Master Club
Worn rubber pads T48 type for M4 Sherman
MasterClub 1:35 Scale Set # MTL35322
Review by Terry Ashley

The Set:
In conjunction with set MTL35122 T48 type track links for VVSS M4 Sherman, MasterClub will also released this set or Worn T48 type track pads, but to be clear from the start, this set only contains the worn track pads and assembly jib but NO end connectors. To use this set you will need to also buy one of the full sets with track pads and end connectors, with that in mind we'll have a look at the worn track pads in the set.



Resin Track Pads
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Resin assembly jig
Master Club

Each 'rubber' link is cleanly cast in a black resin to represent a heavily worn chevron rubber block track link with the only clean-up needed is to remove the remnants of the casting block (which has already been snapped off at manufacture) along one edge of the link. This is easily done with a sharp #11 blade or similar and there is also randomly some fine resin film around the pin holes in the end of the blocks, if present this too can be trimmed.

Minimal track link clean-up is needed.
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The representation of the heavily worn chevron is very effective with a textured surface on the chevron also included, there also wear on the inside of the pad from the road wheels to add to the nice effect.

Detail of the worn rubber chevron
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Assembly:
As mentioned there are no end connectors included with this set so for this assembly I have used the inside end connectors from set MTL35122 and the 'duckbill' end connectors from set MTL35311 for outside of the track runs.

From here the assembly is the same as the full sets of track pads and end connectors using the jig provided, this will hold twelve links at a time but I found working with just six or seven at one go was more manageable. The instructions say to use thin cyanoacrylate but I used thicker (medium) to avoid the capillary action of thin sending the glue all over the place putting a small dab of glue in the same hole. Make sure you only glue one of the pins leaving the other to move unless you want to make the long top and bottom runs fixed in place then glue both pins for a solid fix? Then repeat for more links

Track assembly using the jig provided
Master Club
Master Club

Five links with the end connectors glued at an angle was sufficient for around the drive sprocket with five straight links between the sprocket and first road wheel with just one angled end connectors for around the first and last road wheel.

It's best to fit the tracks to your kit suspension is sections and by adding an end connector on one side only where the sections join makes the job of mating the track sections a lot easier as you don't have to juggle an end connector to line them up

Details of the short track run, note the worn appearance on the inside of the pad from the road wheels as well as on the outer chevron.
Master Club

Fitting the Tracks:
I have test fitted the assembled links to Academy, Asuka/Taska, Dragon and Tamiya (old and new) kits to see the drive sprocket and general fit, thankfully I have one of the Asuka/Taska and Dragon kits under the heading "one I prepared earlier" with the full suspension assembled but for the Academy and Tamiya are just the drive sprockets on their lonesome.

With Academy the fit to the drive sprockets from an M3 Grant kit was perfect and as the same parts (abate different style sprockets) are used in most of their M3/M4 kits these should all be no problems.

The fit to the Asuka/Taska drive sprocket was excellent as it was around the road wheels and Idler so nothing more to be said here.

The fit to the sample Dragon sprocket was a little tight but still fitted okay after a little nudging to get the track in place, the fit to the rest of the suspension was all okay.

On the Tamiya kits I tested the older M4A3 and the tracks simply would not fit the sprockets as the thickness of the tooth sprockets was way too thick, but on the new M10 the fit was perfect, as good as with the Asuka sprockets.

Assembled tracks test fitted to theAsuka M4 kit sprockets.
Master Club
A comparison of the normal track pads from set MTL35122 and the worn pads from this set MTL35322.
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Individual link comparison
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Conclusion:
The worn T48 track pads in this set are effectively done and give a great impression of the heavily worn Rubber Chevron pads seen in numerous wartime photographs.

At the time of writing this review you also need to buy an additional full set of links and end connectors to make a set with the word pads could turn out quite expensive and you still end up with a set of pads without end connectors. That aside the worn pads themselves are well done and will look good on well used and seasoned Sherman.

Rating 8.5/10



Thanks to MasterClub for the review Set.
MasterClub track sets are available from PMMS Sponsors, BNA Modelworld and Hobbyeasy

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Page created 13 September 2018



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