PMMS
Friulmodel
Mörser Karl-Gerät 040/041
Late Track Links

Friulmodel Set No. ATL-85
Review by Terry Ashley

Trumpeter

Following the resin track links for the later Mörser Karl from Atelier infinite (set #35-006) and Lionmarc (set #AW-70005) comes this set of late metal track links from Friulmodel.

The set contains 185 links cast in light metal allow as is normal for Friulmodel track and a coil of thin wire for the track pins with the links designed specifically for the Trumpeter Mörser Karl kit #00209. This unfortunately isn’t stated on the box as they will not fit the Dragon Karl kits without modification to the kit drive sprockets as shown below but there is a note inside saying to test fit and modify the kit sprockets although no info is given as to how to modify or which kit parts need modification.

Metal track links and pin wire
Friulmodel

Detail on the link face is quite nice but not as well defined as with the resin links but in some ways that better represents the real thing and they are also handed with the pin bolt cast on one side of each link and the open wire pin hole on the other. There are two bags of links, one for each side of the vehicle so make sure you don’t mix these during assembly with the handed track allowing the join pin end to be hidden on the inside of the track runs.

The metal track links are the same width as the Trumpeter kit links but are about 2mm narrower than the resin links in the Atelier infinite and Lionmarc sets, these being wider than the Trumpeter kits links and the same width as the Dragon kit links.

Cleanup is virtually nonexistent with just a small pour burr on one side of each link which is easy to remove with a sharp blade and no excess metal flash in the drive teeth holes. A couple of the links will require you to open up the guide tooth hole and drill out the pin holes but this was required on only about 10% of the links. When drilling make sure you don’t go right through the link as this will damage the end pin detail.

Track pins cut to length and the links showing the very minimal cleanup needed
FriulmodelFriulmodel

The coil of wire provided will then have to be cut to length ready to assembly the links and this is easy enough with an old blade on a hard cutting surface but make sure you cut each the same length to save filing once fitted. To help during assembly you can add a small bend at the end of each pin and this will “jam” the pin in the link hole when pressed through holding the pins in place without glue but a small dab of cyanoacrylate will make sure the pin goes nowhere.

The links fit neatly together and the pin easy to slip through making assembly very straightforward and quick with the assembled track runs being very strong and robust and virtually impossible to make come apart which is something that plagues resin snap together links to different degrees.

Bend added to the track pin for secure fit
Friulmodel

The track runs fit very snugly around the Trumpeter kit drive sprockets but as mentioned above if you want to use these tracks on the Dragon Karl kits the kit drive sprockets will have to be modified. The Dragon sprockets are 0.05mm wider that the Trumpeter sprockets and but trimming the 0.05 from the inside of the sprocket rims (trim each sprocket as per the image to get a good fit) the Friulmodel tracks will then fit perfectly as both the Dragon and Trumpeter kits have the same drive tooth pitch.

Assembled tracks around the Trumpeter (left) and Dragon (right) drive sprocket
after the mods to the Dragon sprocket shown below

FriulmodelFriulmodelFriulmodel
Trim .05mm from inside of Dragon sprockets to reduce width to fit the Friulmodel track
(Area to be trimmed shown in black)

Friulmodel

Conclusion:
The minimal cleanup and the very easy assembly plus the added weight of the metal links for good track sag will make these track links popular despite the narrower links.

Being virtually indestructible once assembled also adds to the appeal of Friulmodel metal track sets as will being usable on both the Dragon and Trumpeter kits with only minor modifications to the Dragon sprockets.

Highly recommended

See the Mörser Karl-Gerät Subjects listings for reviews of additional set available for the available Mörser Karl-Gerät kits.

Thanks to my Credit Card and Blast Models for the review set.



Page Created February 11, 2006

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