Kit Ref: 32569
1:48th scale
Review by: Bill Curtis (February 2011)
Initial Assessment
The box is full and contains five sprues, a decal sheet, a weights (4) pack of poly caps and two sheets of instructions. I feel that the weights included are not required, but it is great to see Tamiya has done away with the metal lower hull tub in favour of a more detailed plastic one. A nice touch with the tracks is the built-in sag which will make it easier to reproduce that typical look of the real thing.
Accuracy
The kit comes out well against my plans and the detail is very good. One point to watch is the assembly of the barrel as it needs to end up round with no flats on it.
Quality
This is another great Tamiya kit and as usual it looks as if all the parts will fit together very well. The parts are crisp and the detail is very good which add to the overall effect of the vehicle. The only complaint in this area and that is the moulded grab handles on the doors and the lifting hooks. The former is just a rectangle of plastic which will need to be shaved off and replaced with bent wire. Finally, all the lifting hooks on the roof, engine deck and driver compartment are not up to the high standard set by the rest of the kit. I would have liked to have seen these as separate items with the correct shape and I think one is left with making these from card. All the knock out marks are on the inside of the finished vehicle which will not be seen once built.
Instructions
The instructions come in two distinct parts with the first being a single sheet folded into three giving eight pages of the usual clear and well laid out steps. They are clear and concise printed black on white and follow a logical manner. They also include the painting instructions for the various small parts as they are used in the construction. The second sheet is again folded giving four pages, of which the first three give the colour schemes, referenced to Tamiya colours, and with markings shown for three vehicles all of which were in action in Germany in March 1945.
Decals
The decal sheet is well printed in good register being of two colours (Black and White).
Conclusions
This kit should build into a great model, with the reservation of the handles and lifting hooks which can easily be corrected. The colour schemes are of the tri-colour type and may be a little challenging for some but patience and care will be rewarded with a very nice vehicle.
Highly Recommended.
Bill C.
N.B. I purchased this model from a local hobby shop and it was cheaper than on the Web. So always remember that you can find a good deal at your local hobby shop. USE IT OR LOSE IT.