Eric Christianson
Reviews By Author
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T-90A wTBS-86 Tank DozerPublished:
Meng has released a second version of their excellent T-90A, this one with newly designed track and two optional front ends: a self-entrenching device, or a TBS-86 Tank Dozer blade. The twin electro-optical/IR ‘dazzler’ lights come complete with all electronic bits to make them light up, and a layer of nylon turret (composite armor) ‘skin’ add to an already interesting build. The T-90 tank is protected by both conventional armor-plating and explosive reactive armor, and fitted with the Shtora-1 defensive-aids suite which includes an infrared jammer, a laser warning system with four laser warning receivers, a grenade discharging system which produces an aerosol screen and a computerized control system. It is also fitted with NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) protection… more |
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British Armored Car Saladin Mk. 2Published:
The Black Label collection from Dragon Models offers an interesting range of novel model kits. Their latest offering, a 1/35th scale Alvis Saladin Mk.II FV601(C), is a 6-wheeled armored car widely used by the British Army from 1958 onwards, as well as by many other militaries. Production ended in 1972, by which time 1,177 examples had been manufactured. The 11.6-ton Saladin featured a turret mounting a 76mm L5A1 gun and a coaxial M1919A4 machine gun, and it was operated by a crew of three. A Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.6A engine powered the vehicle to a top speed of 72km/h. Saladins were widely used in Oman during the Dhofar conflict from 1972-76, in Cyprus during the 1970s, in the defense of Kuwait (1990) and in the Sri Lankan Civil War. The British eventually replaced the Saladin with the… more |
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German 2cm L50 KwK 38 Gun BarrelPublished:
Master Model out of Poland, well-known for producing high-quality, precision after-market products, has recently released a German 2cm L50 KwK 38 Gun Barrel. This barrel is made to replace the ubiquitous AA and infantry support weapon found in a variety of 1/35th scale kits. The barrel comes in two pieces of turned brass; a shaft and a delicately perforated cone that slips over the end of the shaft. The shaft is shorter than the standard 2cm L50 KwK 38 barrel and must be cut-in to the plastic using super glue. I looked across my stash and found the following three comparison barrels:
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Sd.Kfz.10/4 fur 2cm FlaK 30, 1940 Production w/Ammo TrailerPublished:
Dragon has expanded their family of Sd.Kfz.10/4 utility halftracks to include a new version towing a standard ammunition trailer. This fully detailed kit sports an engine and gearbox, with an open passenger compartment and pose-able hood panels to expose these beauties. Upgraded road wheels and Magic Tracks have resulted in a spectacular halftrack/trailer combination. The kit comes with an array of new parts, like the loading ramps which can be either assembled for dismounting the gun in the rear or attached to the front of the vehicle. BackgroundGermany fielded a wide range of halftracks during WWII. The Sd.Kfz.10, one of the lighter types, was conceived as a prime mover for small towed guns such as the 3.7 cm PaK 36. Measuring 4.5 m long and weighing 4.9 tons, this… more |
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Panzerfaust with BoxPublished:
The Panzerfaust ("armor fist" or "tank fist") was an inexpensive, single shot, recoilless German anti-tank weapon of World War II. It consisted of a small, disposable preloaded launch tube firing a high explosive anti-tank warhead, and was operated by a single soldier. The Panzerfaust was in service from 1942 until the end of the war. Hauler, a small company out of Czechoslovakia, continues to add to its list of quality aftermarket and modeling supply products; this time with a package of Panzerfaust weapons complete with two cargo boxes in 1/35th scale. The package contains a small PE sheet, a small sheet of decals, a sheet of instructions and a single baggie containing all the resin parts, including eight Panzerfausts. My sample arrived with one of the two delicate ‘… more |
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Wood Signs "Achtung Minen" SetPublished:
Plus Model out of Czechoslovakia continues to add to its list of quality aftermarket and modeling supply products; this time with a package of wooden (yes wooden!) warning signs identifying an active mine field – perfect for a diorama, or even amongst a pile of detritus found in the back of a Maultier. The package contains enough material to create 30 signs of two different styles. The signs and their posts are made from soft, laser-cut wood that look terrific. The parts are protected in a sturdy plastic sleeve to prevent damage in shipping, and can easily be removed from their wooden ‘sprues’ using a hobby knife. Once clipped and touched with a sanding stick, they can be assembled using white glue or any other adhesive suitable for gluing wood. I had high hopes… more |
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T84E1 Workable Track Link Set (Rubber) for M46/M47Published:
Bronco Models is well-known for producing some of the finest after-market track sets available. Chances are, if there is not already a Bronco after-market track set made for whatever you are working on, one will be available soon. Such was the case for their recently released T84E1 M-47 track, which I have been waiting for ever since my Italeri M-47 ‘rubber-band’ style tracks split, and then split again, soon after I placed the completed model in my display case. This is my first foray into building Bronco tracks and I went in knowing their reputation for being both excellent and challenging to assemble. Opening the box, however, I soon realized that these tracks would take even more time than I thought to bring together - too much time, in fact, for me to complete a set for… more |
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M6A1 Heavy TankPublished:
The M6The M6 Heavy Tank was designed and produced in small numbers during World War II, but never saw combat. By 1942, three prototypes were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The prototypes differed by power plant, transmission and hull assembly method - one had welded hull and two cast hull. However by the time the M6 was ready for production, the Armored Corps had lost interest in the project. The advantages the M6 offered over medium tanks were offset partly by the shortcomings of the design. By the end of 1942, the Armored Corps were sure that the new M4 Sherman gave adequate solution for the present and the near future. On 14 December 1944 the M6 was declared obsolete. Only forty units were produced and they never left US soil. Several toured the… more |
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Pz.Bef.Wg.III Ausf.J w/SchurzenPublished:
Dragon Models offers a complete lineup of the Pz.Kpfw. III family tree in 1/35 scale, including several kits released in this past year alone. The subject of this review is the Pz.Bef.Wg. III Ausf J from their Smart Kit series. Pz.Bef.Wg., short for Panzerbefehlswagen, identifies the vehicle as a specialized command tank, containing long range radios. The Pz.Bef.Wg. III Ausf JThe Panzer III was a medium-class tank that, at the outbreak of WWII, was designed to be the primary platform of the all-conquering panzer divisions. With the advent of more heavily armored and up-gunned enemy tanks, the role of the Panzer III became secondary to that of the Panzer IV, and its production finally ceased in 1943. A number of specialized command tanks containing… more |
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Soviet S-51 Tank w/Self Propelled GunPublished:
Trumpeter has released the only 1/35th scale rendition of the rare Soviet S-51 Self-Propelled Gun, mating a modified KV-1S chassis with a 203mm heavy howitzer. The kit brings together parts from their excellent KV-1 series along with all-new molding for the gun and upper deck to create a positively Russian-looking brute. Developed by the Grabin Central Artillery Design Bureau (GAU) in 1943, the S-51 passed trials successfully in the spring of 1944, but never entered mass production. Among the more interesting problems uncovered was the tendency for the S-51 to move to a lateral displacement when firing due to the inertia caused by the high line-of-fire design. At roughly 55 tons, that must have been something to see. Also, since the elevation angle was relatively small and the… more |