# silly question



## airman34 (May 18, 2011)

some how I have ended up with 2 of the M3 Lee tank kits. One is the Tamiya and the other is the Revell version. which is the better or easier kit to build? Both are 1:35 scale. I am a beginner modeler with older eyes. Thanks in advance


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

Tamiya=better, Revell=easier.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

btbrush said:


> Tamiya=better, Revell=easier.


Succinct, and accurate.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Neither kit is great. 

The Revell kit is actually a reissue of the Monogram kit from the early 1970s and it is 1/32 scale. The kit overall is not too bad although it has the early pepper pot exhaust layout not (that I know of) used on any M3 Lee's that saw combat with the US. The worst part of the kit are the tracks, which are inaccurate in that the end connectors are centered on each track link, instead of actually connecting two links. For the most part, the kit builds well although there is a nasty seam across the front transmission that needs to be addressed. Dimensionally the kit is fair but it looks okay.

The Tamiya kit is equally old, and is not very accurate overall. It does build fairly well although the rear hull plates above the exhaust do not fit well. The kit's main 37mm gun turret is too rounded and gum drop shaped, and they kludged up the 37mm gun mount. I think they actually represent the recoil spring housing under the gun barrel as a machine gun barrel !?!? The angles and dimensions of the whole kit are off a bit. Like the Monogram kit, the tracks are useless as the end connectors are centered on the links. To make matters worse too, all of the roadwheels have the wrong number of spokes and must be replaced. Tamiya also depicts the upper engine deck of a gasoline powered tank, but the rear exhuast area of a diesel vehicle. The rear should resemble an M4 or M4A1 Sherman. The US did not use any diesel Lee's in Combat and to be accurate for either version you need to either fix the top or the rear. Tamiya's M3 Grant is about as poor as the main turret is grossly misshapen, although the rear hull detailing is correct.

If you had to go out and buy an M3, the Academy kit is by far the best M3 currently available. Dragon has an M3 upcoming too.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

djnick66 said:


> If you had to go out and buy an M3, the Academy kit is by far the best M3 currently available. Dragon has an M3 upcoming too.


I agree, the Academy kit is much, much better and the Dragon kit will no doubt be very good too but you're gonna pay a price for it! My guess would be in the $50-70 range!!

But, being a beginner, stick with what you've got first to learn some skills. The Tamiya in my opinion would probably be easier to build. Just starting out I wouldn't fret too much over accuracy. If you stick with model building and you really get into it, then yes, the more modern kits would be the way to go.

HAL9001-


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Oh I agree both kits are good beginner models. But he asked which one was better and neither is really great.

I don't see any reason why Dragon's M3 Lee would cost $70 !?!?! Even their giant super sized T28 was only $63. Dragon's Shermans run around $35 - $40.


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