Ammo bunkers were used in Vietnam at Fire Support Bases-FSB (artillery emplacements) for the storage of ammo, powder, and fuses. Built with any available material including 105mm wooden ammo crates, metal culverts, PSP, or wooden planks these ammunition bunkers were everywhere a FSB was located. Some of these structures were also used as personnel shelters.

Tiger Werke has done the modeling community a service by providing not one but three different style of ammo bunkers that are suitable for any 1/35 scale Vietnam-era fire base diorama or vignette This particular review revolves around TW-35217, the Type III Ammo Bunker. This style shows a section of culvert stacked with sandbags protecting a small bunker that was constructed from empty, wooden ammunition crates.

Tiger Werke is adding to its line of resin diorama accessories with a U.S. Vietnam Ammo Bunker. The company has two other types of ammo bunkers available but this missive is only concerned only with the Type II version.

These ammo bunkers were ubiquitous in Vietnam during the U.S. participation in that war. Used at fire support bases (semi-permanent artillery emplacements) as a means of protecting ammunition for the artillery pieces. They were somewhat of a DIY project as most of these structures were constructed using the empty wooden ammo crates and loads of sandbag reinforcement for the roof. Often the ammo bunkers would be incorporated into the sandbag or earthen parapet surrounding each gun emplacement. These ammo bunkers were also used as personnel shelters (in the event of a mortar attack) or for other storage.

ICM has released kit of a British Royal Marine Office in their 1/16 figure series. The Royal Marine is in the standard parade uniform with sword.

In the box is;

• 2 x light grey sprues
• 1 stand base
• 1 black sprue
• 1 instruction sheets
• 1 box art print

Construction

The construction of the figure is very easy, and they assemble very well. You do need to do a little filling here and there during the assembly.

The base is a nice touch and has optional ground finishes to choose from.

Painting was easy, although I did not use all the reference colors as shown on in the instructions. I did use all Tamiya paints on the figure.

I really enjoyed building these and they look great as a team of individually.

Summary

This was a fantastic kit and fun to build.

Thanks go to ICM for providing this kit to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Italeri’s “Partisans” figure kit (photo 1) is a re-issue of the 1977 ESCI kit “Partisans Resistance Group”. The kit includes two sprues providing parts for six figures and various accessories (photos 2 & 3). The illustration on the back of the box serves as both the assembly and painting instructions (photo 4). The suggested paint colors refer to Italeri’s acrylic paint line. Three of the figures are kneeling, one is standing and throwing, and there is a woman helping a wounded comrade. The weapons included in the kit are: three mauser 98k rifles, an MP-40 submachine gun, a sten submachine gun, a carcano rifle, three stick grenades, a pineapple-style grenade, and four Molotov cocktails. The other accessories included are: binoculars, two knapsacks, two satchels, and a plunger-style power supply for blowing up your 1/35th scale bridges.

Figures from the Vietnam War are few and far between, especially helicopter crew. With the ICM release of the 1/32nd scale AH-1G they have released a kit of THREE Vietnam helicopter crewmembers.

Packed inside a typical sturdy box are three plastic sprue of light grey plastic that features the parts for the three figures. Two of the sprues are the same with both APH-5 and SPH-4 helmets, mic booms and ear cups. This is a nice feature because the helmets can be used without the figures to spruce up any model. The plastic is very crisp and the figures, especially the faces, are very well done. The assembly and paint instructions are printed on high quality paper with color callouts in ICMs paint range, as well as, Revell and Tamiya.