The EQ2050 Meng Shi (also known as Dong Feng Armour) is the 1.5 ton capacity, four-wheel drive troop/cargo carrier truck developed and built by Dong Feng Motor Corporation (DFM). The vehicle was based on the General Motors High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) with some minor modifications. This would definitely explain why it looks so similar. According to Chinese media reports, the military version WQ2050 is made with 100% Chinese made parts.

Like its hardtop predecessor (HobbyBoss 82468), this is another new kit from HobbyBoss! HobbyBoss has really been cranking out the wheeled and tracked vehicle kits in the last couple of years. These are not kits that other companies are releasing but new and previously unreleased kits. HobbyBoss now has three vehicles based on the Dang Feng 1.5 ton chassis.

As quoted from Squadron/Signal Publications " In Action books, despite the title of the genre, are books that trace the development of a single type of aircraft, armored vehicle, or ship from prototype to the final production variant. Experimental or "one-off" variants can also be included. Our first In Action book was printed in 1971".

The M-1 Abrams was designed to fight multiple Communist manned tanks in the forests of Europe. Even though the "Abrams" has been in combat, it has been limited to desert warfare. The M-1 was designed to be technologically superior and to provide the crew the best protection possible. During the M-1's career it has gone through many upgrades and modifications, both in technology, armor and armaments.

Object 279 was a Soviet prototype tank designed in 1959 to be capable of operating on a nuclear-biological-chemical battlefield and even survive the blast wave from a nuclear weapon (from a distance, anyway). The tank had a bowl-shaped body to channel blast energy around itself. The vehicle carried a 130mm main gun capable of firing discarding sabot shells that could penetrate over 400mm of armor. The tank’s own armor was up to 319mm thick. The tank had four tracks to assist it in going over exceedingly rough terrain. In spite of its advantages, the tank was never put into production due to gearbox reliability issues and its inability to cross some bridges and move in swampy areas, due to its weight.

Kit

The kit comes with four parts trees, three parts trees for the individual track links, the upper and lower hull sections, a PE fret, a small length of copper wire for the tow cables, and the instruction booklet. Also, there is a print of the box art photo.

Background

The French Renault FT-17 can claim the distinction of setting the standard for tank design for the entire Twentieth Century. By the end of 1915, Jean Baptiste Estienne, General of Artillery and a specialist in military engineering, realized that artillery could be mounted on tracked armored vehicles. This vision led him to create the French tank arm. He is considered by many in France to be the Père des Chars (Father of the Tank). Some early companies approached by Estienne produced medium size tanks – the Schneider and the Saint Chamond. Estienne believed, however, that a light tank was needed, and approached Louis Renault in July, 1916, who then developed the FT-17. Innovative in its design, the FT-17 featured the first rotating turret, along with a rear engine compartment and front driver compartment, and only weighed around 7 tons. Early FT-17’s were armed with an 8mm Hotchkiss machine gun, and later designs carried the 37mm Puteaux canon.

While Meng does not have many kits on the market, they have quickly gained the respect of many modelers for the exquisite detail of their kits. They continue their trend of releasing very interesting, modern subjects. The High Mobility Vehicle, manufactured by the GAZ group of Russia, is a multi-purpose, diesel-powered patrol vehicle. It first premiered in 2001 and pilot production started in 2004. It serves in the Russian Army and paramilitary police units and has some customers around the world. The Tiger kit has seven sprues molded in green plastic, one decal sheet, clear parts, five tires, and the hull and chassis of the vehicle. Some customers have reported some problems with the rear door frame of the body being smashed in shipping. No problems here. The quality of the molding is outstanding with very little in the way of flash.