This is another of those Brengun kits that is SO useful when doing a diorama. In this case, the diorama is a USN aircraft carrier deck, and the kit is the MD-3 tow tractor. Actually, the kit is TWO MD-3 tow tractors. Better value for the money.

While I was looking up the catalog reference for this kit, I found another useful item in the Brengun accessories catalog. How about a tow bar for this tractor? It’s item number BRL144115, $6.05.

The Kit

You get two of all the parts. There are two sets of resin parts to make two tractors. Also, the PE fret has all the (tiny) parts you need to make two tractors. The decal sheet has enough decals to make two tractors, as long as you don’t want the black warning stripes for the bumpers on the second kit.

All of the resin parts are nicely molded, without bubbles or excessive flash. The PE parts were nicely set up, with almost no trimming required on any of the parts.

The M270 MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) was first delivered to troops in 1983 and has since been delivered to many NATO countries with over 1,300 being built. The last M270 was manufactured in 2003, when a last batch was delivered to the Egyptian Army.

DML first produced a MLRS kit in 1992. The kit was no. 3522 followed soon after by no. 3523. The major difference was the inclusion of 2 separate M26 rocket pods. Jump to 2015 and Dragon has released a “new” version of this incredible artillery piece.

In 1992, the kit suffered from several issues such as the link length track, poorly rendered road wheels, and attached support arms and shocks. This new release has not rectified any of the issues. The only difference between this kit and no. 3523 is the inclusion of three small part sprues. Do not expect “Big Foot” track as depicted on the box top. This re-issue still has the earlier style track.

Thank you to Unique Master Models (UMM) for generously providing an excellent tool for “field testing.” Thank you as well to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for letting me be an evaluator.

The tool is small, has a nice weight or heft in the hand, and does not flex easily. The scriber is strongly attracted to a magnet, but is not magnetic itself. The surface is highly polished. The longer deburring edge and the shorter scriber edge are sharp enough to start scribing right out of the cellophane package. The cutting edges should be easily honed as needed. The smooth sides moved easily along my steel straight edge. I pushed the limits a bit and found there was no flex in the tool that affected the “groove.” The primary tool design is for scribing lines in plastic, but I expect to discover other uses when the tool is in hand. Further, the tool has that somewhat undefinable sense of “feeling right.”