Academy M3 Lee suspension correction
Arizona, United States
Joined: November 17, 2002
KitMaker: 347 posts
Armorama: 223 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 01, 2010 - 08:12 AM UTC
Hey Guy's,
Just got the M3 Lee as an early gift, but after reading what is wrong with the kit, I wrote a letter to Model Rectifier Corp., US distributor for Academy models. The response I got was a coupon to mail in so I can get a tree of parts that they say will correct the suspension, from the M7 Priest?? They say it is a limited time, to mail in the coupon plus $8.00 for shipping, cheaper than one of the hard to find correction sets in resin or buying an entire kit. Just thought I would share this with you all.
Contact
[email protected] for the coupon and instructions.
Arizona, United States
Joined: November 17, 2002
KitMaker: 347 posts
Armorama: 223 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 02, 2010 - 11:42 AM UTC
Hey All,
Sorry i jumped the gun, got excited. What they tried to sell me was the Grant sprue and from what I read it was still incorrect for that one as well??
So nvr mind.
Florida, United States
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 02, 2010 - 12:40 PM UTC
The new parts are correct. The original bogie design in the Academy kit was made too tall so they could use their existing Sherman volute spring part, a really stupid attempt to save money. Academy was widely condemned, and actually redesigned the molds with correct (shorter) bogies and new, smaller springs. These parts have been included in the M7 kit, as well as later boxings of the M3 Lee and Grant kits. MRC has offered to replace the incorrect parts for "free" (if you overlook the hefty shipping and handling fee). If you have the early release, by all means get the new parts.
Arizona, United States
Joined: November 17, 2002
KitMaker: 347 posts
Armorama: 223 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 02, 2010 - 01:18 PM UTC
Thanks Gerald,
Good to know that the parts are corrected, but if they corrected the kits, how do you know your kit is an older release or one of the corrected ones? there is a small piece of paper that says correction and shows diagram for suspension and gun and mantle for the turret. I thought this may have been a correction for printing the wrong part numbers? TIA
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
KitMaker: 1,526 posts
Armorama: 1,294 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 02, 2010 - 04:18 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Thanks Gerald,
Good to know that the parts are corrected, but if they corrected the kits, how do you know your kit is an older release or one of the corrected ones? there is a small piece of paper that says correction and shows diagram for suspension and gun and mantle for the turret. I thought this may have been a correction for printing the wrong part numbers? TIA
The best and old fashioned way is to measure them with a ruler. The correctly scaled height of bogies should be 10.7mm and the incorrect kit bogie is about 13mm.
Happy modeling!
Warning: possible addiction may occur.
Currently on the bench: Maquette T-34/76
#417
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 01, 2004
KitMaker: 3,123 posts
Armorama: 2,539 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 05, 2010 - 03:21 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Thanks Gerald,
Good to know that the parts are corrected, but if they corrected the kits, how do you know your kit is an older release or one of the corrected ones? there is a small piece of paper that says correction and shows diagram for suspension and gun and mantle for the turret. I thought this may have been a correction for printing the wrong part numbers? TIA
The best and old fashioned way is to measure them with a ruler. The correctly scaled height of bogies should be 10.7mm and the incorrect kit bogie is about 13mm.
Not to be glib, but measure from where to where? What are your reference points on the model parts for your measurements. 2.5mm isn't so much that a couple of points on the bogies couldn't be mistaken for the measurement points.
Paul
Paul Roberts
Past Editor, Boresight
Armor Modeling and Preservation Society
Georgia, United States
Joined: January 31, 2010
KitMaker: 2,191 posts
Armorama: 1,814 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 05, 2010 - 04:09 AM UTC
Here's PMMS's photo...
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/academy/images/acd13212d15.jpgLeft to right....
uncorrected, corrected (from the M7 kit), photo of real thing. Seems like it's visible enough to figure out which one you have.
Join AMPS.
http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
KitMaker: 1,526 posts
Armorama: 1,294 posts
Posted: Sunday, December 05, 2010 - 04:48 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Thanks Gerald,
Good to know that the parts are corrected, but if they corrected the kits, how do you know your kit is an older release or one of the corrected ones? there is a small piece of paper that says correction and shows diagram for suspension and gun and mantle for the turret. I thought this may have been a correction for printing the wrong part numbers? TIA
The best and old fashioned way is to measure them with a ruler. The correctly scaled height of bogies should be 10.7mm and the incorrect kit bogie is about 13mm.
Not to be glib, but measure from where to where? What are your reference points on the model parts for your measurements. 2.5mm isn't so much that a couple of points on the bogies couldn't be mistaken for the measurement points.
Paul
Here is what Jesse was trying to point out from PMMS.
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/academy/acd13212d01.htm Photos will clarify the bogie housing height I was referring to.
Happy modeling!
Warning: possible addiction may occur.
Currently on the bench: Maquette T-34/76
Michigan, United States
Joined: October 17, 2010
KitMaker: 627 posts
Armorama: 571 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 10:31 AM UTC
I had just gotten an Academy M3 at my LHS. It must have been an old boxing, because it had the too tall bogies. I sent an email to MRC and they responded rapidly. All I had to do was send them a couple cutouts from the box and mail those to them. Then they would send the 'fixed' parts. I did so 10 days ago and got the package today. They sent the whole tree!
BTW, for free. So are the old bogies good for anything else?
Thanks.
John
Georgia, United States
Joined: January 31, 2010
KitMaker: 2,191 posts
Armorama: 1,814 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 11:10 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I had just gotten an Academy M3 at my LHS. It must have been an old boxing, because it had the too tall bogies. I sent an email to MRC and they responded rapidly. All I had to do was send them a couple cutouts from the box and mail those to them. Then they would send the 'fixed' parts. I did so 10 days ago and got the package today. They sent the whole tree!
BTW, for free. So are the old bogies good for anything else?
Thanks.
John
Old bogies aren't accurate for anything, so not really.
Join AMPS.
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 17, 2010
KitMaker: 627 posts
Armorama: 571 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 12:51 PM UTC
Joined: February 10, 2007
KitMaker: 47 posts
Armorama: 28 posts
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2013 - 01:32 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I had just gotten an Academy M3 at my LHS. It must have been an old boxing, because it had the too tall bogies. I sent an email to MRC and they responded rapidly. All I had to do was send them a couple cutouts from the box and mail those to them. Then they would send the 'fixed' parts. I did so 10 days ago and got the package today. They sent the whole tree!
BTW, for free. So are the old bogies good for anything else?
Thanks.
John
Hi Guys, I just got an M3 Lee by academy after giving up on Dragon coming out with one anytime soon. I sent an email to MRC and they responded saying they wanted the UPC code cut out and the MRC sticker cutouts. Where and what is the MRC sticker cut out on the box. There is a sticker that has the NJ address...is that it??
Thanks!
Eric
Georgia, United States
Joined: January 31, 2010
KitMaker: 2,191 posts
Armorama: 1,814 posts
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2013 - 01:37 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
I had just gotten an Academy M3 at my LHS. It must have been an old boxing, because it had the too tall bogies. I sent an email to MRC and they responded rapidly. All I had to do was send them a couple cutouts from the box and mail those to them. Then they would send the 'fixed' parts. I did so 10 days ago and got the package today. They sent the whole tree!
BTW, for free. So are the old bogies good for anything else?
Thanks.
John
Hi Guys, I just got an M3 Lee by academy after giving up on Dragon coming out with one anytime soon. I sent an email to MRC and they responded saying they wanted the UPC code cut out and the MRC sticker cutouts. Where and what is the MRC sticker cut out on the box. There is a sticker that has the NJ address...is that it??
Thanks!
Eric
Yes, MRC is based out of NJ.
Join AMPS.
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Joined: February 10, 2007
KitMaker: 47 posts
Armorama: 28 posts
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2013 - 01:46 PM UTC
Is that the sticker they want????
Georgia, United States
Joined: January 31, 2010
KitMaker: 2,191 posts
Armorama: 1,814 posts
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2013 - 01:49 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Is that the sticker they want????
It's the only 'sticker' on the box that would come from NJ, is it not?
Join AMPS.
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Joined: February 10, 2007
KitMaker: 47 posts
Armorama: 28 posts
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2013 - 01:57 PM UTC
Joined: February 10, 2007
KitMaker: 47 posts
Armorama: 28 posts
Posted: Monday, March 04, 2013 - 01:03 PM UTC
So I sent the letter and MRC just sent me the correction sprue fast and for free!! Awesome.
Namabiiru
Associate Editor#399
Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 19, 2015 - 02:04 AM UTC
Dredging up an old thread, but does anyone have an e-mail address for MRC so I can look into those replacement bogey sprues?
Georgia, United States
Joined: January 31, 2010
KitMaker: 2,191 posts
Armorama: 1,814 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 19, 2015 - 02:19 AM UTC
Join AMPS.
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Armed Forces Europe, United States
Joined: November 04, 2005
KitMaker: 84 posts
Armorama: 73 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 - 06:30 AM UTC
Sorry to bring this up yet AGAIN (and yes, I read all the above posts and have measured my bogies with a micrometer),
I just bought both the Lee and the Grant kits, but I've had their M7 for a while.
I am safe to assume that since the heights of the bogies in both the M3 kits are exactly the same height as those in the M7 kit that I have good bogies for all three?
Thanks,
Dave
Florida, United States
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 - 09:06 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Sorry to bring this up yet AGAIN (and yes, I read all the above posts and have measured my bogies with a micrometer),
I just bought both the Lee and the Grant kits, but I've had their M7 for a while.
I am safe to assume that since the heights of the bogies in both the M3 kits are exactly the same height as those in the M7 kit that I have good bogies for all three?
Thanks,
Dave
Yes, there was never a problem with the M7 kit. Only drawback of the correction with the shorter suspension units is that Academy's vinyl track is now too long.
New South Wales, Australia
Joined: February 28, 2006
KitMaker: 1,605 posts
Armorama: 1,565 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 - 01:00 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Sorry to bring this up yet AGAIN (and yes, I read all the above posts and have measured my bogies with a micrometer),
I just bought both the Lee and the Grant kits, but I've had their M7 for a while.
I am safe to assume that since the heights of the bogies in both the M3 kits are exactly the same height as those in the M7 kit that I have good bogies for all three?
Thanks,
Dave
Just to confuse the issue the later release of the Grant (with the crew) had the correct bogies from the M7 kit.
Al
