri kit built.
So I rermember that back in the seventies early eighties here i hould ONLY find tamiiya and italeri 1\35 scale kits. Airfix whith its 1/32 250 Greif also. Nothing else, (maybe also esci), and italeri had what you couldn't find in the more comum tamiiya like the elephant or the Opel Blitz just to mention the Ones i have built. So I respect highly those Manufactures and also esci... For me they Start and still contribut for my 1/35 hobby😉.
P.S. by the way i have this kit and i like it a lot,
19 September 2019, 21:16