M41 Walker Bulldog
1/15th Scale
Kit contents
|
|
Glencoe M41 Walker Bulldog 1/15th Scale Kit contents |
|
| |
|
Glencoe
has reissued an old Ideal Toy Company model which was first designed
in 1961 (according to the copyright on the hull). While it would
be easy to beat up on this kit, a candid look at the good points as well
as the bad is in order. You can purchase this kit from a number of
places, and as of this writing, the price tag ranges from about $28.00
to it's full retail price of $39.95. First off, let me note that the M41 had a hull width of 126 inches. Since my kit measured out at 6.5 inches, this means that the Glencoe kit is NOT 1/15th scale, as advertised, but closer to 1/19.4 scale! The M41 kit shows its age in the primitive nature of its design. The tracks, molding quality, small details, etc. are all laughable by today's standards. However, considering its source--Glencoe--one shouldn't purchase it without realizing two things: they weren't the ones who designed it; and the kit is being given a second chance at life in the marketplace. |
 The larger parts. The lower hull exhibited some warpage on the glacis  The small parts. Details were dull, rivets small. |
|
Glencoe's claim that this kit can be converted to R/C operation
indicates that they believe in a higher entity. However, after
initial inspection it occurred to me that it might take only a minor
god, say a model building god, to do what they claim. But I
can forgive them that. After all, they aren't in the R/C business
so they probably don't know. . . . This kit would be great for your kid who wants to drive alongside your new Tamiya M4 or King Tiger. The Bulldog is a small tank even in 1/15th scale and is only about as big as the 1/25th scale models that Tamiya and Academy produce. If one is |
to convert it to radio control it will take considerable
A summary of the kit's contents is in the table below. |
| What's in the box? | ||
| Track Links | The tracks are molded as one continuous belt as with 1/35th scale armor. The links themselves are wholly unrealistic (see pic). |
 |
| Bogeys | Plastic. Same with idler. Secured to suspension arms with styrene axle. The axle isn't very thick and could be prone to breakage. Recommend replacement with a thick nail. | |
| Sprockets | Plastic with simulated teeth (see pic) |
 |
| Suspension Arms | The suspension arms are the same styrene plastic as the model and look weak. They have a confusing mounting inside the hull, but a clever modeler could make them independantly sprung without too much work. It would be nice if there was a ruggedized hop-up kit that replaced these, the axles, the sprockets and the tracks (with separate vinyl links). | |
| Chassis | The chassis is composed of three thick styrene pieces: the center/lower hull and the left and right sides. There was some warpage on the glacis plate, but assembling this isn't difficult for anyone with fair modeling experience. The lower hull has molded indents for a batteries and a gearbox. Gears are provided as well, but since they are styrene, they wouldn't last five minutes. The rear indent is just the right hight to mount the aforementioned Tamiya Dual Gear Set. |
 Tamiya's 1/25th Centurion is in the background for scale. Note the similarity in size. |
| Turret | Unlike Tamiya's Sherman, the loader and commander's hatches are hinged. The two barrel halves were considerably warped, but dry fitted together straight. The commander's .50 cal. machine gun looks like something from a science fiction movie, but could be replaced with Francois Verlinden's excellent one. The sledge hammer is molded in as well as some obscure bedroll on the left side, but these could be scraped off and filled. |
|
| Summary | ||
|
Don't buy this kit expecting a quick and easy R/C job. It will take
alot of ingenuity, patience and work to get it there. Also, don't
buy it expecting a Tamiya-quality showpiece. The details are crude
and the overall execution is suspect. This kit is ideal for the scratch-builder and tinkering nut who has alot of time and patience to bring it to life. | ||
| BACK |
visitor number: |