M41/M42 T91E3 Track
1:35 Scale Track Sets Comparison
Review by Terry Ashley

---

This brief comparison will look at four aftermarket T91E3 track sets available for the M41/M42 and any other variant that may come along, the four sets included in the comparison are:

• AF 35046 M41/M42 T91E3 Track
• ATL-80 M41 Walker Bulldog/M42 Duster Tracks
• SAT-35096 M41 Tracks
• 02038 (TK-08) U.S. T91E3 Track Links (Workable) for M41/M42

For a full review of each track set click on the links above, this comparison will just discuss the final result to show how the sets compare.

Track dimensions:
The actual T91E3 track links are 21 inches wide with a pitch of 6 inches (the pitch is the distance between the track pin centre lines), this equates to 15.24mm and 4.35mm respectively in 1:35 scale. The four track sets measure out as below:

• AFV Club: 15.2mm wide and pitch of 4.4mm
• Friulmodel: 15.1mm wide and pitch of 4.4mm
• Spade Ace Models: 15.7mm wide and pitch of 4.4mm
• Trumpeter: 15.1mm wide and pitch of 4.4mm

The AFV Club links are closest to the actual dimensions but all others have only small discrepancies under 1mm and other than with this comparison probably wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

And so to summarise:

• Least amount of clean-up required: AFV Club
• Easiest assembly: AFV Club
• Best fit to kit drive sprockets: AFV Club, Friulmodel
• Price: (Note: I don't normally mention price in any reviews but as I bought all four track sets from the same vendor at the same time it gives a better comparison as to value for money. Prices shown in Australian dollars.
• AFV Club: $14.00
• Friulmodel: $34.00
• Spade Ace: $25.00
• Trumpeter: $13.00

So with the above in mind I'll just present the comparison images of the four the track sets.

Overall view
AFV Club tracks (74 links) fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Friulmodel tracks (74 links) fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Spade Ace Models tracks (74 links) fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Trumpeter tracks (73 links) fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Close-up details
AFV Club tracks fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Friulmodel tracks fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Spade Ace Models tracks fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.
The extra width of these tracks is noticeable when compared directly with the others available.

Trumpeter tracks fitted to AFV Club M42A1 Duster kit suspension.

Tracks fitted to Tamiya M41 drive sprocket showing the fit issues as per track set reviews.



With the criteria of accuracy, least amount of clean-up, easiest assembly and best fit to the available kits I would rate them so:

1. AF 35046
2. ATL-80
3. 02038 (TK-08)
4. SAT-35096

But all look good when assembled although some need a bit of minor work to fit to all kit sprockets and at the end of the day I guess like we have seen before it may come down to availability and personal preference for plastic or metal tracks.

M42 Duster Walk Around #5705 Squadron Signal Publications	M41 Walker Bulldog in action #2029 Squadron Signal Publications
SHERIDAN A History of the American Light Tank Volume 2 R.P.Hunnicutt. Presidio Books	US Army Manual TM 9-2350-201-12 76-mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tanks M41 (T41E1) and M41A1 (T41E2)