Engine

The kit gives you a couple of engine options. One being a Hemi and the other a 340 or 360. Both fit together pretty well once you get past the flash. I used the Hemi in my build.

Chassis

The chassis is a weird setup. Part of the exhaust is molded into the chassis and the back half is molded to the springs & differential. It also looks to be extremely out of scale. Front suspension – there is none.

Interior

The interior tub is a one piece unit with poor engraving.

Body

The kit supplies a 2 piece hood scoop. The front portion of the scoop was difficult to get positioned properly.

Round2 has been supplying some very sought after kits lately. It’s a pity that they’re reissues of old molds that have seen better days. Thank you to Round2Models and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to build and review a marvelous kit.

The Achilles IIC is the British version of the M10 tank destroyer (TD). It was based on the M4 Sherman chassis and mounted the 17 pounder anti-tank gun.

The kit is molded in a medium green styrene with some minor flash and a few sink marks, though nothing that isn’t easily removed or fixed. If I counted correctly, the kit contains 339 parts. Yes, 339. In 1/72 scale. The good news is that a lot of the parts are for the tracks, not all parts are used, and there are some useful parts left over to detail other kits. The attachment points are a bit larger than some other manufactures, but can be cleaned up with a bit of work. The tracks are link-and-length. I did a bit of research and found that some earlier UM Sherman kits had incorrect road wheels (six spokes instead of five) and the track was too narrow. It seems they fixed the road wheels, but apparently didn’t fix the track. I don’t think it’s too narrow by very much, though.

This offering is a revised and re-printed version of the previously released Modellers Datafile #1. The initial Modellers Datafile #1 contained excellent historical and scale modelling content, and that content is included in this new edition. The new release has been expanded to 176 pages and “included the additional model builds and in-box previews covering the significant new toolings that have appeared in the fifteen years since to series began, along with an updated list of currently available kits, accessories and decals”.

“When the first Datafile was published back in 1998 it was quite rightly regarded as the definitive book on modelling one of the most enduring and iconic aircraft of WWII.” This publication is the perfect companion and reference for a modeller wishing to build a Mosquito kit, regardless of scale.