BRONCO M-24 Chaffee (NW Europe '44-'45)

BRONCO M-24 Chaffee (NW Europe '44-'45)

 All I've got to say is, "IT'S ABOUT TIME!"  This has got to be one of the coolest little tanks of all time.  And no offense to those of you who snarfed up the Vickers Mk VI, but this is the most exciting news in the modelling world since the TASCA Sherman.

So, I'm sure everyone has already read the review on PMMS.....if not....
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/bronco/cb35069.html

It has been a hot topic on many of the other forums as well.  One of the more interesting is the squabble on Armorama between an "alleged" AFV Club employee and....um...the rest of the world;

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=186020&page=1

The sprues look beautiful to me, but here is a really in-depth build review;

http://bulldogs.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=7442

What is all the controversy about?  In spite of the beauty and incredible craftsmanship in this kit, nobody wants to build a post-war Chaffee and put it in WWII colors.  Brent Mullins of the Museum of the American GI  http://www.magicstx.org/ (shameless plug here) did an amazing job restoring a post-war M-24 and put it in WWII colors (several more pictures posted on the King's Hobby Shop Facebook page).  This thing looks great driving across a field, but up close...we know.

Terry Ashley also points out a minor (yet very difficult to fix) flaw in the turret roof (ouch!)(pictures respectfully borrowed from PMMS).  Honestly, if I were judging the kit at a show, I'd probably never notice.  But as a builder, this is the kind of stuff that haunts you at night.

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However, there is a solution!  If anyone still has a Formations M-24 upgrade kit for the old Italeri kit...looky here...Rob got it right.  As far as I'm concerned Rob Ervin is the resident Chaffee expert, so if you're out there, feel free to respond Rob.  Additionally, Russ Amott points out the splash guard around the ventilator cover is a post-war addition (molded on to the turret roof by BRONCO).  Thanks again Rob, the ventilator
in the Formations set is a separate piece.

I can't say if the Formations part will match the rest of the BRONCO turret, but using his turret can't be as tricky as trying to correct that angle.  Unfortunately, the Formations set is not currently available, but I understand from Mr. Ervin that an outfit in Canada has purchased all the molds and is planning to keep the line in production

Regardless, this is going to be a great kit.  And what about that working track and suspension?  Is there a motorized version in our future?  Stay tuned for King's clamation remake of the original "Godzilla".