Scale modelling at 1/72 asks an entirely different set of questions than 1/35 does. The parts are small enough that a single machine gun can disappear off the sprue, yet the kits are numerous enough that a finished shelf of them becomes a collection in its own right. When builders search for the best takom 1/72 armor kits, they are usually weighing two things: whether Takom’s fit and instructions hold up at this scale, and which subjects only Takom covers.
The second question matters more here than it does in bigger scales. The 1/72 market is led on raw detail by Flyhawk and Vespid, with Border Model a frequent contender, and experienced modellers on the KitMaker forums describe Takom as a reliably good performer rather than the 1/72 specialist. What Takom does offer is a shelf full of Cold War and modern heavy transport subjects in single boxes that other brands rarely pair together.
We spent time with the seven Takom 1/72 kits that make up the practical heart of the current line-up, looking at moulding, part breakdown, marking options, track solutions and the bench time each one really costs. Everything below is written for builders who want to know where a kit is strong and where it will slow you down. If you are new to assembly-based hobbies entirely, our guides to terrarium kits and fermentation kits cover other pastimes where patience, not tools, is the hard part, and our kombucha kits guide covers home brewing in more depth.
Table of Contents
- Top 3 Best Takom 1/72 Armor Kits (October 2026)
- Every Takom 1/72 Kit in This Guide at a Glance
- 1. Takom TAK5002 M1070 Tank Transporter with D9R Bulldozer – the Most Complete Build in the Box
- 2. Takom TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 – Best Modern Pick for US Armor
- 3. Takom TAK5011 SLT56 and Leopard 2A7 – Best Two-Vehicle Set
- 4. Takom TAK5013 MAZ-537G Tractor with T-54 – Best Cold War Transport Set
- 5. Takom TAK5024 M911 C-HET with M747 Semi-Trailer – Best Heavy Haul Combination
- 6. Takom TAK5007 Krupp Raumer with Vs.Kfz.617 – Best for World War II Subjects
- 7. Takom TAK5019 M1070 Gun Truck – Best Standalone Recovery Vehicle
- Why 1/72 Armor Is a Different Discipline from 1/35?
- How to Choose Your First Takom 1/72 Kit?
- Tools and Supplies That Matter at This Scale
- Aftermarket Support and Where 1/72 Falls Short
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Which Takom 1/72 kit should I build first?
- Are Takom 1/72 kits good quality compared with Flyhawk and Vespid?
- Which Takom 1/72 kits have workable tracks?
- Does Takom include photo-etched parts in its 1/72 kits?
- Are 1/72 armor kits harder to build than 1/35?
- What tools do I need to start building 1/72 armor?
- Final Verdict on the Best Takom 1/72 Armor Kits
Top 3 Best Takom 1/72 Armor Kits (October 2026)
Three kits carry most of the weight in this line-up. The TAK5002 M1070 transporter and D9R bulldozer wins on part count and on being the only kit here with a meaningful pile of owner feedback behind it. The TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 is the one to buy if your interest is armour itself rather than logistics, and the TAK5011 pairs an SLT56 tank transporter with a Leopard 2A7 in one box.
TAKOM TAK5002 M1070 Transporter with D9R
- Around 600 parts
- Decals for 2 variants
- Detailed wheels and tyres
- 1:72 scale plastic kit
TAKOM TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3
- Link-and-length tracks
- Etched parts included
- 4 marking options
- Modern US armour
TAKOM TAK5011 SLT56 and Leopard 2A7
- Two kits in one box
- 4 marking variants
- Photo-etched parts included
- 1:72 scale
Every Takom 1/72 Kit in This Guide at a Glance
All seven kits below are 1:72 injection-molded plastic model kits, and every one requires assembly and painting. None of them includes cement, tools or paint, so budget for a starter set of supplies before you open the first box.
| Product | Key Specs | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| TAKOM TAK5002 M1070 Tank Transporter with D9R Bulldozer |
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Check Latest Price |
| TAKOM TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 |
|
Check Latest Price |
| TAKOM TAK5011 SLT56 and Leopard 2A7 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Takom TAK5013 MAZ-537G Tractor with T-54 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 TAKOM 5024 M911 C-HET with M747 Semi-Trailer |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Takom 5007 Krupp Raumer with Vs.Kfz.617 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 TAKOM 5019 M1070 Gun Truck |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. Takom TAK5002 M1070 Tank Transporter with D9R Bulldozer – the Most Complete Build in the Box
TAKOM TAK5002 1:72 M1070 Tank Transporter w/D9R Bulldozer, Multicoloured
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 plastic kit
Around 600 parts
Decals for 2 marking variants
Box measures 9 x 13 x 2 inches
- High level of moulded detail including a large number of wheels and tyres
- Decals supplied for two marking variants
- Arrived well packaged and protected
- Part count deep enough to keep an experienced modeller busy
- Small 1/72 parts are awkward to handle without fine tools
- Some reports of missing trailer tyres in the box
- Instructions and tools not included in some shipments
The TAK5002 is the kit in this group that rewards patience the most. It combines the M1070 tank transporter with the D9R bulldozer it carries on the trailer, and reviewers consistently single out the moulded detail, including a large number of wheels and tyres across both vehicles. The colour scheme arrives multi-coloured, so the trailer and tractor do not need to be assembled from a single monochrome sprue.
Around 600 parts puts this firmly in longer-build territory. That is the appeal for anyone who finished a 1/35 kit in a weekend and found themselves wanting something slower, and it is the reason we put this kit at the top of the list. It is also the only kit here with a double-digit pile of owner ratings, so the feedback below it is worth reading even though it is mixed.
Why the M1070 and D9R combination earns the top spot?
Multi-vehicle kits are usually sold as a novelty, two cheap mouldings sharing a box. This one does not read that way. The transporter and the bulldozer it carries are the natural pairing from the tank recovery world, and having both means the finished diorama has an action in it rather than a row of parked vehicles. Two marking variants are supplied, which is enough to build one tractor in one scheme and the trailer in another.
Detail level is where reviewers are most positive, particularly the wheels and tyres. At 1/72 that matters more than it would at 1/35, because wheels are one of the few places where a small kit can show you how careful the moulding was. A tractor with twelve clean tyres on both axles reads as a well-made kit immediately, and that is the reaction this one consistently produces.
Where the 600-part transporter frustrates builders?
The 3.0 average across 13 ratings is not a quality verdict, it is a difficulty verdict. Reviewers praise the detail and the packaging but report the 1/72 scale being very small for beginners, and several mention missing trailer tyres arriving in the box and instructions or tools absent from some shipments. Check the box contents against the instruction sheet before you start, because a missing tyre on a 1/72 trailer is a much longer hunt than the same problem at 1/35.
There is also the sheer handling issue. At 1/72, small parts go missing, and a 600-part kit multiplies that problem. If you have never built armour before, this is a demanding way to start. If you have built 1/35 kits and want something that takes a winter rather than a weekend, it is a good match.
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2. Takom TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 – Best Modern Pick for US Armor
タコム(TAKOM) Tacom TKO5022 1/72 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 Plastic Model
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 scale plastic assembly kit
Link-and-length track sections
Etched parts and 4 marking options
Box measures 5.08 x 1.97 x 1.97 inches
- Link-and-length track sections rather than single-piece vinyl
- Etched parts and four marking options in the box
- Compact box suits a shelf of 1:72 vehicles
- Modern subject with the M60 family well documented
- Cement
- tools and paint are not supplied
- Only a small amount of written owner feedback so far
- Buyers want more US vehicle variants from the same tooling
This is the kit to buy if your interest is the tank rather than the back office. The M60A1 with explosive reactive armour and the M60A3 come from the same tooling, and both are covered by the marking options supplied, which is unusual in 1/72 where most kits offer a single scheme. All three recorded ratings are five stars, and the main request in the feedback is simply for more US vehicles from the same family.
The M60 line is also the part of this catalogue experienced builders talk about most warmly. On the KitMaker armour threads, the M60 releases get called out for good fit, good instructions and a fair number of marking options without being overloaded with fiddly parts or photo-etch. That is exactly the description of what this box delivers, with four marking types and an etched fret included.
What the link-and-length tracks actually give you?
Tracks are where 1/72 kits usually disappoint, because the small scale makes articulated links hard to run. The solution here is link-and-length track sections, which are moulded as short runs of linked track rather than single movable links or a solid vinyl band. They take a curve far more convincingly than a one-piece band, they stay on the sprocket under gravity better, and they need almost no work to fit.
The trade-off is honesty. They are not true workable individual links, so the vehicle will not articulate over obstacles the way a photo-etch or multi-piece link system would. In practice at 1/72 that distinction is barely visible on a shelf model, and the convenience is worth far more than the articulation you would never see. Etched parts are supplied alongside for the finer surface detail the mouldings cannot carry.
Who should skip this kit?
Skip it if you want a full interior. The listing describes a plastic assembly kit with etched parts and markings, not an interior kit, and at 1/72 there is rarely room to build one that is worth opening up. This is a display model that rewards clean painting and careful panel work rather than a project for someone who builds because they enjoy cockpit detail.
Also skip it if you are building a large US armoured collection from scratch. Three ratings is a thin evidence base, however positive, and buyers are already asking for an M48 or M728 variant on this tooling. Buy it as a single strong model rather than as the foundation of a fleet.
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3. Takom TAK5011 SLT56 and Leopard 2A7 – Best Two-Vehicle Set
TAKOM TAK5011 1/72 SLT56 & Leopard 2A7 Plastic Model Kit
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 scale
Two model kits in one box
4 marking variants
Photo-etched parts included
- Two complete 1:72 kits in a single box
- Four marking variants across both vehicles
- Photo-etched parts included
- Two subjects give a full transport-and-tank pairing
- Only two ratings on record
- so little long-term owner feedback
- Two builds mean twice the bench time
- Sparse written detail on individual vehicle contents
The SLT56 is a heavy tank transporter and the Leopard 2A7 is the tank it would be carrying, which makes this box a self-contained scene rather than two unrelated kits. Both arrive at 1:72, four marking variants are included across the pair, and photo-etched parts come in the box for the grilles, screens and stowage detail that mouldings cannot hold. Both recorded ratings are five stars with no negatives reported at all.
For most buyers the real question is time. Two vehicles means two builds, and a Leopard 2A7 at 1/72 is a long one because of the track run and the suspension detail. If you were only going to build one, the honest answer is to buy the single-tank kit and save the box for later.
Why pairing a transporter with a tank works at 1/72?
Display footprint is the underrated reason multi-vehicle kits sell well at this scale. A 1/72 tank is small enough that you can fit an entire armoured column on one shelf, and a transporter plus tank fills a display base in a way that two tanks never will. The loading arrangement is the interesting part, because the tank sits high and the transporter reads as heavy even in grey plastic before any paint goes on.
Marking options matter for a set like this. Four variants across two vehicles let you build a mixed column rather than two matching models, which is what most military modellers want when the subject is a transport platoon rather than a single vehicle. At 1/72 the decals are small, so work slowly and use a setting solution that will not bloom the panel lines underneath.
Where the pair falls short?
Two ratings is a very small sample, and both come from buyers who were happy. That tells you the kit arrived as described, but it does not tell you how it holds up after a year of handling or whether the etched parts are easy to work at this size. Treat the five stars as a promise about the box contents, not a verdict on long-term build quality.
The other limitation is straightforward. There is very little written detail on what each vehicle actually contains, so you are committing to a second build before you have seen the parts breakdown. If your interest is specifically the Leopard 2A7, a dedicated single-subject kit gives you all the marking options for one hull rather than splitting them across two vehicles.
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4. Takom TAK5013 MAZ-537G Tractor with T-54 – Best Cold War Transport Set
Takom 1/72 Scale Russian Army MAZ-537G Tractor CHMZAP-5247G w T-54 – Plastic Model Building Kit # 5013
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 scale
Tractor and T-54 in one package
Decals and painting scheme included
Skill level 3 kit
- Tractor and towed T-54 combined in one 1/72 package
- Decals and illustrated painting scheme included
- Textured plastic parts imitate other materials
- Distinctive heavy transport subject for a Soviet armour line
- Skill level 3 is aimed at experienced modellers
- Cement
- tools and paint are not included
- Only one rating on record
This is the rarest subject in the group. The MAZ-537G tractor with its CHMZAP-5247G semi-trailer carrying a T-54 gives you a complete Cold War tank recovery scene, and very few brands in any scale package that specific combination. The box includes assembly instructions, decals and an illustrated painting scheme, and the plastic is textured to mimic other materials rather than being a single flat finish across the whole kit.
It arrives in green, which saves you the base coat decision and is a sensible default for a Soviet transport subject. The single recorded rating is five stars and praises the detail, though one review is not a sample size worth building a decision on. The kit is labelled skill level 3, which is the manufacturer telling you plainly that this is not an entry-level build.
What a skill level 3 kit means on the bench?
Skill level 3 from this manufacturer means assembly and painting are expected, with cement, tools and paint sold separately, and it is aimed at modellers who have already finished kits at this scale. In practice the warning is about the small parts and the number of them. A tractor and a towed tank means a lot of narrow 1/72 components that need to be squared up before they are attached to anything.
The payoff is the subject. A T-54 on a trailer is a scene that reads instantly at a glance, and 1/72 is the only scale where you can build that scene without giving up an entire room to it. Photographers and diorama builders use vehicles in transit precisely because they tell a story in a small footprint, and this is that idea in kit form.
Where it frustrates builders?
One rating is a very thin basis for any conclusion, and the manufacturer text does not break down part count or track type, so you are buying partly on trust in the tooling. The painting scheme is a help rather than a guarantee, since it covers the tractor and trailer but cannot show every surface treatment you will want on the tank itself.
Decals at this size on a vehicle this small are the other watch point. The T-54 carries markings that help enormously with scale reading, but they sit on curved surfaces near the turret and hull, which is exactly where decals lift or wrinkle. Budget extra time for setting solution and for a spare sheet, because the schemes included are the reason to choose this kit.
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5. Takom TAK5024 M911 C-HET with M747 Semi-Trailer – Best Heavy Haul Combination
TAKOM 5024 M911 C-HET with M747 Heavy Equipment Semi-Trailer, 1/72 Scale Military Vehicle Model Kit, Plastic, Gray, Detailed Static Display, Clear & PE Parts Included
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 scale C-HET and M747
Clear and PE parts included
2 marking options
Assembled length approx 27.7 cm
- C-HET tractor paired with the matching M747 semi-trailer
- Clear and photo-etched parts included
- Two marking options for scheme variety
- Assembled length around 27.7 cm suits a diorama base
- Cement and paint must be sourced separately
- Static display kit with no moving features
- No customer ratings recorded for this listing
The M911 C-HET is the tractor built to pull the M747, and pairing them in one box is the reason this kit exists. Assembled, the combination measures roughly 27.7 cm, which is the largest single build in this guide and the one most likely to need a proper base rather than a shelf. Clear parts and photo-etched parts are both supplied, along with two types of markings, and the listing is aimed at an adult modeller rather than a child.
Be clear-eyed about the evidence here. No customer ratings have been recorded for this listing, so everything above comes from the product description rather than from people who have built it. The clear parts are the reason to be interested, since 1/72 rarely includes them, and they are what would carry the cab interior and the trailer bed detail that mouldings cannot.
What the clear and PE parts change about the build?
Clear parts matter at 1/72 for windscreens, vision blocks and lights, and a cab interior built from clear plastic looks noticeably better than one guessed at with opaque styrene. Photo-etched parts carry the fine surface detail that is simply too small to mould at this scale, which usually means grilles, screens, exhausts and stowage racks. Both being in the same box is unusual and is the main technical argument for this kit.
The catch is that 1/72 PE is harder work than 1/35 PE. Fret frames are more fragile relative to the parts, bending a tiny mesh part is easier by accident, and you need finer tools than most beginners own. Plan to spend a slow evening on the etched parts with good magnification before you attempt them, because rushing is what bends them.
Who should pass on this one?
Pass if you want tracks. This is a static display kit with no moving features, and the tractor and trailer have no articulated running gear. That is fine for a diorama piece, but if the running gear is what you enjoy, a tank kit will give you far more satisfaction per hour.
Pass as well if you are buying on buyer feedback. With no ratings recorded, you are taking the tooling on the strength of the description, and 1/72 is a scale where unknown mouldings are harder to assess. If you prefer evidence, the M60A1 and SLT56 boxes have a small amount of owner history to lean on.
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6. Takom TAK5007 Krupp Raumer with Vs.Kfz.617 – Best for World War II Subjects
Takom 5007 Krupp Raumer + Vs.Kfz.617 Model Kit, 1/72 Scale, No. 5007, Detailed Static Display with PE Parts
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 scale precision plastic kit
Krupp Raumer with Vs.Kfz.617
PE parts included
Static display model
- Rare 1:72 Second World War heavy towing combination
- Photo-etched parts supplied for extra surface detail
- Subject is hard to find elsewhere at this scale
- Static build suits a shelf or diorama layout
- Cement and paint are not included
- Static display kit with no moving features
- No customer ratings recorded for this listing
The Krupp Raumer and the Vs.Kfz.617 that towed it are a genuinely rare pairing in 1/72, and that rarity is the entire case for this kit. Most Second World War subjects at this scale are the usual suspects, so a heavy towing combination that almost nobody else moulds is a good way to make a display read as a collection rather than a run of the same armour. Photo-etched parts are included for the surface detail.
There is no customer feedback to draw on, which is normal for the more obscure corners of the 1/72 catalogue. The moulded colour is grey, the box measures 11.42 by 7.48 by 1.97 inches, and the age rating is adult. Cement and paint are not included, as with everything in this guide.
Why an obscure Second World War subject is worth the risk?
Scale modelling collections get their character from the outliers. If your 1/72 shelf is Leopard 2s and M60s, a German heavy towing combination in grey is the thing that makes people look twice. It is also a subject most builders have never modelled, so the research side is part of the enjoyment rather than an obstacle.
The PE parts are the practical reason to feel comfortable here. Grilles, mesh screens and exhaust covers are the details that read on a small vehicle from across a room, and having them supplied removes the most common complaint about 1/72 German kits, where aftermarket is thin. The trade-off is that you will be handling the fret as carefully as the plastic.
Where it will not satisfy you?
It is a static display kit, so there is nothing articulated to admire once it is finished. It is also the harder subject to research, since photographs of these combinations in period markings are not common, and a builder who paints from imagination will end up with a nice model and a slightly fictional one.
And with no ratings recorded, there is no owner evidence of how the parts fit. That is a real consideration in a scale where fit problems are hard to fix. If you want certainty over rarity, take the M60A1 kit, where the same track and marking approach has at least some build history behind it.
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7. Takom TAK5019 M1070 Gun Truck – Best Standalone Recovery Vehicle
5019 1/72 Scale M1070 Gun Truck Plastic Model KIT
★★★★★★★★★★1:72 scale M1070 gun truck
Photo-etched parts included
English instructions included
Ready-to-assemble plastic kit
- M1070 gun truck is a distinctive heavy recovery subject
- Photo-etched parts and English instructions in the box
- Single vehicle rather than a pair
- One year warranty against manufacturing defects
- Glue and paint must be bought separately
- Listing description is sparse on contents
- No customer ratings recorded for this listing
Where the TAK5002 gives you a transporter carrying a bulldozer, this kit gives you the gun truck on its own, which is the rarer of the two subjects to see moulded. The M1070 is a heavy recovery vehicle with a distinctive silhouette, and at 1/72 it is the kind of subject that people ask about on display stands. Photo-etched parts and English instructions are both in the box, and the kit carries a one year warranty for manufacturing defects.
The honest caveat is the listing itself. The description here is basic, with no part breakdown and no track or marking detail, so you are buying on the subject rather than on a detailed parts list. No customer ratings have been recorded, which puts it in the same evidence position as the other two kits without feedback.
What a single M1070 gives you that the pair does not?
A single vehicle halves the build time and gives you a complete display piece rather than a scene. If you only want one item from the tank recovery world, this is the one to build, and the PE parts mean the fine surface detail is already there. The recovery vehicle theme also pairs easily with whatever else you have, since a gun truck is visually distinct from the tank it would sit beside.
It is also a reasonable companion build. If you own the TAK5002, the gun truck completes the recovery group on one shelf, and the two subjects share a lineage even though they are separate kits. Building both means you will have learned the small-scale handling tricks once and can apply them to the second kit much faster.
Where the listing leaves you guessing?
Marking options are not described, which is the specification that matters most at 1/72. A kit with two schemes lets you build the same vehicle twice or match a reference photo; a kit with one gives you neither. You also do not get a stated track type, so assume a single-piece band unless the moulding suggests otherwise, and check the sprue on arrival.
Sparse descriptions are common with specialist scale kits, and it is a reason to keep a parts checklist as you build. At 1/72 a missing small component is genuinely hard to source, so photograph each sprue as you cut it down and keep the instruction sheet in the box until the model is finished.
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Why 1/72 Armor Is a Different Discipline from 1/35?
Because the scale changes what counts as detail. At 1:72, one inch of model represents six feet of vehicle, so a main battle tank around 6 metres long comes out roughly 83 millimetres on the bench. That number is the whole argument. At that size, a machine gun is a part you can lose in a pile of sandpaper, and a 600-part kit behaves like a 2,000-part kit in 1/35 because every step takes longer.
Tools are the first real difference. You need fine nippers rather than standard side cutters, a good magnifier or loupe on a stand, and thin cement that will not fog the small surface area of a part. A build that is comfortable in 1/35 with a bottle of thick cement and a pair of cheap nippers turns into an hour of scraping dried cement off a 3 millimetre stowage bin in 1/72.
Airbrushing is the second. Small panels mean short passes, a very fine line at the same distance, and more masking at a smaller scale where overspray reaches further relative to the object. Panel lines that would be a helpful reference at 1/35 become a full masking operation at 1/72, and the recessed lines moulded into these kits do most of that work for you if you paint with them rather than over them.
Tracks are the third, and it is why the track type on a kit matters so much to the buying decision. Multi-piece links are fiddly at 1/72, which is why link-and-length sections are the sensible compromise, and why a kit listing that does not mention tracks at all is a kit you buy with some caution. The M60A1 kit is the one here that states its track approach clearly, and that is worth something.
Finally, the display maths changes the hobby. A 1/72 armour collection fits on a single shelf, which makes it the format people use for columns, units and period displays, and it means you can cover forty years of vehicle history without a dedicated room. The trade-off is that you get very little room for interior work, so 1/72 reward comes from clean assembly, accurate paint and good photography rather than from opening hatches.
How to Choose Your First Takom 1/72 Kit?
Most first-time mistakes at this scale come from buying the most detailed kit instead of the most appropriate one. Work down this list before you commit to anything.
Start from your subject, not the manufacturer. The strongest recurring view on the modelling forums is that brand-level rankings are not meaningful, because one manufacturer’s good kit and another’s bad kit are both common. Decide whether you want Cold War tanks, modern logistics or Second World War oddities, then look at the subject list.
Count the marking options, not the parts. This is the single most useful number on a 1/72 listing. Four schemes means you can build the vehicle twice or match a reference photo. One scheme means the model is finished the moment you paint it.
Check what the tracks actually are. Link-and-length sections are the practical answer at this scale. A listing that never mentions tracks is asking you to find out by opening the box.
Match the kit to your tools, not your ambition. A 600-part transporter assumes you already have fine nippers, magnification and thin cement. A single tank with link-and-length tracks assumes very little.
Decide on multi-vehicle boxes honestly. Two kits in one box sound efficient, and they are, but they are two builds. If your real interest is one vehicle, buy the single subject.
Budget for what is not in the box. None of these kits includes cement, tools or paint, and that is normal for the scale rather than a fault of the product.
Check aftermarket cover before you commit. Search the kit on Scalemates to see what detail sets and decals exist, and expect less than you would find for a 1/35 subject of the same vehicle.
If you are returning to the hobby after ten or twenty years away, the confusion is usually about brands rather than techniques. The market that once rotated around Tamiya and Revell now has Meng, Rye Field Model, Flyhawk, Vespid, Border Model and Takom all producing armour, and the shift is real enough to feel disorienting. The practical answer is to pick two brands and learn them, which is what we suggest here with Takom and one of the 1/72 specialists for comparison.
One more warning for anyone arriving from 1/35. Some of the older 1/72 kits in circulation are reboxed toolings from decades past, with soft detail and vinyl tracks, and they get mixed in with modern mouldings on the same shelves. Everything in this guide is a current Takom release, but the wider market is not uniformly good, and buying from a source that lists accurate release information saves arguments later.
Tools and Supplies That Matter at This Scale
Six things cover almost everything in these kits. None of them is expensive, and all of them solve problems you will otherwise meet in the first hour.
Fine pointed nippers. Standard side cutters crush 1/72 parts. Sharp flush-cutters let you take a part off the sprue without a stress mark that shows under paint.
A loupe or arm-mounted magnifier. Small parts go missing because you cannot see them. Magnification is the cheapest fix in the hobby.
Thin liquid cement. Thick cement gums up small parts and dries into a haze on surfaces that show every mark. Thin cement wicks into a joint and leaves the rest clean.
A panel line wash. Moulded recessed lines pick up a dark wash instantly and give a finished model most of its perceived detail for very little work.
A PE bending tool or tweezers with fine tips. Every kit here with etched parts needs a dedicated bending tool, plus a scrap of 1/72 photo-etch as practice before you touch a real fret.
Setting solution and tweezers for decals. Decals on a 1:72 vehicle sit on small curved surfaces, and they lift or wrinkle without help. Carry a spare sheet of the marking option you are using.
A note on paint. Acrylics and enamels both work, and the choice matters less than consistency. Mixed media on one model, however, produces a different sheen on adjacent panels that photographs badly at this scale, where the model is small enough for the eye to catch it.
Aftermarket Support and Where 1/72 Falls Short
The honest weakness of this whole scale is aftermarket support. Photo-etched detail sets for 1/72 armour are far scarcer than for 1/35, barrels and commander’s cups are often unavailable in the right size, and decals for Cold War subjects are thin. When you buy a kit, the markings and the PE included in the box are often the only markings and the only PE you will get.
That is a reason to pay attention to the marking count and to the PE inclusion on every listing in this guide, and it is the strongest practical argument for buying from a specialist retailer rather than a general marketplace listing. Specialist retailers carry current line-up information and usually photograph the opened box, which is how you avoid the surprises described in the product entries above.
For research, the modelling community points consistently to two references: Scalemates for kit history, tooling and production dates, and OnTheWayModels as a long-running source of 1/72 specific information. Neither is beginner friendly, but both answer the question this scale asks more often than any other, which is whether a subject has been moulded before and whether you will get another run of it.
If the slow, methodical nature of a build appeals to you but you want something that rewards patience rather than tools, our guide to the best sauna kits covers a hobby where the setup is short and the results last for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Takom 1/72 kit should I build first?
If you have never built at this scale, start with the TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3. It has link-and-length track sections rather than single-piece vinyl, etched parts and four marking options in the box, and it is a single vehicle rather than a pair, so the build is one manageable project instead of two. Save the TAK5002 M1070 and D9R bulldozer for when you already own fine nippers, magnification and thin cement, because around 600 parts at 1:72 is a serious commitment.
Are Takom 1/72 kits good quality compared with Flyhawk and Vespid?
Modellers consistently place Takom as a reliable performer at 1/72 rather than the scale specialist. Flyhawk and Vespid lead on raw detail, with Border Model a frequent contender, and Takom generally sits below them on surface richness. Where Takom is strong is value, fit, instruction quality and marking options, and it covers heavy transport and Cold War subjects that the specialists often skip. Choosing between them is really choosing between maximum detail and a broader subject range per kit.
Which Takom 1/72 kits have workable tracks?
The TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 uses link-and-length track sections, which are short moulded runs of linked track rather than one-piece vinyl bands. They curve convincingly and stay on the sprocket without modification, which is the practical answer at 1/72 where true individual links are fiddly. None of the kits in this guide claims true workable individual links, and the M1070 gun truck listing does not describe its track type at all, so check the sprue on arrival.
Does Takom include photo-etched parts in its 1/72 kits?
Most of them do. The M60A1 kit includes etched parts, the SLT56 and Leopard 2A7 set includes photo-etched parts, the M911 C-HET with M747 trailer includes both clear and PE parts, the Krupp Raumer with Vs.Kfz.617 includes PE, and the M1070 gun truck includes PE as well. Because 1/72 aftermarket is thin, the PE supplied in the box is often the only PE you will get for that subject.
Are 1/72 armor kits harder to build than 1/35?
They are harder in handling, not in concept. At 1:72, one inch of model represents six feet, so a main battle tank around 6 metres long becomes roughly 83 millimetres, and a machine gun becomes a part you can lose. You need fine nippers, magnification and thin cement, and a 600-part kit takes far longer than the part count suggests. In return you get a whole vehicle history on one shelf, which is the trade most builders make deliberately.
What tools do I need to start building 1/72 armor?
Six things cover most needs: fine pointed or flush nippers, a loupe or arm-mounted magnifier, thin liquid cement, a panel line wash, a PE bending tool with practice scrap, and setting solution with fine tweezers for decals. Brushes and paint are a separate decision, though consistency matters more than the type because mixed media shows as different sheen on a model this small. Expect to also need a spare sheet of any decal option you use, since they lift from curved surfaces easily.
Final Verdict on the Best Takom 1/72 Armor Kits
For most builders the best takom 1/72 armor kit is the TAK5002 M1070 tank transporter with D9R bulldozer, because it is the deepest build in the group, the only one with a real pile of owner feedback behind it, and the one that produces the most interesting finished scene. Its 3.0 average reflects handling difficulty and a few reports of missing trailer tyres, not bad tooling, so treat it as a second-project kit unless you already have the tools.
Buy the TAK5022 M60A1 ERA / M60A3 if you want one well-equipped tank rather than a scene. Buy the TAK5011 SLT56 and Leopard 2A7 if you want two Cold War vehicles in one box, and the TAK5013 MAZ-537G with T-54 if the Soviet transport scene is your interest. The M911 C-HET, the Krupp Raumer pairing and the M1070 gun truck are the rarest subjects here and the least proven by owner feedback, so approach them as enthusiast purchases rather than safe ones.
Whatever you choose, get the nippers, the magnifier and the thin cement sorted first. At 1/72 those three things decide how much you enjoy the build more than the kit does.