"Smallest, Most Exotic, 1/35 Modern AFV Model Kits?" Topic

Based on replies to a related thread, here's the question: what are the smallest modern AFVs available in 1/35? We're talking tanks, APCs, IFVs, etc.

The idea is to use 1/35 vehicles with 28mm sci-fi figures. The question can't be quite as broad as "what are the smallest modern AFVs?" since not all AFVs are available in 1/35.

Ideally these would be 5-7 inches long and about 3.2" wide. I base these values on typical AFV sizes in 1/35 scale and vehicles such as the 40K Leman Russ tank which is roughly ~3" wide and 5" or so long.

Another criteria might be "odd or exotic looking AFVs." For example, the Sheridan looks pretty unique. The M60A2 "Starship" and Merkava also look pretty futuristic.

Your suggestions/nominations for small-ish, exotic-looking, 1/35 modern AFV models that would work best with 28mm figures?

MB

Any of the Weisel airborne AFVs from AFV Club. Has a bit of photo-etch though. I have the Weisel TOW, but there is also a 20mm variant…

Here's some info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiesel_AWC

Avoid the AER ASU-57 at all costs.

Damon.

Is this the one? If so, it certainly looks cool!

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Here are a couple of others that look neat:

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link

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Some interesting stuff here
hobbyboss.com/v35.htm
How about
hobbyboss.com/82414.htm
hobbyboss.com/82417.htm

Tamiya make 1/35 moderns including Merkava, Abrams, modern Marder, M20 armoured car, Leopard A5, M2A2 ODS, M1046 Humvee TOW, JGSDF Light Armored Vehicle, Challenger 2 and some of the modern Japanese tanks.
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The modern Marder may fit best.
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Mick

Cool! Some of the wheeled armored cars with tank turrets look just like the AT-43 ACs…but more detailed and less expensive! :-)

That Weisel looks pretty cute and reminds me of the M50A1 Ontos. apparently there's a 1/35 scale resin kit available:

link

I think the modern Marder APC is the closest fit for what you want, it's pretty small.
I have the 1/35 Merkava, and that's a BIG beast… a little bit bigger than a Land Raider, in fact, but not big enough to be a Superheavy.

academy have just released the Ontos as a plastic kit in 1/35

With a thick gun barrel modification the Scimitar looks like it should do very nicely. If my calculation is correct it should be only roughly 5.5"/14cm long in 1/35.

In fact, at around 4.9m long there seem to be a number of small-ish armored cars that would look good with 28mm figures in 1/35.

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I use 1/48 Marder APCs; 1/48 Merkava Siraeli MBTs, and 1/48 StuG III G -Pictured here:

doodlebot.net/redoubt/?p=69

dwight – all links I have show release in mid-march… Will be getting a few of those badass M50's!!

Have a look out for modern MLRS vehicles as you have a utility or command transport and a seperate missile system(put mine on a space marine rhino as an alternative whirlwind) .
I got a dragon 1/35 nato MLRS kit and it is a cool model for GW scale.
Regrettably Sold them along with much gaming stuff when I moved though.

The missus reminded me of the kits I saved.
Try the Trumpeter 1/35 JGSDF Type 82 6x6 Armored Command.
This will be used as a 10 man squad deploy vehicle for combat zone now which will be used in 28mm scale.

@Feet Up…great minds think alike…ordered one today!!! :-)

Also ordering a 1/48 Merkava and 1/35 Scimitar.

The 1/35 JGSDF Type 87 Recon arrived in the mail yesterday:

link

My wife has the digi camera at the moment, so I'll post some preliminary photos tomorrow. But my sons and I took a quick gander at how this might work.

The hull and turret look great with 40K, Pig Iron, and AT-43 figures. Even the hatches are the right size. Only problem are the wheels which are large compared to the infantry. So…

My son had the brilliant idea of making it a grav vehicle! When we dry-fit the upper and lower hulls together and placed it on the table the boxy drive train (molded into the lower hull) held the assembly off the ground. It looked like a ready-made grav tank!

The wheel wells (bits that look like the top half of a hexagon cut out of the lower hull) will be filled in with sheet styrene and putty to complete the lower hull. But even simply dry fit and placed on the table you can see the model's potential!

Will post photos on Thursday.

EDIT: Here's a phtoshop version of the proposed grav tank.

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Will also change the gun barrel to a minigun-style sci-fi weapon and add a boxy missile launcher to the left side of the turret.

MB

Why not use 1/48 AFVs? There are plenty of modern kits made.I reccomend the Academy ones over the Kitech but both are available on Ebay.

this could work to be intresting a shorter smaller version of the M113, link shows the first version consept, then scroll down to the original production version.
cavhooah.com/m114.htm

Why not use 1/48 AFVs? There are plenty of modern kits made.I reccomend the Academy ones over the Kitech but both are available on Ebay.

Oh, I'll also use 1/48. In fact I have a 1/48 Merkava inbound right now along with a 1/35 Scimitar.

While MY first choice is 1/48 it appears the rest of the world is focused on 1/35. I can find just about any AFV in 1/35 but after much hunting options in 1/48 are clearly very limited.

So for 1/35 I'm limiting my selection to vehicles very roughly 5m to 6m in length (5.3m is 15.2cm / 6" at 1/35). The reason is that the Imperial Guard Leman Russ is about 5.5" long and the Land Raider is a little bigger. So if a 1/35 AFV is 5.5" to 6.5" it should look good.

For example, the Type 87 IIRC is about 6.0m in real life or about 17cm/6.7" at 1/35. Certainly on the longer side but it's a wee bit more narrow than the Leman Russ. As a grav tank with 28mm figures it looks long and sleek. Removing the wheels and using as a grav tank also makes it "shorter" in height.

this could work to be intresting a shorter smaller version of the M113, link shows the first version consept, then scroll down to the original production version.

Yes, love those! That will be my next acquisition. Have found other versions with an autocannon mounted on it.