Reviews of products for scale military vehicle models.

Review Author
David Wrinkle
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$59.99

The IJA Type 4 “Ke-Nu” was designed and built during 1944 utilizing two existing IJA tank components. The designers mated surplus Type 97 Chi-Ha turrets left over from the Type 97 modernization program with obsolete Type 95 Ha-go tank chassis. In total 100 tanks were produced with this recipe. According to the Dragon Models website, this kit utilizes a brand new Type 97 Chi-Ha turret & antenna ring mated with the hull parts from their Type 95 Ha-Go hull. Dragon included updated glacis plate and upper hull parts to accurately represent the Ke-Nu. I hope to see Dragon produce a Type 97 sometime in the near future now that they have the Type 97 turret tooled.

Review Author
Tim Wilding
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$53.00

The Crusader Mk. III came into British service in the second half of 1942 during the Tunisian Campaign in North Africa. They were used for about a year until replaced with the M4, then they were converted to AA or reconnaissance tanks. This Tamiya kit is part of their Italeri series where they take older Italeri molds, correct errors, add details and pack them in new boxes with some extra Tamiya goodies. This Italeri kit first hit the market in 1976. Tamiya has taken these old molds and added turret and hull weld seam. They also corrected the front fenders by taking a molded-in step out of them, updated the moldings on the turret tool box, added details to the underside of the hatches, hollowed out the spotlight and included a thin, plastic lens. Two Tamiya figures are included from their Churchill Mk. VII kit, # 35210, from 1996, and a sprue from the British Infantry on Patrol weapons, kit #35223, from 1999.

Book Author(s)
Steven J. Zaloga
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$20.00

Steven J. Zaloga was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to John and Muriel Zaloga on February 1, 1952. Steven earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in history at Union College and his Masters degree in history at Columbia University. He obtained a Certificate in International Affairs from the graduate program of the University of Cracow. He has worked in the aerospace industry for some twenty years as an analyst specializing in missiles, precision guided munitions and unarmed aerial vehicles. Steven has served with a federal think tank, Defense Analyses. He was the writer director for The Discovery Channel’s “Firepower” series from 1987 to 1992. He has authored many books on military technology, especially in armored warfare. Steven is a noted scale armor modeler and is a member of AMPS (Armor Modeling and Preservation Society).

Book Author(s)
Steven J. Zaloga
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.00

Steven J. Zaloga was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to John and Muriel Zaloga on February 1, 1952. Steven earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in history at Union College and his Masters degree in history at Columbia University. He obtained a Certificate in International Affairs from the graduate program of the University of Cracow. He has worked in the aerospace industry for some twenty years as an analyst specializing in missiles, precision guided munitions and unarmed aerial vehicles. Steven has served with a federal think tank, Defense Analyses. He was the writer director for The Discovery Channel’s “Firepower” series from 1987 to 1992. He has authored many books on military technology, especially in armored warfare. Steven is a noted scale armor modeler and is a member of AMPS (Armor Modeling and Preservation Society).

Review Author
Tim Wilding
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$46.00

The M36 was a late war tank destroyer based on the M10A1 tank destroyer hull and a new turret to carry the 90mm gun. The M10A1 was based on the M4A3 Medium Tank hull with the Ford GAA 8-cylinder 500 HP engines. In early 1944, the Army had 600 M10A1 hulls ready, so they diverted them to be used with the new 90mm turret to become M36s. Towards the end of the war, M10 tank destroyer hulls were used and these became M36B2s. This hull was based on the M4A2 Medium Tank using two conjoined 6-cylinder GM diesel engines to make a 12-cylinder engine. This kit offers both versions to be built by having different engine decks, exhaust and rear engine plates.

Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
Company
Bronco Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$11.99

History and Facts

The trailer depicted here is my research is correct is a Renault UK trailer that is in captured German service the trailer were used and obtained during the fall of France, about 3000 UE and UE2s had been captured by the German Wermacht.

What's in the Box

  • 6 sprues of grey plastic
  • 2 photo etch frets (1 for trailer and 1 for the jerry cans)

The Build

Let me start by saying this was a fun build. It started out as an in box review but the model looked so cool it ended up getting built. You start by assembling the suspensions and the running gear. Do not glue part Ga 5to the leaf springs this will allow you to tip the trailer later to suit which ever vehicle you are going to connect it to. I also did not glue the road wheels bogie units to Ga 5 until after the model was assembled and again was to allow the trailer to pivot as mentioned.

Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
Company
Tiger Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$97.99

History and Facts

T-90MS is a modernized version of the T-90 main battle tank (MBT) built by Uralvagonzavod. The tank is being proposed for the Russian Army and potential export customers. The tank was first demonstrated during the Russian Expo Arms in Nizhny Tagil in September 2011. The capabilities of the T-90MS were also exhibited at DEFEXPO 2012 in New Delhi, India, as well as IDEX 2013 in Abu-Dhabi, UAE. The T-90MS tank will deliver enhanced combat capabilities. The tank offers superior fire power and protection than that of its predecessor.

Review Author
Jarrod Booth
Published on
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$8.87

The Tiger II Ausf.B, Konigstiger, King Tiger or Royal Tiger, as it was called depending where you were from, was the most powerful tank produced by the Germans. It became operational in July 1944, during the Invasion of Normandy. This formidable tank fought on the Western and Eastern Fronts until the end of World War II.

Hauler is located in the Czech Republic, and produces high quality photo-etched sets for AFVs, aircraft, cars, railway vehicles and resin accessories for dioramas and resin kits.

This set fits the 1/72 scale Revell Tiger II kit, and comes nicely packaged with the two photo etch frets inside individual clear plastic bag. The instructions are folded and everything is stapled to the folded over cardboard backing.

Review Author
Tim Wilding
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$39.95

Eduard has released a photo-etched (PE) detail set for the 1/35 Tamiya M-10 mid production tank destroyer. This set includes one PE sheet and a one page, color instruction sheet that is printed on both sides. You can fold this sheet in half to create a pamphlet. This sheet is color coded with black showing the original kit parts, blue for the PE parts and red for the parts that need to be removed for the PE to take its place. The only down side to the sheet is that does not follow the steps on the Tamiya instruction sheet. Before I started, I compared both sheets and wrote on the Eduard sheet what Tamiya step number each assembly belongs to. Then I marked the Tamiya sheet by circling the parts that were going to be replaced or where PE parts were going to be added.