Reviewed by Neil Pepper (January 2011)
Well what can you say but welcome back to this old but nice kit which has been released again. So for all British Armour fans it’s good to have it back.
I am sure there are lots of etched brass and resin extras for people that are into them, but as I like to build straight from the box and if I feel something needs replacing I will try to make my own parts. That’s my plan when I get into the build for SMN in the near future.
Initial assessment…
Anyway back to the box and what is in it. To me it looks as crisp and sharp as we expert from Tamiya. There are six sand coloured sprues, one clear sprue, a one-piece body and the chassis. The sprues certainly seem to have stood the test of time and the plastic has that “I’ve just got to start sticking this together” feel to it – pure Tamiya.
Tyre tread, steering wheel and other small parts have very accurate tooling that will need minimal cleaning up to use. Of note is the fabric effect for the canvas on top of the Quad Gun Tractor and should come up nicely under subtle dry-brushing. What will also look convincing (maybe) is the rolled stowage that can sit on the rear of the vehicle although you will probably want to add some original items of your own to make your model unique. A nice touch is the inclusion of a seated figure that you can pop in the cab to set off your completed model.
Clear parts…
These are clear and unscratched on our kit and this is probably because of the impeccable Tamiya packaging.
25 PDR Field Gun…
This is very nicely tooled and follows a similar quality and look to the Quad Gun Tractor. The smaller and thinly moulded parts are exceptional but care needs to be taken when removing the latter as they can easily snap – not good!
Instructions and decals…
Tamiya kit instructions are amongst the best in the business and are logical and clearly printed. On the instructions it shows two theatres of action, the Canadian Army marking for Europe or the 8th army marking for North Africa.
There is a small decal sheet included with unit badges and serials and these are well printed and typical of the manufacturer. Look a bit thick but usually work very well when laid down over a gloss finish and the appropriate decal wetting/softening solutions applied.
Conclusion…
Clearly a great starter kit if you are new to armour modelling or just fancy something straightforward and fun to build. It’s also a British subject, something that SMN is keen to build a collection of. Check out my Crusader that’s on the way, plus plenty of other subjects too! So keep your eyes open for the build.
Recommended
Neil P.