Why you shouldn’t buy the Dragon 1/35 Sherman II

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

Just to be clear the kit provides: Z1 x28 Z2 x126 You need 134x Z2, the Z1 tracks have end connectors angled to go around the Idler and Sprocket. Also this is not the longer hull variant of the Sherman, it is a standard M4A1 so it is not that the hull is wrong etc. I could buy aftermarket tracks but that isn’t the point to this video.

[@tomstamford6837]

Certainly. Of course it isn't. If you buy something then all components should be included and the manufacturer is responsible to remedy any problems re parts.

[@mikemontgomery2654]

This is a hallmark of some Dragon kits. I’ve gotten more than enough of those kits over my lifetime. They’ve always ignored the customer. Nothing is more discouraging than having an awesome kit with missing parts, especially with said kit being on the higher end of the pricing scale.

[@geoffthecarpenter]

I've had a year or so break from modelling now im coming back to it ive decided to not worry so much about exact historical details colours etc, close enough is good enough, it was sucking the fun right out of the hobby for me.

[@themajesticmagnificent386]

Really glad I bumped into this video as I wanted to get this kit.!.

[@steb4205]

Oh no! Got this kit for my birthday! Do think dragon aren't the company they once were. You still managed to make a lovely job of it.

[@lesgl]

I built that kit a while back and it came with DS tracks..Dragon's version of vinyl..no probs with that..fitted well but i didn't get on with the brass sand shield parts so used the plastic ones off a Italeri M4 kit..bit of a faff getting it to fit on the Dragon kit but got there in the end..painted it up with the Desert Pink and Dark Green camo and white under the barrel and front of hull..great sense of achievement getting it all put together..it's one of my fav models. but in nearly ended up in the bin a few times..lol

[@jimaltergott9326]

Sorry to hear about your troubles involving the tracks & the difficulties in assembling this model. I have built a few Dragon kits, great molding, sharp details and some very cool & nifty extras provided in their "3 in 1" & "Smart Kits". They also have some of the worst instructions in the business! Their lack of response & professionalism is deplorable. A company should stand behind their product & their customers. Fortunately you do have options. Hope to see this completed some day soon! Love your work, keep on modeling! 👍

[@LeveretteJamesClifford1955]

Glad you brought up flared barrels on early Shermans. That is correct information, and I have several that I both years and years ago when the original owner/producer/master maker owned Formations models, dedicated entirely to Shermans. I have also seen in the last few days, a KZbin video of a film made by US Signal Corps movie photographers of a close up of an early Sherman which was involved in the battle for Normandy which still had the flared barrel end. If I could remember the video, Ive seen so many lately, I would show it to you. Hey, if you are a fan of Resicast then you may or may not know that it is going out of business. Just a warning if you want to get some parts no one else makes.

[@erlinberg]

Nice build and awesome video! It's so sad that Dragon is not standing behind its product :(

[@WayneWelly]

Nice build so far but shame on dragon for not helping with the lack of tracks

[@DutchDaveModels]

Well, you might be a bit blown out of your mojo by this kit, but I learned a lot about Sherman’s these 16 minutes 😊 Well done so far ✨👍✨

[@PirateMTH_ToddH]

Some really good technique presented here. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge. It would be a shame to not see this one finished. Your content on this model has been inspiring me to try armor and larger scale.

[@armydude131]

Had a similar problem with dragon’s Gepard kit. My kit was missing the driver’s mantlet and dragon customer service never responded. I totally get the lack of motivation. It’s a shame you put all of the extra work into it. Seemed like it was really going to turn out quite nice!

[@mikeharbour835]

I had the same issue with their pto sherman....luckily I had a few spares...

[@SomeOldGuyYellingattheSky]

Surprised you didn't replace the poor dragon tracks with a much better aftermarket set especially after all your work

[@larsjensen1358]

👍for the build and the super detailing, looks very nice and very inspirational. 👎to Dragon for ignoring the customer. I have just finished reading Tank Commander by Bill Close, what a memoire. highly recommend it. Gets you in the mood for armor building😀

[@JJ-cf7nb]

Dragon is a shadow of its former self and I don’t buy their kits any more either. Suggest you replace the tracks with a one piece band set from Tasca. I do that with pretty much all my Sherman builds as there’s really no point to single links on Sherman kits as there should not be caternary on them.. Detail on the Tasca are great and you don’t bore yourself to tears with single links.

[@mrbass3]

Interesting video - just bought the dragon M7 priest with magic tracks I better check how many are in it!

[@homelessperson9833]

Reminds me of how dragon forgot to include the sprue that had the turret for my VK 45.02 in 1/72 scale . So I just decided to turn it into a recovery vehicle with some parts from different model kits .

[@michaeldean1289]

Hi Jason I was a real Dragon diehard but after a few of their late release Sd.Kfz.7/1 & 7/2 kits I’ve had a real gut full with the crap instructions! I am in the process of building the 6083, 6255 and 6698 Shermans with mixed issues and results. After doing Asuka’s and Ryefield’s examples I’ll never build another Dragon Sherman again, and I recommend Ryefield as the standout kit to build by far to date! I’m waiting for a Meng Jumbo so that will be my final test. It’s a real shame that they’ve dropped their niche in the market place and I wonder what they hope to achieve! Thanks for sharing your build review mate ❤😊

[@guidor.4161]

I recently built the Asuka Sherman Jumbo and was very happy with it, but then I'm not a Sherman builder...

[@michaeldean1289]

@@guidor.4161 Hi mate Yes I loved it to be honest! I love Asuka Sherman kits, a lot of cleanup though, but I’m also doing Late War German Takom, Ryefield and Meng kits.

[@bernardschnupp5842]

Hi.sorry to hear about your track dilema! Perhaps the best way to go,unfortunatly, is after market. I have built a few dragon kits and had a similar problem. However they'dragon' should stand behind their products.good luck with future kits!

[@guidor.4161]

I got one of the first models Dragon ever released, the Maus - it was a must-have. It's still OK with a little work even by today's standard. Their first Nashorn kit was horrible I never finished it. They have made quite some nice kits, like the Pz 3 series, but in general I try to avoid Dragon...

[@TheYellowboy1]

I have this kit in my stash you're build is great so now the question is do I start it and buy some alternative tracks to replace the dragon ones and if so what is your advice on the make etc

[@huwtindall7096]

God I bought this kit well before I was skillful/experienced enough to do it jusice. The tracks got me as well! Thought I was going nuts or had lost some. Just had some hidden under the side fender so you can't see it. Speaking of side fenders the PE drove me nuts here. I hate that stuff. Thing is I couldn't find an North Africa Sherman in 1/35 with fenders!

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

Oh the PE side fenders, that’s a week I’ll never get back!

[@kaleu6]

That's a shame about the tracks. It looks to be a nice kit and is currently sitting in my stash. Now to look for aftermarket tracks.

[@longlance67]

Welcome to the Sherman rabbit hole lol You can do totally mad detailing these M4s and you have done an excellent job recreating your A1! Its a shame about the tracks but its typical Dragon behavior least there are plenty of aftermarket track sets out there for you to choose from

[@mikem67]

AFV club makes sherman track sets both individual link and rubber band style. The Sherman has a stretched hull and needs longer tracks. AFV makes a track specific to the British firefly.

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

Thanks, I’ll look into them but, this is NOT the lengthened hull, that was the British M4A4 or the Sherman V

[@mikem67]

@ChampionScaleModelling sorry, thought you said you also had the firefly kit. AFV makes track for that Sherma II also.

[@PeteCourtier]

Find out who the importer is for Dragon. Maybe they can help.

[@ljscalemodels526]

Thanks for sharing Jason - a shame about the tracks

[@markwhittington4334]

Had this problem with my dragon firefly not enough link plus 2 sdkfz 251 random links

[@vordanijczyk4419]

Also in bradleys models in 1:72 scale. You had big chance don't get 1-2 road wheel

[@abitoria3310]

Any news on the sherman link?

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

Blimey yes: the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/manufacturer/m4a1lima/m4a1_lima.html

[@abitoria3310]

Many thanks

[@abitoria3310]

Many thanks@@ChampionScaleModelling

[@beendoneagain]

Same story with a Hetzer I'm building. Luckily. I realised before completing the first side. I'm able to omit the top section of track that will be hidden under the side skits. What a joke!

[@gordon8753]

Same thing with my Sexton II kit. The DS tracks are defective and crumbled when touched. Emailed customer service over 15 times and nothing in return. I'll never buy another dragon kit again!!!

[@michaelperry4308]

The first M4's in service were called :Swallow" by the British, it was renamed as more were received and the yanks called them Sherman.

[@tpaul802]

I built a German halftrack by Dragon. It literally had issues on every step. Finished it out of spite and never painted it

[@earnierosenow9834]

exposing bad manufacture/customer relations does have an impact on future sales for them,

[@Sniper_Cat_71]

I don't really care much for Dragon kits. They look great but aren't always builder-friendly. My M1A2SEP had those DS styrene tracks which disintegrated, I have AFV Club tracks that I need t replace them with.

[@adrianbay1496]

Sorry for your disappointment :( I would still love to see this all painted up though . Would it be the slightly bizarre 3 tone paint scheme ?

[@jamescree6732]

I contacted dragon before... still waiting for response. Was only 4 years ago so i dont want to rush them. Once they have left the factory they dont want to deal with anything

[@foreverplastickits138]

*If there isn't tracks enough you can make a wreck with a destroyed track so the miss couldn't be seen! Dragon disappointed me too with their rubber tracks (!) packed in oiled bags, and their vinyl wheels which cut themselves in half. Their kits are still good but that's unacceptable!*

[@tomstamford6837]

I wonder? It never happened to me as a kid (mumble mumble) years ago when I began model making to find parts missing and now that I have just started to get back into it since 2020, I must admit I haven't built anything yet, just procrastinating and building a stash as big as the pyramids, but hoping the run of good luck with parts continues. Is it always going to be difficult to deal with manufacturers if parts are missing? Do some companies go out of their way to help customers and do the right thing by them to replace missing components, or are you at the mercy of an indifferent company that doesn't care much about someone here or there with this problem and ignore them?

[@JOHNWILLIAMS-v5w]

Excellent video, but is it not generally the case these days that very few if any of the manufacturers offer an after sales service for missing or damaged parts, it’s very much a case of buyer beware.

[@JohnSmith-sl1my]

Fill for u . I've had kits in the past bits missing and not fitting in the right way . Put them back in the box and that's where they still are . 😢

[@AdamMann3D]

I get knocked way off my mojo by stuff like this. I totally understand.

[@gigr1863]

I got two 1/72 Bradleys from Dragon and they removed the "unnecessary" parts from the sprues, included some cruciale part, in both boxes! Theor customer care Is non-existant!

[@mageckman]

Lima is pronounced lie muh like the bean. I live in Lima, about a mile from where the locomotive works used to be.

[@evilbobthebob]

Well that's sad, since I have one sitting in my cupboard right now...

[@evilbobthebob]

Just counted, I have 29/28 and 129/126 of the tracks. Guess I got lucky and stole some of yours...

[@evilbobthebob]

And *then* I look up how many links a Sherman should have, and 126 + 28 is not equal to 158 :|

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

I think you need 134/126 of Z2 to do 2 full runs and 24/28 of Z1 to do 2 full runs

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

So if you can adapt the Z1s you’ll have exactly enough!

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

Yes, basically the kit is short on 8 links but in your case you can just get there with what you have if you modify the Z1 links which have the end connections angled to go around the idler and sproket

[@michaelhites897]

Have you. Ever. Got a hold of hey renfield

[@michaelhites897]

Look for. A. Brimfield model Sherman you mite. Like. That kit

[@michaelhites897]

Renfield model has a good. Sherman tank. Model kit

[@the-creech4790]

👍👍👍

[@Beniah107]

Dragon sets the standard for over hyped, complicated, expensive crap that simply doesn’t work. Other manufacturers have been very happy in sales, in no small way by ‘not being Dragon.’

[@Android-rz8mb]

Dragon kits got worse after 2009 I stopped buying them

[@rodhayes7777]

Dragon makes real good kits. No, they're not perfect. The older the kit, this is even clearer. There's a list DML beats every single time. I won't get into this. I'd much rather build up than tear down. DML has beautiful quality. They try. I will give them that. I've made the mistake of buying from some model companies that I felt didn't care about the quality of various kits. DML might not be the very best, but they're competitive.

[@mikeMuppetmodeller]

Dragon kit’s instructions are probably the worst there are. The parts count for most come up short, but nice build.

[@paulfrantizek102]

Garbage customer support is yet another reason to avoid Dragon kits, as if the unnecessary complexity and excessive parts count wasn't enough.

[@bobholmstrom786]

Dragon was the "bees knees" years ago with "look at all the stuff we give you in the kit". Over engineered and in some cases extremely poor fitting. absolutely horrible customer service.

[@Absaalookemensch]

Thank you. I shall not be getting this kit.

[@baronbustin]

Lima- the “i” is pronounced as in “ice”. Lima, Ohio.

[@ianskinner1619]

not interested a company that treats their customer base like crap.. f em., move on.

[@claytonmcclain182]

Dragon kits are trash. I've had enough of there lazy money grab.

[@paulsmodels]

The last two Dragon kits I built were a huge waste of time and money. I will not get them anymore. Poor fitting, lousy decals, and absurd directions. Now that I've heard about this ignoring you like they have, I doubt they will stay in business much longer.

[@raytheron]

Shame on Dragon!

[@Ftc.6]

Homely vehicle

[@emanuelmorales83]

The problem here is not the kit, is you. You changed the Sh2 hull from a Firefly hull and forget the little detail about Firefly.. he used a M4A4 hull..and is more large.. so in fact never you will have enought tracks with a new enlarged hull. You are really smart 🤣🤣🤣

[@ggallows29]

Where did he say he changed the hull? He said he got another kit, a firefly. He didn't say he changed the hull.

[@emanuelmorales83]

1- this kit was released in 2008, for 15 Years nobody has the same issue. 2- a 5% of kits came with fails uncare the brand, that dont means all kits will be failed. 3- he mention have a Firefly kit and showed the lower hull, the distance betwen the last boogie attach and idler is exactly the same founded in M4A4 hull, so clearly the hull was mixed. Could be a mistake of him or a mistake from the seller, that is very common when you bought a 2nd hand kits.

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

A few things: This is the current 2022 re-release of the updated 2018 release I bought this brand new from current stock, not second hand The only connection to a Firefly this model has is being made by you!

[@ChampionScaleModelling]

Hate to have to point this out also but you are referring to a Firefly VC, which used the lengthened British M4A4 hull, the other kit I have is a Ic hybrid. Over to you…

[@jurgen6768]

I'm not a big fan of Dragon and in particular this Sherman kit . A lot of their kits are overpriced for what they are when you compare them to other kits out there on the market and those bloody shitty styrene tracks !!! Fortunately there is an increase in the number of after market parts becoming available for us rivet counters or no rivets in the case of this particular Sherman.