Universal Carrier Tracks
MasterClub 1:35 Scale Set # MTL35240
Review by Terry Ashley

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MasterClub are about to release this new set of individual metal track links for the Universal Carrier in 1:35 scale with the set consisting of approx. 460 cast metal track links and a coil of 0.33mm wire for making the link pins.

The obvious candidate for this set is the excellent series of Universal Carrier kits from Riich Models with the real sized UC having 167 link per track run for a total of 334 per vehicle. As my pre-release set had 460 links which I presume will be in all the sets this gives you enough links for any UC and also to use on the Bronco Models kits of the Loyd Carrier which use 189 links per track run for a total of 378 per vehicle as well as any other vehicles in the carrier series using the same tracks.

Metal Track Links and link pin wire

Each track link is cleanly cast with just a few small pour burs to be trimmed from some links while others required little or no clean-up with all the track pin holes in the links cleanly hollowed out requiring no drilling at all before assembly.

The detail on the links is excellent overall with the cleanly cast details especially on the guide horns and track face, the links are quite small as you would expect for Carrier tracks and require careful handling during the minimal clean-up and assembly but there were no problems with mine during assembly when handled with due care. There was a broken half of a link in the bag probably as a warning what to expect if handled roughly.

Dimensionally the actual links are 10.5" in width which equals 7.62mm in 1:35 scale with the metal links being 7.2mm wide, the difference being just 0.4mm. The metal tracks are also fractionally wider or the same as most kit and aftermarket tracks so are closer to the correct width out of those available. The pitch (length) is also good as we will see below with them fitting the available 1:35 kit drive sprockets perfectly.

Minimal track link clean-up is needed.


Before assembly you have to cut the 0.33mm wire provided into short 7mm lengths but I found firstly the wire is very hard and requires clippers of some sort to cut which leaves a slight bevel on the end of the cut pin needing filing later. Also, on attempting to fit the wire pin I found the wire supplied was simply too thick to fit the holes in the track links. To overcome this, I just replaced the wire provided with softer 0.3mm copper wire which can be cut with a normal hobby blade leaving a 'square' end and the 0.3mm wire fitted the link holes perfectly.

Substitute copper wire bought from any good hobby or electrical shop cut to 7mm lengths.

With the 0.3mm wire pins cut into 7mm lengths, assembly was then fairly straightforward and given their small size I found these actually assembled easier and quicker than some larger track sets. This is mainly due to when fitting two links together they sit firmly together and don't tend to pop out or move around like some larger tracks often do. I preferred to hold the links between my fingers but laying them on a flat surface and just fitting each link would work just as well. With the links held together, the holes were then lined up perfectly and the pin just slipped into place using tweezers to feed the pin though, any minor obstruction I just added a little pressure on the pin and when in place it tended to hold and not fall out but adding a small drop of thicker cyanoacrylate to one pin hole would ensure the pin goes nowhere. Using this method, the assembly was smooth and the fifty links I assembled for this exercise were done in about half an hour or so.  

The assembled links articulate very freely allowing for a very natural sag along the top of the track run as well as if you've built your model with articulated suspension movement and sitting perfectly around the drive sprocket and idler.

Assembled track lengths showing the excellent detail and definition.

Assembled Masterclub links compared to the Bronco and Riich kit tracks and the Modelkasten plastic AM tracks.



The assembled track run was test fitted to the Riich Model Universal Carrier kit sprockets (all versions of Riich UC kits have the same sprockets) with the fit perfectly snug as they were with the Bronco Models Loyd Carrier kit sprockets.
The fit to the Resicast resin UC kit sprockets was also good but you have to make sure all the sprocket teeth are trimmed of any excess resin both behind and between the teeth, I am assuming all the versions kitted by Resicast have the same sprocket as the WASP II conversion set I have?

With the Tamiya Universal Carrier kits; it's best to not even try to save major disappointment. First off, the kit is closer to 1:32 than 1:35 scale and the sprocket only has about a third the number of teeth required so those present are way oversized and there is simply no way of fitting these tracks unless you replace the complete sprocket with one of the correct size and number of teeth.

Assembled tracks test fitted to the resin Resicast, Riich UC and Bronco Loyd Carrier kit drive sprockets showing the snug fit.

The assembled track length fitted to the Riich Model UC kit showing the snug fit to the sprocket as well as the excellent detail definition on the links.

Rear view of the assembled track length fitted to the Riich Model UC kit.


This new set of Universal Carrier tracks from MasterClub is quite impressive with very little if any clean-up needed on the links before assembly and the detail and appearance of the assembled track runs is excellent with nice definition between the links and with the detail itself.

The assembly was smooth and given the small size of the links quite trouble free, the only reservation is you need to replace the wire provided for the link pins but hopefully that may be rectified?

The inclusion of enough links to do a Universal Carrier or the longer Loyd Carrier is a good bonus and adds to the usefulness and number of kits this set can be used with.

Rating 9/10

Universal Carrier Volume 1 Nigel Watson	Universal Carrier Volume 2 Nigel Watson	Universal Carrier Volume 3 Drawings Nigel Watson
Universal Carrier 1936-48 Osprey New Vanguard 110	Parts Manual for Ford Universal Carries CD Easy 1 Productions	Universal Carrier Mk.I/II Military Vehicle Workshp MV-12 Allied Command Publications

Thanks to MasterClub for the review Set.
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