As a little something different, I am going to begin this review with a story relating to my introduction to the USS Independence LCS-2. Over Thanksgiving week in 2010, my family and I were traveling to Virginia Beach to spend the holiday with my in-laws (no jokes here, they really are great people). When we first arrived in the Hampton Roads area, we stopped at my favorite hobby shop in the country, at least of all the ones that I have been in. There on the end of an aisle was a brand new release from Trumpeter of the USS Independence (kit 04548), a new littoral combat ship with a trimaran hull. Although I am a former carrier sailor, I had to have this kit in my stash, as it was incredibly state of the art in its appearance. While talking to the owner of the store when I was checking out, he mentioned that the ship was moored in Norfolk that week, and this set my mind to work.

Yet another in the long established series of military vehicle monographs from Squadron Signal Publications under their “Walk Around” range, this particular title covers the Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer. The book is in softback (card cover) format, 80 pages in length, with the glossy paper pages measuring 11 x 8 inches. The same title is also available in a hardback format, should you wish to spend the additional money.

Those familiar with this series of books will not be disappointed, as it follows the tried and true Walk Around format: the reader is given a brief written history of the Hetzer range of vehicles, a late war armored, tracked tank destroyer based on the Panzer 38(t) chassis. The Hetzer became the most widely used tank destroyer employed by German forces in WW2.

The Parts:

This product contains four pieces cast in white metal which replace the struts and gear for the Bronco kit. The molding is clean, with no “step” along mold release points. The details match kit parts, rivet for rivet, but with no flash (kit parts have a little flash).

The SAC main landing gear struts are molded as “one” piece whereas the kit main gear struts require two pieces to be glued together to form one strut.

Assembly:

We’ve all seen the notice, “no assembly required”, but other than attaching the SAC parts to the Bronco kit, there isn’t any assembly required to prepare the SAC parts. The SAC parts fit nicely. They are snug and tight and fit into the Bronco kit just as the original parts fit.

Painting:

I prime metal parts with an inexpensive primer found at Wal-Mart and Target. Use a primer of your choice.

Conclusion: