M5 Stuart in 1/72

likemaddladd · Post by **likemaddladd** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:35 am

Hello, I am new here and with no veiled intentions, I am specifically interested in launching a campaign to drum up enough interest to get someone in the the diecast world to make an M5 Stuart in 1/72 scale. Anyone who thumbs through pictures of Campaigns between 1943 and '45 will see plenty of images of M5s along with many other allied vehicles never seen on the diecast market (the M7 priest for example). Hobby Master has made a valiant effort with their fine M8 etc, and the new Warmaster company looks promising. Unimax and 21st century toys both made excellent and affordable versions in 1/32 scale yet nothing for 1/72. Does anyone know why? I hope we can drum up enough enthusiasm for more Historically pertinent vehicles. Glad to be a part of the forum, I hope I am not breaching any rules of forum etiquette. thanks

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:48 am

I would love to see a Stuart properly done in this scale. Hobbymaster and FOV would be my best bets for companies that would make one eventually.

However, there is sort of a stop-gap measure. A couple years ago, Corgi made an M3 "Honey" that was sold at mass retial as part of their Legends line. This was approximately 1:72 scale. It is a bit toyish, but does the job

likemaddladd · Post by **likemaddladd** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:09 pm

yes i agree the corgi is a pretty good stop gap and I did aquire 2 platoons of those. But the wargamming weenie in me really misses having some M5s for US units from D-day on.
Someone in the modeling world told me that designers have had a hard time getting the scale just right. And that is why a there is only one resin M5 available on the market and no plastic models. I don't know if that was just his theory or fact. Before Hobby Master came out with their jeep I assumed manufactures were worried retailers would not be able to sell such a small model for 'competitive' price but if they can make a marder (which is worth looking forward to, opposed to a repaint of yet another rarely used german afv) then a M5 Stuart seems possible

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:52 pm

closest I've seen to a good late Stuart in 1/72 is a M3A3 kit by Mirage, they have a M5 in the works but it's still a ways off.