Individual Track for T-72 and T-90 Main Battle Tanks
1:35 Meng Model
Meng's new(ish) Supplies line is expanding steadily, and now includes these two optional track sets for T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks, culled from recently released kits and now available separately in case you have the need for such things. Apparently, both types of tracks have been used on both vehicles, and with the T-72BA the single pin tracks were replaced later by the more robust double-pin tracks to cope with a more powerful engine.
Both sets arrive in a figure-sized white box with line drawings of the tracks on the front, and instructions on the rear. Inside are the track parts in black styrene with the jigs to help you build them also included, some of which are black others clear.
Single-Pin Tracks for T-72 & T-90 (SPS-029)
This is the simpler track set, which gives you a bag of track links in pairs on little bits of sprue, so you have only one gate to clean up after nipping the parts off. There are two pieces of jig in clear styrene, and you place six links with their guide horns downwards into the bottom section, securing them in place with the top jig. They are secured in place by a run of five pins on one side, which are applied whilst still on their block of sprue and then set free by cutting them off with a VERY sharp blade. On the other side, a moulded-in pin holds things together, which means that the parts are placed in the jig at an angle so that it can engage with the hole in the next link. In practice this is a wee bit fiddly, and the first run I did was a bit messy, falling apart in one place when I nipped off the first pin. Once I'd seen the error of my ways, I held the pin sprue in place while I cut the gates, and it proceeded with much less hassle. Pushing the pins firmly home with the tip of your tweezers will ensure that they don't fall out in a hurry too. The friction fit isn't hugely strong however, but once painted they should stay put.
Double-Pin Tracks for T-72 & T-90 (SPS-030)
The tracks are the same design as those for the Terminator and more recent T-72B3 reviewed here, and have three black jigs to facilitate construction. Firstly, the guide horns are cut from their sprue and here the instructions tell you to leave them in pairs with a little piece of sprue between them. I had to test this theory, as it looked rather unwieldy to me, and I did indeed find it so when I attempted the first run of six links. For the second run of six, I removed the horns and cleaned up their sprue gate marks first, then clipped them onto the links via the moulded-in pins that run the full width of the links, whilst holding them on the jig J3. It was less fiddly, and a knack was soon stumbled on to get them clipped together. With six links on the jig, a top part J2 is clipped over the lower, holding the links in place. You then insert a section of sprue containing five flexible styrene end-caps into the third part of the jog J1, and cut them loose with a sharp blade. These are then offered en-masse to the pins on one side of the tracks, pushing in only one way due to the shape of the keys on the sides of the jigs. Here you have to be careful to insert the end-caps in the correct orientation according to the scrap diagrams in this section. Optionally, you can finally install a set of track-pads to finish off the length, or leave them rough and ready for cross-country work. They fit into recesses in the outer surface of the links, and glue in quite easily, but be sparing with it, as you'll ruin all your work if the glue gets into the pins.
Conclusion
In conclusion on the double-pin tracks, they are fiddly, delicate and really require your full attention, so don't expect to have them finished in an hour. The single-pin tracks were a little easier, but take care when cutting the pins free of their sprue block. I was already speeding up production by the time I'd made the 2nd run of six, and the results are worth the effort, being detailed and workable, but be prepared to put in the effort – For each run you'll need to make 96 links for the single-pin tracks, and 81 for the double-pin.
Highly recommended with the caveats mentioned above.
Review sample courtesy of
