FV 432 Tracks
Master Club 1:35 Scale Set # MTL35139
Review by Terry Ashley
Individual soft vinyl material track pads
Resin track pins.
Each track link is cleanly cast with just a few small pour burs to be cleaned up with all the track pin holes are fully drilled out and a notable feature of the links is the pin holes go all the way through allowing you to assemble to links using lengths of wire if you wish. I found this feature very useful joining the track runs ends together when fitting to the model as it does allow you to slip out the wire pin to take the track runs off the suspension if required at any time such as for painting.
The detail on the links is excellent with the cast front details cleanly rendered and the pad retaining bolt and track guide tooth included on the inside of the link.
The 'rubber' track pads appear to be a hard rubber compound or harder vinyl material and are moulded on a runner with twelve pads to each runner. The pads are also cleanly moulded but you should ensure that when cutting the pads from the runner to use a sharp blade and cut as close as possible to the pad as it's not easy to trim these afterwards.
It appears MasterClub have heard the feedback from previous metal track/resin pin sets where it's difficult to get the pin into the holes due the small tolerances on the pin ends. The pins in this set are tapered towards the pin end so it's very easy to slip these into the link holes while fitting together. The pin bolt detail could be better defined as the bolt head does appear round when viewing at times.
Individual link parts ready for assembly.
The track pad is is easier to glue into each link before track length assembly, note the direction of the notch in the pad to the kink in the track link.
Links with the pads glued in place prior to final assembly.
With the pads added, fit two links together and ensuring the links are squarely aligned use a pair of stout needle point tweezers to slip the pin into hole as far as it will go till it becomes tight then use the tweezers to "push" the pins firmly into place until the head sits flush with the link. It's important to exert the pushing pressure perfectly square with the links so you don't bend the resin pin in the process. You then rotate the track and repeat this for the other side of the link to secure the two links and then repeat this process for the full track run.
The pins should hold in place with friction but the occasional one decided it wanted out so adding a small dab of cyanoacrylate to each pin will remove this temptation for the pins to go awol. The tracks runs assembled fairly quickly using this method and the tapered pins did make this a breeze and you can have the full track run assembled in no time.
Assembled track lengths compared to the Takom kit track showing the improved detail and definition.
Images showing the problematic fit around the Takom kit sprockets, pressing them to sit flush on one section of the
sprocket would see them come away at another unfortunately and some trimming of the teeth may be needed to get a good flush fit.
Note; the track in the image below extends further around the sprocket than when fitted to the final drive so the gaps are not quite as pronounced
on the track fitted to the kit.
The sprocket teeth have been trimmed and the track set at the angle it would be on the kit
but there are still small gaps around the contact area and not perfectly flush all the way around.
The only minor issue is the fit around the Takom kit sprockets and some trimming of the sprocket teeth was needed to get a better fit, apart from that the assembled track runs have considerably more detail definition than the kit tracks and will improve the appearance of the finished kit.
Rating 8.5/10
| FV432 Carrier Personnel Full Tracked Tankograd -British Special No.9014  |
FV432 Variants Tankograd -British Special No.9015  |
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