1:48 Tracks for IS-2, IS-3, KV-1s, ISU-122, KV-85

Master Club 1:48 tracks for the IS-2, IS-3, KV-1s, ISU-122 and KV-85

A set of replacement tracks from the brand Master Club for models of Soviet heavy tracked vehicles in 1:48 scale. It is neither a kit nor a model in its own right: these are tracks with which you replace the parts from the box. According to the name the type of track is shared by several machines: the IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tanks, the KV-1s and KV-85 and the ISU-122 self-propelled gun, so one set covers more than one part-built project in the same family.

Why change the tracks

The tracks supplied in ordinary kits tend to be either soft joined loops or split parts with a visible parting line. Replacement link tracks have crisper detail on the guide horns and on the inner side of the link, and above all they allow the natural sag on the upper run of the track that is a conspicuous mark of Soviet heavy tanks. It is precisely the sag that an experienced eye notices first on a finished model.

Building tips

• Assemble and fit the tracks only once the running gear is finished, but still before the final painting of the hull.
• Set the sag of the upper run of the track at the moment when the joint is still pliable, and let it stiffen in place.
• Degrease the links before painting and use a primer; pigment otherwise holds badly on a smooth surface.
• At the end go over the contact faces of the horns and the tread with graphite or a metallic pigment; the sheen that results sets the running faces apart from the rest.
• Putting the individual links together takes time, so allow for it in your plan for the build.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building Soviet heavy vehicles in 1:48 scale.
• Those who do not get on with the tracks from the box and want better detail and a natural sag of the track.
• More patient builders: link tracks are extra work compared with a ready-made loop.

It is an accessory to a model, not a kit in its own right. The base model, paints and glue are not included in the package.