A Modeling Guide to:

Assembling Separate Link Tracks for 1/35 Military Models

by Neville Lord

Separate link tracks can add realism to military models. The most common form of these tracks are one-piece separate link tracks which are found in many popular 1/35 military kits including Tamiya's late and mid production Tiger Is and Sturmtiger; and most Dragon armored vehicles kits including their Panzer III & IV series, Panthers, Shermans and JS-II Soviet tanks. Being injection plastic, these links can be assembled using standard modelling cement and compared to standard one piece tracks are effective at replicating the sag seen on many tanks and self-propelled guns.

This article presents a straightforward and in my opinion low risk technique that I have found effective for working with one-piece separate link tracks. The accompanying photos illustrate this technique using Tamiya's King Tiger (production turret) with the optional Tamiya King Tiger track links. Like other recent Tamiya kits this model goes together extremely well.

Separate link tracks on the sprue

Step 1: Assemble Kit's Hull

Assemble the lower hull and fit the road-wheels, drive sprockets (wheels with teeth) and idlers. By fitting the tracks before attaching the upper hull you have more space to work in.

Hint: to avoid damage don't fit small parts such as hull machine guns until after the tracks are fitted.

Step 2: Prepare the Links

Remove the links from the sprues. For Tamiya and other high quality links this can be done in one step with a hobby knife and cutting mat. Some older and East European kits require the parts to be removed using side cutters before being finished with a knife. If this involves removing injection marks this can be time consuming and if you can afford it, the use of aftermarket tracks such as Fruil or Model-Kasten is particularly advantageous.

Separate Link Tracks Ready for Assembly

I always use a fresh blade as it saves time and gives tidy results. Remove any flash as you go.

Hint: To save time later on, put the correct number of links for each track in a zip lock plastic bag.

Step 3: Assemble the Tracks

In this step, I usually build two half-lengths as I find shorter runs easier to handle. For this step you need a steel or wooden ruler.

Step 3: One completed half-length of track

• Empty about half of one track's links into a small container.
  Place the first link on a flat surface.
• Apply a dab of liquid cement to the front teeth of the second link and join it to the rear of the first link and repeat for subsequent links.
• After assembling a half a track length ensure it is straight and flat by pressing the ruler against the base of the guide horns (the teeth on the inner face of each link) and nudging any misaligned links into place.
• Leave the track to sit while the glue sets.
• Repeat for the other half of the track.

Hint: By using a glue with at least 20 minutes curing timing (e.g. Tamiya's Liquid Cement or Revell Contacta Professional), you will have ample time to fix the tracks to the kit in the next step.

Step 4: Fitting the Tracks

By now the first run of track should be ready. If it is ready, the links will stay together when you lift the track and you will experience some resistance when you bend it. If the joins are weak, wait a few minutes. Always check the instructions to see which direction the track should face.

The kit after fitting the first half of the track. Notice the loose track on the top and that the links have been pushed firmly onto the sprocket.

• Place a small amount of glue on the inside of the drive sprocket's teeth and the bottom of the front road-wheels. We start with the sprocket, as its teeth must align with the track-links.
• Position the 5th link of the first track run onto the top of the sprocket. By leaving several links loose, it is easier to join the ends. Going from the top down, press each link firmly into place on the sprocket.
• Bend the track to run under the road wheels. The guide-horns should align with the gaps between the wheels.
• Check that the track between the sprocket and front road-wheel is straight from the front, and (if you wish) slightly sagging from the side. You can adjustment the sag by moving the track under the road-wheels back and forward.
• Dab some glue on the remaining road-wheels, rear idler and either the return idlers or top of the road wheels.
• Join the second run of track to the first under the road-wheels.
• Position the track into place, but don't join the two ends.
• Check that the track around rear idler and rear road-wheel is correctly aligned from the rear and side.
• Check you have the right number of links for the two ends to join, while giving the desired sag. If necessary add or subtract a link or two.
• Join the two ends. By leaving the top run until last you can adjust the sag, to ensure the ends connect neatly.

Step 5: Final Adjustments

As this kit has large links that touch the road wheels, I used coins to hold the tracks in place while the glue sets.

• 
  Make any final adjustments to ensure the track sags evenly.
• Leave the kit to stand as the glue dries. For the first track, make sure the kit is propped up to sit even (e.g. place some links underneath the wheels of the other side).
• If necessary secure the top of the track in place while the glue sets. I find tweezers positioned at the key points works well on smaller and medium sized vehicles and small coins for larger vehicles.

More Hints

• Before fitting tracks why not examine photos of the real vehicle to see how the tracks sagged. In practice this varies considerably depending on how tight the tracks were fitted (e.g. position of the rear idler, number of links used) and whether the vehicle is moving or not.
• For tanks, such as the Panther and Tiger I, which have several layers of road wheels, I often leave the outer wheels off until after I have painted them. This makes it easy to paint the middle set of road wheels.

The King Tiger hull with tracks in place. The model will be detailed using a set of etched metal fenders with bent and missing panels to replicate a battle weary vehicle.

Related Kits

This article was prepared using Tamiya's King Tiger (Henschel turret) and optional Tamiya King Tiger track links (35165). Tamiya have released three versions of the King Tiger:

King Tiger - Henschel Production turret (kit 35164) is the standard version of the King Tiger and if built straight out of the box will represent a typical mid 1944 production model.

King Tiger - Porsche turret (kit 35169). Features the Porsche designed turret fitted to early production King Tigers.

King Tiger -Ardennes Front (kit 35252). This, consists of the production turret version but includes two additional crew figures, a DKW motorbike with dispatch rider, alternative decals and a choice of mantlets (stepped (as per original kit) or a smooth tapering profile. Both mantlet styles were widely used.