Review by: Bill Curtis (May 2011)
Something to get you in the building mood!
Initial Assessment
The kit first saw the light of day back in 1996 and was re-released in 2000 with the inclusion of a set of figures. As far as I am aware this is the only kit of this tank in 1:35 scale. It comes in a card box and all items are bagged to protect them from damage. For the tank, you have five sprues and a hull bottom tub, four sprues which cover the figures and a set of black vinyl tracks. Also included are a clear sprue, mesh, poly caps, decal sheet and instructions.
Click on Image to Enlarge/go back.
Accuracy
The accuracy of this kit is first class.
Quality
The moulding of the parts is good, with crisp detail on most parts and no flash on any of the parts in this kit – which is very good considering the age of the kit. The turret has some great detail, including the anti slip surface and the gun barrel. With care this should join and clean up so obviating the need for a metal barrel.
The basket looks like it could be a fiddly job to assemble due to the amount of parts. The hull has great panel lines and superb detail, which I feel is let down by the tools that are moulded onto the surface and look soft in detail. The mudguards look a little over scale but this can be easily remedied by scraping the edges with a sharp blade if so desired.
Instructions
The instructions come in two forms; firstly a booklet formed from a single sheet to make 10 pages taking us through 19 stages of build .The second is a four page guide to painting the crew/loaders, tank and ammo as well as the assembly of rounds, boxes and auto loading system. As usual with Tamiya instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow.
Decals
The decal sheet is colourful and in-register with a lot of images so you have a good choice for your subject.
Conclusions
This is a very nice kit with fine detail. It’s accurate, free of flash and very few injection marks means it should go together easily. For a kit of its age, it compares well with some current manufactures. I think this could be a kit for a beginner as it looks straight forward and you will end up with an impressive model at the end of the project, though the price is not cheap.
Highly Recommended.
Bill C.
P.S. Thanks to Geoff’s wallet for the review sample!
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