Trakz 1/35
Dragon Wagon Soft Cab Conversion (M26A1)

Trakz is a series of armor and AFV detail/converion sets that come from the creative minds of VLS. Let's look at one of their latest offerings. Click on the photo to see an enlarged view.

One of the coolest and most detailed kits to come out of Japan in recent years was the Tamiya 1/35 Dragon Wagon. This is the tank and AFV transport and recovery vehicle that could move Shermans and just about anything else around the battlefields. Even with the doors and windows posed open, it is still hard to see all of the detail in that crew cab.

The folks at Trakz have come to the rescue. They're developed a replacement cab assembly for the Dragon Wagon that was based on the M26A1 'converible top' variant that was introduced later in the war. Designers realized that all of that armor was a bit of overkill for the job and made for some miserable summers to boot.

This set is made up of nicely cast resin parts that comprise the the cab, and photo-etched parts for window frames and other details. The enclosed instructions walk you through the conversion process and the included tool helps square up the parts of the roll cage struts.

You can purchase this or any of the Trakz line from your local hobby retailer or directly from VLS' website at www.modelmecca.com. They have some of the fastest mail order delivery in this industry - give them a try!

My sincere thanks to VLS for this review sample!