Tamiya kits are known for their ease of building and detail. There are some tradeoffs that come with that philosophy, particularly with engine screens and other small metal parts on the real vehicle. While the base Tamiya kit is great out of the box, there is always room for more detail, and this Hauler kit does not disappoint.

This PE set fills that void and takes the Tamiya 1/48 M5A1 Stuart (Kit No. 32606) to the next level. This set includes two PE frets (A (1 ⁵/₈” x 2 ¼”) containing the M1919 MG mount, ammo can, periscope cages, spare track hangers, light guards, grab handles, etc.; and B (1 ³/₁₆” x 1 ⁵/₁₆”) containing the four engine screens and tool tie downs, and a resin sprue with onboard tools and M2 HMG.

Some of the PE just drops in, such as the engine screens. The machine gun PE is fiddly and had a hard time adhering the mount to the resin machine gun body. The tool clamps take a bit more effort but have the strap and buckle assembly that really is crisp. The hardest PE to bend to shape are the light guards; use the plastic parts as templates.

Use your discretion on which plastic parts to substitute PE, as some parts may not be worth the effort. Part No. 36 (machine gun ammo belt) is not listed on the instructions but is 29mm (1 ¹/₈”) long and has plenty of ammo for several 1/48 kits. Hauler also provides spares for tool tie downs (Part No. 6) and handholds (Part No. 13 (one) and Part No. 7 (three))

An advantage for the PE is scale thickness, the ability to show missing/removed tools, and the option to add damage and imperfections to replicate armored vehicles operating in the field.

This is a moderately easy-to-use PE that adds another level of detail to an already impressive kit. It is also highly recommended for those wanting to increase their PE skills.

For those looking for that extra detail for your M5A1 Stuart, or M3/M5 Stuart tank/M8 Howitzer Mortar Carrier (HMC), this set does not disappoint.

Profuse thanks to Hauler and Brengun and IPMS/USA for providing the review sample.