ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS84 View more reviews online: http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 85INAUGURAL ASSAULT GUN
StuG.III 0-Series
By: MiniArt
Item no: 35210 Price: £43.99
Web: http://www.creativemodels.co.ukMiniArt is to be applauded for this
release, because as far as we know,
this is the first time the O-Series
StuG.III has been produced in 1/35
scale. The firm's fans have been
spoilt lately by tank releases with
interiors. This kit is not billed as such,
but still has a full breech mechanism,
fighting compartment seating and
radio gear. All hatches are separate,there are PE tool clamps and grille
louvres, and fine tread plate on the
track covers. The early feature of
round servicing hatches in the bow is
also present, and the styrene track is
workable; even with the jig provided,
and the clever pinning method, track
assembly will be time-consuming.
They will look superb, though, once
completed because the detail is
sublime. Decals are limited to ‘A’ and
‘B’ casemate letters, crosses and
badges for three different StuGs
from the Artillerie-Lehr-Regiment,
Jüterbog, Germany, in 1939-40.Mid M3 Lee
By: Takom
Item no: 2089 Price: £4 7. 9 9
Web: http://www.pocketbond.co.ukTakom impressed with its
initial Grant/Lee boxings and it
continues with this Mid-Production
M3...which had the riveted hull,
but gained a counterbalance on
the main gun. Much of the styrene
is the same, though, and very
pleasing, with deftly moulded
rivets, and generally good running
gear. In comparison with reference
photos, though, the attachmentpoints for the outer ring of bolts
sit beyond the drive sprocket inner
hub, yet on the real vehicle they
appear to sit just on the outer
reaches of the hub. The tracks
are link-and-length items, and a
jig is provided to help assemble
the upper links. Convincing cast
texture is evident, and there
are PE details. The only gripe
involves the instructions, whose
colour paint and decal placement
drawings are too small to be read
easily. All tanks are in Olive Drab,
and all but one are US Army
machines in North Africa.IJA Type 97 Medium Tank Chi-Ha
Early Production
By: Dragon Item no: 6870
Price: £59.99 Web: http://www.hobbyco.net
The Japanese Chi-Ha has been
available in 1/35 scale since 1975, via
Tamiya and more recently from Fine
Molds...but Dragon’s stunning new
tooling will eclipse both. This kit of
the Early Production vehicle, with
its trademark turret-mounted ring
antenna (two styles are provided),
is superb. Its main gun has moulded
rifling and is replicated with the
breech, fine cog teeth adorn the
turret attachment ring, and a photo-
etched brass fret carries alternative
rear ventilator covers, exhaust
shrouds and other items. There is
plenty of convincing rivet detail on
the hull, and the vent louvres are well
defined. Arguably the most notable
feature is Dragon’s styrene NEO
track, which offers highly refined
link-and-length sections, with sag
already being worked into the upper
runs (a jig is provided for assembling
the latter). This is a truly fine kit, with
four schemes supplied:- 31, 1st Tank Regt, Malaya, 1941
- 33, 1st Tank Regt, Singapore, 1941
- 13th Tank Regt, China, 1941
- Fuji training grounds, 1941
HYPHENATED NIPPON ARMOUR
Kadett K38 Saloon
By: Revell Item no: 03270
Price: £17.99 Web: http://www.revell.de/enICM’s box art shows this staff car
in German yellow, while this Revell
re-release has decals for one car
in Panzer Grey, and the other
in beige, which the instructions
suggest as a 50:50 mix of Revell
paints. The kit itself is delightful;
its small finished size (just 11cm),
coupled with a parts count of 129,
makes for a beautifully detailed
rendition...the highlight beingthe excellent Opel engine. The
covers for the latter are separate,
so in effect, one can pose one
or both open to display the
powerplant. Crisp door card and
dash moulding, along with very
pleasing grilles and leaf-spring
suspension units, ensure a high
degree of fidelity. Fine rubber tyres
and super-clear transparencies
complete a great replica:- WL-456 391, 4./(F) 123, German
Luftwaffe, France, summer 1944 - WH-720 251, German Wehrmacht,
Russia, 1944
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